Estate suspension sounds like creaky bed

[Stacker93]

Hello,

 

I have a 2018 Octavia Estate, and since I purchased it (approved used, 55k miles) in November of last year when driving over speedbumps, I often get a creaking noise that sounds like what I'd imagine a squeaking bed to sound like.

 

It's been into a Skoda garage twce now, and both times they have said the technician is unable to find the fault, despite me sending them a video of it on the way home from my first visit!!

 

They said the first time they had 'greased' some suspension joints as this can sometimes cause noise, charged me £50 (as not under approved warranty 🙄)  and it made absoloutely no difference.

 

Link to said video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY7TmXuUjvg

 

Has anyone experienced this / have any suggestions? Annoyed I paid £14k for a car that rattles more than any previous car I've had, and I've had some bangers!!

 

Thanks in advance

[RoddersUK]

Normally it's the front lower control arms that are noisy.

Greasing them, does work, but not forever.

 

I'd say replace them and see if that sorts it. Think on autodoc they are only 75quid for the pair.

Don't fit poly bushes, I did, but they need regular lubricating, otherwise they are noisy too!

 

The anti roll bar bushes can be noisy too as well as front suspension top mounts.

[gm73]

20 hours ago, Stacker93 said:

Hello,

 

I have a 2018 Octavia Estate, and since I purchased it (approved used, 55k miles) in November of last year when driving over speedbumps, I often get a creaking noise that sounds like what I'd imagine a squeaking bed to sound like.

 

It's been into a Skoda garage twce now, and both times they have said the technician is unable to find the fault, despite me sending them a video of it on the way home from my first visit!!

 

They said the first time they had 'greased' some suspension joints as this can sometimes cause noise, charged me £50 (as not under approved warranty 🙄)  and it made absoloutely no difference.

 

Link to said video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY7TmXuUjvg

 

Has anyone experienced this / have any suggestions? Annoyed I paid £14k for a car that rattles more than any previous car I've had, and I've had some bangers!!

 

Thanks in advance

Welcome to the frustrating world of Skoda Octavia noises. I’ve driven them for years as taxis and the MK3s have been the worst for noises. And you rarely get to the bottom of them. 
 

 

My current 2020 MK3 makes the exact same noise as yours under the same circumstances. 
 

But mechanics cannot find any fault with the suspension. 
 

It’s beginning to affect my mental health as I drive the car for 10 hours a day. And let’s not even mention the terrible idle noise. 

[Stacker93]

Thanks for the replies.

 

@gm73 I am also finding this frustrating! This is my first Skoda, coming from a 2019 BMW X5, and I'm very disappointed of everything including service from the dealer, and the 2 month wait each time to get a fault 'investigated'. Skoda customer service is awful and I won't be purchasing one ever again!

 

They think they couldn't hear it becuase it was wet, and this can sometimes mask noises, but 'if the car was in to have an MOT today it would have passed', so I suppose I'll just have to put up with it until I can get rid of the car.

 

Disappointingly thought buying approved used would save all this hassle, as it has in the past with other manufactures but appears Skoda are different. I've spent a few hundred pounds on the car already on things I shouldn't have had to, eg tracking and a new battery so would rather not spend another penny!

[gm73]

23 hours ago, Stacker93 said:

Thanks for the replies.

 

@gm73 I am also finding this frustrating! This is my first Skoda, coming from a 2019 BMW X5, and I'm very disappointed of everything including service from the dealer, and the 2 month wait each time to get a fault 'investigated'. Skoda customer service is awful and I won't be purchasing one ever again!

 

They think they couldn't hear it becuase it was wet, and this can sometimes mask noises, but 'if the car was in to have an MOT today it would have passed', so I suppose I'll just have to put up with it until I can get rid of the car.

 

Disappointingly thought buying approved used would save all this hassle, as it has in the past with other manufactures but appears Skoda are different. I've spent a few hundred pounds on the car already on things I shouldn't have had to, eg tracking and a new battery so would rather not spend another penny!

My next taxi will be a Toyota. 
 

I’ve had enough of Skoda. 

[Dooge]

The multi point rear suspension is common to creak across all MQB platforms I believe, doesn't mean it's right. The concentric bolts for the adjustments sit inside steel sleeved bushes so often rust together. Not sure if this is part of the issue but I know I greased up a fair few bits last year when fitting new springs and it did sweet F.A.

[RoddersUK]

I'm certainly getting a lot more noise from the front than back.

 

Think I need to do top mounts, but what a job.......and maybe ARB mounts. I'll give them a spray first, see if that helps.

It's only really on very slow hard turning and elevation changes, such as turning around for drive and up the slope etc...

[TheClient]

17 hours ago, RoddersUK said:

I'm certainly getting a lot more noise from the front than back.

 

Think I need to do top mounts, but what a job.......and maybe ARB mounts. I'll give them a spray first, see if that helps.

It's only really on very slow hard turning and elevation changes, such as turning around for drive and up the slope etc...

Yep. Top mount and top bearings fixed 75% of my problem. I still have a little bit of what you describe left though. 

 

 Which is bound to be the control arm bush.

 

My experience on the arb mounts is they tend to be more a scraping type sound and mine is more noticeable when cold and going over speed bumps.

 

All common mqb faults / characteristics! 

[J.R.]

21 hours ago, RoddersUK said:

I'm certainly getting a lot more noise from the front than back.

 

Think I need to do top mounts, but what a job.......and maybe ARB mounts. I'll give them a spray first, see if that helps.

It's only really on very slow hard turning and elevation changes, such as turning around for drive and up the slope etc...

 

Definitely sounds like top mounts but for me its a relatively easy job having had to replace springs and bump stops on successive vehicles, the last time was cheap shonky bearings, worked fine but then one became noisy and graunchy again within a few months, replaced it again and no more noise, bench testing the failed one it appears in good condition, rotates smoothly, no seperation or loss of balls (ooh err!) like the first failure, a mystery but not mystery where the noise was coming from and your description matches my symptoms.

[RoddersUK]

I'll watch some videos and buy some bits!

[J.R.]

A couple of relatively cheap special tools help the job.

 

A socket drive spreading tool for the steering knuckle.

 

A long reach socket drive hex key to hold the damper shaft against the undoing of the top mount nut.

 

I misplaced the latter and bought a pair of American vice grips made for gripping cylindrical objects like the chromed damper rod without damaging them.

 

Replacing the strut to ARB drop links at the same time is worthwhile, they are very cheap and sooner or later contribute to the creaks and noises.

[RoddersUK]

I wiggled the drop links around yesterday, they seem ok, but I would change them at the same time, as it's not worth not doing it.

[Stacker93]

I suppose at least I'm not the only one!

 

Disappointing, hopefully I'll get rid of the car later in the year, seems a waste of a 2 year service plan and tyre insurance I got pressured into buying!

[RoddersUK]

It appears mines mainly the poly bushes.

I jacked the car up and took the wheels off, got right in there and managed to get some fresh silicon grease in.

Seems much better now.

 

I do think the top mounts are making a smidge of noise, but not enough to worry about right now. And that's only at slow manoverring