mbonness

(Trying this again, my first post timed out before I could add the poll...)

We are trying to gather some more information on which C6s have been affected by the rear axle chatter issue. Please vote in the poll with the relevant info for your car. Thanks!

Matt

Lebowski

Built Jan 2006, axle chatter.

I still haven't got it fixed yet (first time I took it to the dealer they said the sound was "normal", I've since seen the TSB but haven't had time to take it in).

rmp

Is this the differential noise or a different issue?

PAVette

No chatter.

Vet

Just voted.

mbonness, thanks for doing this poll. This should help us determine whether or not the new "improved" carbon clutch plates are doing the trick... etc. Would be nice to finally figure out what's going on here with these axles.

My car was built 11/5/05... broken in very gently for the first 2,000 miles or so, varying speeds, etc. After break-in, never any harsh launches or burn-outs, at all, etc. Only spirited mountain driving and high speed cruising. I never touched the axle, never changed the fluid, etc... until just now. My axle started chattering at around 12k miles on the odo. Happens only when started "cold"... "cold" meaning after the car has been sitting still for about 6 hours or more.

The "chattering" sounds like a "rubbing" or "scrubbing"... sounds as if one of the tires is rubbing on a fender well. It's getting progressively worse... lasts longer and longer each time after cold start up.

Now that I changed the axle oil per TSB, I will report back and keep everyone posted on my success or lack thereof.

mbonness

I was referring to the noise coming from the rear differential. "Rear axle chatter/shudder on turns" is the title of the TSB.

Tally Ho

01/07/06 build date. No chatter. Does it matter if the car is an A4, A6, MN6, Z51, or non Z51? Mine's an A6 Z51.

Vet

By the way, another topic for a poll: of those with the chatter problem, how many had success after doing the oil flush only, and how many have not? Also, was the oil changed by a dealer or done by the owner? And for those appearing to have success with the oil flush, how many miles has it been since the oil flush?

What I find intersting is that I've seen a lot of posts from people saying that the noise came back only a week after the oil flush... and others have claimed that they are well past the 2,000 mile mark on the new oil and zero noise. I noted that in most cases where people reported that the oil flush did not work, the oil had been changed by the dealer... and many of the people who have reported success had changed the oil themselves.

Sorry to be so cynical, but the above makes some sense because realistically, when you drop your car off at the dealer you really do not know what the heck they do to it. Did they put the "correct" oil in, did they just add some additive only and not even change the oil, did they change the oil but forget to add the additive, did they fail to fill the axle to the correct level, did they do 17 smokey burnouts with your car after changing the oil, etc, etc, etc.

And as I had suggested in an earlier post, some dealers may purposely not perform the oil flush properly because they WANT the extra business of changing the clutch packs.

I tend to put a lot more weight on cases where the owner has changed his or her own oil... because in most cases us C6 owners are neurotic meticulous gearhead lunatics and we make sure to do the job correctly and perfectly. After all, we're working on our "babies".

Point is, it would be nice to know if, when done correctly, the oil flush per TSB will actually do the trick, and for how long. Again, as I have stated in the past, I would not mind it so much if I had to flush the axle say once every 10k miles for the life of the car. But it would be nice to know if this will be the case, or if an axle teardown is inevitable... etc.

Also, will a clutch pack swap truly eliminate the problem forever, or will those with new clutch packs have noise again after another 10k miles...???

06C6Z

Build date of 11/05 chatters when cold. Does not detract form the overall joy of the car, will address it when I go to the dealer for another problem if any.

Jimbeaux

The fluid change and additive cured my problem.

Zymurgy

03/01/2006 build date. Mine just started to chatter in the last 2 days.

1955 BelAir

My car had the clutch pack binding issue.

I had the dealer bypass the dumb fluid change idea and replace the clutch pack with the new composition pack.

All is well now!

Jbal

Folks;
Initial breakin is critical IMO. If not followed per GM, you might have an issue that can't be resolved.
Just my 0.02cents

Forvettes

Broken in by the book. Chatter started at 5k miles. I got the 'oil change' today. So far it is quiet. A6/F55

TrackNoob

Before I got underway this AM, I turned off the radio and the A/C, and made sure I was settled in the seat, not rattling in console etc, so that I could hear the noise in it's native form when worst - cold after sitting idle overnight. Holy Cow! The one good thing is that even though many of us have the rattle/grind symptom, I have yet to hear of one of those rattlers turn into a non-functional diff. So for now I am taking on faith an earlier poster's educated surmise that the car is over-built, and creaks, grunts and other noises don't neccessarily mean it is coming apart...

mbonness

The issue has been reported for A4, A6, MN6, Z51 and Z06.

06C6Z

I can read. I read. I did. It does, chatter. Started at 13,000 miles.

PapaTango

Actually, the only chatter I hear is first thing in the morning backing out of the garage, and then only if I am not smooth with the gas and clutch. Once it is warmed up I do not hear any chatter in any situation.

jonesaut

05 A4 built 12/04 12,500 chatter started
changed fluid GM active added
48,500 no chatter as of now

50,000 due for second change

done by self

KristinC6

Built 2/14/06 (Lucky me! My baby was built on Valentine's day).

It used to just chatter then, about a week ago, it started thumping like my wheel was hitting something during my first turn of the day. (3,100 miles on car - broken in according to manual.)

The dealer changed the fluid yesterday per the TSB and WOW, what a difference. The chatter and the thumping are both gone. It's like a new car again -- which is good, beacuse it is a new car.