Audi S6- Front End Clunk solved

[ItsLarryG]

Thanks for resurrecting this, I’ll try it this weekend to see if it resolves the lateral hump in the road sound I hear!

[f4m0u5]

Wait is the torque specs 20 nm or 20 ft lbs? I see both on here. Currently have the bolts loose waitong to retighten them

[hirzelch]

20nm is the spec on the A7. Just checked the manual.

[f4m0u5]

Thanks alot!

[IssaWrapVinyl]

Front end clunk is actually just torquing the cross member bar down I have a video on YouTube!! TORQUE TO SPEC DONT OVER TORQUE!
20nm 5 8mm triple square bolts.


Video posted here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2ki...&feature=share



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[The Infiltrator]

I tried this as well since it was easy enough. BTW none of my bolts were loose. I think, as has been discussed, there are a couple of noise related issues at hand. The louder clunk, almost like a CV joint clunk, described here may be addressed by this fix, but the fainter rattle while going over bumps at low speed might still be lower ball joints as discovered in other threads since I still hear the faint low speed rattle coming from the front suspension. I'm sure I'll get it checked out one of these days.

I have this same issue and it drives me crazy!!! Low speeds in parking lots with little bumps and hearing the rattling. I'll try the brace bolts but I don't think that's going to fix it.

[kpriv]

I have this same issue and it drives me crazy!!! Low speeds in parking lots with little bumps and hearing the rattling. I'll try the brace bolts but I don't think that's going to fix it.

I have have the low speed rattle (and I really think rattle is the only good way to describe it) going over rough roads at low speed. I have a cobblestone drive into my parking garage at work — driving over that at 5mph I hear it every day.

It drives me nuts and sounds like something is really loose. It is from under the car, sounds like the front suspension but who knows. I’ve poked around under the car but never been able to solve it. If someone knows what this is, I would love inout.

EDIT: I had the “wishbone” control arm bushings replaces and didn’t solve it for me. At some point I’ll take it in for a last check under warranty to see if they can find it.

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[gk1]

I have this same issue and it drives me crazy!!! Low speeds in parking lots with little bumps and hearing the rattling. I'll try the brace bolts but I don't think that's going to fix it.

FWIW it was indeed the front lower (rear) control arm/ball joint in my case. The large curved one. Once it was replaced the noise stopped. The part has been superseded. I would have thought the 2018 had the newer part as mine was replaced in 4/2017. Perhaps early build 2018's don't have the new part. Might be worth checking the part number first. If it ends in D, F, or J it is the older part.
(4G0-407-693-L , 4G0-407-694-L)

[The Infiltrator]

FWIW it was indeed the front lower (rear) control arm/ball joint in my case. The large curved one. Once it was replaced the noise stopped. The part has been superseded. I would have thought the 2018 had the newer part as mine was replaced in 4/2017. Perhaps early build 2018's don't have the new part. Might be worth checking the part number first. If it ends in D, F, or J it is the older part.
(4G0-407-693-L , 4G0-407-694-L)

Well for me it's on both sides. Not really sure it's both ball joints on a car with 3400k miles. Hmm

[IssaWrapVinyl]

I have this same issue and it drives me crazy!!! Low speeds in parking lots with little bumps and hearing the rattling. I'll try the brace bolts but I don't think that's going to fix it.

Trusts me. I had my car in the air twice at work: completely inspected the underbody and suspension components. Nothing was damaged. This car was babied by the owner before me as I pulled up the service history on elsa, and every corner of this vehicle has had preventative maintenance done. I asked people around the shop some of the best Audi technicians on the west coast... no one had an answer for me. I was told c7’s just have a clunk. Come to find out when I was tinting my windows yesterday I pulled apart the plenum and found the 8mm triple squares that secure the tower brace. The minute I put my impact gun on the right side bolts. My gun looked like a drill. They were completely loose. I loosened all of them and retorqued. Absolutely no clunk since. Check my YouTube video out I explain it in depth plus a video. 20nm of torque will have you clunk free unless you have other suspension issues.


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[The Infiltrator]

Trusts me. I had my car in the air twice at work: completely inspected the underbody and suspension components. Nothing was damaged. This car was babied by the owner before me as I pulled up the service history on elsa, and every corner of this vehicle has had preventative maintenance done. I asked people around the shop some of the best Audi technicians on the west coast... no one had an answer for me. I was told c7’s just have a clunk. Come to find out when I was tinting my windows yesterday I pulled apart the plenum and found the 8mm triple squares that secure the tower brace. The minute I put my impact gun on the right side bolts. My gun looked like a drill. They were completely loose. I loosened all of them and retorqued. Absolutely no clunk since. Check my YouTube video out I explain it in depth plus a video. 20nm of torque will have you clunk free unless you have other suspension issues.


