Strange noise when driving

Faults and Technical chat for the CUPRA Born
Blackeunos
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2022 5:38 pm

Post by Blackeunos »

Okay, I've tried to ignore this, or hoped it was a 'new car running in' thing, but had the car for coming up 2 months at the end of the month and it isn't going away.

As with anything 'strange noise in cars' it's a bit hard to describe, but I'll try.

For background, my iD.3, which I had for nearly a year was near silent.
  • The noise isn't the VESS.
  • It usually occurs above 30mph, and comes and goes, getting gradually louder (although only to a just audible level), and then quieter.
  • It does seem to happen more in warmer, drier weather.
  • It does sound as if it's related to something rotational.
  • I can 'feel' the noise slightly in the pedal when it occurs.
  • It sounds like something metal against something metal.
  • It does 'seem' to get a little deeper in tone as the car slows, which to me would fit with coming from something rotating.
That probably doesn't make much sense, but some things I've thought:
  • It could be the tyre noise, as they are lower profile and bigger than the iD.3, but I thought if it was it might settle down after a couple of thousand miles, but it doesn't appear to have.
  • It could be something catching on the brakes, but I've checked them after a drive and the discs and drums are always cool to the touch.
My solution at the moment is to have the radio slightly louder so I don't notice it, but I can still 'feel' it.
2016-2021 - Nissan Leaf Tekna 24
Sept 21-July 22 - VW ID.3 Life Pro Moonstone
July 22 - Cupra Born V1, Vapor grey, Tech Pack L, 19" Typhoon alloys

monkeyhanger
Posts: 565
Joined: Tue May 31, 2022 8:12 pm

Post by monkeyhanger »

Is the thin sheet metal brake disc guard loose behind the discs?
2022 V2 E-Boost L-Tech Pack - Aurora Blue
2023 Audi S3 - to avoid rapid charging on long journeys.

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Blackeunos
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2022 5:38 pm

Post by Blackeunos »

monkeyhanger wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 7:51 pm Is the thin sheet metal brake disc guard loose behind the discs?
Good shout, I'll have a look, however, it doesn't sound like anythings loose
2016-2021 - Nissan Leaf Tekna 24
Sept 21-July 22 - VW ID.3 Life Pro Moonstone
July 22 - Cupra Born V1, Vapor grey, Tech Pack L, 19" Typhoon alloys
Ponk
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed May 03, 2023 6:25 pm
Location: AG, Switzerland

Post by Ponk »

Hi Blackeunos.

Did you ever get to the bottom of this noise? The reason I ask, is that I have owned a new Born for 6 weeks and I have a similar noise to what you describe. My car is 77kw, 20" wheels with Pilot Sport EV tyres. The noise starts at 20-30 mph quietly, and gets louder as you get to 40-50mph, at 70-80 mph it is a bit louder again but not much. The pitch of the noise does not change, ie. it doesn't change tone as the wheels spin faster. The noise is not 100% constant, fades and gets louder constantly, but you always hear it. It is not a rattle, or grinding, more like a humming sound or a resonance in the body. When I drive through a tunnel on the motorway, it gets louder, which suggests the tunnel is reflecting the noise. I can hear the tyres, they make the noise I expect and are very quiet, I can hear the wind and it is also quiet. I would say there is a faint sense through the steering wheel from the noise but I need to drive it more to check this (it's my wife's car).

I test drove the garage car 9 months ago before ordering, and I am sure when I drove that car, that it was much quieter. We drove it on main roads and motorway, and I remember commenting that at 80mph, you can whisper and be heard, there was zero noise. I live in Switzerland, the roads are super smooth, the road surface sometimes seems to make a slight change to the noise but it never goes away. One thing I can test is when Nov comes, I will put 19" winter wheels on, and I can see if the noise changes or goes away.

Cheers
Cupra Born, 77Kw, Silver, 20" Firestorm, Advance Pack, Beats, Heat Pump, Swiss Model.
Blackeunos
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2022 5:38 pm

Post by Blackeunos »

Still got it.

