the door seal rattle

[ednmra]

Episode 98.

So, after a long boring day having the rattles "diagnosed" as door seals a week or so ago, today I go back to Bexhill, drop the car about 9.30 and pick up courtesy car [1.2 Fabia - yuk] and spend the next 5 hours kicking around Bexhill town centre waiting for a phone call which didn't come.

After grabbing a sandwich we decide to go back to dealer and get progress report. I pull up and see my car in a line of parked cars. First the office tell me it is probably awaiting baking in a booth [seals are baked on? Apparently]

Then I'm told it hasn't even been touched - the wrong parts were ordered! [inner seals instead of outer seals or something.] Wife peels me off their ceiling. Right that's 160 miles travelled so far for zilch.

So I grit my teeth and ask them to write down the correct part numbers, I'll get the job done, maybe, at Crawley Down. They do so and I depart with no apology, no offer to replace wasted petrol etc. Just, "Bye sir." I suppose I'm lucky to get the "sir"!

Get home and phone Skoda UK Customer Services. I tell him the story and relay the "correct" part numbers. He says they are totally wrong - no such thing, system doesn't recognise them. Wife peels me off our ceiling.

Anyway, the Customer Service guy, who sounds like he knows what he is talking about, is going to sort out both Bexhill and Crawley Down, right part numbers etc etc and make sure the next episode is smooth. Compensation? Who knows? Watch this space!

[VRStu]

In my previous experience I have found CS to be very helpful.

[ednmra]

Episode 163.

Am now booked into a very helpful sounding Crawley Down for very early October. They intend giving me a courtesy car for 3 days [but will get me back if fixed earlier of course].

It seems they intend to replace the seals as requested but then see if that has indeed fixed it, and if not they will have time to delve further. Personally I don't think they will have to.

[dstev2000]

Don't forget there is a dealer in Ewhurst which is about 5 miles from Horsham, the parts chappie there is very helpful indeed, booked a Furby vRS test drive today and the sales staff are just as helpful.

Luckily they are now my nearest dealer.

[ednmra]

I'll bear that in mind. I'm hopeful that Crawley will come through as they are an easy run on a fast road for me.

[ednmra]

Dropped Octy at Crawley Down this morning for the new seals - impressive place, hope its work is as good as its presentation.

Got a Micra 1.2 courtesy car and though I don't like its looks it is a cracking little motor - doesn't feel like a 1.2 at all. Miles better than the Fabia I was loaned by Bexhill. Hope to get mine back tomorrow or Friday - they are keeping it long enough to not only fit the seals but check out the noises [or lack of] afterwards as well. Very good staff there so far.

[ednmra]

Episode - the last

Door seals no better. I am not entirely sure they were even changed!! Reason for saying that is that I had re-secured upper rear corner of old drivers door seal with an ordinary white Sticky Fixer, replacing the original black one that seems to be part of the Skoda kit, and had come unstuck from the seal corner. The white Sticky Fixer is still there!! I cannot imagine it being left there while an old seal was removed and a new one put in place.

Maybe I'm just too suspicious. Anyway, the erratic creaky rattle has come back, goes away with window slightly open, goes away for a week or so when seal rubber is lubricated.

I give up!

p.s. can any tech tell me what the fruity smelling lubricant is that was put on by the Bexhill service centre? That worked pretty good for a while and I'd like to get some.

[VRStu]

Probably silicone spray.

[ednmra]

WD40 or something better???

[Octy-KUT]

It's something better... readily available in Halfords etc.

and don't give up! My creaky rattles haven't come back and the seals are certainly different to the originals.

[ednmra]

Do you mean they look different to the originals? How do you tell? Can you give me the brand name of the lubricant?

[GAFF]

Holts do a range of products, the garage always seem to have a bottle in the hand when a rattle or squeak is mentioned . The latest one I seen is a dry lube.

I dunno what the story is with linking but it ain't working,

Holts Automotive Products

See Maintenance

Holts Rubber & Nylon Lubricant

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

A non-staining silicone spray, for lubricating and protecting rubber and nylon surfaces

Protects against hardening and cracking

Unaffected by extremes of temperature.

also another product which may come in useful

Holts Spray Grease

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Unique formula that sprays as a liquid, but sets like a grease

Clean and easy to apply

The aerosol form gets the grease into difficult places.

[ednmra]

Ta - I think it is not the spray grease - too messy. The rubber lube looks like a modernised version of the old spray I recently finished - I'll get some soon.

[GAFF]

Ta - I think it is not the spray grease - too messy.

Messy all right for your application I just added it for future reference

[ednmra]

Got the spray and used it on the front passenger door - so far so good. My door seems okay at present. I'm going to do only one bit at a time to see the effects. Also want to see how long the benefit lasts.

[kkonstan]

Affected cars are before the following Chassis Numbers -

Chassis No. 2177777

[VRStu]

Those are the chassis numbers quoted by Skoda UK. The 10th position of the 17 denotes the model year.

TMBEF21Z77x0x6x5x - 2007 Model Year

[octavia5]

MY twopennyworth

I had my door seals replaced last year for this problem - dealer fitted new 'silky' seals in a couple of hours and the problems was solved............BUT

9 months later the creaking came back so I simply lubed the seals with a viscous silicon liquid applied via a small sponge - job done peace and quite has returned for the past 2 months.

Mine came from Lakeland but similar is available in some sports shops that sell treadmills - it lubricates the underside of the belt.

No idea how long it will last but it is a quick and cheap cure even if it has to be done every six months

[ednmra]

Sounds worth trying - the Holts spray isn't lasting on mine more than a few days. Seal noise is worse at cold start up in cool wet weather - tends to go if a longer drive gets the interior warmed up. I'll try Lakeland - can you tell me the name of the product?

[kkonstan]

Those are the chassis numbers quoted by Skoda UK. The 10th position of the 17 denotes the model year.

TMBEF21Z77x0x6x5x - 2007 Model Year

Oh, I didn't know they reused chassis numbers that way.

So those chassis numbers quoted by skoda were for MY06 only and all MY07 should have the new ones, right?

Not that it would matter according to edmnra since the new ones are noisy as well, after a while...

[ednmra]

Oh, I didn't know they reused chassis numbers that way.

So those chassis numbers quoted by skoda were for MY06 only and all MY07 should have the new ones, right?

Not that it would matter according to edmnra since the new ones are noisy as well, after a while...

I don't know if everyone finds this. Mine have changed but not been great - that's why I'd like to find out about this Lakeland jelly lube for them

[skodaling along]

did anyone find the name of the lakeland lube?

[ednmra]

did anyone find the name of the lakeland lube?

Can't get into their website at present but think it was called Quick 'n Easy. The treadmill stuff seems very difficult to track down as the more modern treadmills don't need it.

[octavia5]

Actual Lakeland product is Free 'N' Easy - comes in 35ml bottles. Had mine quite a while so am not sure if they still sell it but its worth asking.

I havn't had to reapply mine since my original post so it does last a long time

[ednmra]

Actual Lakeland product is Free 'N' Easy - comes in 35ml bottles. Had mine quite a while so am not sure if they still sell it but its worth asking.

I havn't had to reapply mine since my original post so it does last a long time

Thanks - I'm going to get hold of some if possible - we have a couple of Lakelands within reach. and I believe they are good with mail order.