DavidMark

Yes after 150 miles the noise has gone, no creaks, no groans at all, its item 30 on the diagram which needs to be loosened and tightened up (70NM) with the suspension under a simulated load of an unladen vehicle. ie with a second jack under the ball joint (item 16) jack up until it just and only justs starts to lift off the main jack. Then torque up. Its a tight fit to get the torque wrench in there due to the wheel arch cover but it will flex out of the way.

Agree, I'm a qualified engineer and thereby hangs the difference.

I think I may have solved this, I jacked the car up losened the bolts on the rubber bushes. Then I placed a second jack under the ball joint area and jacked the suspension up to simulate the car resting on it wheels. the rubber bush turned through about 1/4 turn and then I tightened the bolts tightened. All of this in line with Skodas recommended practice. Looks as if the garage tighten up the bolts with the full weight of the suspension on the bushes. Therefore appling to much twist on the bashes when the car was on its wheels. School boy error.

A garage has replaced my front struts, coils, drop links and suspension arms, however I am getting a creaking, groaning noise when comming to a halt or pulling away, it is not a metal noise, its has been back in but they cant find anything wrong. Could it be that when they have tightened the top three mounting bolts they did it with the wheels dangling off the ground. I believe that the final tighening should take place with wheels on the ground otherwise they could creak cause by over stressed bolt may occur. If so could I simply jack the vehicle up loosen the nuts let the ssupension dangle and torque up once the vehicle is back on the ground? Does anyone know the torgue settings? How do I get the windscreen valance off? I am reluctant to go back to the garage again.

I keep getting a side light warning failure which come and go, but the bulb is good, however the holder look to be yellowed, I assume that it has a bad conection with the bulb and causing the fault light. Where can I get a new holder its the type with a long tag that you pull to remove, has anyone experienced these spurious bulb failure warning which come an go at will? The model is pre facelift. Cheers All

Its a TDI, 10 years old, belt changed by dealer at 5 years 40,000 mile it is now 10 years old with 80,000

Skoda now recommends 140,000 mile interval for cam belt replacement as of bulletin July 23. I questioned them on this and they confirmed. I raised the question what if the belt breaks before that? They replied to follow the service schedule for the vehicle as per the handbook ( that says every five years) it is the owners responsibilty. So thats it then as clear as old sump oil, what does everyone think?