bingyp

A little over 3 months ago I bought an SDI Classic Skoda Approved Fabia.

As the weather was dry afterwards, no problem appeared but after some time I discovered that I had water getting in thro the rear hatch. Upon raising the hatch, water would leak our through the gap in the trim on the left around head level.

I waited til I had a nice amount of internal water before taking the car to Bickerton, Sheffield to be checked out. It took them a day and a half to determine that it was a faulty tailgate seal even tho it was said to be an obvious fault once checked. I booked the car in for the work but had to re-schedule for the following week. Before work commenced I was asked how I was going to pay. 'Warranty' I replied. Long face. 'I don't think water leaks are covered.' Went to get warranty document. One of the exclusions IS water ingress which, I was told, includes seals.

Had 'discussion' with service manager. I do NOT expect a car to let in water when I buy it, nor shortly afterwards. This is Britain. It rains. Cars need to be water-tight. No other car I have had, be they much older, have had problems with water leaks. In the end, he offered to fit seal with 10% discount and no labour. £21. Not the end of the world but still unreasonable in my view for something that should be covered.

New seal fitted friday morning, rain friday night, saturday morning lifted hatch to be nearly drowned. I would say at least double the previous maximum amount of water flooded out of my inner-door trim. I can only assume the original diagnosis was incorrect, even tho' I was told it was clear, the new seal is faulty or has been wrongly fitted.

Called in at Bickerton today, sunday, on my way home from weekend away to find no service staff and nobody else able to access their system to make a booking. Pitiful! Will phone in the morning.

Updates to come if you aren't all bored and asleep!!!

I was told by Bickerton that they will repair anything that is found to be wrong in the first month and I had left it far too long for them to carry out the work under their voluntary promise of 30 day cover. I could well imagine that such a leak could go undetected for months, especially during a dry summer and with the car kept in a garage. I do not go in my boot everyday so would have no way of discovering this water if it has had a few days to quietly drain away.

The main problem I have is that Skoda have specifically excluded water ingress from the warranty of their Skoda approved vehicles. To my mind, any car must be water-tight. Such leaks are unforgivable. It is not rocket science nor new technology. Reading this forum, I see that water ingress is a known and common fault and I am disappointed and disturbed that they would deliberately exclude this fault.

I hope this post might be a warning to anyone else who has bought a Skoda-approved used vehicle.

IMO a car that leaks is not of merchantable quality and is not fit for the purpose intended, two very nice legal phrases.

Has anyone else had experience of leaking Skoda-approved cars and warranty claims?

Anyone on here able to give a legal opinion on the sale of leaking car?

Many thanks,

Regards,

Bingy

Lummox

I take it its not because the rear screen wash pipe has fallen off?

__________________
www.unit18.co.uk
Remapping Service now available, PM for details.

bingyp

Thanks for a quick reply

From reading this excellent forum I was aware of the screen wash pipe problem and was able to exclude it as the reason for the water. Definitely rain.

When I first got the car back I was told they had taken the trim off and checked and it was obvious where the leak was coming from and the part was on order.

I wasn't told specifically where the leak was but they had ordered the part. The part in question as fitted last friday is a 6Y0827705C gasket, job description: 'renewed tailgate seal'.

Annoying as hell even tho I know there are many worse problems I could have!

I suppose to Bickerton it's just a second hand Skoda approved Fabia SDi, not a flashy brand spanking new one, but to me it's a big outlay and one I expect to keep for a few years. I don't expect to be getting into arguments so soon after buying a car with "12 months minimum comprehensive parts and labour warranty".

Lummox

The thing is if the water is coming in through the tailgate trim it must be entering through the rear window. Replacing the hatch seal wont sort that, sounds like the rear screen needs re sealing to me or maybe water is getting in around the rear wiper motor grommet.

__________________
www.unit18.co.uk
Remapping Service now available, PM for details.

Lummox

This is the part they changed.

Still think its a rear screen myself.

__________________
www.unit18.co.uk
Remapping Service now available, PM for details.

bingyp

Still think its a rear screen myself.[/quote]

That would be my first uneducated guess.

A few weeks ago, during a downpour, I had a look at the rear hatch and noticed that just below the glass, the metal stands proud of the glass, allowing the water to drain down and puddle in that area. I would guess that it would seep in there, underneath the glass.

How is the glass sealed in?

Lummox

Bonded same as the windscreen.

__________________
www.unit18.co.uk
Remapping Service now available, PM for details.

hjg

I don't know if the hatch is same/simlar hinge arrangement to my estate but from new I had a leak - water settling on the luggage compartment cover. I put some silicone around the hinge socket (sealin the hinge to the body) and no more leak.