OK folks any help appreciated on this one as I'm about to enter the dealership battleground regarding the gearbox on our TDI.

Over the last couple of weeks my wife has noticed a knocking noise occasionally when changing gear. I took it out last night and noticed the same and I reckon it's getting worse. The box has always been fine, we've had no shift problems and doesn't seem to baulk. However, if the box is left in neutral with the clutch depressed (to allow the layshaft to stop spinning) and then the clutch is released it "pops" for want of a better expression. Also in neutral with the clutch released there is a slight "whine". The box also "pops" or "clonks" occasionally when changing, often first-second or third-fourth (same shaft perhaps?) and has developed a "whine" in fourth, a bit like an over-run whine or going fast in reverse.

I get the feeling it may be a bearing in the gearbox that's on it's way out, the "pop" being when the initial lash is taken up and the bearing comes under load. However, anybody any other thoughts?

I have heard of Golf TDi's and the like eating gearboxes because of the torque and know that the Fabia setup is very similar, if not the same.

So, does anybody have any suggestions as to what this could be and how to approach it? The car is booked in for a check at the dealers tomorrow who seem to be helpful at the moment, and I'm guessing it should be covered under the warranty (the car is a March 01 with 52k on the clock).

Cheers!

Have you changed any of the headlight bulbs recently?

Rob.

:rofl:

OI!!! I RESEMBLE THAT REMARK!! (plus I'm annoyed someone else mentioned it before me! )

Presumably you have a 3 year/unlimited mileage warranty, skomaz? A gearbox problem of that nature should be classed as a manufacturing defect and sorted FOC.

I thought Skoda changed the warranty; I thought it was no 2 years unlimited or 3 years 60k miles or something like that anyway? Or was this another VAG marque?

Ha Ha... Nicely flippant guys but did my query about bulbs cause that much amusement?

depends on how old the car is, my 2001 model is 3yr unlimited. but later skoda changed it to 3yr 60k miles.

Should be covered under warrenty I think, if they say that they all do that keep on going at them.

Yep it's definitely 3yrs unlimited so I guess I'll have to see what they say. I take it nobody else had ahd similar problems?

See my thread "What a Classic!" in the lounge. All the reasons for the above lightbulb remarks above are held within - It was something I did yesterday... :(

Skomaz - don't remember your bulb enquiry! I do, however, remember Jason being a muppet

when replacing his (see thread he points out...)

Rob.

Skomaz, even in case you would suffer a warranty rebuff on this one, you'll be glad (for once ) that you are part of the EU.

Two years ago, EU consumer law has changed to the effect that official manufacturer warranty does not mean anything in court - instead warranty should last as long as the product or part's average life expectancy, and in case the manufacturer refuses to pay, it has to prove that the damage has been done through user abuse.

So let's say a gearbox is expected to run trouble-free for ten years, your warranty should last ten years too. In court, that is...

Usually, to avoid law suits manufacturers offer to pay up for a certain percentage depending on the age of the car. So something of the sort happening to a four-year old car will result in almost all costs paid for by the importer, whereas a nine-year old car will only get you a small compensation.

This practice has been slow in picking up in NL, but consumer organisations have steadily increased awareness.

Is there a "shake your head" smilie? This one is suitable :nono:

Rob/Devon... Apologies I hadn't read that one and thought you were taking the pi$$ which I took the wrong way I'm afraid. Sorry I doubted you and if I sounded techty!

Had a long day yesterday topped off by the car and also the bloody thing packing in on me (had to call the AA out top a disintigrated battery so not best pleased with the car at the moment)

Once again apologies.

Cheers

Hmm...I hadn't noticed any note of tetchiness! Anyway, even if I had, I still owe you for the

textured paint tip for my bathroom...

What had happened to the battery? Completely knackered? :eek:

Rob.

Yep got out of the car after running fine, locked up OK returned about 30 seconds later (B&Q closed!) to find the battery had die completely. Just enough charge to light the dashboard lights and that was it... no starting no nothing. Called the AA out and they got it started but then it wouldn't run smoothly and had no power steering (electric) and everything was flickering on and off!

Finally got them to replace the battery (FOC thanks to the warranty) and all now seems hunky dory. Unfortunately I'm not convinced the battery is the right one (but in the dark last night I wasn't going to argue) and they broke the battery cover in the process of replacing it!

Ho Hum!

How did the bathroom go just out of interest?

Hmm...if it ran fine then didn't, could indicate the alternator being dodgy? Or the battery not

holding charge (which is fixed by changing the battery) - so if it's working fine then this is

probably the case!

Bathroom looks pretty good now - well, good enough until I can afford to get it replastered

properly! Got some thick textured paint from B&Q, applied to the walls with a 4" brush, then

painted over with light blue bathroom paint to seal it. Covers the uneveness well, but it hurts using

the toilet when I'm drunk and leaning against the wall for stability...

Rob.

Could've got some of that artex type paint and used a patterned roller.......still would hurt when leant on during periods of instability though.

I hope the "using" isn't referring to speaking to God on the great white telephone... :dtp:

No, been a long time since I've done a rainbow yawn...

Rob.

I rang Skoda Customer Service a couple of weeks ago to ask for a copy of the standard UK warranty and was surprised to be told that, because my car was registered before 1 April 2002 (ie 22 March 2002), it has a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty. Up to that point I was under the impression that it had a 3 year/60K warranty. Skoda Customer sent me a copy of the current new vehicle warranty which states:

"SkodaAuto are pleased to provide a two year unlimited mileage warranty against defects in material or manufacture on all its new vehicles. In addition, SkodaAuto UK provides a further warranty on new vehicles supplied by them, through their appointed retailer network, which is valid until the vehicle has completed 60,000 miles or the end of the third year, whichever is the sooner."

technicolour yawn / pavement pizza = fond (and vague) memories of university... :dtp: a lot!

Glad to hear it worked Rob... Just don't do what I did once and get that drunk that by leaning over to take my shoes off I completely overbalanced and smacked my head o the wall (which hurt to start with), finishing up... well you can guess!

Anyhow, yes the car seemed fine this morning but good point about the alternator, I'll get it checked out tomorrow when I get them to have a look at the gearbox. I guess I'll also get them to check that the battery is the right one as well.

Warranty wise I'm surprised that they changed it and reduced it as every other manufacturer seems to be increasing the time and mileage. We certainly thought it was worth having the unlimited version as the car is doing about 25k a year, although having said that I doubt we would have gone for something else if the warranty was any different. And despite the last couple of days it's still a cracking car but will need to keep going to beat the last one (Mitsubishi owned from new for 11 years and 115k on the clock and all it had needed apart from consumables was an exhaust manifold that cost

I suppose that if some of the cars were ending up as taxis, the "unlimited mileage" bit would come back to bite them.

When I had the misfortune of talking to a seat dealer when i was foolishly looking at Ibizas they made a similar comment - they used to do 3 mile unlimited warranty, so all the tradepersons got their white vans there and flogged them to death knowing the warranty would still be valid...

ATEOTD, I'd rather they cut costs on the warranty than on the cars... I think...

I'd agree that taxis/tradesmen probably are the reason why they reduced it. However, surely

this is silly, as it's going to be the hardest thrashing and hence the best test! So when the

cars get work done under warranty, Skoda get feedback of all the weaknesses (coil packs,

windscreens), and can do redesigns.

So in the long run, they'll have cars which are better, will save them money on future warranty

work and will make customers happy as they won't get to know the service team on first name

terms...

Rob.