Hello forum,

 

I would be grateful for some advice with an issue that is proving difficult to diagnose, and my local dealership is refusing to do any work on it under warranty.

 

For context, I bought a used Superb in January from a Skoda dealership. Within the first few days, I started to notice a rotational type noise from the rear of the car, which at first I assumed to be tyre related. I gave it a couple of weeks then booked the car into my nearest dealership. The technician there initially said it was a wheel bearing, but after further investigation could not pinpoint the exact source of the noise, claiming it could be either a wheel bearing or the propshaft. Due to this uncertainty, they told me to come back when the noise gets worse as they can't do any work under the warranty unless they know exactly what to replace.

 

Is there anything I can do here other than paying for the work myself? The noise is not getting any worse and if it doesn't before my warranty runs out then I'll be SOL.

If it is a fault that the warranty will cover then that you will not need to pay for.

 

Finding the fault yourself will be free or what ever you have to pay someone else to find it, or the dealership is going to cost you.

 

?

How many miles has the car done and was the Haldex properly serviced at 3 years /30,000 miles, not just an oil change?

Finding the faulty part seems to be the problem. Even with a stethoscope they still couldn't work it out, so I don't know if there's much they can do without actually replacing parts. I am sure(ish) that they wouldn't accept a diagnostic from another garage so that leaves me with very few options.

 

The car is only at 48k miles and the servicing has been done properly including the Haldex at 3 years.

Obviously they will not accept someone elses diagnosis.

 

But the Skoda Fixed Price Service & Maintenance at Participating dealers on 3-10 year old cars is £60 for the first 30 minutes.

 

If you hand the keys and can tell them what you believe the issue to be then 30 minutes might be all the 'Man / Woman with all the gear and more than just ideas' might need to pinpoint the fault. Unless dismantling is required.

 

Someone has to pay for peoples time.  If the Warranty covers repairs the diagnostic time might not need paying by you. 

 

I would check the Haldex Filter as a matter of course if the service was 14,000 miles a go. 

That is while trying to find the source of the noise, coupling, wheel bearing, rear diff or whatever.

This is when a dealer will struggle... they cant plug their computer in, run a test plan and be done with it.

 

Give it back to the dealer and tell them, be stern with them. Find the fault, get it replaced under warranty, its up to them if they cant diagnose it and replace the wrong part and that should give them the motivation to get it right first time else they have to pay for the new parts that didnt fix it.

 

Dont go to them with my friend/my mechanic said its X, they will claim you told them to replace X, if it doesnt cure it, youre liable for the costs fully then.

 

 

Its real simple to diagnose if its the propshaft, wheel bearing or rear diff.

 

Start removing components until the noise disapears. Remove the propshaft and disconnect the haldex, if its still there you know its diff or bearings. Then remove driveshafts, split them, put the inner and outer cups back into the diff and hubs, then if its still there if is a bearing. But it shouldnt come to this long method unless its a real pig to find.