Suspension (flexride) noise

[Kurvenräuber35384]

Hello to all.

Unfortunately i don't speak German, so i'm writing this in English. I hope it's ok.

I have an Astra J, from the very first ones that were produced in beginning of 2009. It's a 1.4T with flexride and 17inch rims with Goodyear efficientgrip tyres. Since 3000km i had noise coming from the back of the car mainly. I visited many times the car dealer where they tried a number of solutions. Now they have put the adhesive film you are describing here:

http://www.motor-talk.de/.../fahrwerkgeraeusche-t2736503.html?page=20

I don't hear any metallic noises. However, i do hear some noises and i think it's from the suspension. I have to go very slowly, or normal speed in the town, around 10-40km/h in order to hear this. Even if the road has minor disformation i can hear the noise. I would describe it like low frequency noise, maybe coming from plastic or rubber from the suspension. It's not metallic.

At greater speeds i don't hear it, or maybe there are many more noises so i don't notice.

It's source is front and rear as well, but more is coming from the rear.

Is there anyone of you that has such kind of noise from the suspension? With or without flexride?

It's a great car but sometimes it gives you the impression that you are driving a 20 years old model...

 

 

The dealer's service said it is normal, but i don't think it is. My sister's Corsa C doesn't make it and my old Astra G didn't make it either.

[Multimeter20304]

hello,

so i give it a try in english:

i tested it today going slowly in every flexride mode (normal, tour, sport) no noises just the sound of the engine.

so i guess it shouldn't be normal as your car dealer said.

 

[Astradruide]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von capthookb

Hello to all.

Unfortunately i don't speak German, so i'm writing this in English. I hope it's ok.

Yes, but it reduces the chance for usefull answers roughly ;-)

Zitat:

Now they have put the adhesive film you are describing here:

http://www.motor-talk.de/.../fahrwerkgeraeusche-t2736503.html?page=20

aeeeem, a quite long thread...

Zitat:

I don't hear any metallic noises. However, i do hear some noises and i think it's from the suspension. I have to go very slowly, or normal speed in the town, around 10-40km/h in order to hear this. Even if the road has minor disformation i can hear the noise.

For me it sounds like a very narrov gap in brake calipper. As you know, its made by massive and heavy parts (cast iron). That does not cause the typical metallic sound.

Zitat:

I would describe it like low frequency noise, maybe coming from plastic or rubber from the suspension. It's not metallic.

At greater speeds i don't hear it, or maybe there are many more noises so i don't notice.

It's source is front and rear as well, but more is coming from the rear.

From my point of view you are not alone. Similar cases where described and discussed here:

http://www.motor-talk.de/.../...n-der-vorder-hinterachse-t2353044.html

[I hope you can read it. Where are you from?]

Zitat:

The dealer's service said it is normal, but i don't think it is. My sister's Corsa C doesn't make it and my old Astra G didn't make it either.

That's right.

[Kurvenräuber35384]

Zitat:

 

Yes, but it reduces the chance for usefull answers roughly ;-)

I know, but i thought i should give it a try. I'm from Greece.

I usually use google.translate in order to translate the threads from German to English.

I have tried Vauxhall astra's forums as well, as the Greek ones, but i haven't found a true answer.

I don't think it's the calipers. Today i noticed that noise during almost idling. I mean i had first gear and the car was moving just a little, around 1000rpm. The road was made of concrete, rough with small round rocks popping up from the concrete, if you can understand what i mean. The road surface just made the suspension move little and in small amounts.

I had noticed the same sound after 160.000km in my previous opel astra G, when the tie rod anti roll bushings were worn. I replaced it but it didn't cure it completely. Next suspicious item was top mounts according to my service engineer, but i didn't had the chance to replace them due to a crash.

I will read the thread you mentioned Astradruide. I don't mind reading at all. I hope i'll discover something.

I really love my Astra, and i spent more money on suspension in order to have something great, but i get dissapointed from such noises. Especially when the spare parts cost that much!

[Astradruide]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von capthookb

I know, but i thought i should give it a try. I'm from Greece.

I usually use google.translate in order to translate the threads from German to English.

<lol> and from English to Greek afterwards.

