Estate tailgate - soft close?

[ChristopherL]

Hi

I have a Superb Estate (Elegance) and the tailgate is hard to close. You have to really slam it hard and quickly get out of the way! If it doesn't quite shut first time you have to open it right up again - it's not possible to close it by pushing on it for the last bit. I was wondering if it is supposed to have the soft close feature as found on the twin door - this would seem sensible with a big and heavy tailgate. At the moment I regret not getting the electric option!

[stevehg]

Hi

I have a Superb Estate (Elegance) and the tailgate is hard to close. You have to really slam it hard and quickly get out of the way! If it doesn't quite shut first time you have to open it right up again - it's not possible to close it by pushing on it for the last bit. I was wondering if it is supposed to have the soft close feature as found on the twin door - this would seem sensible with a big and heavy tailgate. At the moment I regret not getting the electric option!

No problem with mine, so it may need adjusting

[ukcruiser]

Drop mine from 12" above the bumper, and it'll close it'self nicely....

.. think an adjustment is in order!

Al.

[sk8tergirl]

Hi I agree with the others, mine basically falls shut, its hard to do it quietly though... mainly I feel because the number plate rattles. Absolutely no need to push. So some for of adjustment... possibly the struts are very stiff?

OR... do you have an electric boot??? Is there a button on the inside of the boot lid? If so then lucky you, press it & it will close nice & smoothly . If this is the case, then you are pushing against the mechanism that thinks it should be open! This feels like you really have to push hard to close, its fighting against you!

But I assume you would know if you ordered the electric boot...!?!

The Dealer beckons... good luck

Stef

[philpix]

Electric boot. It was the best option for the estate IMO.

Couldn't live without it now.

Phil

[Wardy]

Electric boots - and I remember when Skoda used to be the budget choice

[Guest]

My electric boot comes down nicely until the last 12" or so then drops hard, for those with the electric boot does yours do the same? I was going to ask next time I visited the dealer if it was correct as the twin boot had to be closed gently.

[philpix]

My electric boot comes down nicely until the last 12" or so then drops hard, for those with the electric boot does yours do the same? I was going to ask next time I visited the dealer if it was correct as the twin boot had to be closed gently.

Smooth all the way. Might be worth a check at the dealer.

Phil

[Gizmo]

My electric boot comes down nicely until the last 12" or so then drops hard, for those with the electric boot does yours do the same? I was going to ask next time I visited the dealer if it was correct as the twin boot had to be closed gently.

Certainly not!

Smooth all the way down.

[Dekagon]

Mine is smooth all the way down.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ChristopherL]

Certainly not!

Smooth all the way down.

[ChristopherL]

Thanks for the replies - trip to dealer I think. I also notice it's marking the bumper at the bottom left of the tailgate so it must be touching.

[Guest]

Thanks for replies will go to dealer and get it sorted.

[sk8tergirl]

Thanks for the replies - trip to dealer I think. I also notice it's marking the bumper at the bottom left of the tailgate so it must be touching.

Hi Christopher,

interesting you should mention this... I have a Golf Bluemotion where mainly on the right but also a little on the left the paintwork on the bumper is being scuffed (infact on the right it recently has led to some paint being chipped of the actaul boot lid) & on our Skoda Superb I've noticed on the right there are also slight scuff marks! :(

Just to mention when the boot is closed & you look, there is a gap between the bootlid & the bumper so it is not obvious that there is a problem.

So having raised it with VW (for the Golf) [not yet raised with Skoda], but it is in the process of being recognised that the bootlid is slightly too low! They know it is a problem with the Golf R32 because the BUMPER is fitted differently to the rest of the Golfs but they have now acknowledged reports of other Golfs having the same problem.

They have not yet confirmed... but the indication is that the tailgate will be raised slightly & this should improve the alignment / spacing.

This should prevent the movement of the bumper/tailgate ie. the friction/rubbing between them whilst driving on our bumpy roads & therefore solve the problem.

On our Superb it is still very minor & polishing masks the slightly scuffed appearance. But I must say that the shape of the bumper on the Superb estate allows water & therefore also dust/grime/dirt & grit to sit on the bumper where it collects naturally & when driving around the bumps/movement will no doubt cause more wear/scuffing.

If more of us notice it & complain it will build up their "fault" reports & it will be easier/quicker for the problem to be remedied.

Hope all is clear... feel fre to PM me if you have any other questions or discuss further.

