Warranty repair causes miriad of problems!

[Stu24023]

Hi,

 

Bit of a strange one for my first post but i will try to post some pics of my car soon. In Dec 12 i got my Fabia VRS in red, black roof and black wheels. I had no issues until just after 3k miles or so.

 

Then i noticed a slight rattle coming from around the steering column. I checked it wasnt something i had in the car and managed to book it in for a warranty repair at about 5k miles about a month ago.

 

I was told they did not know where it was coming from but they knew it wasnt right. They ordered a new dash and told me they where replacing the whole unit. It took them one day! I asked them what they found and the sheet read loose plate in dash!!

 

The first 20 miles or so fantastic no issues........ this is know where it goes to pot!

 

When they handed the car back to me i noticed the climate control area was not sitting flat and was bowed in the middle with a scratch to the face! OK, not happy but i wanted my car back, they said they could book it in again and i said i would call them soon.......... so glad i decided to wait!!!!

 

After having the car back on the third day i noticed two new rattles (the old one was gone) one in the bottom right of the dash and the other in the centre. I called them and booked it in for another warranty repair on the 29th July.

 

So the weather gets hot, i put on my AC.......... the vents in the centre of the dash dont work, i change the direction of air flow, guess what now that does nothing. With the air on full or any setting it comes out of all vents (except the two centre ones)

 

So now im ****ed off!! Start looking at the car in more depth.......... When on a straight road the steering wheel is not level! Also now my oil light comes on. strange i thought!!! So i check the oil level with the dip stick and it is almost bone dry! The car has done 5400 miles since Dec 12. I call today to have a rant and say the car is now becoming undrivable you need to get this in quicker, they are now taking my car in on the 24th July!!

 

I have not hit any kerbs, i have looked under the car no damage no signs of any leaks, but cant help feeling that somehow these are going to be my fault and they will try to back out the warranty repairs! It might just be my pessimism!

 

Apologies for the rant but i wanted to know if anyone else has had any similar issues or heard of these things let alone them all going at once! Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Cheers guys

 

Stu

 

 

 

 

[Ootohere]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Is that the first you have checked the oil, from getting the car, have you never topped up while it was being run in?

 

Offer the Repairer to take or collect your car tomorrow and complete proper standard of work and repair any damage, and leave you with a courtesy car.

 

Then if that is not done contact Skoda UK Customer services who wil be interested in the standard of warranty work being carried out for them.

 

all the best

 

george

[bluecar1]

hmm, vrs using large amount of oil?

 

now that not exactly uncommon is it

[seboni121]

hmm, vrs using large amount of oil?

now that not exactly uncommon is it

no not common at all ! Looks like stu has a Friday afternoon car, bad luck stu but don't take it lying down, they know full well the issues with the fab vrs and hopefully they'll get sorted for you Edited 22 July, 2013 by seboni121

[Stu24023]

Cheers guys

 

I will let you know the outcome of the work / conversations!!

[XK140]

hmm, vrs using large amount of oil?

now that not exactly uncommon is it

If it's never been checked in 5400 miles from new so has used,say,one litre of oil then that is not excessive at all.

But we have not got all the relevant info re oil consumption on this car yet,I think,per George's question.

[bluecar1]

If it's never been checked in 5400 miles from new so has used,say,one litre of oil then that is not excessive at all.

But we have not got all the relevant info re oil consumption on this car yet,I think,per George's question.

stu,

 

how often have you checked the oil, has it been a gradual use or a sudden use of oil

[Stu24023]

HOnestly i havnt checked it since i bought it, but i am sure the oil level is more than 1L?

[Ootohere]

The engines oil capacity is only 3.6 litres.

 

Skoda say you might expect to use 0.5 litres per 1000km (600 odd miles)which is just Rubbish.

But,

also say that the oil consumption might be slightly higher in the first 5000 km,

which is perfectly correct with many engines.

 

1 litre used in 5000 miles is not unusual. (Tom Jones).

The Owners Manual gives advice to just any Fabia Owner in running in cars and checking oil,

many ignore that,

but i think you have been lucky that you got a warning of low oil and got some in.

 

'Skoda'

"one should therefore check the oil at regular intervals, preferably every time after fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches."

(maybe over kill, but every 1000 miles or so certainly worth doing.)

 

Let us know how you get on please.

 

george

 

This is the VW Owners manual which i think is Translated better than the Skoda one.

[Stu24023]

-----------Update---------------

 

So my car goes in and they repair the rattle, the ac control, the vents, the steering wheel. Took it for a quick drive, i couldnt hear a rattle from the front but my items in the boot seemed to be making a noise and i couldnt put my finger on something!

 

I drive home as i get home my oil light comes on again! I check the dip stick and no difference in the level (they forgot to check it). I drive it the following day and the rattle near to the glove box is back! I am now fuming!!!