Zitat:

I have tried Vauxhall astra's forums as well, as the Greek ones, but i haven't found a true answer.

..and you hope for the Germans now.

Zitat:

I don't think it's the calipers. Today i noticed that noise during almost idling. I mean i had first gear and the car was moving just a little, around 1000rpm. The road was made of concrete, rough with small round rocks popping up from the concrete, if you can understand what i mean.

I think so - pebbledash http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waschbeton

I assume the main point is not the speed of the car. From my point of view the origin is the frequency and amplitude of vibration corrsponding with the mass and densitiy of calipers.

Zitat:

I will read the thread you mentioned Astradruide. I don't mind reading at all. I hope i'll discover something.

Maybe you can find a garage or technical test center having a test stand for suspisions. Means with vertikal bumpers.

Zitat:

I really love my Astra, and i spent more money on suspension in order to have something great, but i get dissapointed from such noises. Especially when the spare parts cost that much!

That is what all people complain about, but they pay several 10thousand Euro for a new car ;-)

[Kurvenräuber35384]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von Astradruide

<lol> and from English to Greek afterwards.

No. It is easier to read in English. Many times, German->Greek, or German->English->Greek doesn't produce meaningfull translation and so one (me) can't understand the text.

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von Astradruide

..and you hope for the Germans now.

Again, it is a matter of difficulty in language, i'm not familiar with. I'm planning to learn German though, in the future.

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von Astradruide

I assume the main point is not the speed of the car. From my point of view the origin is the frequency and amplitude of vibration corrsponding with the mass and densitiy of calipers.

I agree with you up to one point. First the speed of the car changes the frequency of the vibration for a specific road. Secondly, flexride, as we all know, has electronically adjusted shocks. So, depending on speed of the car, steering wheel, brake pressure, acceleration it changes the voltage on the shock absorbers and so the damping ability. If i remember corectly, Opel mentioned that flexride has a driving mode for low speeds.

In order to identify the source of the problem, one has to take into account all those variables. For example, when the car brakes and if the noise stops (in my car it doesn't stop), maybe it's not because of the calipers that during breaking are hold tight, but because of the change in hardness of shock absorbers.

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von Astradruide

Maybe you can find a garage or technical test center having a test stand for suspisions. Means with vertikal bumpers.

I will look into that.

A ride with the corsa last night, verified my worries about my astra. Although the rear silent blocks are a bit noise on bumps, the car suspension is noiseless. Maybe it's the dimension of the tires as well.

[Astradruide]

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von Astradruide

..and you hope for the Germans now.

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von capthookb

Again, it is a matter of difficulty in language, i'm not familiar with. I'm planning to learn German though, in the future.

When you don't have any other need for learning German, it is most likely waste of time - or you are a real talent which like to learn other languages ;-)

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von capthookb

I agree with you up to one point. First the speed of the car changes the frequency of the vibration for a specific road. Secondly, flexride, as we all know, has electronically adjusted shocks. So, depending on speed of the car, steering wheel, brake pressure, acceleration it changes the voltage on the shock absorbers and so the damping ability. If i remember corectly, Opel mentioned that flexride has a driving mode for low speeds.

In order to identify the source of the problem, one has to take into account all those variables. For example, when the car brakes and if the noise stops (in my car it doesn't stop), maybe it's not because of the calipers that during breaking are hold tight, but because of the change in hardness of shock absorbers.

I am not sure whether you are on the right way but this thought do not take in account that the caliper is mounted at the lower section of the suspensuon strut, therefore the only thing that damp the calipers are the tyres.

Zitat:

Original geschrieben von capthookb

 

A ride with the corsa last night, verified my worries about my astra. Although the rear silent blocks are a bit noise on bumps, the car suspension is noiseless. Maybe it's the dimension of the tires as well.

I agree with you conclusion about dimensions, and maybe filling pressure, of tyres.

But another idea. I had once a nice metallic sound with an Vectra 2000. Finally i found that the catalysts packing was more or less deteriorated.

Another time i thought that my 2,2 engine from Astra G had a fatal error. It sound like broken valves or similar. Finally the garage found simply a loose mounting braket from Y-pipe.

Impact-sounds are always bothering problems..... I hope that you are successful.