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No real biggie here hopefully.

But I've noticed since day one, that at low speeds when you turn the steering wheel, that there is a most definite "creaking noise". Loud enough that you don't need to listen for it.
Almost sounds like it's coming from under the steering wheel cowling. Though the noise could just be transmitted up through there I suppose.
The noise may of course be there at any speeds, just not noticeable once on the move because of general ambient road noise.

Car starts and drives fine. No other obvious signs of any issue/s.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

PS. I would just drop in and see my friendly local VW dealer, but it's a 120+ miles round trip to the nearest.

All my polos, pre and post facelift, have made a slight noise is full lock. So I assumed it was normal.

lancslad1985 wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 6:46 pm All my polos, pre and post facelift, have made a slight noise is full lock. So I assumed it was normal.

It starts to do it almost as you start to turn the steering wheel. Doesn't need to be on full lock for me.

I'll have a play around tomorrow and see it it's consistent etc. both on left and right lock.

It sounds more like something is rubbing / catching on something. Only a guess here.

I'm sure its nothing. TBC

noticed it on mine once, when turning right, when the car was stopped in a car park, not concerned tbh

Mine does it now and then.

Yeah same issue here. I have a Polo GTI 2020, back in august I had my car lowered on racing line springs and have since noticed this creaking noise. Happens both ways at 90 degree turn and again at 180 and so on. Sounds coming from the steering wheel but no clue as to where it’s actually coming from. I had my top mounts replaced for new bilstein ones which were meant to be like the OEM ones. Hoping that it would fix the issue but no joy. Loudest and most noticeable when parking or when pulling round slow speed corners. Any suggestions?

It sounds like there can be many reasons for this unluckily!

My car is "stock" and little more than 3 months old!! And it's not just a slight creaking noise (IE. not being picky here etc.), it does it all the time (regardless of where there steering wheel is) and even passengers in the front have commented on it.

Problem number three has now reared it's ugly head (just about to raise a thread about this new issue). So I'm giving thoughts to phoning the garage and getting them to look at all three faults.
The bummer is, the garage is a good 120 mile round trip, no nearer VW dealer to this unluckily. So it basically means a day out to take it in and probably another visit to get it fixed, as garages keep very few spares in stock these days.

Bad luck I suppose. It's just that I've sort of got used to new cars being trouble free (last 5 have been pretty much 100% OK). Just luck of the draw.

TBC

Bit of luck for a change... The local Skoda dealer has taken on the VW Franchise. So only a 20 mile round trip now, rather than 120+ to the supplying dealer.

So it's booked in on the 17th March (earliest date) to get this looked at. Definitely getting worse!

TBC

Car finally went into the dealer today for them to have a look (Parks Dumfries).

They've now ordered up a new steering column. Bit of an odd one this but they are adamant that this is what the problem is.

Part obviously on back order (isn't everything these days). So God knows when it will get done.

Luckily the car is safe to drive.

They will need the car for a couple of days. Though they will supply a loan car FOC.

Cars........... got to laugh at times.

New steering column has now turned up, so booked in to get this replaced at the end of May (the garage always appears to be VERY busy).

They are quoting 10 hours work to replace the steering column. Thank God that I'm not paying for this !

They want the car for three days... just in case there are any issues!
I rather hope they are not really expecting any issues and this is just them being prudent

Well.... The garage basically had my car for the best part of 4 days to replace the steering column and when I went to pick the car up this morning, guess what!

The noise is still there.
Fair enough, it does appear to be a bit quieter than it was (which was pretty loud) but the underlying "creaking noise" is still there. Annoyed I am

The garage themselves admitted this was the case when they phoned to let me know that the car was ready to pick up. And said that they were not happy themselves about the outcome.
So they have by all account submitted some sort of request to VW for technical direction. So, TBC.

The only upsides here (if you call call it that), are the garage has been very good in their attempt to sort this.

I still wonder myself if this could be related to the Clock spring? The noise doesn't appear to be typical for this. But it does very much sound like the noise is coming from right under the steering wheel.
Though I suppose noises travel and can be hard to pin point.

Thank God this isn't costing me any money. Just time and inconvenience.

Hi, do you have any further updates on this? I am experiencing a similar effect - at times it is just like a relay sound (very sporadic) and at other times it creaks. The sound is only heard when turning the wheel (even slightly) at parking speeds or at standstill. It is not too loud - can’t be heard over music. The dealer only “adjusted the trim” and said to monitor but this did nothing.

I am hoping it will be solved once I change tyres - even though there is no sound heard outside… Currently on contisportcontact 5s which are quite soft.

After a couple of weeks, the remaining noise vanished completely. Like one of the new parts fitted took a while to bed in.

Not sure if your problem is the same. My noise was all the time turning the wheel and very much sounded like old timbers on a wooden boat/ship creaking. A very distinctive (and loud) noise it was.
Noticeable more at low speeds, but it was always there, just drowned out by ambient noise when going faster.

If your noise is more of a ticking / clicking noise, this (from what I've read etc.) is more likely to be the Clock Spring.

Great to hear they were able to fix your problem properly. I am certainly not getting any ship creaking action.

You are probably right, might be the clockspring - however, it is just quite soft (singular clicks at low speed) so I’ll live with it for now.

Hi, I collected my new GTI October 23 so it’s a 73 plate, all ok at first except now I’ve got this creaking and grinding noice when on full lock both directions at low speed the garage seem to think I’m crazy but even passengers comment. Any ideas what it might be surely this isn’t right for a 3 month old car with 1200 miles on the clock!