Stability Control in Newer Cars (MKVII Golf GTI Content)

Hi all,

I ended up picking up a MKVII GTI with Performance Package and 6 speed manual. So far, I really like the car, but it has spent 6 days at the dealership since delivery figuring out a couple quirks. First was a scraping noise when steering from 75-80% to full lock on either side and second was a vibration on clover leaves around 41-42 MPH (though no ESC light came on and it happened in both regular mode and ESC Sport).

According to the dealerships, both noises are normal. With the scraping being the noise the electronic power steering makes and the vibration being the stability control kicking in (when the dealer removed the ABS/ESC fuse the noise stopped). Again, I love the car, but am a bit surprised with how aggressive the ESC is set in both regular and sport modes (this is a GTI, not a Prius after all). I have a couple HPDE's coming up later this month and will report back on how it does.

Is there anyone else here with a MKVII GTI or other newer performance vehicle that could chime in?

Here is the noise for those that are interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDxkSWKK-1w&feature=youtu.be

BlueFalcon wrote: According to the dealerships, both noises are normal.

Those of you who work in dealerships can correct me, but I think that is what they tell you when they just want you to go away and not find and fix the problem.

David

Brand new anything should NOT make those kinds of noises. Seriously.

What noises? Video linked for me is a car idling in a driveway.

Is the noise related to a rotating noise caused by the wheels rubbing or a noise from the steering assembly that can be replicated standing still ?

Can they show you the scraping noise in another 1 or 3 GTIs they have in stock? If not, I would say it's not "normal".

With regards to the ESC being agressive: I love VWs. Have for a long time. But when they started making them with non switchable stability control I kind of swore them off. I can't buy a car from a company that doesn't trust me enough to actually drive my own car. Rant off.

Again, go for a ride in another 1 or 2 or 3 new GTIs and see if they do the same vibration as yours. If not, I'd say it's not "normal". It doesn't sound normal to me.

If you are doing things that make the car scared, it may very well have the ABS pump fired up and ready.

A few clarifications, the scraping noise has been confirmed on other vehicles and there is not evidence of tire rub. I have not been able to personally check another GTI for the vibration. The above sound clip may require you to turn up the volume as it is hard to hear (I could not safely take a video while driving and just left the cell phone on record). I have posted the vibration noise on a couple VW forums, but have not had any responses from others with a similar noise.

I thought that VW had addressed the lack of a defeatable ESC by adding a sport mode (to at least give some leeway, it is not totally off), but that does not appear to be the case.

The ESC is probably acting in place of a mechanical limited slip. I wonder if the sport package is supposed to have a different ESC calibration since they get one.