Steering Rack

[Boulger]

Iv got a terrible knocking noise coming from the front end of my car, iv had all bushes checked by a garage and iv also replaced droplinks and genuine top mounts.

Iv had another couple of lads have another look at it and we've come to the conclusion the rack has had it, seems like quite a common issue after doing some research.

The car is 2008 so iv obviously no warranty, is there anywhere reliable that does reconditioned racks and trade my old one back in? At the minute i really cannot afford to pay for a new one

 

[Dave@remaps]

Ebay mate £100 upwards normally pretty good or if i remember rightly euros do them theres 2 types

 

[Crash0090]

I came onto the forum today to start my own thread about this very problem!

My irritating knock came about after I hit a pothole (d'oh). driving at low speed over slightly bumpy roads caused the most annoying knocking sound. It's got to the stage where even turning the music up to drown it out doesn't help!

Taken it into my local guy and he checked everything over but couldn't find anything wrong.

Through my own research a few people have said steering rack. others have said dampers and top mounts and one even said it was the steering column itself that caused it!

It's a bit of a mine field.

Will hopefully be taking back to the garage at some point this month as it has definitely got worse. Will keep you posted

Cheers

 

[Dave@remaps]

Its common on them bearings in the rack go so you can move arms up and down. Wouldnt be as bad if they sorted the pot holes out wouldnt have these problems

 

[Boulger]

Ebay mate £100 upwards normally pretty good or if i remember rightly euros do them theres 2 types

Iv had a look mate i carnt see much? Will there be any difference in the ones used on a normal A3? Whats the difference between the ones on Euro?

I came onto the forum today to start my own thread about this very problem!

My irritating knock came about after I hit a pothole (d'oh). driving at low speed over slightly bumpy roads caused the most annoying knocking sound. It's got to the stage where even turning the music up to drown it out doesn't help!

Taken it into my local guy and he checked everything over but couldn't find anything wrong.

Through my own research a few people have said steering rack. others have said dampers and top mounts and one even said it was the steering column itself that caused it!

It's a bit of a mine field.

Will hopefully be taking back to the garage at some point this month as it has definitely got worse. Will keep you posted

Cheers

Brother i feel your pain! :lol:

Iv had my S3 a couple of months and its been doing it since i bought it but getting gradually worse, its driving me nuts!

Iv read alot of people changing dampers and its made no difference, iv even read somwewhere a wheel bearing caused there knock after changing absolutely everything!

Iv bought some ECS subframe bolts which im going to get fitted aswell, try and rule everything out but im convinced its steering rack now.

Cheapest place is Euro, i think im going to have to bite the bullet and buy new

 

[Dave@remaps]

Iv had a look mate i carnt see much? Will there be any difference in the ones used on a normal A3? Whats the difference between the ones on Euro?



Brother i feel your pain! :lol:

Iv had my S3 a couple of months and its been doing it since i bought it but getting gradually worse, its driving me nuts!

Iv read alot of people changing dampers and its made no difference, iv even read somwewhere a wheel bearing caused there knock after changing absolutely everything!

Iv bought some ECS subframe bolts which im going to get fitted aswell, try and rule everything out but im convinced its steering rack now.

Cheapest place is Euro, i think im going to have to bite the bullet and buy new

A3 8p one is the same you need to check yours as theres a earlier type and later type depending on year of your car and yours is on cross over. i only say this as plug is different. Mine needs doing to but will do it when i do clutch in couple of weeks

 

[S3 AEX]

Mine does the same, really annoying knocking on front end over bumpy roads really grates on me. I'm replacing drop links and top mounts next week if this doesn't cure it then I suppose I'm going down the rack avenue. Over speed bumps it doesn't make a sound, have you had the car stationary and wobbled steering wheel side to side see if it makes any kind of clunking noise (engine running)? Mine makes the slightest noise but I wouldn't say anything unusual! Guess I'll find out next week if I cure it or not.

 

[phil miller]

Dont buy a rack from EURO, they are *****

And DONT buy the ECS subframe plates and bolts, the plates and bolts are £12 for 2 bolts and 2 plates, at one point ECS was selling the same for £60

i will post the part numbers of the plates and bolts tomorrow

As for the Racks yes there are 2 types, the early rack you can adjust the sensitivity with VCDS the later you cant, but the later is 'meant' to be a stronger rack

My mk5 has made this same noise for a while, i just drive mega slowly over speed bumps lol

 

[Boulger]

Mine does the same, really annoying knocking on front end over bumpy roads really grates on me. I'm replacing drop links and top mounts next week if this doesn't cure it then I suppose I'm going down the rack avenue. Over speed bumps it doesn't make a sound, have you had the car stationary and wobbled steering wheel side to side see if it makes any kind of clunking noise (engine running)? Mine makes the slightest noise but I wouldn't say anything unusual! Guess I'll find out next week if I cure it or not.

