Hello,

I have just bought a Skoda Superb 1.9TDi 130bhp comfort and have a couple of questions i am hoping someone on here can answer for me

1)How do you tell if the car is running on the service interval where the car tells you that it needs servicing or the fixed mileage service interval ?

2)Would my car have rain sensitive wipers ?

3)Is there any adjustment on the gear linkages as mine is a bit snatchy/knotchy 1st to 2nd and sometimes into 3rd (car only has 23,000 miles on it)

4)Hydraulic or cable operated clutches on these cars ?

5)Anything i should look out for or common faults on these cars before the 3 month warranty period ends ?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

anyone want to help me please

I will do my best....

1) Sorry can't help there.

2) Yes it should have, look at the rear view mirror (from the outside) if its attached to the windscreen with a purple / blue disc, this is the rain sensor, and to activate them you need to put the little switch on the top of the right hand stalk to the furthest right setting, and put them up to where intermittent position would be - so up 1 click.

3) Not really, they all seem to be like that - you have the 5 speed manual, the 6 speed is worse!

4) Hydraulic I think - someone else will confirm yes or no.

5) A few!!! Check the drain holes under the battery and brake servo, plus the drain holes on the inside the wings, these clog and water will end up in the car, soaking electrics. One early sign of this is the convenience lights under the door mirrors, and two red LED's not working by the front courtesy light.

Another thing is the bolts on the front wishbones, this has been raised on here many times.

More issues will be mentioned by other members of this site, but welcome anyway!

Comfort does has rain sensing wipers, set your wiper stalk into the intermittent position to turn it on.

If I where you even though your Superb has a very low mileage I would consider extending you warranty with a Skoda warranty.

Hello,

How do you tell if the car is running on the service interval where the car tells you that it needs servicing or the fixed mileage service interval ?

Sorry, don't know how you can tell the current situation but if you look at the vast set of numbers and letters pasted inside the front cover of the handbook you might find 'QG1'. This would show that the car was originally set to the extended service interval.

Hope that helps.

thank you everyone for your help, much appreciated and looking forward to skoda ownership

sorry forgot to ask what the problem with the front wishbones is all about ?

thanks

sorry forgot to ask what the problem with the front wishbones is all about ?

thanks

Not really a problem they just wear on these cars with mileage quicker than some other cars in the VW Group. You shouldn't have to worry about any strange rattles or creaks on your low mileage Superb.

What colour did you get?

sorry forgot to ask what the problem with the front wishbones is all about ?

thanks

The 100mm long bolt (just above the top edge of the tyre looking into the wheelarch) seizes up really quickly - remove bolt, grease / copper slip it up and replace, all can be done with the wheel on - if they are not already seized up!

The boot struts also become very stiff - clean and lubricate with WD40 or similar and keep opening/closing the boot for a few minutes to work the lubrication in.

thanks, i will have a look at that. What is a DPF ?

DPF is the diesel particle filter.

Its really worth having a good read of the posts in the Superb forum, as just about every issue with the Superb has been covered in the past on here.

The DPF issue, as with all the others is very well documented; although this only affects the 2.0 TDI's.

Also, to add my opinion, I'm pretty sure the clutch in these is hydraulic.

i have had a look through some of the posts on here but there is so much for a new owner to look at!! Can i just ask what problem does the pinch bolt cause, what are the symptoms ?

The only issue with the pinch bolt is that the bolt has not plating on it, ensuring that it will start rusting from day 1, it then seizes up pretty quickly , making it a right tw@ to remove (to replace the top joints)

Not much of an issue if you don't do the work yourself - other than the extra hours labour charge the mechanic will bill you for when he can't get the bolts out.

The long pinch bolt (about 100 mm) for the upper suspension balljoints is the real killer but there is another shorter one on each side for the track rod ends. All 4 of these bolts rust solid and should be removed and greased annually unless you want real problems in the future.

Remember that if you are paying a mechanic to work on the front suspension when it knocks (as they all will do) not only will you pay excessive labour if the bolts are seized but there will almost certainly be consequential damage as he heats/bashes and generally messes up the whole assembly.

