Have your suspension blocks been removed ?

[Sootchucker]

Hi all, just a heads up really, but a number of members over on another Golf forum (me included), have discovered that the transportation blocks that fit around the shock absorber piston (underneath the rubber bellows), to stop the car bouncing around during transport, haven't been removed.

These are definitely blocks that should have been removed during the PDI process. According to the official MK7 maintenance PDF I downloaded from VW Erwin website, the fronts should have 3 of them installed each side from the factory that require removing before hand over. VW South Africa have even issued a TSB to dealers to remind them to remove the , otherwise it can cause upper suspension mount damage - see here

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=259329.20

These are the parts:


DSC_0992 by Sootchucker, on Flickr


DSC_0993 by Sootchucker, on Flickr

Whilst its probably only affecting a handful of people, might be worth checking (or having checked) your Golf to see if they have been removed ?

 

[DW58]

That's at least the second case like this I have heard of either here or on the VA/Audi board. Worrying that so many PDIs are being improperly completed.

 

[enkil]

Thanks for the info.

 

[dadu]

I really wound't want those to brake me adaptive dampners... And we wonder why they can't solve so many problems!

Thanks for the warning.

 

[GTI-7-Performance]

4 years ago I test drove the then new VW Polo. I told the salesman on my return that I thought the ride was odd and too bouncy for my liking, especially at speed.

He took a quick look under the front wheel arch and threw a fit. The plastic blocks were still in there - in the dealer's demonstrator. Goodness knows how many other potential buyer had been put off by the ride...

 

[RatCatcher]

Hi Sootchucker - do you have to remove the wheel to check if the blocks have been removed? Is it very noticeable? I am concerned but don't know how to check.

 

[burso]

I have the same issue, can't really see much. According to the forum linked into the first post you might have to jack your car up.

 

[Sootchucker]

Yeah, no need to remove the wheels. Just jack up the front of the car enough to have the suspension on full travel. Lift up the rubber boot covering the damper piston (inside the coil springs) with your fingers and have a look.

From the factory there will be 3 fitted in either strut (either pink or blue or a combination there of). Dealers usually remove 2 of the 3, but the third one is right at the top of the damper piston (near the upper bearing), so easily missed I guess. Over time (if it is missed), with the other two removed it usually shakes itself down to the bottom of the damper piston.

Note it's only pucks like shown in the first photos, there is a rubber bump stop at the top of the damper, obviously this stays in place

 

[enkil]

Yup just confirmed mine.

 

[Doden]

Setup is completely different for Adaptive dampers, just had a look. Anyone know what is done for transportation on cars fitted with these?

 

[icebun]

Setup is completely different for Adaptive dampers, just had a look. Anyone know what is done for transportation on cars fitted with these?

Doden did you get an answer on this as I have DCC?

 

[Miguel1]

I ended up removing these myself after my VW dealer told me it would be a 3 hour wait..

It took me all of 15 minutes to jack up all 4 corners and remove them. I didn't realize the rears didn't even have these blocks...

 

[hdizzle]

Doden did you get an answer on this as I have DCC?

Massive thread revival here... but..

I wanted to confirm that on my 2015 GTI SE w/ DCC the removal of the strut pucks was exactly the same as non-DCC cars... mine had 3 pink ones on each side that I pulled out a day after taking delivery, came out in five minutes.

Boo negligent dealerships

 

[RichL]

We're not alone! I had this issue with a new 2003 Honda S2000. The dealer didn't realize the pucks were even there as mine was the only S2000 they ever had on the lot . Going to jack my MK7 GTI SE PP up tonight and look. She's 2.5 months old and feels great, but...

RichL

 

[mcmaddy]

Considering the mk7 has been out for more than 2 years it's absolutely shocking that this is still happening.