Something to fix on the B9, is your car really loud?

[Eric_C]

For being a 60K+ car I've found my S4 to be awfully loud on the interior.

I had joked that it was even louder than my '14 Stingray. When we got my wife's SQ5 it made it even more evident. I had the rear of the Corvette sound proofed with a kit that only covers the back half of the car and now its way quieter than my S4.

On the freeway its just loud, louder than it should be. It is not just tire noise either, I've had 2 sets of tires and both just equally as loud.

I'm trying to figure out what my plan is when I get rid of it...I keep thinking of an S6 but in talking to some S6 owners who are/were also S4 owners they all said pretty much the same thing. For around town they prefer to drive the S4, for longer trips they prefer to drive the S6. The S4 is more fun to drive, more reactive, etc.

We travel in the Corvette or her SQ. The S4 is my rainy day/winter car and really only gets driven around town.

I've considered putting some sound deadening in it but not sure if its worth it the next 12-18 months or so that I will have it. I'd either keep it and wait for the B9 S4 or look at something else probably 6-10 months before the new S4 arrives assuming it is sometime next year.

Anyone else find their car loud or do anything to mitigate it, besides turning up the radio?

[UberBrute]

Coming from a Subaru, which required turning the radio up to more than half the max volume to deal with highway noise, I find the s4 to be quite quiet. That said, I do have a very annoying humming or whine at highway speeds (can't confirm if its tire related or not).

Sent from my Nexus 6

[jsh139]

Is it road noise? What year is your car? Might be the Soundaktor that's in the newer S4s (synthetic engine noise pumped into the cabin via the front windshield).

Personally, I think my 2010 is pretty quiet at speed. But, I usually have my music up fairly loud so I probably wouldn't even notice if it were really noisy.

[Chris Furman]

For being a 60K+ car I've found my S4 to be awfully loud on the interior.

I had joked that it was even louder than my '14 Stingray. When we got my wife's SQ5 it made it even more evident. I had the rear of the Corvette sound proofed with a kit that only covers the back half of the car and now its way quieter than my S4.

On the freeway its just loud, louder than it should be. It is not just tire noise either, I've had 2 sets of tires and both just equally as loud.

I'm trying to figure out what my plan is when I get rid of it...I keep thinking of an S6 but in talking to some S6 owners who are/were also S4 owners they all said pretty much the same thing. For around town they prefer to drive the S4, for longer trips they prefer to drive the S6. The S4 is more fun to drive, more reactive, etc.

We travel in the Corvette or her SQ. The S4 is my rainy day/winter car and really only gets driven around town.

I've considered putting some sound deadening in it but not sure if its worth it the next 12-18 months or so that I will have it. I'd either keep it and wait for the B9 S4 or look at something else probably 6-10 months before the new S4 arrives assuming it is sometime next year.

Anyone else find their car loud or do anything to mitigate it, besides turning up the radio?

Go to the dealer like I did and have them turn the Soundaktor to 0 (zero) instead of 100. Completely disable the what I call rattle box and it's super quiet around town and highway. It's really nice to hear the exhaust note when getting on it, some of the service techs thought I had the car "tuned". I laughed.

[mikdes26]

I have an A3 right now. Moving to an S4 would be pure luxury! I guess it's what one is used to.

[Vogz]

When my car was stock, it was very quiet. I now can hear my AWE exhaust a little at cruise but can still have a whispering conversation with my wife @ 70mph while kids are asleep in back. OP is crazy.

[Eric_C]

When my car was stock, it was very quiet. I now can hear my AWE exhaust a little at cruise but can still have a whispering conversation with my wife @ 70mph while kids are asleep in back. OP is crazy.

Or the OP is used to a quiet car and your point of reference is a loud car.

It is road noise, but its not from the tires, at least not all of it. I know tire noise and this is just a lack of sound deadening in the car.

It is not the soundekator

It is just plain loud for the type of car it is. Compared to my wife's SQ it is significantly louder which says a lot considering she has the 21"'s and there is a lot of road noise from those that her's is masking.

[torinalth]

2015 here. in comfort its dead silent unless on really porous asphalt.

[LINDW4LL]

Everyone's perception is relative I suppose, but I certainly wouldn't describe the cabin as loud. Very quiet.

What tires do you have?

Also- it's likely not your issue, but I would suggest pulling the Soundaktor fuse as it does cause additional noise in the cabin.

