I have 7k miles on a 2.8Qm, and I sometimes have a howling noise coming from the front of the car as I engage the clutch from a full stop. It only happens in first gear, and only happens occasionally, but usually one or twice per trip. I don't feel anything mechanically weird through the drivetrain, and it otherwise it drives fine. Since I have my 7.5k maintenance coming up, I'd like to get this fixed then. Any one else experienced this and know what causes it?<br>TIA

I have the same problem. Sometimes it's just a<br>squeak, sometimes a loud howl like you said,<br>and it's intermittant. I tried to have the dealer<br>look at it at the 7.5K service but they couldn't<br>reproduce it (of course).<p>I'm not sure if it's the clutch, quattro, or<br>maybe even the power steering pump, which my<br>dealer said has had a history of problems.<p>I'd also like to know if anyone else has fixed<br>this problem, it's very embarrassing on this<br>type of car!<p>Eric<br>98 QMS

Only 7k sounds 'young' to be having that problem, so if it is, it was a defective part to begin with.<br>My Dad's A4 2.8qm had this at about 48k. I noticed the sound first. Sort of a hydraulic noise (like the old GM power steering sound when you turned the steering wheel at stand-still). It happened upon engagement and disengagement of the clutch.<br>The dealer diagnosed it as the throw-out bearing and replaced the entire clutch.<br>Problem solved.<br>-Cathleen

had same problem, more like a squeal when pulling away in first gear. dealer fixed problem had to pull out tranny i think it was related to the throw-out bearing, took dealer three times to fix but they did. i'm satisfied with my dealer in fixing this problem no problems since then. it even made my gears alittle more smoother when shifting.<p>wc 98.5 2.8q and chipped

I took it to the dealer (Gossett) im Memphis, and they immediately diagnosed the problem...faulty clutch master cylinder. They replaced the cylinder which fixed the moan/squeek, but screwed up the clutch in the process. I've got to get it back to the shop!<p>Hope this helps!<p>Wesley Walls<br>'98 1.8TMS

Thanks for all the help everyone, it sounds<br>like either one of those two problems. I'll<br>have my dealer look at both of those parts<br>at my 15k service.<p>Eric<br>

Thanks for the input. The thing that gets me is the intermittant nature of this problem. I'm sure it's in the clutch system somewhere. But if it were master cylinder related I think I'd hear it in every gear shift. It seems to crop up intermittantly in situations where I am slipping the clutch and am putting maximum load on it - like starting out in first gear or in reverse. Especially on an incline. It never does it when engaging to higher gears, so this would make me doubt the throw-out bearing theory too. There is no more stress on the TB in going into first than there is in any other gear. Whereas the clutch itself and the pressure plate would see the most stress in this situation.

Could be, but I am only hearing the noise when letting out the clutch in 1st or in reverse. I'd think that if it were the throwout bearing it would occur when going to any all gear (they all look the same to the TB) and when I depress the clutch as well.

That's right. I heard it any time the clutch was being depressed or released.<br>-C.

Since it's intermittent, all you can do is wait until it becomes more constant and the take it to your dealer to get fixed (under warranty, I hope/presume).<br>Intermittent problems are always annoying because they never seem to 'act up' when you take it in to have the dealer check it.<br>Good Luck.<br>-C.