Taking all the bolts out for greasing takes 10 mins per side and can be done with the car on the ground with the wheels on. Preventative maintenance always pays, especially with a crappy design like this one.

rotodiesel.

finally picked the car late this afternoon and have been out enjoying it. I have one slight problem though!! I think my clutch is juddering slightly when i pull away, this is worrying me. Also if in traffic and come to a stop then select first sometimes i get a slight clunk, almost like the clutch is dragging slightly - does this sound right as if i slowly engage the gear then i can get away with it not happening ?

Is there any adjustment a garage could do the clutch or something gear/clutch related that might help or have i just bought a car with a dodgy clutch ?

thanks

Clutch judder on the B5.5 seems to be a problem - I've driven quite a few bad ones.

My Superb AWX had mild judder when I bought it at 20k miles, worst in the mornings when the linings were damp. As I bought it as a towcar, the clutch sometimes gets a good work-out. I'm very careful not to abuse it as a new clutch/DMF will be expensive.

Since I have been towing a 1.5 tonne trailer which I do about every fortnight, the clutch judder has completely disappeared - I can't fault it now.

The first gear "clunk" is mildly annoying. It's due to the rotating gearbox first-motion shaft being rapidly arrested by the first gear synchromesh when you select first. The remedy is either to leave the clutch down in neutral for several seconds before engaging first, allowing the primary shaft to stop or simply engage first gear very gently. This is what I do - the shaft then slows down and stops without a "clunk".

The hydraulically operated clutch on the B5.5 has a hydrostatic slave cylinder and is self-adjusting. Just as well, it's a pain to get at.

rotodiesel.

Edited 8 July, 200817 yr by rotodiesel

thanks for your reply rotodiesel, so you don't think that a new clutch is needed then ? If i give the car some revs as well when i pull away i don't feel it but i don't mean over revving or slipping the clutch, sort of a fast pull away.

The car does have a tow bar on the back which doesn't look to have had much use, so would it be worth finding a trailer, loading it up and going for a drive and see if that improves it ?

The dealer did tell me that the car had been sitting for about 4 weeks before i bought it, so could that have anything to do with the problem ?

If the car has been sitting around (Superbs are difficult to shift, petrol ones impossible) the flywheel and pressure plate surfaces will be slightly rusty. This will wear off very quickly so I would do nothing at this stage - just drive it normally and see how it goes.

Don't abuse the clutch to try to overcome this problem or the DMF will be damaged. Try the trailer if you like - or stick a few paving slabs in the boot for a week.

rotodiesel.

what exactly will happen to the DMF, i'm not totally sure what that is either - can you explain what a DMF is please ? what does a damaged one of those mean ? (apart from lots of money probably lol)

Dealer did say to me today that they can do some kind of an adjustment on the gear linkages, would this help or is that for another problem ?

The DMF forms a damped resilient link in the drive train between the engine and transmission. It's there to absorb some of the torsional vibration generated by the (unruly) diesel engines.

It's not very durable and contains an elastomer damping medium which comes out if you abuse the clutch. The springs in the DMF then break up and a serious assault on your credit card follows.

If the gearchange is OK (it's not exactly brilliant on these cars - more like an old lorry with ponderous long throws) leave it alone. It's not the best feature of the car and the dealer will probably make it worse.

rotodiesel.

The remedy is either to leave the clutch down in neutral for several seconds before engaging first, allowing the primary shaft to stop or simply engage first gear very gently.

I always go for the former in this situation - then again it's something I've always done - so I've never had a problem (touches wood) with the 1st gear clunk.

DMF though... :eek: I'm saving up for a new one, that'll cost a few quid then it goes.

thanks, you all have been a great help

Enjoy your new car, Its easy to read the negative points (which all cars have) and think you have invested in an old heap!!!!!

Regards

Roger.

i have done over 200 motorway miles in the car today and probably about 50 or so round town miles, that should be enough to make the possible rust on the flywheel and pressure plates go away ? Clutch still judders slightly though :thumbdwn: I noticed today that if i do a hill start because i use quite a few more revs then it does actually make the judder more noticeable but if i am on the flat and pull away sharpish (not abusing it) then i don't get the judder :confused: ?

Would it be worth getting this looked at or should i still drive round for a few more weeks first ?

Also i think that either the front or maybe the rear discs could be slightly warped as braking from 80ish you get vibration through floor etc. Is there any easy way to tell if it is front or rear discs ?

thanks