Engine Cover Dealer Delete

[Berisford]

Just booked my 280 in for it's first service.

 

Dealer tells me that the engine cover has a recall (I knew, but been ignoring the letters 'cause after a quick look under the bonnet last summer that cover was well secure) and the action required is to remove and destroy the engine cover, no replacement.....!

 

I've just been under the bonnet to remove it and see that even if it did vibrate loose there is no way it can work its way down to the exhaust, it's all too tight.

 

However, more concerning for me is how ****e the engine looks without its cover.

 

 

[Warrior193]

Hello Berisford, provided you keep a regular check on it - and it is secure, I can't see why you shouldn't retain the cover - just remove it when you take it in for the service.

I agree, engine compartment looks 'more finished' with cover in place. My understanding was that the cover was intended to be replaced with an upgraded one when it became available.

[travs]

Funny you should mention this. Had the same recall notice. Mine said that the dealer should remove and fit a replacement but that one might not be in stock. I took the cover off to be on the safe side (even though I agree I couldn’t see how it could work ‘that’ loose) and left it in the boot for them (thinking Skoda would probably want to gather the recalled parts). 
No replacement was put on and no follow up from them about it either…so far they’ve done sweet FA about it - so if they say you should have it done, ask the stupid question (you have the updated part to replace?) and check afterwards that they’ve bothered.
 

And yep the engine looks crap without it.

[Ootohere]

I hope you have fond memories and maybe pictures.

 

They need to remember you or the car owners bought and paid for the cover and it is not theirs when they bin it, or recycle.

They should issue an IOY.

Replacement part or cash money...  Not their manufacturing price, what the replacement pre recall cost if bought at a main dealers.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/510390-engine-cover-recall-tsi

 

 

 

[JR RS]

Most new Skoda vehicles being delivered here don't have engine covers anymore.

 

It's not just Skoda - VW cars too.

 

The latest crappy hard/soft foam engine cover is a fire hazard - hence why they're been dumped, literally.

 

I'm glad I don't have the latest EA888 Gen3 engine in my Superb cause I like my covers.

 

[fencer]

 

So as best I can understand this issue, there's a little confusion between the engine covers for the EA888 Gen 3 and Gen 4 motors. The Superbs delivered since 2021 here in Oz have still got the Gen 3 non-PPF 280 engine, but do come with a revised engine cover which is a hard plastic, as below on mine (compared to pre-2020 models which had a smaller cover):

 

 

The Gen 4 models have (...had!) a different engine cover - a weird floppy soft plastic thing. It's distinguished by the oil filler cap opening in the cover about halfway along on the left hand side of the cover as you look at it in the bay (as opposed to the Gen 3 which has the oil filler at the rear left of the engine and no open hole on the engine cover).

 

The Gen 4 floppy cover was always pretty naff, and I'm not surprised it was dislodging and causing problems. And clearly a Gen 3 engine cover will not suit a Gen 4 engine. 

 

I also entered my VIN number in the Skoda recall site today and it's not showing any recall for mine (nor have I been contacted by the dealer - not that that means anything these days...), so my understanding is that this issue with the engine cover only affects those with a Gen 4 engine.

Edited 4 February, 2023 by fencer

[JR RS]

Thanks for clarifying @fencer 👍

[fencer]

 

Just for reference here is the EA888 Gen 4 motor and cover. As you can see the oil filler is further forward on the left side of the engine compared to the Gen 3. This is the engine cover that has caused all the problems. It's a floppy, spongey material that never anchored properly to the engine mounting studs and also melts near the turbo (!) - basically it's cheap and nasty and further evidence of VW Group cost cutting. And nowhere near as nice as the updated Gen 3 rigid cover on MY20+ vehicles with that engine.

 

 

It doesn't appear there's an imminent fix to the Gen 4 cover and so all VW Group vehicles with that engine are going out without any cover and it looks a mess.

 

Edited 4 February, 2023 by fencer

[310golfr]

is this just for the 280 engine, what about diesels and 1.5 petrol engines

[Ootohere]

Just the 2.0 TSI engines of a certain gen. 

[travs]

Tbh, aside from toot’s principle of buying something now no longer in my possession, and the dealer doing nothing, tbh I deal with it by closing the bonnet and getting on with my life. 

[j caff]

On 04/02/2023 at 14:20, travs said:

Tbh, aside from toot’s principle of buying something now no longer in my possession, and the dealer doing nothing, tbh I deal with it by closing the bonnet and getting on with my life. 

Exactly, everything has to be a "thing" nowadays. Lob it in the bin and forget about it. You can always say the engine identifies as being covered....

[ApertureS]

On 04/02/2023 at 14:20, travs said:

tbh I deal with it by closing the bonnet and getting on with my life. 

I mean, 2 things to add;

 

Its a noise reduction device so it should be there for the drivers own benefit.

 

And also TECHNICALLY its an MOT issue. Rule 8.1.1 of the MOT manual states "You must inspect: under-bonnet noise deadening material fitted as original equipment" and although its not a fail if its missing (as you cant technically test whats not there), I believe it will end up being a problem in the long term. Thats if it isnt already making the vehicle illegal in the constructions and use regulations 1986

 

[j caff]

Ahhh will you stop being so dramatic, Skoda themselves recommend throwing it in the bin and being a petrol engine it's effectiveness at reducing noise from an already quiet engine is minimal. 

[Ootohere]

They look like the dogs dangle butt naked. 

 

Much lighter than some 'Much Lightness' & style achieved added by buying and fitting a Carbon Cover to fit to cars the weight of an African elephant. 

[j caff]

Does look a bit messy alright, it's just we aren't used to seeing naked engines anymore. 

