Hi everybody! I've just joined, I have a 1997 Felicia, 1.6 xli, it's been excellent except I now get rear suspension noises, groaning and clunking, when people are sitting in the back - when there's nobody in the back, everything is fine. (They're not THAT large either!) Any ideas? :confused: My garage has had a look, couldn't find anything wrong, but lubricated moving parts.

maybe the bushes are getting tired.... or maybe the shocks

:iagree: - that or else the rubber in the bushes needs lubricating. Is the problem worse in dry weather?

Trouble is, I don't normally carry anyone in the back. Certainly it was dry when the problem first appeared. Thanks for your interest. Tony.

Welcome to Briskoda

Trouble is, I don't normally carry anyone in the back. Certainly it was dry when the problem first appeared. Thanks for your interest. Tony.

All of which suggests dried out bushes in the rear suspension. If it's dry weather where you are, try putting a few drops of brake fluid (used if you can get it, no need to waste fresh stuff on a lube job) on the rubbers on the suspension arms.

Welcome to Briskoda

I've just got (or at least Clarion Cars in Worthing) to the bottom of the groaning noise when there are pasengers in the rear seats of my Felicia! It all goes back to QuickFit replacing the rear exhaust: the pipe goes over the rear axle, and was being hit by the axle when the suspension was pushed up by the extra weight, so that the axle was actually in contact with the exhaust pipe, causing the weird noises! This can be what happens when you buy non-genuine Skoda parts. At least QuickFit have rectified it free of charge, I've just tried it out by loading the car up with a considerable weight of old magazines, the vehicle was really down on its haunches, and taking them to the local dump: no more problems!

Glad to hear it

I've just got (or at least Clarion Cars in Worthing) to the bottom of the groaning noise when there are pasengers in the rear seats of my Felicia! It all goes back to QuickFit replacing the rear exhaust: the pipe goes over the rear axle, and was being hit by the axle when the suspension was pushed up by the extra weight, so that the axle was actually in contact with the exhaust pipe, causing the weird noises! This can be what happens when you buy non-genuine Skoda parts. At least QuickFit have rectified it free of charge, I've just tried it out by loading the car up with a considerable weight of old magazines, the vehicle was really down on its haunches, and taking them to the local dump: no more problems!

Ah, that would do it too. I'd not necessarily blame the pattern maker though; it could just as easily have been KwitFit failing to align the new system properly.