# Loud Buzzing noise from drivers side dash



## macrlz9 (Nov 13, 2018)

Hello!
Just wanted to see if anyone has experienced this issue or have any idea what it could be.

This buzzing has happened randomly since I bought the car. It lasts for a few seconds and then stops and won’t hear it again for a couple days. Sometimes it happens when I start the car, other times while driving. I can’t reproduce it or find a consistent pattern.

I took it to the dealer and of course they could not reproduce the problem so that wasn't much help.


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## LennyNero (Aug 25, 2018)

Definitely sounds like a relay buzzing either due to a faulty relay or a faulty module driving it. That left side knee bolster area has two fuse/relay panels (vw calls them 1 and C). Fuse/relay panel C is immediately behind the left side driver's knee bolster panel and contains relays for the A/C clutch, terminal 15 supply power (main ign power), rear window defogger, and aux power sockets. Fuse/relay panel 1 is immediately below and towards the front of the vehicle of fuse panel C and contains only the remote start relay.

I'd recommend removing the knee bolster panel to gain access to the fuse/relay panel, and then drive until the noise happens so you can perhaps FEEL which relay is buzzing and then take it to the dealer and at least you can point them in the right direction. Unfortunately, the way that shops pay techs, if they can't reproduce/locate the problem in a certain amount of time, they basically stop looking because they're not getting paid for it. But some relatively easy sleuthing can yield a good result and remedy an issue.

Good luck!


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## macrlz9 (Nov 13, 2018)

Thank you so much for such detail! I will try exactly what you said and hopefully be able to narrow it down a bit.


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## macrlz9 (Nov 13, 2018)

Well, I finally got around to taking off the panel and found the issue. This little guy was LOOSE just kinda wiggling around and the sound was from it making and breaking contact rapidly when it was positioned just the right way. (Which explains why I'd hear it most often when going over bumps) I pushed it back in and it's solid now. I wonder what it's for...

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your advice on this. The dealership didn't know where to start as they couldn't reproduce the issue and I have no clue about the workings of cars and figured I'd just have to live with it and hope that nothing goes majorly wrong.


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## LennyNero (Aug 25, 2018)

I'm so glad you located it! It can be absolutely maddening when something isn't right, you know it's not right, and then the second you get to a mechanic it stops doing it! :banghead:

According to the service manual, the two smaller relays are Rear window defogger and power sockets (cig lighter).


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## macrlz9 (Nov 13, 2018)

So cool, thanks for that! Yeah, I don't think I've ever used the power sockets so I would have never noticed any side effect... I know how valuable time is and I so appreciate your help. Thanks again.


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## LennyNero (Aug 25, 2018)

No worries! We're all here to help each other!


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