Vibration when accelerating

[loadswine]

I have a vibration somewhere at the front end of my 2.0 TDi DSG Altea. It happens when I accelerate fairly hard and its almost like an increasing wheel wobble, but it isn't speed dependant, ie you can acclerate to say 70 and it happens, but once you sty at constant 70, it all stabilises.

It seems only to do this under load, ie it doesn't replicate the same vibration revved up in neutral.
I've just had the front lower bushes in the suspension replaced, as they were badly worn, but that hasn't improved the vibration at all.

I had thought it might be a flywheel issue, but just looked on http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/default.asp
and nothing appears for the DSG equipped cars, only the manuals.
I first noticed this on a run a few weeks back when acclerating from 60 to 70 with a fair load on board, but in the last couple of weeks it is noticeable around town when accelerating as well.

Anyone had similar, or got any ideas? Car has done around 50k miles by the way.

 

[Slimy]

I have a vibration somewhere at the front end of my 2.0 TDi DSG Altea. It happens when I accelerate fairly hard and its almost like an increasing wheel wobble, but it isn't speed dependant, ie you can acclerate to say 70 and it happens, but once you sty at constant 70, it all stabilises.

It seems only to do this under load, ie it doesn't replicate the same vibration revved up in neutral.
I've just had the front lower bushes in the suspension replaced, as they were badly worn, but that hasn't improved the vibration at all.

I had thought it might be a flywheel issue, but just looked on http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/default.asp
and nothing appears for the DSG equipped cars, only the manuals.
I first noticed this on a run a few weeks back when acclerating from 60 to 70 with a fair load on board, but in the last couple of weeks it is noticeable around town when accelerating as well.

Anyone had similar, or got any ideas? Car has done around 50k miles by the way.

If it doesn't do it in neutral, then its not the flywheel. My first thought would be an ignition problem, a spark plug not strong enough to work under load but ok when normal running. Then I noticed you have a TDI, which removed that possibility!! I don't know whether there is an equivalent issue with a diesel that stops one cylinder working as well as the others?

It won't be the drivetrain or the brakes as that would just get worse the faster you got. Although having said that, does this happen after you've braked hard? My Toledo sometimes wobbles if I've slammed the anchors on, almost as if the brake discs have heated up and warped slightly. But again, that isn't dependent on acceleration.

Of course, there is one thing that gets involved during acceleration, and thats the turbo...

 

[loadswine]

Doesn't feel like a braking issue at all. Turbo could be a possible, or perhaps an injector failing under load maybe.
Anybody suffered turbo failure and had similar symptoms?
I always thought, rightly or wrongly, that with turbo failure, it was accompanied by vast amounts of smoke from the exhaust. Mine smokes a bit, but not really any worse than usual.

 

[loadswine]

I've driven it a bit more, just to try and figure out what's going on with it. At any speed, if its constant, there is no noticeable vibration at all. Accelerate hard from standstill and the vibration is not immediate. Worst is hard acceleration in 2nd , 3rd and 4th, it still picks up well, but the vibration is significant.

I had wondered if the flywheel could do some of this wierd stuff, but the only recalls I could find were for the dual mass flywheels on the manual transmissions.
Would I be right in thinking that the DSG is single mass and never got the recall?
I sent Seat UK an email, but awaiting a response.

 

[loadswine]

Well I phoned Seat and they confirmed categorically that no recalls have or should have been issued for my car.
I checked with the dealer who serviced my car as well and they said there were no alerts for my car or any of its matching type. I did think it funny though when I mentioned to the person at the service desk dual mass flywheels and they looked at me as though I was an alien! lol
I popped the car up in the air this afternoon just to see if I could spot anything and I might be onto something. Nearside inner CV joint looks to be inducing strange movement into the driveshaft, of a slightly eccentric motion when in gear.
Offside doesn't do the same and rotates true and even. I also had a leaky inner boot on the shaft a while back which was repaired, so I'm wondering if dirt had got in and caused premature demise of the inner joint.
I'll be getting my reliable independant chap to have a look for me this week.

 

[loadswine]

Just got my car back and its all fixed!
It was the inner CV joint. Apparently this is a 3 roller bearing design going into a journal and one of these bearings had completely collapsed.
Part wasn't cheap at £150 or so from Seat, but my car is all sorted and accelerates nice and smoothly again.

 

[googies]

My car just failed MOT, nearside lower ball joint worn, would wxplain feeling of steering etc not as tight as should be. had couple of people look at it (mechs) and none caught it, only showed on plates then further inspection.