[Eric_C]

Everyone's perception is relative I suppose, but I certainly wouldn't describe the cabin as loud. Very quiet.

What tires do you have?

Also- it's likely not your issue, but I would suggest pulling the Soundaktor fuse as it does cause additional noise in the cabin.

I have Goodyear A/S 3's but it was the same with the Conti's. What fuse is the soundekator?

I'll take a reading with a DB meter.

Here is one thing. We drove a '14 SQ5 and we thought it was way too loud on the interior. It has 21's just like the car we own. We ordered a '15 and it is dead quite in comparison. Most of the noise in the '14 was coming from the rear hatch area so we just planned on sound proofing the rear area but it is very quiet.

[LINDW4LL]

I have Goodyear A/S 3's but it was the same with the Conti's. What fuse is the soundekator?

I'll take a reading with a DB meter.

Here is one thing. We drove a '14 SQ5 and we thought it was way too loud on the interior. It has 21's just like the car we own. We ordered a '15 and it is dead quite in comparison. Most of the noise in the '14 was coming from the rear hatch area so we just planned on sound proofing the rear area but it is very quiet.

That makes me think it's the tires. I know the stock Conti's can be loud.

Should be Fuse 5.

[jygesq]

Fuse # 5 on the first panel drivers side , the panel closest to the outside of the car. Location is also specified in owner's manual. (A) panel

[Johnnycash]

corvette, sq5, and the s4 is the winter beater. LOL

[VenturiRS]

Coming from a Subaru, which required turning the radio up to more than half the max volume to deal with highway noise, I find the s4 to be quite quiet. That said, I do have a very annoying humming or whine at highway speeds (can't confirm if its tire related or not).

Sent from my Nexus 6

I came from Subaru too, we have the same color!

Check your wheel bearing, mine started low, and got obnoxiously loud. It was replaced under warranty.

[jmaddr]

Wow, the S4/5 is SOOO quiet on comfort mode I have a hard time knowing when to shift as the engine is just too quiet. I agree it has to be something else from tires to wheel bearing to soundkator to whatever. Everyone's ears are different, but man the S4/5 is a quiet car for what it supposed to be.


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[laakness]

Wow, the S4/5 is SOOO quiet on comfort mode I have a hard time knowing when to shift as the engine is just too quiet. I agree it has to be something else from tires to wheel bearing to soundkator to whatever. Everyone's ears are different, but man the S4/5 is a quiet car for what it supposed to be.


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Agreed, mine was almost silent before I put an exhaust on.

[the4siswickid]

Has everyone had their hearing checked.... LOL


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[Eric_C]

I should clarify a bit more.

Around town its not bad, but on the freeway it is very loud.

I will pull the fuse, if nothing else if it cuts out more background noise be easier to pin point.

[LINDW4LL]

I should clarify a bit more.

Do you mean the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s? I'm not aware of a Goodyear by that name, and I've read reviews citing that those Michelins can be noisy.

Also, is it wind noise you're hearing or road noise? I'm guessing the tires at this point... Tires were likely the only difference between the two SQ5s you drove, as well.

[Eric_C]

Do you mean the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3s? I'm not aware of a Goodyear by that name, and I've read reviews citing that those Michelins can be noisy.

Also, is it wind noise you're hearing or road noise? I'm guessing the tires at this point... Tires were likely the only difference between the two SQ5s you drove, as well.

Same tires on both SQ's.

Yes sorry meant Michelin. I've had those tires on 3 different cars and never found them to be noisy. It was the same with the stock continentals.

[MrFunk]

For being a 60K+ car I've found my S4 to be awfully loud on the interior.

I had joked that it was even louder than my '14 Stingray. When we got my wife's SQ5 it made it even more evident. I had the rear of the Corvette sound proofed with a kit that only covers the back half of the car and now its way quieter than my S4.

On the freeway its just loud, louder than it should be. It is not just tire noise either, I've had 2 sets of tires and both just equally as loud.

I'm trying to figure out what my plan is when I get rid of it...I keep thinking of an S6 but in talking to some S6 owners who are/were also S4 owners they all said pretty much the same thing. For around town they prefer to drive the S4, for longer trips they prefer to drive the S6. The S4 is more fun to drive, more reactive, etc.

We travel in the Corvette or her SQ. The S4 is my rainy day/winter car and really only gets driven around town.

