Car is a 2003 VW Jetta 2.0 automatic.

Had it out today it began to make a sort of thumping noise when coasting. If you get it up to about 25-40 mph then let off the gas the car will thump. It is obviously related to vehicle speed. Seems to stop if you get on the brakes. Sounds like it is coming from the front. I'm hoping that it's not an axle. Does not seem to make any unusual noise while turning and it seems like you can feel it in the steering wheel.

Only additional information I can provide are that it was raining and the (full sized) spare is on the car. Also had just run it over some rough cobblestone streets, but did not hit any major bumps. Does not seem to affect the operation of the car, but it's a little nerve wracking. We cut our trip short.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Bet it's the spare. If it's not too much trouble put it at another location and see if the thumping changes but you shoud be fixing the one that went flat soon I hope and that would tell too,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
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http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

I'm hoping, but the (full sized) spare has been on the car a couple of weeks and didn't make the noise any time prior.

Of course check anything you can but with tires they can do funky things and not even be seen. They can have a soft spot or a bulge, unseen tread separation or some will have funny wear patterns and can make a wide assortment of noise or feelings in operation. There an also be problems with corrosion and just taking a wheel off and on it doesn't go back on true - that more common with rust between removable rotors and drums when junk fall down unseen when the tension of a tight wheel is released just to even rotate them,

T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
_________________________________________

http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/