[Warrior193]

That would turn my stomach every time I did engine checks - On the bright side, I guess it makes it easier to see if anything has fallen off the top of the engine. 

[Berisford]

8 hours ago, ApertureS said:

I mean, 2 things to add;

 

Its a noise reduction device so it should be there for the drivers own benefit.

 

And also TECHNICALLY its an MOT issue. Rule 8.1.1 of the MOT manual states "You must inspect: under-bonnet noise deadening material fitted as original equipment" and although its not a fail if its missing (as you cant technically test whats not there), I believe it will end up being a problem in the long term. Thats if it isnt already making the vehicle illegal in the constructions and use regulations 1986

 

My Golf TDI had a couple of broken engine cover mounting studs and so I presented for test without the cover.

The tester (miserable git) was taking forever to do the paperwork - when I pressed him he said he had concerns about the missing engine cover and was busy looking for the relevant rule. 
In the end he gave up but was convinced the missing cover was a problem.

 

[Danoid]

1 hour ago, Berisford said:

My Golf TDI had a couple of broken engine cover mounting studs and so I presented for test without the cover.

The tester (miserable git) was taking forever to do the paperwork - when I pressed him he said he had concerns about the missing engine cover and was busy looking for the relevant rule. 
In the end he gave up but was convinced the missing cover was a problem.

 

Don’t the miserable MOT testers put down “plastics obscuring parts” nonsense aswell 😂

[J.R.]

4 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

That would turn my stomach every time I did engine checks - On the bright side, I guess it makes it easier to see if anything has fallen off the top of the engine. 

I reckon it was the mid 90's that I went to the motor show not having been for many years before, what surprised me was that the underbonnet of every vehicle looked exactly the same as any other, that is you could no longer see any components just a sea of wall to wall (well wing to wing actually) plastic covers.

 

Prior to that you could ogle a performance engine, the exhaust headers, inlet tract etc, Italians in particular made the latter into works of art.

 

Now an engine bay looks crap without the covers, I even spent my hard earned on an OE plastic battery box for the Yeti when the battery insulating sleeve looked like Alexis Sales jacket after a battery upgrade.

 

I thought mine looked fussy enough and its taken me a couple of years to work out what all the clutter is but it's nothing compared to that monstrosity in the photograph.

 

Cover up I say, put it away love, nobody wants to have to look at it! 🤣

[j caff]

4 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I reckon it was the mid 90's that I went to the motor show not having been for many years before, what surprised me was that the underbonnet of every vehicle looked exactly the same as any other, that is you could no longer see any components just a sea of wall to wall (well wing to wing actually) plastic covers.

 

Prior to that you could ogle a performance engine, the exhaust headers, inlet tract etc, Italians in particular made the latter into works of art.

 

Now an engine bay looks crap without the covers, I even spent my hard earned on an OE plastic battery box for the Yeti when the battery insulating sleeve looked like Alexis Sales jacket after a battery upgrade.

 

I thought mine looked fussy enough and its taken me a couple of years to work out what all the clutter is but it's nothing compared to that monstrosity in the photograph.

 

Cover up I say, put it away love, nobody wants to have to look at it! 🤣

Or just close the bonnet....

[Ootohere]

There are people that open the bonnet, dip the oil and top up, check the coolant level and fill the washer bottle.

There are actually people that drive many miles in all conditions and where engine compartments get dust and stoor in them and onto the engine cover.

Vacuuming the top of the engine or blowing it off with an airline should not be necessary.  

Even an electric motor gets a cover over it to give it the appearance of some sort of engine. 

 

Personally i look after the appearance of some keepers and leave others as they are as long as they run OK.

With Lease cars i really could not care less what they look like under the bonnet or what they will be like at 4 years and older.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/451768-best-way-to-clean-engine-bay

 

 

 

Edited 8 February, 2023 by toot

[travs]

23 hours ago, ApertureS said:

I mean, 2 things to add;

 

Its a noise reduction device so it should be there for the drivers own benefit.

 

And also TECHNICALLY its an MOT issue. Rule 8.1.1 of the MOT manual states "You must inspect: under-bonnet noise deadening material fitted as original equipment" and although its not a fail if its missing (as you cant technically test whats not there), I believe it will end up being a problem in the long term. Thats if it isnt already making the vehicle illegal in the constructions and use regulations 1986

 

Not unfair points; I was being a tad glib. I've not noticed any difference in noise (I've dialled out Racechip pedal box on R+ now so I'm def not sensitive enough to pick up on a subtle noise difference).

 

Not sure when the part changed, but MOT on mine wouldn't start until March 2024 so Skoda haven't thought of the ramifications at the 3-year point, or will cross the bridge when customers start complaining on MOT failures, or rely on some statute of limitations to excuse their responsibility by that time (last points being a little conspiracy theorist). My dealer, Allams in Epsom, haven't responded so will put in a little follow-up.

 

[Ootohere]

Blame Covid and a war in the Ukraine and now a Earth Quake in Turkey & Syria. 

 

You can not expect VW Group to shell out millions or billions because some pointless engine cover they designed and had manufactured and fit has a dodgy way of attachment that has never killed anyone yet even if it did burn out some engine deparment.

 

Overblown on the internet.  Time to move on as nothing to see here, no more Das Auto, just honesty. 

[travs]

Well this has taken an interesting turn. Currently on a chat with a CSR at Skoda HQ. He phoned Allams to ask about the engine cover and the response initially was: 

Steven01:43 PM

Thank you so much for your patience. Allams Škoda has advised that your vehicle is not coming up on their system, according to them your vehicle has not yet been at their Centre.

 

He then asked me if I could recall who I spoke to? Like as if that's the defining information, isn't he sitting in front of a computer with all my details on clearly showing the dealer to be talking b0ll0cks?