I posted a few weeks ago about the near side wheel handling odd, well yesterday i heard a worrying grinding noise, so decided to look under the car, only to find this 'thing' half hanging off the underside of the car. Scared the **** out of me driving home the 5 minute journey from work, expecting the wheel to just fall off. I know bugger all about car mechanics, so does anyone know what it is, and roughly how much its gonna cost, although i'm expecting warranty to cover it - my dealer cant look at it till next Tuesday, but its not as though ive been trashing the car, so they better sort it under warranty.

hmmm, piccys havent appeared - will try again.

hopefully the pics will be up now....

I don't know the underside of my Octavia well enough to comment authoratitavely, but it looks like a bust suspension arm to me.

I certainly don't think I'd be driving it until it's been sen by a garage!

Chris

:drive:

Has the car been grounded heavily recently, perhaps?

Chris

:drive:

Howard,

I can't quite make out what that is, but it certainly doesn't look too clever to me..

Which dealer are you using? If it's Sedgefield Motors who can't fit you in, i'd give Derek Slacks a ring in the Boro (or vice-versa) cos that definitely needs looking at ASAP.

Without getting the car in the air it's difficult to see from the pictures - but would agree it looks mighty dodgy. If Skoda can't fit you in and there's a place local to you with a set of ramps (even Kwik Fit) Take it into them and ask them to get the car in the air for a good poke around.

At least then you can get onto the dealer armed with some info which might be enough to give them a kick up the backside. Don't forget that the car should still be covered by the AA so you could always get it dragged into a dealer depending on the outcome of your investigations...

Good point about the AA Jimmy...

Howard, have you thought about calling the AA out and getting the car recovered to the nearest dealer?

After all, if you don't feel it's safe to drive the car, you still have the problem of getting it to the dealer...

Just a thought

I dont know what it is either, but there is a bolt hole there, my guess is something came adrift, then the grinding noise would be it dragging or being pushed alond the road, then it broke off under the stress. At first I thought it could be something to do with the wishbones, but it could be something to do with the ARB.

Certainly looks like something has grouned out or got caught up in something.

I'd be a bit concerned about driving after seeing it like that.

It looks like wheelarch liner, or undertray.... It looks like it has been hitting the

road..

If it was the suspension arm then i suspect your car would be undriveable..

with the wheel lodged in the arch or something....

Cheers

Dazz

My initial thought was the arch liner but couldn't really tell.

Howard, do you know whether it's metal or plastic?

I had the under tray of TDi loose and it was only "around" 70mph when the wind would push it down to touch the road.....actually sounded like the wheel bearings were going and due to the drag it did pull to the right a little.

My initial thought was the arch liner but couldn't really tell.

Howard' date=' do you know whether it's metal of plastic?[/quote']

Looks metallic to me, surely plastic would snap/shatter, particularly at this time of year with lower temps?.

I agree it does look like it's metal which may point to it being the lower wishbone.

If you look at the pictures taken from the rear of the car, then you will plainly

see the wishbone still attached... And if there was a failure of this sort then the wheel would not be sitting normally on the road, and the car would be undrivable.

It looks like part of the plastic under tray, wheelarch trim...

It is quite durable and would scrape along instead of breaking off..

I've seen loads of cars that have the same sort of issue, with bottom trays hanging off.....

cheers

Dazz

Yep...see what you mean about the lower wishbone.

Tend to agree, nothing to be concerned about other than flapping in the wind as illustrated:

Lee's diagnosis looks pretty accurate. Anyone who can be bothered editing the piccy must either be pretty certain of their comments, or is sooooooo bored at work that they went and looked under their car! :p

I was going to stick my head under mine, but the sudden realisation that I'd forgotten one of SWMBO's prezzies sent me scurrying for town like a headless chicken :shocked:

Chris

:drive:

Oh look .... 100 posts!

I was going to stick my head under mine' date=' but the sudden realisation that I'd forgotten one of SWMBO's prezzies sent me scurrying for town like a headless chicken [/quote']

Is it Christmas already?

Is it Christmas already?

.... well either it's Christmas or everyone's going to a lot of effort for my birthday in early January ... :wave:

HEY IT WAS ME ..... WHO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!

:soapbox: :rant:

No one listens to me anyway!!!!

:ignore: me....

i'm off to :boozer:

Dazz

Baa Humbug!

Oops ... sorry Dazz.

Enjoy your :boozer: !

HEY IT WAS ME ..... WHO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!

Indeed and I "tended to agree"........

Yes I was bored at lunchtime, but didn't stick my head under my car to inspect - its raining here.........

Lee

Thanks for the advice guys - ive been in bed all day so not had chance to reply (night duty). The car isnt going anywhere, i've been using the missus' Fiesta since yesterday (oh the shame..). Good tip about the AA, i think thats the way to do it, cos i'm not driving it 6 miles to Sedgefield, tho i might give Derek Slack a call in the morning. The car hasnt been grounded, and there are hardly any speed bumps around here. Whether the arm was like that when i bought it in August i dont know, and suspect that even if it was, Sedgefield arent gonna own upto it..so i'm guessing this could be expensive...... :(

Just seen the 'plasticky undertray' replies - i hope you guys are correct, thats gotta be cheaper than a wishbone - hasn't it?