Squeeks and Rattles Update

[Enobar]

Well, after a two day visit with a sleep over at the dealership I have collected my car which now has 100% more Traffic Jam Assist capability, and 75% less rattles than before. Why only 75% less? Well, thats a classic Good News/Bad News/Good News story.

I have to say I'm very impressed with my dealerships efforts and service - its just a shame there aren't more SA members to recommend to them. When I got there they got a technician out to listen to the rattles and creaks I reported. The creaking in the dashboard which is very consistent every time I drive in and out of a driveway co-operated and creaked on cue... 'yep heard that, they are definitely not right'. Tick.

The really pesky overhead rattle however initially gave me hope in the morning setting out to the dealer by making noise above my head. For once, I was pleased to hear it because I figured it would be easy to demonstrate. However, after the hour’s drive to get to my dealership (despite the fact that I live in Metro Adelaide, I decided to buy my car an hour away in wine country…. I mean I need some entertainment during services… duh!). So anyway, an hour later as I pulled up to my car’s spiritual home in the beautiful Barrossa Valley wine district my car perhaps got scared straight by the big Skoda workshop and thought it could avoid being poked and prodded by keeping quiet.

So anyway, back to the test drive with the tech – and overhead there was blissful silence. Except its one time I did not want blissful silence…. Regardless of what we tried – smooth roads or dirt roads…. Silence. Not to worry, the tech was willing to accept my assertions that it normally does put on a maracas show above my head and even though he hadn’t heard it he would look into all the rattle resolution information available from Skoda and see if he could fix it.

Fast forward 2 days and they rang me to say that my baby was ready for collection BUT…. and the but was a big one. They had tracked the rattle to the rear of the sunroof which they could not fix on this visit. They need to remove the lining of the ceiling to get to it and fix it and would require my car for a week. However, they offered me an appropriate loan car for a week and were happy to do it.

Fortunately, my car is 3000km away from requiring its first proper service which I estimate to be due in mid August. As it happens, I am off to Hong Kong for 10 days in mid August. Also, as it happens, I do not have off street parking at my house so normally a trip away for a week requires me to find a temporary home for my baby. So the stars have aligned, and while I jet off to Hong Kong, my car gets a week long stay in wine country. I only hope when I go pick her up again she’s not too drunk and reverts to her swerving all over the lane like she did before I had the lane assist updated (see my posts in the Traffic Jam Assist Thread).

As annoying as it may be to not have everything resolved in one visit, it feels good to be taken seriously over rattle issues by the dealer – I can’t say I’ve always had such luck.

Also as an added bonus, the dealer buffed out a minor scratch I’d accidentally and stupidly put in the bonnet by signing papers on it which had a staple in the corner (aaargh!). They did it happily and without charge. Hooray for Jarvis Skoda at Tanunda.

[skodian]

Well, after a two day visit with a sleep over at the dealership I have collected my car which now has 100% more Traffic Jam Assist capability, and 75% less rattles than before. Why only 75% less? Well, thats a classic Good News/Bad News/Good News story.

I have to say I'm very impressed with my dealerships efforts and service - its just a shame there aren't more SA members to recommend to them. When I got there they got a technician out to listen to the rattles and creaks I reported. The creaking in the dashboard which is very consistent every time I drive in and out of a driveway co-operated and creaked on cue... 'yep heard that, they are definitely not right'. Tick.

The really pesky overhead rattle however initially gave me hope in the morning setting out to the dealer by making noise above my head. For once, I was pleased to hear it because I figured it would be easy to demonstrate. However, after the hour’s drive to get to my dealership (despite the fact that I live in Metro Adelaide, I decided to buy my car an hour away in wine country…. I mean I need some entertainment during services… duh!). So anyway, an hour later as I pulled up to my car’s spiritual home in the beautiful Barrossa Valley wine district my car perhaps got scared straight by the big Skoda workshop and thought it could avoid being poked and prodded by keeping quiet.

So anyway, back to the test drive with the tech – and overhead there was blissful silence. Except its one time I did not want blissful silence…. Regardless of what we tried – smooth roads or dirt roads…. Silence. Not to worry, the tech was willing to accept my assertions that it normally does put on a maracas show above my head and even though he hadn’t heard it he would look into all the rattle resolution information available from Skoda and see if he could fix it.

Fast forward 2 days and they rang me to say that my baby was ready for collection BUT…. and the but was a big one. They had tracked the rattle to the rear of the sunroof which they could not fix on this visit. They need to remove the lining of the ceiling to get to it and fix it and would require my car for a week. However, they offered me an appropriate loan car for a week and were happy to do it.

Fortunately, my car is 3000km away from requiring its first proper service which I estimate to be due in mid August. As it happens, I am off to Hong Kong for 10 days in mid August. Also, as it happens, I do not have off street parking at my house so normally a trip away for a week requires me to find a temporary home for my baby. So the stars have aligned, and while I jet off to Hong Kong, my car gets a week long stay in wine country. I only hope when I go pick her up again she’s not too drunk and reverts to her swerving all over the lane like she did before I had the lane assist updated (see my posts in the Traffic Jam Assist Thread).

As annoying as it may be to not have everything resolved in one visit, it feels good to be taken seriously over rattle issues by the dealer – I can’t say I’ve always had such luck.

Also as an added bonus, the dealer buffed out a minor scratch I’d accidentally and stupidly put in the bonnet by signing papers on it which had a staple in the corner (aaargh!). They did it happily and without charge. Hooray for Jarvis Skoda at Tanunda.

Lucky you ,

I had mine done for 2 weeks with a latest A3 at the time.

Sounds like Skoda QA is pretty bad for Australian cars. I am sure they can perform better check list or update firmware via internet.