Regards

Stef

[RS3100]

Stef,

Did you have a tow bar fitted in the end?

Many have reported tailgate scuffing bumper issues after the tow bar was fitted.

I have a constant battle trying to stop my wife and daughtet slamming the car doors and boot but her parents, aunts and uncles all do the same!

Perhaps she will be more gentle after we pick up her car on Saturday.

When closing the tailgate, I just let gravity take over for the last 3 - 6 inches and it closes fine.

[sk8tergirl]

HI RS3100,

No, there is no tow bar on ours - I was after a luggage restraining net - AKA here the Dog Guard... shame we don't get the choice!

So it can't be that on mine (Golf or Superb) but I can imagine that it would make the bumper more prone to being scuffed (by the trailing edge of the boot-lid /tailgate) as there is more weight under the bumper (when towing something) that could cause it to "bounce up & down" a touch. also when towing something the "van" will move over the bumps & undulations and "bounce" at different times to the car & therefore I can imagine it would cause the bumper & tailgate to come into contact. Bumpers in general, although fixed in position, do have quite a bit of play so having thought about it, it seems quite probable to me. I trust you all follow what I'm wittering on about... & I hope it helps

Stef

[ChristopherL]

HI RS3100,

No, there is no tow bar on ours - I was after a luggage restraining net - AKA here the Dog Guard... shame we don't get the choice!

So it can't be that on mine (Golf or Superb) but I can imagine that it would make the bumper more prone to being scuffed (by the trailing edge of the boot-lid /tailgate) as there is more weight under the bumper (when towing something) that could cause it to "bounce up & down" a touch. also when towing something the "van" will move over the bumps & undulations and "bounce" at different times to the car & therefore I can imagine it would cause the bumper & tailgate to come into contact. Bumpers in general, although fixed in position, do have quite a bit of play so having thought about it, it seems quite probable to me. I trust you all follow what I'm wittering on about... & I hope it helps

Stef

[ChristopherL]

Hi

I do have a removable towbar fitted - the Skoda supplied one. It's a company car so was all fitted before I got it by the supplying dealer. Interesting others are reporting problems - when the towbar is fitted the whole bumper beam is replaced - the original was left in the boot on delivery. Presumably the bumper fits on to this - perhaps there is an alignment issue?

[RS3100]

Interesting others are reporting problems - when the towbar is fitted the whole bumper beam is replaced - the original was left in the boot on delivery. Presumably the bumper fits on to this - perhaps there is an alignment issue?

Yes the bumper clips into the beam, so if the beam is misaligned, then the bumper will be. It was because of the tailgate issues on cars fitted with tow bars through October and November 2011 that when I collected my car in mid November with the tow bar fitted, I took a set of guage pins from work to check clearences were even all round. The end of a drill bit works equally well if you use the end that goes into the chuck to avoid scratching paint.

I think the beam can move about 3mm either way, but when the clearence I think is between 3.0 - 3.5 mm tailgate to bumper at the sides and 4 - 4.5 mm at the bottom edge directly below the number plate, it doesn't take much to throw it all out.

As far as I can remember the those reporting problems last year had them corrected free of charge by the dealer.

[philpix]

HI RS3100,

No, there is no tow bar on ours - I was after a luggage restraining net - AKA here the Dog Guard... shame we don't get the choice!

So it can't be that on mine (Golf or Superb) but I can imagine that it would make the bumper more prone to being scuffed (by the trailing edge of the boot-lid /tailgate) as there is more weight under the bumper (when towing something) that could cause it to "bounce up & down" a touch. also when towing something the "van" will move over the bumps & undulations and "bounce" at different times to the car & therefore I can imagine it would cause the bumper & tailgate to come into contact. Bumpers in general, although fixed in position, do have quite a bit of play so having thought about it, it seems quite probable to me. I trust you all follow what I'm wittering on about... & I hope it helps

Stef

Northwest Towbars in Stockport fitted a Westfalia detachable tow bar with hidden electrics on mine for half the money Skoda charge.

Phil

[London Les]

I had the bumper reset on my Octavia which was scuffing the tailgate. It should be well clear to allow water to drain and to prevent the painted edge being scuffed through. It will do this quickly in winter with road grime and salt. The tailgate was much better afterwards - the dealer also replaced the top bit of the bumper which is separate on the Octavia.

Edited 18 May, 2011 by London Les