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Things to try...

1) Different audio source (bluetooth vs streaming vs something on a USB stick). I actually found streamed music sounded better?

2) Different types of track - yes some things sound terrible, but they probably did sound terrible anyway. Some of my 80's stuff has horrific production.

3) Do you have the surround sound activated? It can make some tracks you know well sound bad. I mainly have it turned off for anything retro.

4) The different mode buttons work in conjunction with the EQ. Try the different mode buttons....

5) The centre speaker even with HK is the same one made by Amstrad in about  1983. Swapping it out I think would make a lot of difference (there's a guy on here who sells the upgrade kit). I reckon you can hear that tinny speaker above everything else. It was the same experience I had with a BMW 128Ti that had HK - all i could hear was that centre speaker.

Thank you so much SRGTD, you always give such a detailed analysis to forum members questions!

I will heed your advice on that one and optimise engine braking. It was a bit strange in that in almost 6 years of ownership, I had yet to experience this. The car tends to sit in the week and gets used on longish runs at the weekends, I try and avoid short stop/start journeys if possible.

We are soon selling my wife’s car (Polo GTI of 2010 vintage) so we have been getting the maximum use out of it for the last time leaving my Golf pretty idle during November. Only yesterday I noticed the increased tickover speed and the obvious increase of resonance from the exhaust!

Thank you so much again for your reply!

Having heeded SRGTD's advice on regens I can confirm it worked perfectly for me. Spot on advice as usual

Hello all, experienced these symptoms for the first time on my MK7.5 GTI this weekend in almost 6 years of ownership, I am sure it is a regen.

Car was not as smooth running as normal and as per discussion previously, fuel consumption has fallen off a cliff! Most of the running I was in high 20's and only just crept over 30mpg once reaching home.

I had not used the car much during November, 8 miles in 3 weeks I think. Did a decent'ish run today of about 17 miles each way (gap of 4 hours or so between), but the regen operation is still there. Traffic and my route was such I could not get a sustained high's rpm to clear it. Think I need to take it for a blast to complete it, as the car really does not perform any where near as efficiently while performing a regen.

It does sound like a GPF / OPF regeneration. In addition to lumpy running and poor mpg, there are other tell tale signs of a GPF regeneration - outlined in my post (reply #6) in the discussion topic at the link below.

Unlike diesel particulate filters where blast at sustained high rpm’s does help to clear the DPF, IMHO it’s not the best way to clear the GPF in a VAG petrol engined car - the process outlined towards the end of my post (reply #6) in the linked topic has worked for me and for other forum members too.

https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=290349.msg2665390#msg2665390

Also, be aware that if you happen to switch off the engine while a regen is in progress, the regen will recommence during the next (and subsequent) ignition cycle(s) until it’s finished. Therefore, if you’re aware of a regen in progress when you’re nearing the end of your journey IMHO it’s best best to extend your journey so the regen can run its course before switching off your engine.

Quote from: Yusee on 30 November 2025, 15:02

There can only be one answer here- an enthusiast owner asking a bunch of enthusiast owners whether to do an item of service.

If the question had been “ money is tight- it’s either the DSG service or kids’ Christmas presents this year”- that would’ve been an interesting one.

An easy one that, the car gets the oil done and the kids get a home made space-rocket from the emptied oil bottle.
Next question please.

😂😂 nice one

Voice control next time for the temperature!
Normally if I come out of the nav/map screen then I go top right to the tile icon, press the nav tile and it’s back.
Theres probably a cleverer way but that works for me.

As for the phone issue, I appreciate Nicky ain’t as pretty as he used to be.
Temporarily unpair the phone to stop it diverting away from the Archers (it’ll still charge) if you want to keep it on the radio station whilst doom scrolling on the phone. As soon as the phone has a bit of video on screen it’ll default to Android Auto or CarPlay audio if the phone is paired.
If a phone call comes in your wife can quickly reconnect the phone to the car to take the call.

Again, there’s probably a cleverer way but that works.