A warm Hello from Sunny Singapore. Glad I stumbled onto your site. Finally a site with detailed information on Skodas. Hoping you guys can help me out on my problem.

I have a problem with my 1 mth old Octavia Ambiente. Every morning when I move off after parking for the night, i hear a thud kinda noise from the front. It only happens when the car is stationary for more than 3 hrs. Also only when turning almost full lock. Furthermore to complicate it, it can only be heards occasionally, especially when you are not anticipating it. It's almost like my previous Elantra, turn full lock out of a parking lot and the front would almost skip with a thud(as if running over a pebble on a concrete floor). You will only hear it once and that's it.

Dealer told me is condensation of brakes overnight (we get abt 80% humidity over here)..:confused: But i noticed it even happens during the 34 Deg C days in the afternoon. Basically whenever the car has cooled off, you might get the sound.

Dealer said all the parts are ok with no undue wear, but worried it could cause something else to wear more.

Any advise cos u ppl seem to pretty well versed in Skoda internals. Does the brakes release with such a loud noise?

Thanks and really appreciate your advise.

Hi there, and welcome to the site

I doubt that it is condensation on the brakes. Reason for saying this is that the handbrake works on the rears not the fronts so why would the front be noisy? Also, why would it do it when you apply lock (again front wheels not rear)?

I would say that the problem is more likely to be suspension related rather than brake related. Could be something sticking. Maybe once driving the movement build up enough heat to free up whatever is sticking however once the car has been left to stand it settles back to its resting place, then once moving frees up.

Sorry I can't be more help :(

What I have done is to PM this thread to one of our members who is a dealer, he probably won't be on line until tonight, UK time, hopefully he'll be able to help.

Jon

Hi and welcome!

I had a similar thing on my RS when it way new; always happened first thing in the morning and when turning right out of my road.

It doesn't do it now and I think it cleared after a few weeks; I think it's was one of the springs moving out of position in the struct. Doesn't do it now so I never had it check.

Sorry can't be more help.

Cheers.

Adrian.

thanks guys, really appreciate it. hopefully i can get a more presise thing to tell my dealer to check out.

Actually Singapore has an interesting story about the Skoda dealership. First there was JTA and they were selling aound 2001, but subsquently went bust. Now a completely new dealer has started selling the car and I bought mine from the second dealer. Doubt they would have had that much hands on with Skoda car, probably about 1/2 to 3/4 years only. But the parent has dealt with VW cars for a long time though.

Incidently does anyone's Octavia come with the sunglasses holder (beside the Handbrake). My dealer claimed they couldn't get as it involved chaning the entire console. But I did manage to squeeze them for the VW armrest though.

yes common problem (well not a problem) the knock is caused by the front wheel bearing when left for periods the grease in the bearing goes to one postition (usually at the bottom) so when fist pulling off and turning steering the bearing is a little bit dry but once going the grease works around the bearing hope this helps big.k

Thanks Big K, is there any remedy for this ? Will it also affect the wear of the bearing?

Thanks.

I was about to say that big k had previously commented on this but he beat me to it! Sounds like a suitable question and answer for the FAQs.

I get this if I leave the handbrake on too tight overnight. It kind of sticks when I try to reverse out the drive next morning. I do try to just leave it in first, and lightly put the handbrake on. Sometimes forget though.

Originally posted by dudemobile in this post

Thanks Big K, is there any remedy for this ? Will it also affect the wear of the bearing?

Thanks.

no real remedy for this apart from replacing bearing (then the new one will do the same in time) does it affect wear on bearing i dont think so i've only changed a hand full of barings and i've been working on skoda's for 15+ years.

Originally posted by big k in this post

when left for periods the grease in the bearing goes to one postition (usually at the bottom) big.k

What about using a diferent grease or a thicker grease so it not flow to the bottom???

Isaac

Actually Singapore has an interesting story about the Skoda dealership. First there was JTA and they were selling aound 2001, but subsquently went bust. Now a completely new dealer has started selling the car and I bought mine from the second dealer.

Welcome:wave: Dudemobile

I hear that in Singapore a lot of people that put money down for a Skoda at JTA use to have a lot of problem getting back the money when they broke.

Do you know about this? Do the customers get the money back?

Isaac

Originally posted by Turbo_Boss in this post

What about using a diferent grease or a thicker grease so it not flow to the bottom???

Isaac

bearings are pre-packed and cannot gain access to even if you wanted to.

About the JTA, yep, I think quite a few people lost thier S$10K to S$15K deposits when the company folded. I don't think they got it back. This only what I know from the newspaper reports. Now there is a new Company (subsidary or a VW and Renult Distributor) who took over. I was lucky that I got my car within 3 wks. In fact the new Skoda dealership is one of the few dealership that can deliver thier cars faster than normal Jap family saloons.

Welcome dudemobile. Are the Skodas imported into Singapore built in Europe, and which models are available?

Originally posted by DGW in this post

Welcome dudemobile. Are the Skodas imported into Singapore built in Europe, and which models are available?

I have the idea that all the Skodas was build in CHZ Republic:confused:

What other countrys build the Skoda?

Isaac

They could be build in India, as Skoda has a plant in India.

Take a look at their main site www.skoda-auto.com

/FD

I found the following reference on an Indian Website. I believe that production of the Octavia in India is from CKD (ie completely knocked down) kits.

"Skoda India makes 9-10 cars per shift, at its Aurangabad plant. By April 2002, the second shift is expected to commence. Roughly $15-18 million, from a planned initial investment of $56 million, was in place, he said.

Skoda India intends to have a ``real localisation'' level of about 18 per cent in the Octavia by end-2002. Mr Hassen maintained that indigenisation continued to be a challenge, as for some reason Indian vendors even as they succeed in meeting quality norms lose out on the pricing front.

Skoda India's plans for higher volumes

Me too, I tot all the skoda are assembled in Cezch. :confused: As far as I know the only difference is how many things (usually the acessories) are factory fitted. Like my leather seats are done locally as well as the ICE and the srims. Otherwise everthing should be stock, to the best of my knowledge, based on what the dealership told me.