Why does my engine sound different when cold?

Why is there a different engine noise when cold in my 2010 Volkswagen Passat DSG 1.4 TSI?

Stephen Murphy (Bray)

Sep 2014 Filed under: fault

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Expert answer

Hi Stephen,

It's always tricky to diagnose such things remotely, so we'd advise you to go to a good mechanic to be sure.

If the engine has always sounded different when cold then it's unlikely to be something to worry about. Many engines run a little differently when cold to speed up warming of the catalytic convertors and get everything up to temperature.

However, if it's a new noise then you really should get it checked out, as it could well be to do with inadequate lubrication of parts of the engine until the oil is warmed up. This could be caused by a blocked gauze in the oil sump or some other reason for lack of oil pressure. It's worth double checking your oil level before you do much else.

Let us know how you get on.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D