I get it booked in again on the 7th Aug 13, by which time the rattle in the steering column is back!

THey take the car and call me on the 9th Aug to say they have fixed it and the service manager had driven it and had okayed it!!!

So i get in the car and before turning on the engine i notice that they used 8th tank of fuel and drove 8 miles! ok so someone was ragging my car, hackles on the back of my neck up!!! Get in the car and drive it around the corner and guess what the rattle in the dash is still there! Drive it straight back and go to the salesman who sold me the car saying this is not good enough is the sales manager available...no she isnt back until monday i will get the service manager. Speak to him and take him out in the car, he presses the glove box and moves his seat forward i drive for 5 mins and can hardly hear it, he said he couldnt!!

Great!! he told me to take it away and when it gets worse come back, i had no other choice and left (after getting him to fill my fuel tank up).

 

So this is where i am, been to them 5 times in 3 months with work carried out 4 times. My partner and her mum can clearly hear the noise!

 

I am at my whits end, the car has done 5800 miles since dec 12 and is like this!!!!

 

Any ideas or advice from the community????? I need some help please

 

Stu

[seboni121]

Trading standards ! Contact suk and let them know

[Furbytom]

This is no help to you now mate but at least this should serve as a warning to others considering dash replacement work.

I would say unless the original rattle is severe don't ever contemplate a dash-out repair. Any dash-out work carries a very high risk of introducing a plague of new rattles. It won't ever fit as well second time around!

[GeneralPurpose]

I've replaced many dashboards and never had a customer complain. But the secret is to get someone who knows that model car to fit it. Dash replacement is a skilled job these days and will take upto a day depending on the car. The tech should spend sometime looking for potential rattles as he fits the new dash and 'foaming' and cable tieing the area's of concern ie: cables, pipes etc. Screws need to done up tight but not overtight. It's not rocket science but lots of care is needed. I do wonder why the dash was replaced in the first instance. If the airbags haven't gone off then it's not something I would normally expect to have to do. Rattles on the passenger airbag side often emminate from under the bonnet and travel to the dash inside. Rattles around the steering column are often found to be under the bonnet around the bulkhead and travel inside the car, and not from the dash at all. However, one would hope the techs have checked that sort of thing. Usually, techs are good at this sort of thing so stick with it and good luck.

[Ootohere]

re the amount of fuel used and the miles done.

 

A car sitting with an engine running is running up fuel use, but not covering any miles.

ie,

start the engine, drive the car, different speeds,  stop and listen maybe, rev the car, engine running, drive the car,

stop and with engine on, A/C on listen for noises etc. all using petrol or diesel.

 

Like your car going in for a MOT, the miles on the clock before and after do not relate to fuel used,

You have an emissions test and brake efficiency being done.

Car in, car out, a 1/2- gallon used might not be unusual car dependent.

 

a vRS fuel gauge does not go down linear, and what might show an 1/8th could be less than a gallon.

So with a cold car/engine 25mpg is not much fuel used while road testing and listening for noises with an engine running while stationary..

 

Leave the car with them until properly fixed under warranty,

collect one of their demonstrator vRS and see if it is without rattles and noises as it should be.

 

george

[GeneralPurpose]

That's spot on george.  Hope that makes you feel a bit better Stu...it's all gonna be ok. Very few problems ever go unresolved, albeit you sometimes have to stick with it.

[Stu24023]

Slight update to the last message at the bottom of this one. I am lost now as what to do. The consumer advice people have said get an independant garage to see if they can hear the noise!!!!

 

HELP

 

--------------------------------------------------------

Dec 2012 - Car purchased and collected 21st Dec 12

 

April 2013 - Fist noise / rattle noticed after 3k miles

 

June 2013 - 

* 17th to 22nd June took car in they said they hear the rattle from steering column and also glove box, and wanted to replace dash,part ordered car returned as no delivery date.

 

July 2013

*9th July  - Dash replaced, car given back to me, i noticed climate control plate scratched and not sitting flush, was told they could keep it but no courtesy car, stated i would drive it and see if i pick up on anything

* All ok until 20 miles driven. 2 new rattles noted, bottom right and centre dash, booked in for 29th July.

*20th July 2012 ish - Hot weather AC put on, no air centre vents, air direction not working, steering wheel off centre, oil light coming on, mileage 5400. Called dealer aired my frustration booking in brought forward to 24th July 13

*25th July 13 - Car returned vents working, took for drive to see if rattles have gone. I drive it and something isnt right, but noise from items in boot obscuring noise. I tell the man handing car over he states call back if identified. Next day drive it minus all items from car including car kit (blamed by tech for noise). Take car for drive rattle in glove box is back. Oil light comes on (which was mentioned to them) check oil again and it is empty (this was not checked). Oil purchased and topped off by me, any fault is left undiagnosed. Book in for another repair.

