Annoying fault on VAG cars

[Welshbeef]

I'm pretty confident that I am not alone in noticing many many VAG cars with flapping under trays cannot miss it on the MWay.

Is this sloppy work when changing the oil and not replacing the two rear bolts or is it really poor quality brittle plastic which snaps off and owners would be utterly unaware of the flapping (causing worse aero and therefore lower MPG) and depending on what its flapping against over a long time it could say wear through a part - heavin forbid brake pipes don't get involved.


Or is this simply not an issue

[Deisel Weisel]

And why do you see so many VWs with faulty taillights? Answer me that one.

If I see a VW with both tailights working correctly, I award it a spontaneous round of applause.

Edited by Deisel Weisel on Monday 29th September 23:09

[Welshbeef]

Deisel Weisel said:

And why do you see so many VWs with faulty taillights? Answer me that one.

Another good one - on our old Seat we ended up buying complete new clusters (non OEM never failed again).

[EddyP]

Last time I serviced by A4 I noticed that the fixings for the under tray were cracking, one had snapped off completely, guessing this is why, I did a repair to mine, most people probably just leave it or throw the tray away as a new one from Audi was over £100 when I enquired, hence the repair.

[sim72]

Look under a Mk4 Golf these days and I'll give you 50/50 tops it's still got an undertray - they used to come loose (or the mountings used to crack) and eventually fall off or be ripped off (speed humps were to blame for a lot).

[Welshbeef]

I've seen this on Mk4/5/6 Golfs and all the other VAGs - not seen any Mk7 Golfs with this fault yet but suppose so few have had any servicing as yet its not damaged.




Never seen a BMW Merc or Jag - or VX or Ford or Fiat etc with such shoddy parts.

[Dapster]

Once I went to my A4 in the dealer car park after a service to find the undertray in the boot. I asked what the bloody hell was going on and they sheepishly drove it back into the workshop and screwed it back on.

[greggy50]

Annoying fault on my mk4 gti has been every part of the car either breaking or dropping off it does get quite tiresome I must admit...

[ecsrobin]

My friend used to be a mechanic and the back of the workshop was a stash of under trays as he always insisted on removing them off cars he was servicing as they were always hanging down.

[Crosswise]

I must have removed 100s of undertrays in my job, I would say that VAG ones are difficult to refit, the quarter turn fasteners need the rubber washers to be in place and they often aren't, also the plastic nuts are often missing. In terms of being difficult to remove, Honda and Mitsubishi are the winners. Any more than 3 years old and they fasteners just break when you try and remove them, almost as annoying as the VT-VY Commodore V8 one when the captive nuts start spinning! The best design, which is certainly unusual for them, is the Mercedes ones. Proper metal bolts and easy to locate, it's a shame that's often the only bit that's easy on a Merc!

[Mound Dawg]

Used to service a Golf for a customer in my last job. /\ He's right, the clips are rubbish and the plastic undertray is made out of recycled bin bags so it's no surprise that they're always hanging off.

[Sleepers]

Yeah our 2004 TDI Passat not only needed it's under tray sorted at least once a year but also the front wheel arch liners. Lots of cable ties keeping everything in check... Sometimes you would also find some random piece of interior trim in the foot well but had no idea where from

[bennyboysvuk]

I offered to change the oil on a mate's 15 year old Golf and the undertray on that was missing, but all the supporting plastic was still there and flapping about in the breeze. We used some thoughtfully designed doubled over plastic milk container to effect a fantastic bodge that gave the original plastic much more strength where required.

[AmitG]

Gaz. said:

VAG spend too much time on stuff your fingertips touch every day, and skimp on the bits you don't see. Things like damped grab handles yet a water pump made of cheese... etc.

Spot on.

[AB]

Yep, my 2013 CC has a flapping undertray at the moment,

Keep meaning to book it in under warranty.

Only really noticeable at higher motorway speeds.

[Welshbeef]

AB said:

Yep, my 2013 CC has a flapping undertray at the moment,

Keep meaning to book it in under warranty.

Only really noticeable at higher motorway speeds.

So occupants should be aware of it inside the car

[ST150HB]

My A4's undertray came loose, had it refitted during it's service, a few weeks later whilst having the cam belt changed the same problem occurred, however all is well at the moment, apart from the wheel arch liner coming loose on the weekend!

[Lobsta]

My 13 year old Golf still has it's undertray fastened correctly.

Just saying.

[Riley Blue]

I spotted the undertray on my A8 hanging down soon after I bought it and a length of duct tape along a split secured it in place. Marks on it indicate repeated contact with kerbs during nose-in parking by a previous owner.

[csd19]

The undertray on a neighbour's 12-plate A1 is hanging off, god knows how she can't hear it dragging along the road - I mentioned it to her and got a blank stare in return. Guaranteed to be a speed bump that's assisted with the departure, that and the fact she drives like an utter arse over them and refuses to slow down...