Hello guys,

 

Bought a mk2 FL vrs about 2 months ago and its always made a noise when full or close to full locking from the front passenger side wheel area, hard to tell from inside the car. It sounds kind of like a rubber on rubber kind of sound. Just in the garage for an MOT and had him have a look, he said it's the fan belt - Could this be the cause of it? Going to talk to him in person later today to see what he means.

 

Anyone had this issue before?

As the Octavia uses electric power steering it's possible the power draw at full lock is causing the aux belt to slip a bit, however I thought the aux belt was on the driver side of the engine?

I've no idea, not the most mechanically minded. He said it's catching in something when in full lock, it won't cause it to snap but he's ordered me a new one. Although you'd think it still would catch if that's the case..

If its the belt it will not be catching on anything, just slipping due to lack of tension. Maybe its stretched beyond the scope of the tensioners or maybe a tensioner is failing, either way it needs sorting sooner rather than later, if the aux belt snaps it can take out the cambelt. I still say the belts are the driver side of the engine when you say the sound is from the passenger wheel arch?

 

Rubbing within the wheel arch area is more likely to be the tyre on a dislodged arch liner, but this would be pretty easy to spot on a visual inspection.

I'll report back when the belts been changed. Thanks

Latest development, i'm going to take it to another garage i think, as he thinks it's definately something else! Which i'd have to agree.