[tsouzee]

Hello. Just got this thing last week. About 150 miles on it. This has happened twice: when I turn the wheels to go up a semi steep incline (garage or gas station entrance) I hear/feel a grinding sound coming from under the car. It happened at the dealer the first time pulling in but I thought it was just the ABS kicking in from pebbles on the road. I did a google search and found others with the same concern but no real info. Has anyone heard of this? Is it the AWD system or something? It sounds horrible

 

[rqjoe]

just some plastic leaving your car........

 

[tsouzee]

That's definitely not it but thanks. It seems that the AWD system or differential is bugging out in certain situations. I've scraped in my old car on occasion. This isnt a scrape. You can feel and hear it under the car (like a vibration and sound similar to when ur brakes are trying no to lock).

 

[moarboost!]

I believe you are hearing the ABS/ Traction control system engage. My wrx did this in the winter frequently.

 

[tsouzee]

I figured. As long as it's not hurting the car cause it sure sounds like it is.

 

[WRX-maniac]

Why not take it to the dealer and have them address the problem. The car is under warranty.

 

[rqjoe]

That's definitely not it but thanks. It seems that the AWD system or differential is bugging out in certain situations. I've scraped in my old car on occasion. This isnt a scrape. You can feel and hear it under the car (like a vibration and sound similar to when ur brakes are trying no to lock).

ah hah, you fooled me when you wrote "grinding/SCRAPING" in the title. Try a very tight turn at a very slow speed (1st gear slow as you can) on a level area (vs. a hill) and see if it does the same thing. I hear something when I do this and have always assumed it is a property of the AWD setup.

 

[Dr.Tautology]

Did you find anything else out about this? I just bought a 2017 sti and it is doing the same thing.

 

[The Fast Life]

its your side skirts rubbing against the cement

 

[tsouzee]

I went up the same incline recently but took traction all the way off. No noise, so it was probably the traction module going nuts from a lifted wheel.

 

[SlyG07]

ah hah, you fooled me when you wrote "grinding/SCRAPING" in the title. Try a very tight turn at a very slow speed (1st gear slow as you can) on a level area (vs. a hill) and see if it does the same thing. I hear something when I do this and have always assumed it is a property of the AWD setup.

What is this noise?!?! I pull out of my garage and then driveway with my steering wheel turned completely either way at <<15 mph, in first gear. My car is stock. I also used to hear this noise on my '07 Impreza 2.5i with my steering wheel completely turned too. Does it have something to do with the steering column (like I know what I am even talking about) not being able to handle the full steering wheel turn turns? (I have no idea what I am talking about here :wiggles

 

[acarp520]

I actually have been having the same problem in my '16 WRX. I've noticed it several times when backing up (steering wheel turned to the right). When the steering wheel is turned and slowly backing up, I hear a grinding/thumping noise. It's definitely not plastic, but vibrates and shakes the car. I haven't taken it to the dealership yet, but probably should.

 

[atuntuny]

What is this noise?!?! I pull out of my garage and then driveway with my steering wheel turned completely either way at <<15 mph, in first gear. My car is stock. I also used to hear this noise on my '07 Impreza 2.5i with my steering wheel completely turned too. Does it have something to do with the steering column (like I know what I am even talking about) not being able to handle the full steering wheel turn turns? (I have no idea what I am talking about here :wiggles

Its the traction control and differentials Dont forget these cars have all wheel drive and this usualy happens when a wheel is coming off the ground due to the angle at which u are going up /down the driveways.
So what happens is that the wheel isnt touching the ground and when u give it gas there is slip and the traction control kicks in and brakes the wheel while the is is power still going through the differentials. Every wrx owner ive met has had this happen to them. (About 9 people) .

