I changed my battery last week on my '58 plate 1.9tdi from it's original to a nice Varta E44 096 silver dynamic, a nice upgrade from standard. Whilst I was at it, I also removed the battery tray and cleaned out the blocked drain holes. I'm sure if I'd have left it any longer I'd have had problems with water leakage again. 18 months ago I had the car into Skoda to have it all sorted under warranty. So didn't want to go through that again, so for anyone replacing their battery, remove the tray and unblock those holes!! Took less than an hour from start to finish!! ;o)

When is tried to remove the battery, I have to give up. It's was too heay/awkward. I have the mk1 superb. It was very frustrating. I'm a six foot bloke and can carry the weight, bit it was just too hard. Did I miss something?

Yes, on Nackuk blog I had read that it need two tall guys. )))

And now serious, it is very tricky and hevy...all in all very dificult job to do..but it can be done.

I'll be honest I found it very easy..I'm also six foot and 16 stone..as long as you move the wiring loom that is clipped to the bulkhead..you have to slide the battery towards the brake servo to allow you then to tilt the battery towards the front of the car and then slide it out towards the passenger side (rhd). It is a tight fit but it will come out, then 3 bolts to undo the tray..one of the bolts also has the alarm sounder attached to it..you need to pull the horn off first then pull the tray off of the thread, I placed the horn back on the thread for the time being..the two grommets are then accessible, one under the brake servo, the other is very obvious to see..I had latex gloves on and shoved my finger gently into the hole, full of crap that ended up on my driveway..I then used a cloth to wipe away the excess water and the grommets..replacement is in reverse, I also copper greased all the nuts/bolt threads for next time.

see this link for help >>>>>> http://www.veedoubleu.com/?page_id=4

also get yourself a new pollen filter, you may as well do that as well while you have it all apart because i doubt it's been done recently!!

I also removed the battery tray and cleaned out the blocked drain holes. I'm sure if I'd have left it any longer I'd have had problems with water leakage again. 18 months ago I had the car into Skoda to have it all sorted under warranty. So didn't want to go through that again,

Are you saying that the dealer dealt with water ingress under warranty and did not permanently remove the bungs?

Incredible if that's the case - they shouldn't be replaced. I wonder what they fixed the pollen filter seal with? - hope it wasn't just more of the same foam gasket!

I buought a new pollen filter housing from VW as mine had a fixing lug for a cable damaged - they are still supplying the rubbish foam filter on the part to this day

.....they are still supplying the rubbish foam filter on the part to this day

I'm not sure if they should be just shot, or hung, drawn and quartered :no:

How can this be allowed to persist unabated, if the confidential official dealer documentation about it was out, on my B5 Passat, before my Skoda was even born.

Eejits!

Gaz

I'm not sure if they should be just shot, or hung, drawn and quartered :no:

How can this be allowed to persist unabated, if the confidential official dealer documentation about it was out, on my B5 Passat, before my Skoda was even born.

Eejits!

Gaz

I agree, Skoda must be Czech for "we who couldn't care less"

Don't blame the Czechs - they have to do precisely what the Wolfsburg mob tell them. They are simply an (excellent) assembly facility and have no design autonomy at all.

VAG will do no retrospective development work whatsoever unless kicked into it by a National Safety Agency. Ours is too soft to be useful, the Americans do it far better. Other than the obvious cost and reliability factors, the plenum bung blockage on the B5.5 can lead to effective brake failure due to lack of servo action (try stopping this car without a servo) which is clearly unacceptable. I have seen brake servo housings rusting away in several inches of water on these cars.

I find it incredible that I have been sold a VAG vehicle via an accredited dealer with these bungs in place. The only interpretation I can make of this is that they do not care in the slightest about my safety and that of others.

Next time, I vote with my cheque book.

rotodiesel.

Edited 21 December, 201213 yr by rotodiesel