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Awesome man! Thanks the detailed response and I'll be doing this as soon as I get home today.

[gk1]

Well for me it's on both sides. Not really sure it's both ball joints on a car with 3400k miles. Hmm

It was both sides for me as well, and at only 25k miles.
Nothing ever looked damaged either, nor could I self diagnose the issue. Nothing visual. Luckily I had a quality dealership who actually used the electronic ear listening device and found the issue.

[kevinvanw]

My 2015 had a clunk in driver side front that would show up when backing down my drive and turning the wheels to avoid scraping (rather steep driveway).

The solution/problem was: The cross brace located under the plenum needed to have the bolts removed and then torqued to spec. The service manger told me they discovered this issue a while back. On S6s and RS7s, they previously had replaced control arms, and many other items trying to locate this problem- none of those were the culprits.. They said they have had 100% success with this simple fix they did to my car.

Since this appears to be a common problem, I thought I would share what worked for me and several others.

[IMG][/IMG]

Three years later and you saved me from untold amounts of frustration!

[gw318c]

Front end clunking sound gone! Thanks everyone,i had this problem for 2 yrs. Found this thread purchased torque wrench and tripple square socket,removed rain guard followed instructions on thread car drives and sounds good.

[wzawza]

This was my issue on my S6 as well at1200 miles on the clock. The bolts were not torqued to spec on the same part as you. I had an additional issue with vibrations in the dash and steering wheel and the bolt in the engine mount was loose as well.

I do have the same vibration issue, especially on WOT, how did you fix it specially?


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[christianb5s4]

I didn't have anywhere near as significant of noises as some in this thread although I can hear some sound when going over speed bumps at slow speeds, however out of curiosity I decided to check all the bolts. Turns out all were slight off spec and took another 1/8th turn or so to tighten them properly.

[ichi d]

I didn't have anywhere near as significant of noises as some in this thread although I can hear some sound when going over speed bumps at slow speeds, however out of curiosity I decided to check all the bolts. Turns out all were slight off spec and took another 1/8th turn or so to tighten them properly.

Did it fix the issue? I have done this and it did not work for me. Could be my control arms now.

[mrdouble99]

I'm prety sure i have the crossbrace tower bolt problem, at low speed when braking i can hear randomly a clunk in the front.

Will check the bolt this weekend

[christianb5s4]

Did it fix the issue? I have done this and it did not work for me. Could be my control arms now.

Haven't driven the car since, I never had clunks that some have mentioned on this thread. Will report back soon.

[The Infiltrator]

It was both sides for me as well, and at only 25k miles.
Nothing ever looked damaged either, nor could I self diagnose the issue. Nothing visual. Luckily I had a quality dealership who actually used the electronic ear listening device and found the issue.

I think I have the same issue as you. I tightened the brace yesterday and I can still hear the rattling this morning driving slow out of my neighborhood... I've had the car 3 years last month, so no warranty.

[ichi d]

Anyone know any other control arms we can use in the s6 besides oem? I have this issue for a while now too and tighten the brace and no luck. My shop said i need two new control arms.

[9times]

As I understand it there are 2 upper and 2 lower control arms per front corner, not sure which you need but FCP euro has them all:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/Audi-parts/S...&b=5&d=4574&v=

ECS might have better prices (they seem to have the SPC racing front upper adjustable control arm kit I bought for $700 from UroTuning for "just" $620, so maybe your best bet?)
https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-C7_S6...n/Control_Arm/

I got the front upper adjustable ones (can adjust camber) and thrust arm monoballs in Meyle HD arms, neither installed so can't offer insight on how they perform just yet.

[digdah]

Anyone know any other control arms we can use in the s6 besides oem? I have this issue for a while now too and tighten the brace and no luck. My shop said i need two new control arms.

New arms or bushings? If it is indeed the arms WTF did you run over?!?

[The Infiltrator]

Anyone know any other control arms we can use in the s6 besides oem? I have this issue for a while now too and tighten the brace and no luck. My shop said i need two new control arms.

Maybe new bushings, not the arms themselves unless you hit something. This might be what I need.

[ichi d]

Maybe new bushings, not the arms themselves unless you hit something. This might be what I need.

Ya its actually new bushings but my shop said to replace the whole arm incase the other bushings fail? Does that sound right or should I just replace the bushing and save the money?

thanks

[The Infiltrator]

Ya its actually new bushings but my shop said to replace the whole arm incase the other bushings fail? Does that sound right or should I just replace the bushing and save the money?

thanks

We'll if you're ever going to replace a bushing, you might as well replace them all do you don't need to go back in later. I'd would price the bushings and new arms and go from there.