I've considered putting some sound deadening in it but not sure if its worth it the next 12-18 months or so that I will have it. I'd either keep it and wait for the B9 S4 or look at something else probably 6-10 months before the new S4 arrives assuming it is sometime next year.

Anyone else find their car loud or do anything to mitigate it, besides turning up the radio?

You bought the wrong car if you want quiet. Lexus may be better for you.
Prob not gonna get much love here as most here are looking for more emotion/louder... exhausts, intakes etc...
In stock form I found this car too quiet/boring... especially coming from a B6

[LINDW4LL]

You bought the wrong car if you want quiet. Lexus may be better for you.
Prob not gonna get much love here as most here are looking for more emotion/louder... exhausts, intakes etc...
In stock form I found this car too quiet/boring... especially coming from a B6

Meh, I don't see the relevance with the intake/exhaust comment. That's completely different than road noise, which I think most all of us would find to be annoying.

[jsh139]

You say it isn't the tires but you would be surprised how loud tires can be, especially if they're cupped or out of round. Just because two cars have the same brand/model of tire it doesn't mean that they will sound the same.

[Szemenyei]

Had a Subaru, then a full bolt on 335 and now my s4. It was to quiet so I added the exhaust and non res pipes lol

[LINDW4LL]

Same tires on both SQ's.

Yes sorry meant Michelin. I've had those tires on 3 different cars and never found them to be noisy. It was the same with the stock continentals.

Did you verify they were the same, or are you just assuming since both had 21s? Nothing else changed between '14 and '15 Q5/SQ5 that would affect interior noise.

Not sure what else to tell you.

[LINDW4LL]

Same tires on both SQ's.

Yes sorry meant Michelin. I've had those tires on 3 different cars and never found them to be noisy. It was the same with the stock continentals.

Did you verify they were the same, or are you just assuming since both had 21s? Nothing else changed between '14 and '15 Q5/SQ5 that would affect interior noise.

I've read many posts of people having A/S3s that were out of round, and the stock Contis are not quiet tires.

Not sure what else to tell you except good luck in getting it sorted.

[xtremepsionic]

That makes me think it's the tires. I know the stock Conti's can be loud.

I recently bought a B8 S4. Test drove 3 different ones, the tire roar of the first car I drove was pretty crazy. It had Conti summer tires which were pretty worn out. Test drove a brand new B8.5 and it was quiet, and my current car is also pretty quiet on Bridgestones RE760.

I would seriously look into a new set of tires if you hear tire roar, the chassis design of the B8/8.5 is relatively quiet vs the rest of the market. I test drove a RX 350, Q50, BMW x3, BMW 335, the new C400 in the last couple weeks, and the B8/8.5 is really close to being the quiestest car short of the RX 350.

[SchreibCity]

My vote goes to a bad wheel bearing. When mine went out recently, cabin noise was louder than it should have been around town, but nothing too loud. On the freeway it was insanely loud... so much so that the techs who diagnosed it thought that there must have been multiple failures... ended up just being the front left though. I guess it could be bent wheels too. Good luck OP.

[Vogz]

Or the OP is used to a quiet car and your point of reference is a loud car.

It is road noise, but its not from the tires, at least not all of it. I know tire noise and this is just a lack of sound deadening in the car.

It is not the soundekator

It is just plain loud for the type of car it is. Compared to my wife's SQ it is significantly louder which says a lot considering she has the 21"'s and there is a lot of road noise from those that her's is masking.

When did I ever say what my point of reference was? I've driven everything from S-Class Benz's to supercharged C5 Vette with a full catless 3in exhaust. I have a pretty good feel for what is loud and what is quiet.

When I bought my S4, I cross shopped, the 335, the C350 and the IS350. The S4 wasn't any "louder" than any of those. In fact I remember the first month I had it people calling it "Lexus quiet". If the S4 was loud for the type of car it is, then it surely would be louder than it's direct competition. Edmunds tested the 2010 S4 @ 70mph and got 63 dB http://www.edmunds.com/audi/s4/2010/...st-specs1.html Other cars in it's class are around 63-65 dB @ 70mph.

It sounds like you're in the wrong car. Maybe a new Maxima is more your jam. They are quieter @ 70mph than an S-class.

