Recently I've noticed my Octavia 'skipping sideways' at the rear (for want of a better expression) when I hit any sort of bump - especially mid corner, but not only then. It's very noticeable, so much so that my wife commented on it 😉

 

Is this likely to be:

 

• knackered shocks
• broken spring
• anti roll bar issue
• droplinks
• something else?

 

Car is a 2016 4x4 vRS estate with 45k miles. It's (just) out of warranty and nearest dealer is an hour away, so doing some homework before booking it in.

 

Suggestions/experience welcomed, thanks.

 

You've probably checked tyres and pressures.

Visually check the tracking.  A symptom like that should be obvious if the problem it a wheel out of line.  Maybe jack the car up and give the wheels a spin to see if they are out of true.  Also do the old push down suspension check.  This should give you an idea of any major issues before taking it somewhere more qualified than me 

I'd have a look at the tracking and the tyre pressures

All the above, 

& the Haldex Servicing was due at 3 year,  (Oil & filter) maybe even 30,000 miles or sooner, has that been done?

Thanks all.

 

For clarity, tyres and pressures checked weekly and all ok (I run 37psi all round on 19" wheels, always have done so no change)

 

Four wheel alignment done a few weeks ago, but am I right in thinking that because this is done with all four wheels on the ground, it wouldn't really show an issue if a spring was broken?

 

@Skoffski - DSG and Haldex service both done at 37k miles, cheers

 

Hmm, reckon I'll need to get a garage to take a good look. I suspect spring or shocks, I think a few members have had shocks go prematurely?

Edited 20 May, 20197 yr by pist0nbr0ke

 

?

How many miles covered since the MOT was done?

?

Was there a 4 wheel alignment check just or any adjustment done?

 

& does that mean the Haldex has not been serviced to the Manufacturers rather vague recommendations within the Warranty Period,

or was it while still under 3 years old so if any issues maybe comeback on whoever did the Haldex?

What about the brake fluid, did that get changed at 3 years old?

Edited 20 May, 20197 yr by Skoffski

MOT was less than 200 miles ago, no issues found 

 

Alignment was adjusted yes, you thinking they maybe got it arseways??

 

Haldex and DSG were serviced last September by main dealer, well within warranty period.

 

Brake fluid hasn't been changed - is this likely to be the issue? 

 

Car is being changed later this year anyway, but want to sort it. 

Brake Fluid not changed not likely to be an issue, i was just wondering if Serviced to the Guidelines.

 

Best have the car checked over, and especially see that the Haldex is performing as it should be, and it was just the Haldex oil done and not the Diff.

Being bounced off line suggests suspension is too hard/spring broken. Only ever experienced that on one car I owned and that was a 1998 SEAT Ibiza GTi 16V. Badly leaking damper possibly?

I think rather than speculating I'd get it up on a ramp and looked at professionally - if the Mrs noticed it must be bad (this again assumes your Mrs is like mine and wouldn't notice small things). Something damper/spring related would be my guess as well.

Haven't Octavia Mk3s has issues with dampers leaking (even mildly misting)?

Rear bushes as it will have independent rear suspension.

 

if these go, you would potentially get these symptoms. When you got tracking checked was it the full geometry?

2 minutes ago, cheezemonkhai said:

Rear bushes as it will have independent rear suspension.

 

if these go, you would potentially get these symptoms. When you got tracking checked was it the full geometry?

Hmm this makes me think I hope they didn't stick in FWD car settings on the rear per chance? I've seen a couple of shocking fails with alignment jobs from so called professional places here where they got it completely wrong model wise.

Car has been in local garage for a couple of hours this morning. All springs, shocks, anti roll bars, drop links checked and all good. They even checked the subframe wasn't loose!

 

But...the tracking was way out!

 

4 wheel alignment done and it feels like a different car, even after only about 10 miles. Time will tell, but for now it seems sorted.

If the tracking was out, sounds like a kerb or pothole strike?

11 hours ago, Oldmansomerset said:

If the tracking was out, sounds like a kerb or pothole strike?

 

Yeah, that's what I would have thought but there's no damage to wheels or tyres, and to be fair, my wife would actually tell me if she had.

 

The roads around here are wrecked though, so it may be just constant small hits causing it to get knocked out.

A broken spring would just make it sit lower. I've experienced the bouncing and weaving symptoms a few times before on older cars and it's always been a failed shock absorber.

 

It has no resistance to absorb the springs energy so the spring takes ages to settle and as its only happened on one side it tends to really unsettle the back end. 

 

If you have a look under at your shocks I bet one of them is all greasy and covered in wet looking dirt.