Skoda vRS mkII Wastegate Rattle (VW TPi 2021062/12)

[Tuan]

go on alibaba, buy the genuine part direct from the factory. get workshop to install. it will be easier and faster than fighting skoda for a $16 part

sounds like a good idea mate .. saw a video to install it on youtube .. i'll get my mechanic to install it for me if skoda does not come to the party .. i'd give it a go myself if i had a hoist at home

[Tuan]

Spoke to the tech over the phone and he said that he has had a few complaints in the past about this with other VRS' and some have had the clip installed and some not because it could be the following items causing the rattle:

* wastegate actuator rod
* rattling fuel lines (wow this would be awesome to have loose fuel lines .... fixed by putting some foam between this and chassis) or
* pinging because you are using lousy fuel (fk me i sure hope not, but it's definitely not this)

Then he basically gave me the blanket excuse that some parts of the car need to move (due to variations between hot and cold) and they may or may not order the clip for me depending on what the cause of the sound is.

I am positive it's the wastegate actuator rod rattle so we'll see how this pans out when i take it for a drive with him.

Rather he'd just be honest with me and say if the sound is the wastegate actuator rod, we'll fix it and if it's something else, we'll try to rectify that too, within what's acceptable under warranty.

[zei20t]

dealers really don't like warranty work. they don't make any money from it.

[Gerrycan]

Really?
Then Kia dealers must have had kittens when they extended the warranty to 7 years, AND I believe it is 10 years in the USA so there is still potential for a further extension if sales do not increase.

[Tuan]

Yeah .. the dealers sure get paid for warranty jobs alright but obviously it comes out of Skoda's pocket but what they lose in reputation is more detrimental to future sales than a small warranty job like this

I don't think this has been deemed a warranty item by Skoda yet anyway, unfortunately for us.

But it's so true, the dealer's mechanics sure hate to do warranty jobs .. I think it's because it requires them to liaise with the customer and make sure they are happy after the fix is applied. Much harder than removing a sump plug and sitting around for 10 minutes whilst it empties and then refilling it with oil after.

[rsp8]

Got this fitted to my my12 RS a couple of weeks ago under warranty, problem fixed. There is a bit of my brain that still hears the rasp exactly where it used to be though! I tried and gave up installing the clip myself, it is very very stiff and hard to access if only on ramps.

[Tuan]

Got this fitted to my my12 RS a couple of weeks ago under warranty, problem fixed. There is a bit of my brain that still hears the rasp exactly where it used to be though! I tried and gave up installing the clip myself, it is very very stiff and hard to access if only on ramps.

Apparently the clip only mutes the rattle - not completely make it silent. That'll do me though. Do you have a copy of the invoice handy ? I'd like to know how they described it in the memo ... Some more ammo to show the dealer

[brad]

dealers really don't like warranty work. they don't make any money from it.

That's a contrary opinion to the few guys on this forum that have worked in VW dealerships.

When I worked at Toyota (late 70s & mid-80s) we made money on the actual warranty work but rarely got paid the full amount of time we spent on diagnosis. We also employed a warranty clerk so warranty had to cover his wages & the mechanics & any other overheads.

What you have to remember is that the warranty "experience" you provide will determine whether the customer keeps coming back for other service work or buys another car in the future.

It was pretty cruisy being a Toyota mech when all the cars were Made in Japan, even the first of the units coming out of the Australian plant were very well screwed together so warranty was quite rare. Then they started the badge swapping / engine swapping and we got the Corona with the Holden engine. We didn't know what had hit us. Luckily, I had left by the time they'd badge engineered the Lexan but my mates still at Toyota said they were a nightmare.

But it's so true, the dealer's mechanics sure hate to do warranty jobs .. I think it's because it requires them to liaise with the customer and make sure they are happy after the fix is applied. Much harder than removing a sump plug and sitting around for 10 minutes whilst it empties and then refilling it with oil after.

I didn't mind doing warranty but I'd come from a retail tyre & brake place so it was normal to deal with customers all day. There were a few of us that did customer work all the time.

What i did hate was doing warranty work that was only being done because the customer was a whinger who'd bought a Toyota & expected a Rolls Royce. EG: I once changed a full interior on a Camry Wagon because the customer went over all the plastic panels with a magnifying galss & found dozens of match head size flaws in the plastic - this was just the normal level of quality for these parts at the time. So I took off all the panels & replaced them with panels that had dozens of match head size flaws in different spots.... and repeated the process 2 more times.

[Tuan]

What i did hate was doing warranty work that was only being done because the customer was a whinger who'd bought a Toyota & expected a Rolls Royce. EG: I once changed a full interior on a Camry Wagon because the customer went over all the plastic panels with a magnifying galss & found dozens of match head size flaws in the plastic - this was just the normal level of quality for these parts at the time. So I took off all the panels & replaced them with panels that had dozens of match head size flaws in different spots.... and repeated the process 2 more times.

I can only imagine how painful those customers would be !

In my experience warranty work is just frowned upon in general by every dealer service rep that I have dealt with. The response before the issue is even looked at by a technician is usually, "well that's not usually covered under warranty ........ but". Seems like a standard response in the industry to me.

[brad]

I think they try & reduce expectations so that anything they do for you is a bonus.

I was a Service Advisor for a very short period- it was the most soul destroying job I ever had. It made you very wary of what you said or implied when communicating with the customer.

[Tuan]

I think they try & reduce expectations so that anything they do for you is a bonus.

I was a Service Advisor for a very short period- it was the most soul destroying job I ever had. It made you very wary of what you said or implied when communicating with the customer.

Sorry to come across cynical earlier, but that's the exact impression I get. Unfortunately, it sure does sound like it is part of the job description.

I don't think I would last 2 shifts as a service adviser ... I'd be wanting to fix every car that came in with a problem !!! SACKED !

[rsp8]

There's not much info on my invoice, but when I dropped off the car I told them 'the turbo wastegate has a rattle between 2300 and 3000rpm, all you need to do it drive it'. There were 2 guys behind the counter, the first one told me "we've never seen any problems with turbos on these" and the other one almost immediately said "yeah, there's a fix out for that, no worries".

[Tuan]

Appreciate that .. Let's see if the tech has his earplugs in when I drive it on Monday morning ... What sound what sound?

[rsp8]

I've got a spare clip if you need it (if they kick up a fuss and won't do a warranty job), but be warned - I tried to fit it with the car on ramps and gave up, and I'm not a small/weak guy but it's not in an easily accessible place. Up on a hoist might be fine, or maybe there is a knack. Anyway - if you want the clip I can't be fussed listing it on eBay, just inbox me your details.

[Tuan]

Thanks for the offer! Happy to give you what you paid for it if they do the ol that's not a warranty job. I'll let you know Monday night!

I'll be asking my mechanic to fit it .... I've read it's no easy task which requires strong finger muscles lol