Front Central Armrest Noise

[bosnjo]

Hi to all,

since few months ago, my central armrest (between front seats) area started to develop clicking while driving over a bad road surface. I can reproduce the noise if I punch the area on the bottom of the central armrest. It should be easy fix. Some greasing will do, but:

I'm not sure if the noise come from forward-bacward sliding mechanism of the armrest itself or from hinges located in the console bellow the armrest.

Looking at ElsaWin, to get to area of hinges, I have to take apart whole central console.

Does anyone have any experience with that area? I mean, I just want to lubricate the hinges, not to take them out. Behind the central armrest I have ashtray and cup holder. Can I take just them out (and how) to get to hinges to lubricate them?

If it's sliding mechanism, how do I open the armrest itself? I see no screws. Is it just pulling out the plastic cover I can see on the bottom of the armrest when it's open?

Thanks

Edited 5 October, 2008 by bosnjo

[rsbspt]

Are you talking about the jumbo box? If so it's more likley to be the hinges I think. Beware of lubricating the slider mechanism (as I did) because it then slides forward with virtually no force at all, which can be both annoying and potentially hazardous.

One other thought, the noise I thought was the jumbo box creaking turned out to be the classic rear seat catch noise. Worth checking before you strip down the arm rest.

[bosnjo]

Are you talking about the jumbo box? If so it's more likley to be the hinges I think. Beware of lubricating the slider mechanism (as I did) because it then slides forward with virtually no force at all, which can be both annoying and potentially hazardous.

One other thought, the noise I thought was the jumbo box creaking turned out to be the classic rear seat catch noise. Worth checking before you strip down the arm rest.

Uuuuhhh! Thaks for that. And yes, I was talking about jumbo box.

Rear seat catches noise I've already had and solved it on the beginning. I'm sure it's jumbo box because I can reproduce the noise just by punching jumbo box from the side and I hear it from just bellow the armrest.

[GAFF]

I stripped mine, I meant to do a how to but tbh I kinda forget now

I posted some pics here which might be helpfull. I have others, just let me know if you need them. What I found was where the Metal and plastic come in contact is what caused most of the noise (see silver gaffer tape I put on). I wasn't sure if I 100% rectified it so hence the reason I left it a while to do a how to, then it dragged on to never doing it.

I think I lifted the armrest and gently prised off the bottom cover, and bascially went from there. tbh Oil/lube maybe a bad idea, as rsbspt says it will become very loose.

[GAFF]

Rear seat catches noise I've already had and solved it on the beginning.

What did you do to them? Skoda sprayed some "special" spray on mine....mmust have been an old wifes tale by them as it eventually came back.

[bosnjo]

What did you do to them? Skoda sprayed some "special" spray on mine....mmust have been an old wifes tale by them as it eventually came back.

Sprayed a lot of Silicone Lube spray inside the catches on the seat. Did twice two years ago (once one day and again the next day) and clicking has never come back.

[bosnjo]

I stripped mine, I meant to do a how to but tbh I kinda forget now

I posted some pics here which might be helpfull. I have others, just let me know if you need them. What I found was where the Metal and plastic come in contact is what caused most of the noise (see silver gaffer tape I put on). I wasn't sure if I 100% rectified it so hence the reason I left it a while to do a how to, then it dragged on to never doing it.

I think I lifted the armrest and gently prised off the bottom cover, and bascially went from there. tbh Oil/lube maybe a bad idea, as rsbspt says it will become very loose.

OK, I found your pictures. But what I want to lubricate are hinges not where they meet armrest but on the bottom, on the other end inside central console. I was wondering if I take out back ashtray and cup holder maybe I can spray some Silicone lube in. The only problem is how to take out ashtray and cup holder without stripping whole central console (ElsaWin suggests starting from gearshift surrounding, then front ashtray, then screws, then both side panels etc etc). I'd like to try it just from the back.

[GAFF]

Sprayed a lot of Silicone Lube spray inside the catches on the seat. Did twice two years ago (once one day and again the next day) and clicking has never come back.

I thought the issue was in the release mechanism that you press. But from above you drop the seat and spray catch itself. I've be afraid that too much and it would leak onto seat.

OK, I found your pictures. But what I want to lubricate are hinges not where they meet armrest but on the bottom, on the other end inside central console. I was wondering if I take out back ashtray and cup holder maybe I can spray some Silicone lube in. The only problem is how to take out ashtray and cup holder without stripping whole central console (ElsaWin suggests starting from gearshift surrounding, then front ashtray, then screws, then both side panels etc etc). I'd like to try it just from the back.

Ah right, IIRC the back ashtray just popped out. I haven't any pictures of it, and tbh I'm in work today and can't check. Any chance of sending me on the Elsawin document you mention above .

[bosnjo]

I thought the issue was in the release mechanism that you press. But from above you drop the seat and spray catch itself. I've be afraid that too much and it would leak onto seat.

It's easy. I didn't spray half of the bottle to each catch but did spray a lot. Make sure it enters inside the catches. I've sprayed it twice just because I didn't want it to leak. But if you wait like one hour between spraying, the previous silicone gets consistent and doesn't leak anymore. That way you can spray it ten times. Just for you to have an idea of how much of spraying each time, with no problems, I've done it like 3 seconds each spraying.

And no, it is not release mechanism, those plastic parts. It's catch itself, inside the back of the seat, the one that lock on the pin when you put the seat back in it's place.

[bosnjo]

Ah right, IIRC the back ashtray just popped out. I haven't any pictures of it, and tbh I'm in work today and can't check. Any chance of sending me on the Elsawin document you mention above .

SOLVED

I can say that problem is solved now. Taking out the ashtray/cup holder was straight pull with no tools. Then air vent was the same. Just pushed it from the inside a bit and it popped out.

Gave few punches on the side to reproduce the noise. Just after the first punch I could see where the problem was. There is, on the right hinge, silver metal part that is loose (it's supposed to be that way). That part lets you lift up the armrest, dent by dent. During lifting up, the part is loose, very loose. As soon as you reach the top with the armrest, the part gets in action. It moves to release dents that don't let armrest go down. Now armrest is not locked and can go back down. So, unless armrest is all the way up (in vertical position), that silver metal part is loose. I was supecting it would be that part. In my last Golf4 I've had central armrest. Armrest itself had storage compartment. You could open the cover of the armrest and there was compartment. But, armrest could lift up. As soon as you lift up the armrest, one little piece in the lock of armrest storage compartment cover would lock the opening, so if you're stupid enough to try to open it in vertical position, you couldn't. Problem was that I've had the same kind of noise I've got in this Octy. I've opened the lock and took away that little piece as I thouht I would never try to open the armrest if in vertical position. Noise was gone.

Here in Octy, I can't get rid of that part as I would never be able to put the armrest back down. I've sprayed a lot of Silicone spray and there is no more noise. We'll see for how long.

If you still need that page from the ElsaWin, PM me your email and I'll send it to you.

Thanks for the help.

[GAFF]

Top job

[cheezemonkhai]

Maybe stick a small amount of dynamat or similar to the item in question out of the way to damp the vibrations?

[bosnjo]

Top job

GAFF, check your email and PM

Cheers