My wife's 2014 Rapid Spaceback TDi has developed extreme inner edge tyre wear on the front wheels. The remainder of the tyre to about one inch from the inside shows even wear. I am taking the car to get a proper Hunter alignment check but just wanted to check if anyone has had the same problem? Nothing was flagged at the last MOT but I wondered if a bushing or top mount failure is a known issue?

Thanks, Alec

Hi Scottalej2,

Not sure if this applies to Rapids, but Fabias Mk1 and 2, and Roomster, have lower front inner suspension arm rubber bushes about 3" diameter within a metal housing; they're called "console bushes" for some reason, and they have a lot of air-spaces as well as rubber, they are there to provide "compliance", ie. a comfy ride, but they break up quite readily, probably hastened by broken surfaces and traffic humps, they lead to wandery steering/bump steer when for instance one or other side of the car runs over a sunken water stop-tap cover, the car twitches noticeably.  

 

So my thoughts are, before you pay for an alignment, get it on the hoist and get all the front suspension bushes checked out.  

What sort of mileage does she do per year?  More urban stuff will likely wear bushes out sooner.

 

I got sick of replacing mine with the originals, sourced some stiffer Mehle bushes, which have more rubber and smaller air gaps. Steering is more precise, but get chatter/feedback over the ever-worsening surfaces hereabouts.  It's a compromise!

Not sure if I should declare it to my insurers as a "modification"?

 

HTH

Richard

Thanks Richard. I'll have a look at that. She does around 10k miles a year and car has around 50k miles on it I think. 

 

I've had a look and the Rapid doesn't have those console bushes. The rear inner bush is vertical and the forward one a small diameter horizontal. No obvious play anywhere. Car now dropped off at alignment 'specialist'. 

I had the same problem but I thought it was because its lower than most...