Rust around fuel filler door

[Trubrit]

A few months ago, I posted here about rust appearing on the panel around the fuel filler area on my car.  Upon closer inspection, this rust had started on the rear side of the panel and penetrated through to the outside.  The car is a 2014 Citigo SE with only 20k miles showing.  After a lot of back and forth conversations with Skoda, they finally inspected the car in July 2018 and agreed it was a manufacturing defect.  The car was taken to an approved body shop where it remained for over a month.  I understand that the rear quarter panel was replaced and also noticed when the car was returned, plastic rear wheel arch liners have been installed which will prevent future issues.  The car never came with these from the factory and the fuel fill tube and poorly finished panel edge where the fuel fill housing sits, are mud, salt, water, dirt and everything else, traps.  They also installed a liner on the passenger side.  It would be interesting to see if these liners are now installed on new cars from the factory.  I looked at a 2015 car on the Dealers forecourt and it too was showing the signs of rust starting around the fuel filler, so it is obviously a common problem.  Thanks to Pulman Skoda of Durham for taking care of this issue for me.   

[Ootohere]

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/451543-rust-on-panel-around-fuel-filler-housing

 

[Grumpy_Martin]

I have discovered exactly the same thing on my 2014 Citigo Greentech. I am having a huge problem getting Skoda to honour their warranty on the body work. Have a look at the photos and see what you think. Any other instances of the same problem would be a great help in trying to get Skoda to honour their 12 year body warranty!

[KenONeill]

5 minutes ago, Grumpy_Martin said:

getting Skoda to honour their warranty on the body work

The wording may have changed, but it used to be "...bodywork perforation warranty..."

[Grumpy_Martin]

I hope it does not take much longer as it soon will be perforated. It does seem a bit silly to warranty against perforations as these will be much more difficult to deal with than the initial rust which leads to perforation!

 

 

[Ootohere]

@Grumpy_Martin  Welcome.

?

Who carried out the Body / Corrosion Inspection and wrote the report for Skoda UK, and did you get a copy?

 

 

Edited 28 August, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Grumpy_Martin]

I have so far dealt with this over the phone. The dealer has rejected the warranty claim, and I have spent 2 hours on the phone to Skoda UK so far, and have emailed them everything that has happened with the dealer.  Skoda UK are promising to get back to me by Friday. I cannot for the life of me see what is the problem. As you see above, it is pretty clear where the corrosion is coming from! My warranty document is slightly different and does not say the same as the one above. It says ‘All Skoda vehicles are fully protected against corrosion emanating from the inside the body panel for 12 years from the date of first registration....’

It seems Skoda have moved the goalposts since 2014. Maybe this is why they are being so awkward?

[Ootohere]

First problem is the Dealership Employee and Customer Services employee needs to follow the correct procedure.

 

You do your bit, you report ASAP.   Then you are asked to bring it in to be looked at.  Someone can take pictures if they want, but if they are not Qualified to do the Inspection, 

check if the paint is original they they can start arranging for someone that is to inspect it.

 

VW / Skoda set out what needs doing. 

 Perforation from the rear / internal cavity to the front / external will come, and within the 12 years, then you can ask for a new panel,  so they better move their lazy backsides now.

 

PS

Important.

If they ask why Annual or Bi-annual Body Inspections are not on record as being done, ask them why not as the car had Main Dealer Servicing and it is part of the Services and should be carried out, if not the records show who never did it.

 

*Vehicle test. inspection and report'

That used to say Body & Glass inspection, but then Service Books used to have a page after the service to have the Inspection of the body for the warranty on Paint & Corrosion.

Edited 28 August, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[Grumpy_Martin]

My thoughts precisely!

[CTGO]

I feel your pain. My recent experience of finding rust on my wheel arch was 2 months of back and forth between dealer and customer service both blame each other, totally ignore their own warranty T's and C's and block exemption regulation.

 

Does your car have full dealer service history or has it been to an independent at any point?

[Grumpy_Martin]

Has been serviced by dealer and by independent. There is nothing in the warranty wording which disallows this.

[CTGO]

2 minutes ago, Grumpy_Martin said:

Has been serviced by dealer and by independent. There is nothing in the warranty wording which disallows this.

Tell me about it! What is the reason given for rejecting your claim?

