Creaking suspension on Octy II

[moshneb]

This morning I've left the car at the dealer. In the end of the day I've called and they said that ARB is damaged and needs replacing (What?:eek:). I've been insisting on lower arms bushes but they kept saying it's ARB.

So, as my car is on extended waranty they are expecting the OK tomorrow from the company that I've payed the extended waranty. That company needs to make sure that car hasn't been involved in any kind of accident. Well, my car hasn't even hit any pothole ever. So, if they get OK tomorrow, new ARB will arrive on Friday. With bit of luck it will be done the same day.

It means 3 days asking for the lift from my friends.

Ah, and that company doesn't allow the car to get out of the dealer as "...it can not be driven with ARB damaged". How come was my car on the road all this time while I was trying to explain them the noise?. I don't know, when they change (and if they change) the ARB are they going to put new bushes on ARB? What about drop links?

I'll see if I can get out from my office tomorrow and talk with chief engineer in person.

Saga goes on.

Dear bosnjo,

I am really not agree with your dealer, based of experience for 15 y with different brands (lada, Toyota, Mitsubishi, KIA, Seat)

I did not hear that ARB might be damaged

Regards

[bosnjo]

I have my Octy back. And how?

It was intense late afternoon. They didn't even remember to call me. I've called them and they said Extended Warranty Company said they won't pay for new ARB as it's part that suffers normal wear (part consuming). So, if I want they can install new ARB but I have to pay for it (300-400 euros). Well, I had to control myself not to explode on the phone. I've just said that I'm on my way to a dealer to talk to them face to face. Half an hour later I've managed to calm down a bit and went straight to cheef engineer, as ARB verdict was his.

- (me) "What's the problem with ARB?"

- (delaer) "ARB has no problem but bushas have. As bushes are not raplaceable we have to change whole ARB".

- (me) "Have you done roadtest by disconnecting ARB to find out if noise was comming from ARB bushes or lower arm bushes?"

- (dealer) "Are you crazy, you can't drive the car without ARB!"

- (me) "What? Please pay attention to one detail. I've worked for 15 years as car mechanic. Do you want to change your last statement?"

- (delaer) "Well, I was saying ARB can fall on suspension while driving!"

- (me) "What about miracle of piece of rope to tide ARB to the top of the spring so it wouldn't fall down?"

- (dealer) "Well, that's asking too much".

- (me) "Is it? So, how can you be so sure that problem is from ARB?"

- (delaer) "I'm not. It's just good point to start with."

- (me) "F*** off and give me my car key back"!

They are smart. Extended warranty doesn't cover the part that is not suppose to be worn at 24.000 km? Dealer wants to sell me ARB that costs a lot and if the problem was not there, they would go to lower arms, and me, with wallet empty.

I'm done with them.

Next week I'll go to Ford to see about Mondeo 2.0 TdCI Titanium and give up my Octy.

I'm still p**** off, sory for hard words. On my way home car just didn't give me any pleasure driving. When the point of lack of pleasure is reached it's time to go to other brand.

On my company there are three of us servicing cars at the same dealer (dealer is VW, Audi, Skoda):

1) Me. I've told my story above.

2) One girl with Fabia 1.4 Tdi 2006, convinced by me to buy Skoda. When car was 6 months old, on motorway, lower plastic protection fell off, but just partly. She pulled over, looked under the car and understood what the problem was. She was 10km from my home so rang me asking if there was anything I can do. I took few meters of rope and went there. I've managed to tied the plastic (it was broken) with rope so she could drive till next morning and go to a dealer. Plastic was replaced but she was charged 100 euros (car 6 month old). "What?" she asked. They said there were obvious signs on the old cover that it suffered hard hit. She asked them to bring the plastic and show. When they showed it, she said that it was more then obvious that deep scratches on plastic were done when it fell off on motorway, until she pulled over. They didn't except it so she finshed paying the bill. I've helped her to make complain next day and they answered saying that she was right and she's got the 100 euros credit at dealer to spend it on next visit. Her next visit was regular service and when she asked about credit they said: "What credit, who told you that, we don't know about any credit". As you can imagine, she said Skoda - never again.

3) One guy with VW EOS (2007). Roof was making extreme noise when closed. He took car many times to dealer and spent first year of ownership going there every week. At the end they took the car on tow-truck to AutoEuropa, the factory where car was built. Car stayed there for one month and they refused to give him substitute vehicle. He finished paying rent-a-car for a month. When car was back it was the same. Next Tuesday he's getting rid of the car and said VAG - never again.

What else I can say? Original idea was to change my Octy in the end of the next summer, to new Octy 2.0 TDi CR 140hp, as I was informed it will be avaliable at that time.

When I parked the car in garage this evening, I've spent one minute looking at Skoda badge at front grill.

It tells me nothing anymore.

Off to Ford dealer next week.

Edited 16 January, 2009 by bosnjo

[bahnstormer vrs]

Sorry to hear about your pretty dire experience but you seem to be blaming the car, when clearly it is the dealer that you are not happy with.

Is there another Skoda dealer you can go to OR (as you are a mechanic yourself) is there a good independent garage you can try?

[bosnjo]

Sorry to hear about your pretty dire experience but you seem to be blaming the car, when clearly it is the dealer that you are not happy with.

Is there another Skoda dealer you can go to OR (as you are a mechanic yourself) is there a good independent garage you can try?

It's not just a dealer.

Beside creaking suspension, there is juddering at 2000 rpm, that is comming either from injection or one of engine mounts is bad. It judders only on accelerating, more on colder days and at any speed (so not wheels balance). Also, it could be the sign of turbo starting to die, but that one is too radical I guess. (Two dealers, car is OK for them).

