Hi Folks.

I have a December 2014 Rapid Elegance (not Spaceback) with the 1.2TSI Greentech engine purchased new and have been very pleased with the car.  It's low mileage having completed just over 22,000 miles since purchase and it's always been dealer serviced.  Started noticing small amounts of oil under the car and inspection at the dealership shows  - "an oil leak from where the timing gear cover adjoins the sump.  The sump will need to be removed and all resealed.  Over 8 hour job and a quote of £657".  Now I'm not mechanically minded and have no further knowledge of what's involved other than what the dealership tell me.  They are very helpful and I have no reason to doubt their word.

Obviously at 5 years old come December the car is out of warranty, but given the low mileage I think this is rather a disappointing fault and wondered if anyone else has encountered a similar problem?  I'm thinking of contacting Skoda UK to see if they would be willing to offset at least some of the repair cost and any information regarding similar problems with this particular model of engine would be helpful.

I've been a Skoda driver since 1992 when I got my first Favorit Forum+, and over the years have had the Felicia hatch, Fabia hatch and Combi until my present Rapid which I think is my 7th or 8th Skoda.

Would welcome any comments.

Best wishes to all.

Welcome to the forum.

 

I would be going to a VW Specialist locally and getting a quote for the job.  Maybe they are not charging ridiculous hourly rates.

Maybe ex Master Techs from the VW Group network.

I presume its the chain driven cam engine (exhaust manifold, turbo, spark plugs at front of engine)

 

Unusual ro be leaking where they say unless the timing chain been changed at some point? If so, the repair was not done properly, sloppy work. Work done at a Skoda dealer carries 2 year warranty. 

 

Get a second opinion from so ewhere else,  confirm is it really leaking where they say it is?  A common area that leaks oil on this engine is from a broken off plastic valve (PCV) located on the rear of the cam cover about 3/4 of the way toward the gearbox end. Would be hanging off a rubber hose that goes to the air filter. Oil leaks out of the hole where it should be fitted.

 

Could even be leaking from a cross threaded sump plug.

 

8 hours is too excessive anyway. They are probably including the time for the liquid gasket to cure, but as they will not be working on it during that time and shouldn't charge labour for staring at it.

 

I think a good technician might be able to seal a small leak without removing the sump.

 

I got charged around £350 to change the chain, which involves removing/refitting the timing covers and sump with new liquid gasket applied and lots of work replacing the chain/sprockets/guides/tensioners.

 

Most people pay around £700 max for camchain change which includes sump removal.

 

 

Thank you for responses so far.  Much appreciated.  Unfortunately, the dealership not being particularly local, I've left the car with them and the parts were obtained by them yesterday so I'm rather tied to the work going ahead. Other than routine servicing, always carried out by this dealership, no work has been done on the car.  I know I was charged for a new sump plug at the last service but would have thought any leak from that area would be very obvious.  Thank you again for your comments.

So, finally got the car back after a week at the dealership, but had a gut feeling that all may not be well in the future and decided to bite the bullet and look at a new car. (It never takes much persuading to do that!)

Very much liked the Scala but firstly its width is such that it would be a work of art to get it through my garage doorframe.  No problem once in and annoying to have to fold the wing mirrors in each time. (Come on Skoda - auto folding wing mirrors please!)  Also, and mainly, to get a trim level comparable to my current Rapid Elegance, frankly it was too expensive for me.

So we decided to come back down to our previous model the Fabia Estate in the SE L trim level (far better trim level than my Rapid Elegance).  Long telephone calls and computer searching by the dealership and they inform me that there wasn't one available and they can no longer obtain them!!  No suggestion of that on the Skoda UK website!  Hints that a new Fabia model due in two years time causing this. (?)

Plenty of discussion between the wife and myself and we decide that we really don't need the boot space the estate offers, we used to in our camping days but not now, so we settle for the Hatch, again in SE L trim and cheaper.  One sat on a dockside in Germany and now on it's way.

I did think long and hard as to whether we were doing the right thing changing for the sake of the Rapid's first ever problem, but when I again found oil on the garage floor two days later I felt happy that we were right.

The dealership were not able to take the car straight back in to check the repair due to workload so, with their blessing, I'm just keeping an eye on oil levels and topping up as and when.  No doubt they will either check it out when it goes in PartEx or they will just move it on as is. So far not needed to top up but I have the oil ready!  Incidentally they did knock the cost of the repair off the price of the new car.

So reading the thread through, it's been repaired but still leaking? Presume they have offered to have another look see at the dealers and rectify foc?

 

Fair do's  if they have subtracted the repair costs from the new car though.

36 minutes ago, Shefflich said:

Incidentally they did knock the cost of the repair off the price of the new car.

 

But was that on top of the discounts, incentives and free servicing that you would expect when negotiating for a new car?

 

 

Seems to be. I'm happy with the deal I got.

@Shefflich

This 'service campaign' might interest you. 

?

Could you say if you were made aware of this since it should have been known at Dealerships last August.

Or others still with a 1.2TSI CJZB 2013-2015 might want the Service Campaign work if not already done.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/472549-12-tsi-cjzb-2013-2015-service-campaign-154h-might-interest-some

 

 

 

Edited 29 September, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

Thanks Roottootemoot.  No I was unaware of this but I'm not sure that it applies to the engine I had in the Rapid which was the 1.2TSI Greentech 6 gear manual.  Can't see any mention of the Greentech and it certainly didn't look like the one shown.

I never experienced any of the symptoms referred to, varying RPM, noises etc.  The car ran perfectly well with the only evidence being an oil deposit on the floor beneath the car when parked overnight, and then only a small amount.

I no longer have the car now having changed down to the Fabia III SLE and to be honest, although it's obviously smaller, it's a nicer car!  Certainly got the 'bells and whistles' which the Rapid didn't have.

But thank you anyway.  It's somebody else's problem now.