Iv got a cobbled road at the back of my house and thats when it does it worse! theres a slight noise when i move my steering wheel side to side but it doesnt sound to bad, iv nothing to compare it to though

Dont buy a rack from EURO, they are *****

And DONT buy the ECS subframe plates and bolts, the plates and bolts are £12 for 2 bolts and 2 plates, at one point ECS was selling the same for £60

i will post the part numbers of the plates and bolts tomorrow

As for the Racks yes there are 2 types, the early rack you can adjust the sensitivity with VCDS the later you cant, but the later is 'meant' to be a stronger rack

My mk5 has made this same noise for a while, i just drive mega slowly over speed bumps lol

Whats wrong with the EURO rack? its just an OEM part but without the stamp on?

Iv already bought the ECS bolts for £15?

 

[Veedubnoodle]

I had the same problem in my A3 after lowering it and driving around pretty low for a year. Replaced it with a second hand rack from a scrap yard. Came off a 3.2 A3 with 44k on it and it has been fine ever since. Didn't cost too much either. Common problem on all the MK5 Golf platform cars.

 

[phil miller]

Iv got a cobbled road at the back of my house and thats when it does it worse! theres a slight noise when i move my steering wheel side to side but it doesnt sound to bad, iv nothing to compare it to though



Whats wrong with the EURO rack? its just an OEM part but without the stamp on?

Its a recon'd unit, thats shipped in, ive known a few to be faulty, and ive also known a few to fail in some worrying ways

Im only passing on my own finding, we dont use them for any parts as the quality of some parts were a little brow raising to say the least

 

[S3 AEX]

Just got car back from statlers Sheffield after my service and inspection, an they have confirmed its my rack that's causing the knocking. It's going to have to wait till summer tho as I've just had the service, tyres front an rear discs an pads, fuel pressure sensor replaced, rubber exhaust mount and cam cover gasket done. So I'll live with the knocking for a while longer.

 

[Crash0090]

What sort of figures were they quoting you to replace the rack?

I know Audi are upwards of a grand!

 

[S3 AEX]

I didn't get a quote for it they did say from the dealers there a grand but they were going to try an source me a good second hand one as they'd just fitted the last one they had spare. There's a few on eBay at the minute .

 

[Jake 61]

The Audi racks are about a grand, plus, it's a four hour job to do. I had probs with the rack on my last A3 and no matter what I said to the garage, they just dismissed every comment I made about it being a bad connection. (Which is what it turned out to be).
As far as I recall, the difference between the two types is one is a three bolt fit and the other is four bolt. Newer one's do fit older cars but the electrical connections may not be the same.
They are all s***e racks, an Audi tech told me that they do not like water getting in and it doesn't take much to ruin the rack.
Yet another example of c**p parts being used on a premium car - same as BKD heads, Audi know it but, won't admit it because it will cost them a fortune in claims.
There are £230-250 racks out there but, I would go for a decent 2nd hand part with a breakers warranty.

 

[Dave@remaps]

The Audi racks are about a grand, plus, it's a four hour job to do. I had probs with the rack on my last A3 and no matter what I said to the garage, they just dismissed every comment I made about it being a bad connection. (Which is what it turned out to be).
As far as I recall, the difference between the two types is one is a three bolt fit and the other is four bolt. Newer one's do fit older cars but the electrical connections may not be the same.
They are all s***e racks, an Audi tech told me that they do not like water getting in and it doesn't take much to ruin the rack.
Yet another example of c**p parts being used on a premium car - same as BKD heads, Audi know it but, won't admit it because it will cost them a fortune in claims.
There are £230-250 racks out there but, I would go for a decent 2nd hand part with a breakers warranty.

you can do rack in about hour and half i had to do mine on last s3 and have now got to do it on current one pretty easy straight forward job

 

[phil miller]

4hrs to change an A3/S3 steering rack? is that having an hours lunch break and 2 15min tea breaks inc, its no more than a 2 hour job

 

[Boulger]

Well Iv just had my rack done today, Iv not got the car back yet but Iv been told the noise has now gone.

I'm absolutely over the moon!

 

[Jake 61]

Sorry gents, that's what I was quoted by my garage (s).
I don't know how long they were giving themselves for lunch or head scratching...!
I ended up going over a bump and it never gave me another problem, thankfully.

 

[S3 AEX]

Well Iv just had my rack done today, Iv not got the car back yet but Iv been told the noise has now gone.

I'm absolutely over the moon!

How much did it all cost? Where did you get your rack from?

 

[Boulger]

How much did it all cost? Where did you get your rack from?

£260 all in, that included my tracking done, the rack also comes with a 2 year warrenty.

A lad from my gym did it for me, he supplied the rack aswell

 

[S3 AEX]

£260 all in, that included my tracking done, the rack also comes with a 2 year warrenty.

A lad from my gym did it for me, he supplied the rack aswell

Good price, glad it's sorted for you.

 

[Crash0090]

Awesome mate, glad you got it sorted.

Looks like I need to get myself down the gym and find a friend! ah ha!

 

[Boulger]

Good price, glad it's sorted for you.

Awesome mate, glad you got it sorted.

Looks like I need to get myself down the gym and find a friend! ah ha!

Cheers lads il let you know how it is tonight haha

if any of you are local to me il see if i can help you out