So here's something to think on. When you're doing an annual service, if you're anything like me, in addition to doing the "big" things like changing the engine oil and filter, maybe also the air filter and cabin filter, perhaps, also removing the brake pads for a clean up and refitting them with a wee bit of anti seize paste and checking coolant and screen wash fluid levels you'll be giving the wheels a good "tug" and spin to check for bearing and suspension/steering/brake drag/etc problems and probably other stuff too like checking coolant hoses, brake flex hoses and metal pipes, rubber boots, etc, etc. However who actually goes around checking all the subframe mounting bolts? I probably do subconsciously notice them but I don't set out to systematically make a point of looking at every one like I would a caliper, ball joint or bottom swivel nut.
So I was interested to hear, some time ago, of a problem encountered by a chap on the Cupra forum, in fact the very chap with whom I've been investigating the Battery coding "thing" I've mentioned elsewhere. He seems to be much like I am these days in that he does his own servicing and maintenance but hands off "big" jobs to his local indy. Well, it transpires that he noticed a quite large rusty bolt head lying in his drive right where he parks his Polo (same basic floor pan as my Ibiza). He had a good crawl around the Polo and found the N/S/F subframe bolt missing. Closer examination found the remains of the bolt still "hiding" up the hole in the subframe. He has a number of theories as to why the bolt corroded through and feels very lucky that it "decided" to drop off in his driveway otherwise he'd not have known it was missing. He booked the car into our local indy to have all the subframe bolts renewed and all should now be well, at least for the remaining time in his possession. The garage, I believe, said that his was not the first of these they've done however not all the bolts were seriously corroded so I think there is very little danger the subframe would have become detached under normal driving conditions, but I know I'm going to be giving special consideration to checking my Ibiza's bolts every time I'm underneath it. I think it will mean removing the partial under tray to see properly which is a nuisance as you can, just, get the oil filter off without having to do this. However it will make changing the oil filter easier with the tray off and should ensure the little tray retaining fixings stay free.
The Ibiza is due a service right now and I have the oil and other sundries so will be doing it very soon so the above has been in my mind. Yesterday we were out in Midlothian at my younger boy's house looking after the grandchildren and he'd asked his local wee garage to sort out his non functioning screen washers - needs a new pump and I'm glad I wasn't doing it as it's well buried away in the O/S/F wing - I followed him down in the Ibiza so I could run him back to work after he dropped the Astra off - I'm getting on very well with the owner and some of the lads who work there so I was chatting to the chap who was going to be doing the pump and he was asking how the "Old" Astra was going. I was able to say that all seemed well with it but I had some concerns for the clutch which, although biting well and certainly not slipping, has a rather low biting point, maybe just a couple of inches or so from the floor. He said he'd give it a quick check while he had the car in the workshop. Then I mentioned I wouldn't fancy doing a clutch on that car anyway because you have to drop the front subframe to do it and he said you can actually do it by dropping just the one side and sliding the gearbox away from the engine without actually removing it from the car. This led me on to mentioning the rusty bolt problem on the Polo and how I would be keeping a close eye on mine when I was doing it's service. He said they hadn't had that problem on an Ibiza/Polo yet but they did recently do a clutch on a Volvo, where the subframe has to come off, and some of the bolts were so badly rusted they got the owner's permission to replace the lot. He said he thinks the problem is the big retaining washer on the bolt which closes off the bottom of the subframe hole and traps the water. He said he can't understand why the washer - which is a pretty thick item - isn't either slotted or drilled to allow water to drain?
So, having originally thought this might be a problem only affecting the particular floor pan design of our Polo/Ibiza perhaps it's actually a more widespread problem? Anyway, from now on I'm going to be paying more attention than I historically have to the likes of subframe and suspension fixings!
So I was interested to hear, some time ago, of a problem encountered by a chap on the Cupra forum, in fact the very chap with whom I've been investigating the Battery coding "thing" I've mentioned elsewhere. He seems to be much like I am these days in that he does his own servicing and maintenance but hands off "big" jobs to his local indy. Well, it transpires that he noticed a quite large rusty bolt head lying in his drive right where he parks his Polo (same basic floor pan as my Ibiza). He had a good crawl around the Polo and found the N/S/F subframe bolt missing. Closer examination found the remains of the bolt still "hiding" up the hole in the subframe. He has a number of theories as to why the bolt corroded through and feels very lucky that it "decided" to drop off in his driveway otherwise he'd not have known it was missing. He booked the car into our local indy to have all the subframe bolts renewed and all should now be well, at least for the remaining time in his possession. The garage, I believe, said that his was not the first of these they've done however not all the bolts were seriously corroded so I think there is very little danger the subframe would have become detached under normal driving conditions, but I know I'm going to be giving special consideration to checking my Ibiza's bolts every time I'm underneath it. I think it will mean removing the partial under tray to see properly which is a nuisance as you can, just, get the oil filter off without having to do this. However it will make changing the oil filter easier with the tray off and should ensure the little tray retaining fixings stay free.
The Ibiza is due a service right now and I have the oil and other sundries so will be doing it very soon so the above has been in my mind. Yesterday we were out in Midlothian at my younger boy's house looking after the grandchildren and he'd asked his local wee garage to sort out his non functioning screen washers - needs a new pump and I'm glad I wasn't doing it as it's well buried away in the O/S/F wing - I followed him down in the Ibiza so I could run him back to work after he dropped the Astra off - I'm getting on very well with the owner and some of the lads who work there so I was chatting to the chap who was going to be doing the pump and he was asking how the "Old" Astra was going. I was able to say that all seemed well with it but I had some concerns for the clutch which, although biting well and certainly not slipping, has a rather low biting point, maybe just a couple of inches or so from the floor. He said he'd give it a quick check while he had the car in the workshop. Then I mentioned I wouldn't fancy doing a clutch on that car anyway because you have to drop the front subframe to do it and he said you can actually do it by dropping just the one side and sliding the gearbox away from the engine without actually removing it from the car. This led me on to mentioning the rusty bolt problem on the Polo and how I would be keeping a close eye on mine when I was doing it's service. He said they hadn't had that problem on an Ibiza/Polo yet but they did recently do a clutch on a Volvo, where the subframe has to come off, and some of the bolts were so badly rusted they got the owner's permission to replace the lot. He said he thinks the problem is the big retaining washer on the bolt which closes off the bottom of the subframe hole and traps the water. He said he can't understand why the washer - which is a pretty thick item - isn't either slotted or drilled to allow water to drain?
So, having originally thought this might be a problem only affecting the particular floor pan design of our Polo/Ibiza perhaps it's actually a more widespread problem? Anyway, from now on I'm going to be paying more attention than I historically have to the likes of subframe and suspension fixings!
