hi there,

I have a very annoying misalignment problem on the front end of my Superb. I know the car was absolutely loved and cherished by the previous owner (owner from new) so very much doubt there was any accident damage etc. But I do know that on the last service 3k miles ago the timing belt was changed by a skoda dealer (I have the receipts etc).

Wondered if the headlights and bumper had to come off for that, being such a wide engine? What do you think? The misalignment is such that the lights, particularly drivers side, sit too low, 3-5mm, and also the front plastic grille actually catches the inside edge of the RHS headlight. Last night I spent 5 mins trying to negotiate the bonnet to fit in beside the light when I closed it, otherwise if you just slam it shut, the grille sits on TOP of the RHS headlight! How annoying is that! I have checked the bonnet alignment, with regards to the left and right wings, and seems to be spot on, no change on clearance all the way round on both sides. It genuinely looks the headlights are just misplaced. I have seen a headlight/bumper removal guide here so I can happily follow it, but can anyone tell me if there is a spacer or something that might have been left out that has caused the lights to drop. If so, I will have to buy this before proceeding with the job. Can the lights be adjusted in any way when re-fitting, how much "give" do the mounting holes have. I'm very disappointed I need to do this, I have just got my car a few days ago, but this is driving me nuts!

This doesn't relate specifically to the Superb, but anything I've looked at, there was an access panel in the RH inner wing that could be removed for access to the most of the timing belt gubbins. Also, AIUI the 2.5 is a "narrow angle" V6, not a conventional 60degree V? If so, the engine might not be that wide?

The RHS headlight was almost certainly removed when the Timing Belt was changed.

My guess is that all you have to do to correct this is to remove all the screws from the headlight, reseat it correctly and then put back the screws.

The RHS headlight was almost certainly removed when the Timing Belt was changed.

My guess is that all you have to do to correct this is to remove all the screws from the headlight, reseat it correctly and then put back the screws.

... and the bumper would have to come off for that i guess?..... Thanks!

BTW just rang Skoda dealer to ask for price of headlight lenses. Guess what, they are not available as such, hotta buy the complete headlight units (bixenon) and they are nearly 800 quid EACH! They are "a bit " scratched from the previous owner struggling to remove the Euro-converters! Could try polishing I guess, but then they will become UV sensitive and turn even more yellow and ugly...

The headlights are not removed as separate items when the timing belt is changed - I've done this job.

On the B5.5, provision is made for the entire front panel to be pulled forwards by about 4" to gain access to the belts. The headlamps come forwards with the panel and the lamp fixings are not disturbed.

It's a crazy design made necessary by having the engine and transmission in line which leaves no access space, but if you do the job carefully and pull the front forwards using locating pins or bolts, it works well enough. It's stupidly time consuming though.

On my Superb, when I changed the belts I was very careful to ensure that all front panel fixings went back to their original markings. In this way, headlamp aim and bonnet catch fit were not affected.

If your car has misplaced lamps it has either suffered accident damage, or whoever did the timing belt had no idea how to pull the front.

rotodiesel.

The headlights are not removed as separate items when the timing belt is changed - I've done this job.

On the B5.5, provision is made for the entire front panel to be pulled forwards by about 4" to gain access to the belts. The headlamps come forwards with the panel and the lamp fixings are not disturbed.

It's a crazy design made necessary by having the engine and transmission in line which leaves no access space, but if you do the job carefully and pull the front forwards using locating pins or bolts, it works well enough. It's stupidly time consuming though.

On my Superb, when I changed the belts I was very careful to ensure that all front panel fixings went back to their original markings. In this way, headlamp aim and bonnet catch fit were not affected.

If your car has misplaced lamps it has either suffered accident damage, or whoever did the timing belt had no idea how to pull the front.

rotodiesel.

Rotodiesel,

baffled a bit

Are you saying that the metal body "panel" that runs across the car from left to right and that has the headlights attached to it is effectively detachable and you pull forward the whole lot as an assembly?

I had another look today and left side is fine (ish) but on the right side the inboard side of the headlight is 5 mm too far in which brings it closer to the grille thus effectively fouling it. Now that it spent overnight in "OK" position (ie bonnet not pressing on it) it has returned

to an almost perfect height as the plastic headlight mounts have sprung back into shape. So the reason the headlight was low was because the bonnet was pressing on it and the reason it was pressing on it was that the inboard side is too far in thus catching on the bonnet. Viewing from above, it effectively needs to rotate a couple of degrees clockwise, but the bumper may have to come off as doubt I can access the lower headlight torx screws with the bumper in place.

The whole front of the car - including radiator, elec fan and headlamps pulls forwards. It's heavy which is why it needs to be on guide pins in order to do this. All wires and pipes are long enough - which is why on the 4 cyl diesels the two upper coolant pipes go together in that funny rubber clip. I had to cut only 1 cable tie to do the whole job. The guide pins screw into tapped holes left by the securing bolts.

Your car is obviously wrongly assembled and I would bet it's due to the cambelt change. The front bumper is very easy to get off - 4 screws in each front wheelarch (dont miss the hidden vertical one), screws on top of the bumper next to the lower edge of the grille and a Dzus fastener underneath in the middle.

Get an assistant to help you slide it off as it's big, floppy and unwieldy when it's off the car. Have somewhere to put it.

I found that everything fitted extremely well and went back perfectly - but then I'm not a dealer... The Superb was well screwdrivered by Skoda.

rotodiesel.

Edited 25 March, 201016 yr by rotodiesel

Thank you Rotodiesel for the clarifications, you're a star