Since few weeks ago steering started to "clank" while manouvernig slowly and rotating steering wheel. (Two dealers, both agree that steering is fine).

Display on my Audience HU has letters faded out like 50% when used for more then 10 minutes. (Both dealers simply can't understand where the problem is and said it works so that kind of problem not enough to replace it).

The car was 36.000 euros and for that kind of money I just can't accept that it has faults, one after another, after 24.000km and two years.

As for independent garage I can fix it there but what did I pay extended warranty for? The best way is to sell the car to some dealer when I get a new one. They don't care if car has any problem, they don't test it, even look at it. That's why we get less selling it to dealer.

Edited 16 January, 2009 by bosnjo

[GAFF]

To be honest your dead right. Unfortunately I think dealers hands are tied to a certain extent because of Skoda.

Best of luck with the new car

[bosnjo]

To be honest your dead right. Unfortunately I think dealers hands are tied to a certain extent because of Skoda.

Best of luck with the new car

Thanks for supporting words.

Juddernig got worse today. I hope it won't brake down untill I sell it.

[gregozedobe]

It is a pity the dealer is unable/unwilling to fix your car. Once it gets to the stage where you hate the car it just has to go. I hope it doesn't cost you too much to change over.

[shane-meh]

Sorry to bring this back up but just picked up my new car and it also suffers from this. Sound kind of like a chick is stuck under the car chirping away whilst driving. Popped it into Winchester Dealers this morning who came out on a drive straight away and will look at fixing this today. Finger Crossed

[Scott26]

Hi - Exactly the same issue with mine too.

56 Reg octavia vRS estate and creaks over the above mentioned surfaces.

I took it in and even had the mechanic in the vehicle and he said it was the shock absorber.

What a shambles.

I'm a little shocked to say the least why there has been no recall on these. There must be a particular batch of earlier models that suffer worst than others?

Will be taking it back to another dealership in Lancashire. Does anyone know of one that has fixed the problem as that will surely be the easiest way to fix it.

[shane-meh]

Just rang them for an update. They say mine is worse than others they have seen and have contacted Skoda direct. They are saying it could be characteristic of the car?? What does this mean, I would like this fixed!! Any ideas or help??

[Dr Zoidberg]

If they claim it's a "characteristic" it means that they are saying they all do that and won't help you.

My dealer tried that and failed

[shane-meh]

Anyway I can get round this? What did you say?

[Dr Zoidberg]

Anyway I can get round this? What did you say?

I told them that I'd been in other octavias that didn't creak and asked them to show me their cars all creaking on the same roads (which clearly they couldn't do).

It's a common problem in that it affects quite a few octys but it's not something that they all do.

[shane-meh]

They have updated my ECU to stop the juddering I have and are going to replace the Shock Absorber on friday! Fingers Crossed.

[Dr Zoidberg]

It's silent now and still under warranty - it's not going anywhere for now but I doubt it's replacement will have a Skoda badge

Replying to an old post of mine from 2007 , but no , the replacement didn't have a Skoda badge.

[shane-meh]

Just an update. The Winchester Dealer replaced the shock absorbers on my MKII VRS and this has stopped the noise... All free under warranty

[bahnstormer vrs]

Just an update. The Winchester Dealer replaced the shock absorbers on my MKII VRS and this has stopped the noise... All free under warranty

Glad to know you have got a result.

[dunknat]

just to add to this post. i too suffered from mentioned creaking when going over speed humps or pot holes etc. anyway i decided to take all wheels off to clean them and whilst i had them off thought i would try lubricating all the rubber mounts and bushes etc, i used a silicone based lube which can be bought from any good motor factors

to my joy this completely cured creaking noise and as yet still no more creaking( been about 5 months now). like i say just drenched every bush/joint etc in silicone lube(overs may work also) and jobs a good un. worth a try before thinking about replacing shockers etc:)

[GAFF]

Skoda gave my dealer some "special" red grease to use on mine, and to be honest it works (similiar to dunknat's experience). When I had my wheels off I noticed a lot of excessive grease around the lower wishbone area IIRC (well I think thats what it's referred to), so looks like that might be a good place to concentrate on

[s4a99y]

ive had the mechanics at the garage scratching their heads with mine and even had the engineers and fitters at work look at it and no one can find any problems with mine but all who have looked can hear the same noises as i can! its like a whooping noise coming from the right suspension hot and cold, low speed and high speed with a knocking noise over bumps which is louder the smaller the bump. The last place i took it they greased the suspension and wishbone rubbers which they said looked perished and seemed to fix the problem for a couple weeks then it started on the left side! 2 days after getting the car back it developed a new noise, like something was cracking or splitting just behind the dash in the engine bay (driver side) this only happened when i was pulling away or when coming to a stop and never while the car was in motion? but then it started getting worse more so while turning left and sometimes while turning right and constantly while moving forward, again no one could find a fault!

I noticed one day as i was getting out of the car i pulled myself out using the steering wheel which turned slightly and i heard the cracking noise coming from under the car, i jacked it up took the left wheel off and noticed a round rubber about the size of a 10p piece looked very dry and cracked so i sprayed it with a protective lubricant and the same on the other side, this has virtually sorted the problem, no noise while turning but still does it while pulling away although not nearly as bad. Im no mechanic so got no idea what the rubber part is i think its something to do with the steering arm/rack its just above the wishbone towards the back of the wheel arch.

sorry its so long winded and a bit of a story guys! but i hope that it may shed some light on your creaking suspension and also would appriecate any feed back on my problem too as mine is well out of warrenty and have no dealer back up so may need to tackle the problem myself if its not too big a job???

I have a 2003 (03) octavia vRS