 

August 2013 - 

*7th August 13 - Car taken in, rattle in glove box and now in steering column is back. Tech taken for drive states he can hear it.

*9th August 13 - Call to say car all ok and service manager has driven it. I collect take it around the block and rattle is still their. Take out service manager rattle almost inaudible. Told to come back when it get worse. mileage 5800. Car has done 8 miles and an 8th tank of fuel used by dealership!!! Service manager tops up tank. Drive home noise still loud and audible, drive partner and her mother to see if they can hear it--- they can.

*Following days contact consumer advice and finance company along with dealership. Told by dealership that they want to live with the car to see if they can hear it call to me on 16th August 13

*16th August 13 - Noise prevalent, drive to dealership and take service manager and tech in car, as driving in the rain i can hear noise clearly, both state they cant. I see asst sales manager who says leave the car with me for the weekend and i will see if i can hear it.

*19th August 13 - called by dealership state no one can hear the rattle, we even let an independent person take it out!!! whatever that means!. Will collect car on the 20th August 13.

[Ootohere]

When you get it back the noise might have gone, someone found the item they left undone and are saying nothing.

So,

Can you just take someone you know for a drive with you and get them to identify were they are hearing it.?

 

Then maybe a member on here with a identical car might be near you and able to help you out by identifying the source of the noise.

Once you have confirmed it is there still, if it is,

contact Skoda UK Customer Services and arrange to have the car into another Skoda Garage for proper Warranty Repair.

 

Another member had a post last week where the rattling about screw was found and re installed.

 

What area of the country are you in?

That is If you would like someone to help, or a Recommendation of a good Independent.

 

george

[Stu24023]

I will be taking it to the skoda dealing in reading soon, along with a friend who is a mechanic.

 

I live in Marlow Bucks

[Stu24023]

------------Update-------------

 

The dealer had the car over the weekend 16th 17th 18th and 19th August 13. I had a call monday morning saying the asst sales manager could not hear anything, they also stated they had someone else who did not know about the issue from the dealership take it out who also hear nothing.

 

I was still angry and collected my car on Tuesday 20th August 13.

 

My only other option was to try a different Skoda dealer in Reading. I visit on the 21st August 13 and the head tech comes out for a drive. He hears the rattle instantly and withing 20 seconds identifies its location. It is coming from the passenger airbag and when he presses on the cover it stops! You have no idea how happy i am that someone from the company has found the problem and will be able to fix it when i book it in with them.

 

Now this is my grip!! I went to this other dealer 6 times they performed repairs 4 times other rattles where fixed but this one was not. I was told over and over again that they could hear nothing. In all honesty i think they made me feel like an idiot, second guessing myself and thinking it was all in my head. I am waiting to hear back from Skoda finance customer services and not sure what to press for if anything!

 

With all of this back and forth and feeling like i wasnt believed or taken seriously it made me not enjoy my car. I have driven 6k miles in 8 months, in other cars i drove 10k in the same period. I feel out of love with the car and in a strange weird way, i dont think i want it anymore! This might be me being over sensitive!

 

Any thoughts or comments even if they say eat some man flakes are welcomed!!!

 

Stu

[Stu24023]

Also when i spoke to the asst sales manager i got a long story about how her partner, mother, brother and other people has been in the car and none of them heard anything! When she told me this i responded by saying the tech at the other dealer has found the issue and it will be going in for a repair with them. She was stunned and silenced! And said she would pass it on!

[GeneralPurpose]

Stu, glad you have a result of sorts and hope it gets fixed properly now. However, I don't think the airbag is the souce of the noise, just where the noise it's coming from. They probably won't find anything there that is actually causing it. It's almost certainly a resonation from the induction pipe in the engine bay where it joins the front grill intake. It's well known and I've posted about it before. Not every fabia suffers from it but I have seen even one Vrs with the same rattle and it was the induction pipe that was the problem. The noise is quite loud and annoying and only there at some speeds and revs. But, as I found out, nothing to do with the airbag. The rattle just shows up at that point. In addition, this rattle is sensitive to the way the car is driven. I had the same rattle and no one at the dealership could hear it, but I could hear it even as I drove away. They didn't hear it as they were ragging the engine too much and the noise does not show itself at higher revs. I'm ex-tech myself and really could not find it. Then one day a young technician who was out in my car with me heard the noise and located it immediately. One piece of duck tape later fitted to the induction pipe and the problem was solved forever. I would add that they previously had stripped out my dash looking for all sorts of problems and found none. The airbag is where the noise was resonating from but found nothing there to cause the issue. I've since passed on the info to the dealership and they have fixed loads with that same rattle as have others on here. Come back to me if you don't get it fixed and I'll email or pm you with more details.

Edited 22 August, 2013 by Estate Man