Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Audi Owners Club (UK)

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.


Welcome to the Audi Owners' Club - An Independent community!

Membership is completely free, and our community is built by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. We’re a proudly independentnon-official club, so all the help and opinions you’ll find here come directly from members with real experience of Audi ownership.

Join the club now!

 

Horrible shudder when accelerating

Featured Replies

Hello guys,

 

I have an Audi A3 2.0 tdi s line auto dsg 2006. When I accelerate there is a really horrible shudder in the seat. It is from the moment I accelerate at any speed until I get up to about 60mph at which it then still shudders but not as bad. It feels as though I'm sat on one of those weight loss vibration machines!!! It does not do it if I am driving along and let my foot off the accelerator, only when I put my foot down!

I'm starting to lose my mind with it now. I've had countless bushes changed, and just had a wheel bearing done yesterday which was really damaged - still no better off. 

Can someone please help shed some light on this? Could it be a bad wheel? It wasn't like it when I first bought the car and I can't seem to think of what has caused it to happen now. I haven't hit a kurb or anything!

i just want it to stop!!!! :(

judder felt in the seats is usually rear wheels.

could be buckled wheels, a dodgy tyre, etc. 

try swapping front wheels with the back, if your steering wheels starts wobbling theres you answer

  • Author

Okay thanks for that I will give it a go later when I get back from work!

  • Author

Engine mounts have been checked - all fine! And I'd say it's no different than if it was in a straight line!

Not sure where you got to with this but I've had a judder on mine over 60mph, felt through the seat since I've had it. Went down south this weekend and it was quite bad. Pumped rear tyre up as it was looking low and after that it was horrendous. 

I took that wheel off for the spare and it had a massive egg in it. New tyre fitted and the car is smooth as you'd expect from an Audi, tested up to 70 (110) 

 

 

  • Author

I've had both rear wheels off today and completely cleaned them and re balanced them all. They were fairly out of balance and had a lot of old weights on. 

 

All balanced and back on and the shudder is still there. Tyres are all 4 months old, all look fine to me.. 

If it's purely under acceleration that it is happening then would be more likely to look at drive train possibly even clutch/ flywheel 

  • Author

Okay let's hope not! What exactly is the 'drive train'?  I think the fly wheel is a little dodgy as it knocks every now and then. Gearbox seems flawless though. There is also I slight delay when I accelerate from stand still if that helps!! Takes a second for the car to react to me accelerating. 

Drive train (or transmission) is anything between engine and wheels i.e. clutch, gears, flywheel, differential, CV joints, drive shafts, wheel bearings. Some of those components suffer little or no wear; CV joints and bearings can be expected to wear.

  • Author

Okay thanks for letting me know. It did say the rear anti roll bar was heavily corroded. Perhaps this could cause it?

that could do it. can you get it jacked up sturdy and give the wheels a good pull/pus/twist to see if there is any movement? i always start with anything rubber in it with wobbles and vibrations (once you know wheels and tyres a good of course). ball joints, lower/upper arms/wish bones/etc. if the rubber bushes looks perished replace them as a matter of course. no doubt when you replace the 5th thing the vibration will go lol

  • Author

I've had it jacked up, no movement from what I can tell. I've had 3 bushes changed when a took it to a garage to find the problem. I'm not 100% sure what it is I'm looking at in some places so I'll take some photos and post them on here this evening when I get chance to look at it again. After re balancing the rear wheels it helped to stop the shudder a little but it's still there. 

  • Author

Okay so I changed all wheels and no different. I called out the RAC under my breakdown cover as I'm fed up! I was told by him he is certain it's the passenger side front drive shaft that has failed. On the report it says 'passenger side drive shaft/c.v c/h/f' 

What does 'c/h/f' stand for?

Can someone help me find the right part I need to buy as I can get it a lot cheaper and know a mechanic who will fit it for me. 

Thanks 

  • Author

I have just finished removing the old drive shaft and fitting the new one.. wasnt actually too bad - a little fiddly but okay. Took me 3 hours but a lot of that was hunting for correct tools!!

pleased to say the shuddering has now gone! I'm so relieved! The inside cv joint was absolutely shagged!

 

Thanks everyone for your help!

  • 2 years later...

Hi bud mine is doing same thing on hard acceleration same car stops when take foot off please tell me what you replaced ☹️

  • 3 years later...

Hi I have a a3 1.6l TDI 2010 convertible 

I’ve replaced both driveshafts however car still vibrates when accelerating mainly in gears 3 and 4 

any help? Thanks 

Create an account or sign in to comment





Background Picker
Customize Layout

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.