MK5 Golf GTI
All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: Hobo Ben on February 22, 2026, 01:22:39 pm
-
Hi All,
I have a 2008 Golf V Variant with the 1.9 PD TDI BXE engine and a 5-speed manual JCR transmission. The car has approximately 372,000 km on it.
Last year, it suddenly developed a loud humming/growling/whining noise above 70 km/h, which gets progressively louder as speed increases. [Here's a video (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4vbNl6U1WMU (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4vbNl6U1WMU)), you might be able to hear it there.] At first, I suspected a wheel bearing issue, but I ruled that out since the noise doesn’t change during cornering or under side load.
I’m starting to think it could be related to the differential or an output shaft bearing. When the noise appears, nothing seems to affect it, not changing gears, not pressing the clutch, not side loads, not even different tires. The tone is only dependent on vehicle speed.
I replaced the transmission fluid, but that didn’t make any difference. However, I noticed that the noise only becomes noticeable once the transmission has warmed up, usually after about 10 minutes of driving.
I’ve driven around 10,000 km with the issue so far, and it hasn’t caused any additional problems.
I’m currently trying to save money as we’re planning to buy our first home, and I’m also unsure how long I’ll keep this car due to rust issues. Still, I’d like it to remain reliable and not leave me stranded somewhere, or worse, lock the wheel at highway speeds.
Has anyone experienced something similar? If so, how long were you able to drive the car before addressing the issue?
Thanks in advance. :notworthy: