Front Right Wheel Squeak

[JS92]

Hi folks,

My '19 plate GTI has started to produce quite a loud squeak from the front right wheel, initially only when turning left at around 30/40mph and quite a sharp-ish corner.

It also produces a very loud and ear piercing squeak when reversing and the wheel is fully locked left or right, and is starting to squeak when not fully locked so the problem is getting worse.

Video (for the sound): https://streamable.com/xy9w71

Listening to the video back on my PC/speakers it really doesn't do how loud the actual squeak is any justice.

I have had a quick look to see if the CV boot is split or anything else is amiss, but can't really tell with my limited knowledge.

Thanks.

[MikeDO]

Something maybe stuck between the brake disk and the "splash plate" at the back of the brake disk?

Certainly sounds like it could be to me.

I would take the offending wheel off and take a look with a very bright LED torch.

Good luck.

[johnparker]

There is a squareish cavity in the top of the fabrication behind the wheel hub that the bottom of the strut bolts to.
I have had a south serney stone from my drive find its way into here twice now. It gets trapped between the turning drive shaft and the fabrication making a sound like you describe.
You can feel around and get it out with the wheel still attached.

[JS92]

So having taken the wheel and brake calliper off to check for any debris I noticed the disk was very very close if not touching the other part of the calliper. See attached images. Is this right? This doesn’t feel correct, the spacing is way off imo but I don’t see what could cause it to sit so far out that it touches the brake calliper.

Can anyone confirm if the Polo GTI has a dust cover behind the brake disk?

[JS92]

Dropped my car off at a garage last night and got a phone call this morning - needs a new wheel hub.

Garage is speculating that the left side of the car has had all new suspension etc (forgot the other items he said but will confirm when I collect) which is either from a crash or just suffered damage.

£418 for new wheel hub (which is VW only supply) inc labour.

The right side (being replaced) was mauled and the wheel hub for whatever reason was not sitting flush, which then prevented the ABS sensor from sending correct signals throwing up all sorts of related errors with not being able to read the wheel speed... as well as the squeaking.

[MikeDO]

Well at least you know what the issue is.

If you don't mind me asking? How long have you had the car?

[JS92]

Bought it around late April/early March from Evans Halshaw dealer

[MikeDO]

Bought it around late April/early March from Evans Halshaw dealer

As these are a fairly large dealership... I wonder if there is any mileage in seeing if they were aware of any accident damage prior to your purchase?
Certainly sounds like it was involved in some sort of "incident"!

[SRGTD]

Bought it around late April/early March from Evans Halshaw dealer

As these are a fairly large dealership... I wonder if there is any mileage in seeing if they were aware of any accident damage prior to your purchase?
Certainly sounds like it was involved in some sort of "incident"!

Evans Halshaw are a multi-franchise UK dealership group. As far as I’m aware, they don’t have any VW dealerships, but they do sell used VW’s.

Agree, it does sound as if @JS92’s car has been involved in some sort of ‘incident’. I wonder what type of pre-sale checks Evans Halshaw dealerships carry out on used cars prior when preparing them for sale? Their website does say that used cars are ‘meticulously prepared’ - see below. With that in mind, you would hope that any suspension damage would have been spotted and rectified as part of pre-sale prep.

https://www.evanshalshaw.com/used-cars/

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[RUM4MO]

Another reason for this is that it could have had a front hub bearing replaced (bearing is part of hub), and not seated correctly, or it has "walked out" of the hub - which means in reality that the bearing stays in place but the hub moves out slightly.

These, and most VW Group cars, just "love" to need new wheel bearings, my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI asked for one at roughly 40,000miles - but that, I think from examining the old hub/bearing assembly, that moisture had got into one side of the bearing assembly and corrosion caused a noise similar to "worn/failed bearing".

There used to be a lot of chatter about this many many years ago mainly 9N Polo and its "cousins" from round about 2000>2008, ABS issues usually was the first indication for people that were not looking or expecting the hub to have moved out of its bearing slightly.

[Anth146]

Those pictures bring back some fond memories, I had a Seat Ibiza FR and I had some dodgy eBay job wheel hubs fitted.
The high tensile clip which was supposed to have prevented movement, failed and the hub slipped out. Both sides.
It was fine after replacing with Genuine VW parts, but it really didn't sound too nice, especially on drilled and grooved discs.

[JS92]

Car's back and all good (although now has started mooing/making a whale of a sound when reversing!).

I spoke with the mechanic who worked on my car and one of the senior workers at the garage and we pretty much all agreed that there was something not quite right.

Couple of points/assumptions;

• seemingly has had damage occur, likely hitting a pot hole or curb, to the left side
• left side has had the damper, wheel hub/bearing replaced but not right side
• right side wheel hub was not sitting correctly - causing the disk to rub on the brake caliper - likely from accidental damage
• repair done by owner with incorrect tools causing damage to the right wheel hub nut - not garage/professionally done
• the brake disk dust shield is missing - a professional wouldn't leave these out when replacing other components and putting all back together - reaffirming the above point

Overall, not matter what dealer you buy from it seems that the inspections they carry out (if at all) aren't worth s**t. Before this car I purchased a Cupra from a dealer in Wales, the front right tyre had a gouge with the internal wires showing.

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I'll also take this on the chin and I should have also inspected the tyres, but my god I shouldn't have had to do so to find something as obvious as this. And before you ask, I contacted them and they said since it's a wearing part they won't do anything (this was only discovered a few months after ownership).

[RUM4MO]

Many years ago, my older daughter bought a used SEAT Ibiza from "uncle arnie's car emporium" - the maybe "all car brands" outlet down from Edinburgh Audi - near the tram lines.

I made sure that the crap tyres were removed and replaced with Michelins from Costco, but before doing that I handed it into KwikFit local to me for a toeing check/correct, they had examined the car and done nothing to it, but walked me back to that car and asked me to check each front wheel - negative camber on one side, positive camber on the other side! Well spotted by KwikFit despite what people tend to think of them, including me!
It took a few days for uncle arnie to get together all the correct and working alignment tools (as one kit had u/s wiring!), so that was sorted and the new tyres fitted.

Six months later I felt the need to replace the front brake pads, fitted the pads to the side that had the camber issue, but I couldn't fit the pads to the other side, not enough room for one of the pads! At some in its (leased) life, uncle arnie Blackpool area, had replace a front disc - and had fitted the wrong part! So that meant me needing to replace both front discs - clowns! I must say, after mentioning uncle arnie's sales side of the business locally, their SEAT main dealership workshop seem to be able to sort out anything though.

If and when I buy a used car, I do tend to "bumper to bumper" it - though I would never have picked up that wrong front disc - well I don't think that I would, not the sort of problem that you would expect to come across.