# 2018 Tiguan SE AWD - Any engine noise complaints?



## RussOniMac (Sep 2, 2015)

Hello fellow Tiguan drivers, I've been a long time VW fan and owned just about every model over the years, I've helped my daughter get a new 2018 Tiguan and I haven't driven it yet she has two issues one is a wind noise in the drivers window, talking to a salesman that had one said it's a door alignment thing, but the bigger issue is the sound of the motor, she had an Audi with a very noise engine which surprises me she thought this one was loud. Any thoughts on your experience?

Thanks in Advance


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## bateau (Jun 16, 2013)

Yes, it’s a coarse sounding engine compared to most cars. It’s closer to a diesel to my ear, coming from TDI. Tiguan engine runs a different cycle than typical internal combustion engines - Budack cycle, which is a variant of Atkinson / Miller cycles. 


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## gphin305 (Jul 13, 2007)

RussOniMac said:


> Hello fellow Tiguan drivers, I've been a long time VW fan and owned just about every model over the years, I've helped my daughter get a new 2018 Tiguan and I haven't driven it yet she has two issues one is a wind noise in the drivers window, talking to a salesman that had one said it's a door alignment thing, but the bigger issue is the sound of the motor, she had an Audi with a very noise engine which surprises me she thought this one was loud. Any thoughts on your experience?
> 
> Thanks in Advance


.

I just test drove two different 4motions a couple days ago.....including driving 80mph+ on interstate. Both had mfg dates of Jan2018. No unusual wind noise and normal sounding engine noise. I'm familiar with VW engines having owned 10 different VWs since 2001.


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## gord888 (Feb 10, 2018)

I agree with some of the owners here - the motor sounds and feels like a diesel. On start-up in the cold, when you first put it into gear, the vibrations can resonate in the cabin. Once it's warmed up, it sounds better. I wouldn't call it smooth unless you're at WOT at 3500+ RPM - then it sounds pretty good.


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## tdb2 (Mar 20, 2018)

Yup, sounds a bit like a diesel. The engine gets torque at pretty low RPM and the electronics like to keep it that way.


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## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

gord888 said:


> I wouldn't call it smooth unless you're at WOT at 3500+ RPM - then it sounds pretty good.


When you do this, you are definitely out of B-cycle mode. In this mode it should sound just about like any other EA888 engine.



tdb2 said:


> The engine gets torque at pretty low RPM and the electronics like to keep it that way.


I came from a diesel so I like this behavior. I also believe that this 8 speed gearbox would work perfectly mated with a TDI engine with no software adjustments required. The fact that the rpms are under 2000 at 70mph is impressive and the full torque kicking in at only 1600 rpms is very "diesel like".

I suspect that when (if?) this B-cycle engine goes into Audi vehicles there will probably be more (or better) sound insulation in the firewall so the cabin is quieter, but I really have no complaints about the engine or it's sound.

Have Fun!

Don


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## EPilot (Jul 27, 1999)

RussOniMac said:


> but the bigger issue is the sound of the motor, she had an Audi with a very noise engine which surprises me she thought this one was loud.



Does the Tiguan have a soundaktor?
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a7923/the-rise-of-the-fake-engine-roar-11291754/

If it does it can be disabled by unplugging it or disabling it through VCDS.


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## rhgti1 (Sep 8, 2004)

My Atlas was in the shop this week and I got a loaner Tiguan for a day. The first thing I noticed is the engine noise. Especially a kind of "buzz" when accelerating and crossing the 3000 rpm mark. I remember having the exact same noise on a 2016 1.4TSI Jetta I drove for a while before getting the Atlas. I owned other VW TSI cars before I moved to the US but I don't remember any of them making that noise. I guess it is a matter of noise isolation in the firewall area.


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## giantsnation (Dec 15, 2014)

This is an as expect character of the miller cycle engine.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

My complaint is that there isn’t enough of it.


