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Road noise

Anthony9

New member
Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and looking for some advice/insight.

A little background.

I'm driving a new MK8 since August last year and have been back to the dealer four times since. The first three occasions were due to software and connectivity issues (which are still not fully resolved), and the most recent was due to the paint peeling off the rear bumper. This has been repaired having been back and forth to VW for almost a month.

However, my biggest gripe with this car is the unbearable road noise. Believe me I'm not a fussy customer. I'd honestly just rather get on with my day than find fault with my car, I have far more important things to be dealing with.

But the road noise. It's like a constant droning coming from the rear and once you hear it, it can't be ignored. It's at a frequency and resonance that gets past the radio regardless of how high the volume is.

I doubt that it's a wheel bearing as the car goes silent on the best of road surfaces and the pitch is the exact same regardless of speed. It makes the inside of the car sound like a hollow chamber.

Has anybody else experienced this? I have noticed that the noise from rain water splashing under the wheel arches is more more pronounced than my previous MK7.5. Also there is practically zero noise absorption in the boot. To be honest I'm almost ready to take a hit on this car and swap it back for the more "tried and tested" MK7. I'm not impressed at all to be honest.
 

Maturedriver

Go Kart Champion
Sorry to hear of all your issues. The most common cause of road noise is tyres. Extreme directional tyres can be very noisy but I doubt if your car came with those. What car model Golf do you have and what size and make of tyres do you have?
 

Handydave

Go Kart Newbie
But the road noise. It's like a constant droning coming from the rear and once you hear it, it can't be ignored. It's at a frequency and resonance that gets past the radio regardless of how high the volume is.

I doubt that it's a wheel bearing as the car goes silent on the best of road surfaces and the pitch is the exact same regardless of speed. It makes the inside of the car sound like a hollow chamber.
That’s very strange, I find road noise in our Mk8 very quiet - quieter than our previous Mk7.5. The Mk8 is on Goodyear Eagle Asymmetric 225/45 R17.
 

AngusC

New member
I find my Golf very quiet too. I've got a Life on 16 inch Nexen tyres. Must be honest, I'd never heard of them (research suggests they're South Korean) but they are the quietest tyres I've ever had.
 

Maturedriver

Go Kart Champion
That’s very strange, I find road noise in our Mk8 very quiet - quieter than our previous Mk7.5. The Mk8 is on Goodyear Eagle Asymmetric 225/45 R17.
I have the same tyres and are very quiet and grippy. Ride is very good so pleased I didn’t go for 18 inch.
 

Mattbates85

Passed Driver's Ed
I find my Golf very quiet too. I've got a Life on 16 inch Nexen tyres. Must be honest, I'd never heard of them (research suggests they're South Korean) but they are the quietest tyres I've ever had.
i agree they are pretty quite BUT the breaking distance is awful in wet conditions and particularly good in the dry either, I will definitely be swapping them out soon.
 

AngusC

New member
i agree they are pretty quite BUT the breaking distance is awful in wet conditions and particularly good in the dry either, I will definitely be swapping them out soon.
Unfortunately I've hardly driven it in the wet in the 5 months since I got it. Been sitting in the drive most of that time. Thanks for the heads-up, will check it out on the next wet day.
 

koolmacher

Passed Driver's Ed
I have a droning noise which was coming from the right rear but I've rotated the wheels now and it it's coming from the right front but not as loud as when on the back, it starts from 55mph up-to 65 mph then fades into the background. I had the wheel bearings checked {unlikley as the car had only done 6500 miles} the17 inch Michelin tyres have 5-6 mm tread depth on them and look new. I was told it was just the tyre but the road noise in general is surprisingly high compared to other cars I've had like Qashqai's Jukes and Leaf's
 

SRGTD

Autocross Newbie
I have a droning noise which was coming from the right rear but I've rotated the wheels now and it it's coming from the right front but not as loud as when on the back, it starts from 55mph up-to 65 mph then fades into the background. I had the wheel bearings checked {unlikley as the car had only done 6500 miles} the17 inch Michelin tyres have 5-6 mm tread depth on them and look new. I was told it was just the tyre but the road noise in general is surprisingly high compared to other cars I've had like Qashqai's Jukes and Leaf's
As @ah184 has said, check for feathered / sawtooth wear on the inside edge of the tyre tread. I had this on a mk5 Golf many years ago and it does sound like a worn wheel bearing, The tyres looked fine until I checked the tread on the inside edge of the tyres.

As for noise levels in general; VW may be using less or poorer quality sound deadening material. They’ll say it’s for weight saving purposes to help keep emission levels down. I’d say it’s cost cutting / penny pinching 🤔.
 

koolmacher

Passed Driver's Ed
Checked tyres all in good condition as they should be at 7 month old no feathering just must be a noisy the for some other reason and with there being lower levels of soundproofing on the golf 8 it seems to amplify the noise more.
 

Handydave

Go Kart Newbie
Previous posts indicate the Mk8 is quite quiet - quieter than the Mk7.5. Not sure there's less soundproofing.
 

koolmacher

Passed Driver's Ed
It may well be quieter than the mk7.5 I've never been in one I was just comparing it to car's I have and you do notice change in road surface a lot more than I was expecting
 
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