Advice needed on knocking from front suspension (mk4 fr tdi)

[FR-OSS]

droplinks

same fault on mine near 13k on the clock and checked myself... both drop links are pumped !! under warrenty still

 

[josh263uk]

Well just to update.
Car went back to the garage last week. On the ramps and the new ARB that SEAT fitted 3 months ago is worn, this is ment to be a modified version as they are aware that the original was wearing.

So I am thinking to myself, another ARB, nut the dealer and SEAT are in a stale mate as to what to do. Currently have a car with worn ARB

Would a worn ARB cause anything else to wear quicker ie tyres other suspension parts?

 

[RUM4MO]

josh263uk, what age is your car? The reason I am asking is that from 2005MY onwards I thought that all cars were being fitted with the newer ARB - ie the one without the plastic end stops. If they did replace the ARB the last time, they should only have had access to the modified parts ie newer ARB and should have fitted the newer (smaller) D bushes where it gets clamped to the car. Just a general point to anyone that still has the older ARB - and it is still intact (I have not got a clue as to why it should be!), you need to make this clear when buying new D bushes as the size of the bushes changed when the ARBs were modified (due to the plastic sleeve or tail not being on the newer ARBs with the steel end stops).

Edited to correct the ARB change date

 

[josh263uk]

josh263uk, what age is your car? The reason I am asking is that from 2003MY onwards I thought that all cars were being fitted with the newer ARB - ie the one without the plastic end stops. If they did replace the ARB the last time, they should only have had access to the modified parts ie newer ARB and should have fitted the newer (smaller) D bushes where it gets clamped to the car. Just a general point to anyone that still has the older ARB - and it is still intact (I have not got a clue as to why it should be!), you need to make this clear when buying new D bushes as the size of the bushes changed when the ARBs were modified (due to the plastic sleeve or tail not being on the newer ARBs with the steel end stops).

Its a 2007 (57 plate). So should have newer kit on it, will call them tomorrow, see what they say

 

[RUM4MO]

josh263uk, notice that I've updated the date when the ARB's should have been changed by, even so your car is far too new to have suffered that original ARB problem. When the ARB end stops fail, it is possible to grab the ARB and slide it from side to side - surely your problem will turn out to be the usual droplink failure - and even they are meant to have been improved round about that time.

 

[josh263uk]

josh263uk, notice that I've updated the date when the ARB's should have been changed by, even so your car is far too new to have suffered that original ARB problem. When the ARB end stops fail, it is possible to grab the ARB and slide it from side to side - surely your problem will turn out to be the usual droplink failure - and even they are meant to have been improved round about that time.

Thanks ill ask when it goes in next week.

 

[Crafoo]

Mine is currently at the dealers having a new ARB fitted (which I have asked to be looked at the last half a dozen times the cars been back to them) hopefully this will sort the knocking issue out for me, I will post up my findings here.

 

[jilly]

It seem's a few of us have experienced some kind of clunking under the car! My 1.9 tdi has started to dot he same ... 04 reg, only 35,00 miles!

 

[kris_tdi]

knocking noise could be the top mounts for the front suspension. They have bearings inside and are prone to failure.

 

[Crafoo]

Picked my car up after my hols and found that the clunking noise is still present, so I can rule out the anti roll bar anyway.

 

[jilly]

Clunking noise

I eventually took my car (T D I -1.9) to seat, to see what they said about the clunking noise, the report they told me was:
It was the lower arm bushes lower ball joint N S F anti roll bar- they quoted me at £450.92 + vat. They said front suspension arms and bushes showing excess wear and my car was dangerous to drive. I took my car back to my garage (not a seat) and showed them the report, they said they would have a look – they replaced the anti roll bar although it appeared to be healthy! Checked everything over found nothing obvious, however the car is still clunking! This garage was very good to me and did not charge me any labour – they were very surprised at seat’s report of the car being dangerous to drive. They said they could take the suspension to bits and replace everything but could not find anything obvious. They said the car would pass an M O T.
I am so frustrated with my seat and do not think I will buy another one- it has only done 35.000 miles.
I have seen several of you guys report this clunking noise, has any of you found a solution?

 

[RUM4MO]

Jilly, without seeing your car I'd tend to agree with your garage, ie that the car would not necessarily fail an MOT because of this! All the same If I were you, I'd get a good indep VAG specialist to replace the TCA rear bushes for Cupra ones, check the lower swivels for wear and while they are there maybe the drop links as well, then carry out a full four wheel re-alignment - as it will probably need it as the crossmember has been dropped to change the ARB.

 

[jilly]

clunking noise

Thank you for your advice- this is so frustrating..... I hate my car clunking... I will speak to my garage and tell them what you have said. What a rip off seat are £90-00 an hour labour, at least **** Turpin wore a mask.lol... I have lost faith in my seat garage after their diagnosis of the problem.

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that I've read that VAG have revised this (voided bush) part for retro fitting, ie at repair time, but all the same I'd tend to ignore that fact and just fit the Cupra TCA rear bushes the p/n starts with 6LL. BTW for the future, it seems that VAG have redesigned this area of the car so newer models should now have different problems!! Also, don't despair at Seat - its really a Skoda sourced problem as all this stuff is based on the Fabia - so its really a VAG problem - it does not make it any easier/cheaper to live with though!!

Of course if you are within driving distance of Milton Keynes there is a good indep VAG guy there - see www.unit18.co.uk - but you might know that already or not be anywhere near M-K!