[pdqgp]

How many miles on the car and then the tires? My guess is that your tires are shit. Can't comment on the stock Conti's as this is the first set I've owned and with just about 12k on my car now, they are still pretty darn quiet. I'm going to be rotating mine in the next week or so. With AWD that's critical to keep them from cupping and getting noisey. I had that happen on my last car and once rotated, they quieted right down after a couple weeks.

Our minivan was always super quiet and after driving it once last year I thought someting was wrong or that perhaps I just wasn't used to it. I knew the tires were needing replaced but I wanted to wait until fall. Once I put new tires on it, the van was caddy quiet once again.

Michelin used to have that saying that "everything rides on your tires" or something like that and I think that their piont is very true. I NEVER cheap out on tires.

[Eric_C]

I am not talking about exhaust or intake noise, I have a Roc Auto Intake on it, so I am not looking for quiet.

Steady state, driving along the freeway. There is a lack of damping in sound overall, you hear suspension movement, expansion joints(a factor with the tire but not entirely caused by it), and other noise from the car. I get a lot of lower wind noise, not from up around the door seal but near the bottom.

There is a clear difference between something that is loud and undamped and loud but damped but this is not the latter. It really sounds like a lack of sound deadening all together in the doors and lower half.

I made the comment to the dealer when the car was brand new that my C7 was much quieter on the interior and now after I've done the rear sound deadening its more pronounced.

The snarky comments aside from others I just have an higher expectation for the cost of the car. I prefer the immediacy of the trans and engine but considering the amount of time I spend in a car, being quiet is important. I'll do 60-70 thousand miles this year. I'd get another S4 because there is not much out there that I cared for. I drove the C400, the 335, haven't driven the new AMG yet.

BTW if a 30K Maxima is quieter than a 120K S class then I would hope Audi would put sometime into making their cars quieter.

You know why Audi has such good sales right now? Because BMW fell off the truck as far as interior quality and features. The A/S/4/5 interiors are nearly 8 years old and still nicer than what BMW is putting in new. Interior quality was the number one reason I did get a BMW.

Same with Mercedes, besides the new S and C class everything else they have is pretty outdated and I did not get all the good press the C class got. We drove the 300 too and it was a horrible powertrain, the 400 helped but not enough to get around everything else wrong for the price point.

So not paying attention to these things that people find important means when the cycle comes around it will be consumers moving away from Audi to another brand. It's not hard to get on top, but it is harder to stay there.

[Pared]

Oh man - I fully expected the soapbox response to come earlier in the thread. Pretty disappointed.

If your ears are sensitive and others don't notice it, then there may not be much anyone can offer you in terms of advice.

[douglasjboehme]

2016 S9 6MT here, no concerns with noise. I open the windows when I to hear the noise. I have the car set to Dynamic for everything but the motor which is set to Automatic during break-in. Once I get to 1500 or so, I'll change it to all Dynamic.

[Johnnycash]

just bought my wife a 2015 hyundai genesis sedan, and that car is silky smooth, whisper quiet around town or doing 80 on the interstate, do i notice that my s4 is louder when i drive each of them in close succession? sure, but most of the noise i notice is the tires as they are getting to the point where they need to be replaced soon, but other than that this car is very smooth and i would assume quiet for its class...

[jokingjimmy]

My car has the OEM Conti Summers. After about 12k miles my car went from silent at new to now a pretty loud roar. Down to 1/32 tread. Also I think I've got a wheel bearing going out. I would bet you $20 is either your tires, wheel bearings or both. If it's a stock suspension S4 it's probably not the car. Inherently a quiet ride.

[Oloung1]

There is a clear difference between something that is loud and undamped and loud but damped but this is not the latter. It really sounds like a lack of sound deadening all together in the doors and lower half.

i think you are describing the weatherstripping from the doors and around the windows. when i am stopped in traffic on the freeway, opposite moving traffic noise seems fairly loud to me in the s4.
ive got a 15 year old camry that has better weatherstripping with less road noise than the s4 but there are no water leaks so ill deal with it. im not talking about tire noise. there is no tire noise when its gridlocked on the freeway other than the contraflow.

for our windshield being "acoustical glass", there is not much difference in sound with rain hitting the windshield versus non acoustical other than the droplets made a higher pitched impact sound.