It hasn't been noticeable/there as much during the cooler winter months, but I have recently noticed it becoming more noticeable now that the weather's getting a bit warmer.
2016-2021 - Nissan Leaf Tekna 24
Sept 21-July 22 - VW ID.3 Life Pro Moonstone
July 22 - Cupra Born V1, Vapor grey, Tech Pack L, 19" Typhoon alloys
User avatar
CupraV3
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:55 am

Post by CupraV3 »

I noticed this last week and now I hear it all the time. Not sure if it’s new or whether I have just tuned in to it but I find it a bit distracting tbh. It’s definitely something to do with the tyres as far as I can tell as the volume of it changes when the road surface changes.

Agree with what others have said, it sounds rotational and it sometimes feels like it’s resonating through the pedal/steering wheel.

I wonder if it’s to do with wheel size/tyre combo. For reference I have 20” blizzards with Continental Eco Contact 6 tyres. I was told by CUPRA that they are run flats but I can’t see any markings on the tyres to suggest they are.
Cupra Born | V3 | Aurora Blue | e-Boost | 20" 'Blizzard' Wheels | Panoramic Roof | Easee One Charging Robot
Ponk
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed May 03, 2023 6:25 pm
Location: AG, Switzerland

Post by Ponk »

Thanks for the feedback, I will see how the noise is in the next months and over summer (if it every starts) and eventually on my winter wheels and report back at the time.

If you ever find anything or have some clues, please let me know.

Cheers
Cupra Born, 77Kw, Silver, 20" Firestorm, Advance Pack, Beats, Heat Pump, Swiss Model.
TheBornIDentity
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:55 pm

Post by TheBornIDentity »

Mine makes a strange sound that I can best describe as a rumbling sound at speeds >60 mph. As previously described it is rotational and I can feel it though the steering wheel. The faster I go the worse it gets and becomes a sort of thumping sound over 70 mph.

I reported it to Cupra months ago because I thought it was a faulty wheel bearing but they couldn’t find anything wrong and refused to drive it over 70 mph where it becomes bloody obvious. They said they checked the wheel balancing but I’m not convinced.

It sort of went away in the winter (god knows why) but on holiday this week with the car loaded up with weight and the warmer weather it was back with avengeance!

I’m pretty sure it is coming from the near side back wheel but definitely the rear. It’s been suggested to me by a family mechanic that it might be a deformed tyre (apparently it’s quite common).

The strange thing is the ID3 I test drove before ordering did it very badly and I was told it had just had a puncture when I commented on it to the salesman. When I got mine it didn’t do it and was very smooth. When I switched to the Born I noticed it in the first few days but it wasn’t as bad as the ID3.

I think I’ll have to pay to get the wheels balanced myself and if that doesn’t work I’ll get the family mechanic to test drive it. My fear is it’s a mis balance in the drive train :(
Stevo1903
Posts: 30
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2022 4:56 pm

Post by Stevo1903 »

My Born has started making an unusual
noise recently. Not sure if this has started since the last update thing that appeared on the infotainment system.
It’s not a noise that I notice when driving but when stopped or parked with car on, there is a slight vibrating and a noise like a fan trying to kick in, it is very short and kicks in about every 5 mins.
No idea what it is?
72 plate | V2 | 58Kwh | Tech L pack | Vapour Grey
Ponk
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed May 03, 2023 6:25 pm
Location: AG, Switzerland

Post by Ponk »

Hey all

Had another drive in the car today, 3rd time in 3 months I think! 60km on the Swiss Autobahn, and the noise is really quite annoying! My wife doesn't notice it so much, but I think she does now after talking about it and working out when it happens etc. It doesn't change pitch, quite high pitched, I can hear it from 20mph and it gets a little louder as you go faster, it does change slightly on different road surfaces, there is a road surface (very smooth black tarmac) where is disappears, but not managed to find this type of surface for more than a few seconds. I went to a local garage today to adjust all 4 wheels to 2.5 bar, (small decrease), to see if that helped, and also to record the noise from my phone using a audio recorded. So far I have no idea how to analyze the file and single out the noise from the rest. The tyre noise and road noise are very distinct, and easy to hear, but you can here this high pitch humming noise constantly coming and going.

Please try the link below and see if my file can be heard. The noise is always there, but is easiest to hear from about 1min onwards, and probably loudest at about 1:50 to 2:15. 2:35 is slower speed and you can hear it also as the wind and road noise are much less.

Cupra Born, 77Kw, Silver, 20" Firestorm, Advance Pack, Beats, Heat Pump, Swiss Model.
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