Mk8 GTE Soundaktor?

[Maturedriver]

My last car, a Mk7 Golf GTi Performance, had a Soundaktor fitted to the bulkhead which made a horrible artificial engine noise. It was bloody awful and I got the dealer to turn it off with his laptop. Does anyone know if Mk8 has the same thing? When driving in Sport mode of my GTE it makes more noise than in Eco mode but I wonder if the car would be even quieter if it could be completely turned off.

 

[Maturedriver]

I find it strange that car manufacturers work hard to make their cars as quiet as possible then design ways of making them loud again with fake engine noise. Madness!

 

[Massimo 2323]

Yes the car has a sound generator but its only possible to change any setting with obd coding devices like Vcds or Odb11.

 

[Maturedriver]

Would you know if this sound generator makes a fake noise also in Eco and Comfort mode? If I recall my Mk7 made 100% horrible noise in Sport mode and about 10 or 20% horrible noise in the other modes. The dealer turned it to 0% with his laptop/VCDS. If what I hear in Eco and Comfort modes is natural noise but only make a crap sound in Sport I can live with it since I generally only flick it into Sport when doing a (very) quick overtake.

 

[Maturedriver]

Contacted VW Customer Services to be told that the GTE does not have a Soundaktor. Since it makes a lot more noise in Sport mode than in Eco or Comfort modes I can only assume that the extra noise comes through the radio speakers. I still think this crap noise can be stopped with a laptop/VCDS. There is a VERY slight chance that this noise is made by a valve in the exhaust system which bypasses the silencer. I would eat my Shoei motorcycle helmet if that was the case.

 

[Massimo 2323]

There is a sound generator that makes artificial noise when in electric mode but I don't think it makes noises on sports mode. Now if you a hearing extra noise inside the car well that I don't know my friend. It could very well be internal speakers.

 

[Maturedriver]

There are, in effect, two noise generating systems in the GTE. One being the mandatory EXTERNAL e-Sound. A device to make a noise so that pedestrians can hear the car approaching when in electric mode. I describe it as a ‘growl‘ which can barely be heard in the car.

The noise I am referring to is a INTERNAL noise generator which in the Mk7 GTi is known as a Soundaktor, a mechanical device fitted to the bulkhead which makes a pretend engine/exhaust noise that can only be heard by the driver and passengers INSIDE the car. VW claim that the Mk8 GTE doesn’t have a Soundaktor BUT when driving in Sport mode it definitely makes a lot more unpleasant noise inside than in Eco mode but I think, even in Eco/Comfort modes, it makes more noise than necessary. I conclude one of two things.
1. VW are mistaken in that there is actually is a Soundaktor.
2. The unnecessary and unpleasant sound is coming through the speakers.
Either way I would like to turn it off.

I have to say that there is a shed load of information about the Mk7 GTi Soundaktor on the internet and YouTube but bugger all about the Mk8. The mystery continues.

 

[Massimo 2323]

If you have obd11 or vcds and make a scan of the car we can find out if and how to turn off the soundaktor

 

[Maturedriver]

Many thanks for your reply Massimo, much appreciated. I don’t have either a OBD11 or VCDS and since I’m not particularly computer savvy I suspect I would end up with a car that would no longer start If I tried to use one!!!
I will speak to my dealer about this but from previous experience they would probably say “they all do that gov, can’t do nuffing“.
My previous car, a Mk7 GTi Performance had a horrible noise coming from the gearbox. First they said it was tyres, then brakes and eventually they had to replace the gearbox. Sadly they couldn’t diagnose a drunk in a brewery. Nice car, shame about the dealer.

 

[Maturedriver]

Just found out that from from 2020 VW have introduced ‘Vehicle Diagnostic Protection’. I think it means that no checking or adjustment with a OBD11 or VCDS will be possible. Only VW dealers will be able to do these things.