[Eric_C]

just bought my wife a 2015 hyundai genesis sedan, and that car is silky smooth, whisper quiet around town or doing 80 on the interstate, do i notice that my s4 is louder when i drive each of them in close succession? sure, but most of the noise i notice is the tires as they are getting to the point where they need to be replaced soon, but other than that this car is very smooth and i would assume quiet for its class...

So here is the funny part.

A friend just bought a '15 Genesis sedan, and guess who always comments on how loud my car is.

i think you are describing the weatherstripping from the doors and around the windows. when i am stopped in traffic on the freeway, opposite moving traffic noise seems fairly loud to me in the s4.

That is a good description. You do pick up a lot of noise from other cars.

[Vogz]

OP, you claim the car is loud for a $60k+ vehicle. I don't think price correlates directly to road noise, and I used the Maxima as an example. The fact of the matter is the S4's interior dB level at 70mph is spot on with the other cars in it's segment, and it's clear that the majority of owners posting in this thread have no issues with the road noise. The Genesis is a tank of a car and meant to be super quiet and smooth to compete with other large luxo barges. The S4 is a luxury SPORT sedan. It's going to be louder than a Genesis. Your C7, may very well be quieter with that sound deadening you put in the back, congrats. WITHOUT sound deadening, the C7 has an interior dB level of 70dB @ 70mph. http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...e-specs-page-4
That's a full 7 dB louder than the S4.

[Eric_C]

OP, you claim the car is loud for a $60k+ vehicle. I don't think price correlates directly to road noise, and I used the Maxima as an example. The fact of the matter is the S4's interior dB level at 70mph is spot on with the other cars in it's segment, and it's clear that the majority of owners posting in this thread have no issues with the road noise. The Genesis is a tank of a car and meant to be super quiet and smooth to compete with other large luxo barges. The S4 is a luxury SPORT sedan. It's going to be louder than a Genesis. Your C7, may very well be quieter with that sound deadening you put in the back, congrats. WITHOUT sound deadening, the C7 has an interior dB level of 70dB @ 70mph. http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...e-specs-page-4
That's a full 7 dB louder than the S4.

First, did I compare the Genesis to the S4? You need to go back and read what I wrote and how it was written.

I posted that I thought the C7 was quieter before the additional sound deadening, and that it was for sure quieter after. I've measured with the top off at 80mph and I see 68db at ear level between the two seats.

Second there is no way a C7 is 70db in touring, in track mode with the NPP open all the way possibly but 70db is pretty loud for a car interior. On the flip side I doubt the S4 is 63db on the interior, mine is not.


For the SQ5 and S4 to be built off of a similar BIW/Chassis the doors in the SQ have less sound transmitted through them, and even being a hatch back which is horrible for noise, is much quieter. There is simply less deadening material in the S4 and its a louder car, sport sedan or not.

If I was keeping it I'd fix it but the lease will be up shortly and move onto something else.

[Vogz]

First, did I compare the Genesis to the S4? You need to go back and read what I wrote and how it was written.

I posted that I thought the C7 was quieter before the additional sound deadening, and that it was for sure quieter after. I've measured with the top off at 80mph and I see 68db at ear level between the two seats.

Second there is no way a C7 is 70db in touring, in track mode with the NPP open all the way possibly but 70db is pretty loud for a car interior. On the flip side I doubt the S4 is 63db on the interior, mine is not.


For the SQ5 and S4 to be built off of a similar BIW/Chassis the doors in the SQ have less sound transmitted through them, and even being a hatch back which is horrible for noise, is much quieter. There is simply less deadening material in the S4 and its a louder car, sport sedan or not.

If I was keeping it I'd fix it but the lease will be up shortly and move onto something else.

Your friend compared the Genesis to the S4 and you posted about it.

Have you even considered that there could be something wrong with your car? I've driven a C7 and it's significantly louder inside at speed than my S4.

I'm posting dB levels that are measured by automotive journalists who have zero skin in the game to make a car "seem" quieter than another.
Now you are posting that you have measured the sound in your C7 with the top off @ 80mph and it's under 70dB? LOL, right. Somehow you have failed to measure the sound level inside your S4 even though you have an issue with it, but you "doubt" it's 63dB. There are holes in your story everywhere.

I'm confused, is your point that the S4 is loud for a $60K+ car (which it's not, since it's base price is right around $50K)? Or is your point that the SQ5 seems quieter to you and you're disappointed?

This thread didn't turn out the way you expected it to, did it?