This car has had the noise since I have had it. The creaking noise seems to be centered in upper dash above raido around the vents. Thought it might have been a bad "dogbone" from the trans to the body. Replaced that a couple of months ago, quiet for a little bit but back again. If you are sitting still running the engine, and drop it into gear it will creak. Take it out or gear into neutral same noise. On the highway giving gas on slight upgrade it will be creaking, let off gas goes quiet.

 

It seems that any time you change the loading on the engine, or torque it will make the noise. Also sometimes sounds like it is also related to suspension movement. I'm going to change the noisy axle this weekend, just thinking about what to check next for noise abatement.

 

Any ideas?

Edited March 3, 201214 yr by gregB

The transmission mount doesnt age well, I would look there. Noises travle so that may be why you think it is the dogbone.

Any ieads?

 

Shouldn't be that hard to track down... just have a friend listen for it while you're driving.

 

I've done that. Drove a car around the parking lot while someone sat under the hood and listened.

 

Creaky under load could be anything. Axle, ball joint, engine/trans mount, loose/broken bolts. If you have a knock bad axle, start there.

Heck it can even be a suspenion part

I figured it would be a painful process of elimination.

 

To check the mounts, remove dogbone and pry with large bar?

Large prybar is the answer to everything. Takes 15-20 minutes to check everything in the front end for play.

Did the passenger side axle yesterday. When double checking the tightness of the lug nuts noticed my "creak" When you use a breaker bar to tighten the car rolls front just a little bit, and it made the noise. Wheel/trans being torqued lifting the rear bad mount and making the noise?

 

Since the wifes 2000 Passat wagon dropped the power window glass this am the GT goes backburner for right now.

 

But, how hard a swap is the rear mount? Easy so it may be worth trying the used one that is on the spare trans? If it is tough, I'll wait and buy a new one.

rear mount is EASY. Basically it is an unbolt and replace. You may have to jack the tranny a little bit to get it in there.

I know it sounds crazy, but how about the drink holder?

I swear I had one at one point that made a noise like that under

certain vibrations and it drove me nuts till I either pulled it out

or pushed it in, whichever.

Wel the next thing to do is pull the radio and drive the car, look for noises behind the radio.

Well I got it quiet. When I was rocking the car back and forth with the hood open I pin pointed the noise to the "dog bone" mount bracket on the firewall. Removed dogbone and noticed a shiny rub mark on the top. Then I turned it upside down, so that you could see the face front arrow when it was installed. Noise is gone It was mounted wrong side up this whole time .

 

Another noise gone, more things to fix.

Noise is gone It was mounted wrong side up this whole time

 

Don't be too hard on yourself--look at the bright side. You fixed the problem and the cost for new parts was . . . priceless!

 

Congrats on good sleuthing!