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## jntsfan (Mar 8, 2001)

RussOniMac said:


> Hello fellow Tiguan drivers, I've been a long time VW fan and owned just about every model over the years, I've helped my daughter get a new 2018 Tiguan and I haven't driven it yet she has two issues one is a wind noise in the drivers window, talking to a salesman that had one said it's a door alignment thing, but the bigger issue is the sound of the motor, she had an Audi with a very noise engine which surprises me she thought this one was loud. Any thoughts on your experience?
> 
> Thanks in Advance


I'm interested to learn more about your comment about wind noise in the driver's window area. I'm very disappointed in what I'm hearing for wind noise in that area. Did you daughter pursue having it fixed? I haven't spoken to anyone in service yet and it would be great to go in with some knowledge.


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## Lothar1566 (Jan 27, 2018)

The Tiguan is always reviewed as a very quiet car. I happen to have a db meter so I measured the engine noise during accelerating. What surprised me is that , even with the engine noise, the db level was still below the db level of the V6 Ford Edge, that I had (still have) before I bought the Tiguan. The Tiguan has much less road noise than the Ford Edge, and minimal wind noise, so I think the engine sound is more pronounced.


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## jntsfan (Mar 8, 2001)

jntsfan said:


> I'm interested to learn more about your comment about wind noise in the driver's window area. I'm very disappointed in what I'm hearing for wind noise in that area. Did you daughter pursue having it fixed? I haven't spoken to anyone in service yet and it would be great to go in with some knowledge.


So, I checked the foot of the driver's door against the fender and the door is out 1 - 2 mm. The passenger door is flush. Hence, no noise from that side. Time for an adjustment.


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## jntsfan (Mar 8, 2001)

jntsfan said:


> So, I checked the foot of the driver's door against the fender and the door is out 1 - 2 mm. The passenger door is flush. Hence, no noise from that side. Time for an adjustment.


Typo; meant fit of the door...


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## [email protected] (Aug 11, 2019)

*Funny noise*



RussOniMac said:


> Hello fellow Tiguan drivers, I've been a long time VW fan and owned just about every model over the years, I've helped my daughter get a new 2018 Tiguan and I haven't driven it yet she has two issues one is a wind noise in the drivers window, talking to a salesman that had one said it's a door alignment thing, but the bigger issue is the sound of the motor, she had an Audi with a very noise engine which surprises me she thought this one was loud. Any thoughts on your experience?
> 
> Thanks in Advance


Hi, ive Tiguan 2018 SE but somehow bothered with engine noise. I had passat before which what so queit almost zero noise for the engine i dont know if model 2018 SEL is any better?


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## Diego012 (Aug 14, 2019)

Pretty good bet some of us are scratching our heads about atkinson/miller/budack cycle. This explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjM14JBPdBI

BTW - Yes I get a little engine noise on my 19 SEL but regardless of all the electrinic wizardry going on, it's still a 4 banger that naturally produces more noise. Wind noise? No more than usual.


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## CSFMA (Nov 9, 2020)

When say buzz. What exactly do you mean? I hear a noise at the same rpm range that is just harsh almost like marbles in a can or just loud and not refined.. trying to figure out if it’s normal or something I should address


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## mattchatr (Jan 26, 2018)

Diego012 said:


> Pretty good bet some of us are scratching our heads about atkinson/miller/budack cycle. This explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjM14JBPdBI
> 
> BTW - Yes I get a little engine noise on my 19 SEL but regardless of all the electrinic wizardry going on, it's still a 4 banger that naturally produces more noise. Wind noise? No more than usual.


This video explains it quite well. I have a Unitronic tune and I swear the engine sounds better...not saying its done away with the screwy b cycle entirely but its definitely opened it up some so that it runs smoother. The cam tracks and pins in his explanation near the end of the video by the way is similar to how VTEC works if you're familiar with that. Its not as pronounced in the VW engine but we do have variable timing through a similar cam changing profile. I believe Humble Mechanic or someone on Youtube went over this too. Not sure what Unitronics methods are exactly for the tune or whether the engine stays in this higher power profile or not but it is definitely a little less "diesel-like" in sound.


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