I dont know if its like a super bad problem or not or if its damaging to the car in any way but i have found it doenst happen with the tcs off. And it doesnt happen if it slowly inch up the driveways

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[jgimbuta]

I have a 2017 WRX base. For the first 500-1k miles when I would come to a crawl and turn the wheel hard, mainly pulling into parking spots, it would grind/rub. Sounded like the tire rubbing on the fender or something. Eventually it just stopped. I noticed the WRX makes a dozen different noises whether you are releasing the brake pedal, going from reverse into first, releasing the clutch in the cold, etc. It's fine. It will go away assuming it is the same problem I had. It will probably always make some kind of sound because of the suspension and everything but it's nothing to worry about and will get better.

 

[rqjoe]

Its the traction control and differentials Dont forget these cars have all wheel drive and this usualy happens when a wheel is coming off the ground due to the angle at which u are going up /down the driveways. So what happens is that the wheel isnt touching the ground

Seriously? Your car's wheels do not leave the ground. Maybe if you are 4-wheeling through the woods or such, but not in normal driving. It would take a HUGE difference in angles of one part of the road to another to actually bring a tire off the ground and such places are extremely rare anywhere you'd drive a car. This is not the problem here. It very well may be because of the TCS, but is not because a wheel is actually coming off the ground.

 

[atuntuny]

Seriously? Your car's wheels do not leave the ground. Maybe if you are 4-wheeling through the woods or such, but not in normal driving. It would take a HUGE difference in angles of one part of the road to another to actually bring a tire off the ground and such places are extremely rare anywhere you'd drive a car. This is not the problem here. It very well may be because of the TCS, but is not because a wheel is actually coming off the ground.

I live in Los angeles and a lot of parking lot entrances are very small and angled here. Im not making it up. It even happemed when i am picking up friedns and family and pulling into angled driveways. They have seen the rear inside wheel come off the ground multiple times and theyve told me. I have also seen it happen with my friends 04 sti. Maybe its because la is so packed and a lot of lil entrances are very angled, or because theyre small in size you have to take them at an angle so u wont scrap your sideskirts. I learned that the first time i went to look at my new aprtment with a very narrow entrance into the driveway. These cars have a pretty stiff chassis, and not that much suspension travel so saying that its impossible is really weird since its a regular occurrence here in LA. I see all the time other cars.

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[atuntuny]

Seriously? Your car's wheels do not leave the ground. Maybe if you are 4-wheeling through the woods or such, but not in normal driving. It would take a HUGE difference in angles of one part of the road to another to actually bring a tire off the ground and such places are extremely rare anywhere you'd drive a car. This is not the problem here. It very well may be because of the TCS, but is not because a wheel is actually coming off the ground.

I will say that the wheel isnt off the ground for very long i mean were talk half a second or a second or so but dudring that time, under power there is slip which cause the tcs to go off. The light flashes and everything

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[Fricken Hamster]

Either the bottom of your front bumper or the button of your rear bumper cover scraping the ground.
Its more noticeable with a front lip since it extends the bottom of the bottom most point of your car. On the back, the fins on the button are also pretty low and out, so it will scrap on the floor.

Have someone watch your car when you go up a driveway next time, and they should see if the scraping is coming from contact with the ground. You can avoid it with most inclines by approaching ramps at a 45 degree angle. Its an art that you can practice to get perfect. So start to fear ramps.

 

[acarp520]

Yea, my wheels are definitely not leaving the ground. I'm backing up on a flat parking lot moving very slowly. At first I thought my front wheel was rubbing the fender and actually got out of the car to check it out. I don't see any clearance issues so it's kind of strange.

 

[zploen]

I have been experiencing the same noise. I can get it to happen almost all the time from a complete stop on a really icy or snow packed road. The traction control light flashes and there is a grinding noise that comes from the wheel hubs. Definitely not rubbing anything under the car or in the wheel well.
I am assuming that this sound is the traction control system. I will turn it off next time I am on a icy road and see if the noise still happens.
I have a 2016 Manual Transmission WRX.
I guess the question is: Does this hurt the car if it happens frequently, or is this what the Traction Control was designed to do?
I definitely don't remember having this issue in my 02 WRX, but maybe the Traction Control System is very different now.