[Grumpy_Martin]

As far as I can see this is the reason. I did explain that looking at the bodywork will not stop it rusting, particularly as service intervals are about a year apart! My local independent dealer would have informed me if they had spotted the rust. Why give a warranty you won’t honour?

 

I fully intend to pursue this all the way. Consumer Rights Act suggests manufacturers have a duty to correct faults up to six years from purchase. Disappointed extremely by Skoda (and by implication VAG)

[CTGO]

I'm in the same boat as you. The law is on our side particularly with block exemption regulation and consumer rights but getting anyone at Skoda to understand or care about this was a fruitless task for me. The Motor Ombudsman is next for me however they have a terrible reputation.

[Tech1e]

22 minutes ago, Grumpy_Martin said:

Has been serviced by dealer and by independent. There is nothing in the warranty wording which disallows this.

 

There are conditions though. One of them being that the service must be carried out to manufacturers guidelines. So as long as the servicing garage inspected the bodywork and filled out the appropriate record then they can’t wiggle out of it. 

[Ootohere]

I can link more than a half a bakers dozen threads just from this forum where Skoda UK have said no Record or Inspections carried out at Skoda Main Dealerships, 

and owners have been asking where this is now in the T&C's. 

Skoda UK know the Dealership Groups that have Technicians not carrying out Body Work Inspections and recording them.

[Grumpy_Martin]

After a lot of to and fro with Skoda, they have decided NOT to honour the warranty. They suggest I get an independent assessment of the rust. The cost would seem to be at least £160 + VAT and then still no guarantee it would get me anywhere!

 

I have also contacted the Motor Ombudsman and was made aware that any resolution would take at least 6 months! The onus seems to be with me to prove defective paintwork. Meantime the rust continues.

 

All of this puts Skoda in a very bad light and ensures that I will never buy another VAG car or recommend one to anybody.

 

 

[Ootohere]

I know it is a gamble and a over £200 gamble but i would call their bluff because Skoda UK will have to pay for the Inspection and they have a company they use.

 

'Independent inspection', but a fair one and not one they can just dismiss.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/430237-bonnet-paint-defect

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/442777-paintwork-warranty

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/397139-does-this-rust-qualify-for-the-body-protection-warranty

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 September, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[freemansteve]

Can we assume that Citigo owners, as yet unaffected should wax-oil (etc)  the area around the filler from behind, in order to obviate arguing with Skoda UK?

Also, if you have plastic wheel-arch liners fitted, does anyone know how this affects the propensity for rusting?

 

[peter3197]

5 minutes ago, freemansteve said:

Can we assume that Citigo owners, as yet unaffected should wax-oil (etc)  the area around the filler from behind, in order to obviate arguing with Skoda UK?

Also, if you have plastic wheel-arch liners fitted, does anyone know how this affects the propensity for rusting?

 

I have applied copious amounts of waxoil in that area which will, hopefully, deal with the potential problem. I am sure that wheelarch liners will delay any problem, if not remove it completely. Basically water has to be prevented to getting to that area which may, or may not, have been sealed properly. 

[freemansteve]

OK, sounds good, although water per se is rarely an issue and not really possible to prevent, but grit, stones and salt are killers!

As I live in a lower grit/salt area than most of the UK, I'll maybe hold off with the sprays and rely on the factory liners...  I am a bit paranoid having been a Navara D40 owner!

 

 

Edited 16 September, 2019 by freemansteve
spelling

[Mike97]

Going through the same with my sons 2013 seat mii he bought it just over 7 months ago as a dealer approved car with 38k miles  and I noticed the exact same rust and under the arch around the filler 6 months after him getting the car. Booked it into seat who took a few pics then told us to take it to there approved body shop to get an estimate. Then Seat got back to us they are willing to pay 75% so I am still trying to get them to do it free. They have told me its only got paintwork warranty for 3 years so I have pointed out this is rust from behind not paintwork. My son can not afford the extra £500 he paid dealer price for his first car thinking he was getting a good car with warranty. He has only done 1500 miles in since getting it and that is driving lessons. 

[Ootohere]

That looks as though already been painted over the rust in the hope of hiding it.

[silver1011]

My thoughts too.

[jimmyp2]

My fathers owned from brand new 2014 with just 17000 miles citigo already is showing bubbling around the fuel flap. Skoda refusing to offer anything better than 60% of the cost of repair (see individual thread for full details). Seems to be a weakness on these cars which is known about but they dont seem to want to fully accept. No impressed with skoda at all over this issue.