daphne

My steering wheel started creaking the other day. Quite an annoying sound, I might add.

From searching the archives it seems there are 2 schools of thought on repairs. The first is that it simply requires the application of a fine lubricant. The second is that the steering column needs to be replaced.

I have 600 miles left on my Audi warranty but if all this really needs is lubricant, I'll do it myself. With my luck the dealer will get grease all over my alcantara. ;-)

So, which is it, lube or warranty work? And if it is lube, what exactly do I lube?

SilverA4Fun

when mine developed a little creaking, I just jacked up the front end and did wheel lock to wheel lock about 20 times with the engine on to try and flush and possible air trapped in the lines. No problems since.

fairenough

I've had a squeak in the steering wheel on and off for a year now and the dealer tried to fix it two or three time without success. First they thought it was the spiral spring, but that didn't fix it. Then they tried replacing the power steering and that didn't work. I know that other AW'ers have had steering tubes and whole steering columns replaced but I don't think either of those was a definitive solution.

I lubed up the u-joint under the kick panel and the noise did go away for a couple weeks so my guess is that's what it is. I told the dealer this and they claimed they investigated it and couldn't prove it was the cause. And I'm not flaming them here, they did try to fix it more than once, I just think it sucks that this seems to be such a common problem and you'd figure the service departments would have it solved and share the fix with each other.

I'm out of OEM warranty now and I doubt my extended warranty through AWB will cover something like this so I guess I'm on my own. I haven't heard the squeak now since the weather has gotten warmer but I'm sure it will come back. When it does, I plan to get some better grease for the u-joint rather than just spraying WD40 or whatever in there. And if I have to reapply it every month or whatever, that's not the worst thing to have to worry about.

Good luck, and keep us posted on what happens with your squeak.

*edit: By the way, as for what exactly to lube, see the linked AW post, courtesy of gk1.<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/830860.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/830860.phtml</a</li></ul>

daphne

if it doesn't go away I'll try the PS flush (although it doesn't sound like a PS issue...it really sounds like bushings going bad or something.)

If all else fails, I'll wrap my seats in saran wrap and take it to the dealer next week.

Thanks!

fairenough

I would definitely call to make a service appt if you're coming up on the end of your OEM warranty. That way you can try the u-joint lube thing and if that doesn't work hopefully they'll be able to give you a date before expiration and if not hopefully they'll fix it in "good faith" anyway. When you do try the lube though, if the noise goes away don't just assume it's fixed, give it a few days or even a week or two to see if it comes back. Good luck.

daphne

more that they aren't the most attentive to detail. My headlight fiasco being the case in point.

I'll lube tonight and see what happens. I can usually get an appointment within a week of calling so I should be ok there.

SilverA4Fun

the sound resonates into the cabin. My sounded creaky.

audiringpwr

had the same problems, tech replaced it instead of lubing and no more sounds!

daphne

a bare naked butt rubbing on leather seats.

Sorry, but that's the best description I could come up with. Only happens in one direction.

SilverA4Fun

lol, its even funnier since you have alcantara inserts