MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: jbc on January 08, 2011, 12:04:05 pm

Title: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on January 08, 2011, 12:04:05 pm
I've just given the car it's first wash after Christmas and found rust!! It's at the base of the a-pillar where the door and front wing meet. It looks like a paint failure rather than corrosion because the paint has gone! You can see dark coloured areas surrounded by the white of the primer and then bubbling paint. The driver's side seems worse but there are spots on the passenger side too.

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FRust1.jpg&hash=bacd40523999c6a72dd46ae0ec456b982e7dc9e3)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FRust2.jpg&hash=8467f5a23cb36fa582297cc4efd9e72a11c15e4a)

Some of the dark areas in the picture above are dirt rather than rust - I'm not into detailing - and the white areas away from the rust are reflections from the camera but I think you can clearly see something isn't right!

I've read through various threads where people have had rust at the top of the wheel arch but not here. Interestingly I've seen a thread on the mk6 forum about there being a foam insert there now - so I wonder whether VW are expecting problems with rust at this location? Has anybody else experienced rust here and if so any experience of what VW have said with regards warranty repair?

My car is a 2006 GTI so the 3 year paint warranty has well and truly expired. I guess VW will say it is a paint failure rather than corrosion so I can't claim against the 12 year anti-perforation warranty and will have to pay for a repair.

Thanks,
Jonathan
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: G4V VW on January 08, 2011, 01:45:56 pm
I had this exact problem with my 54 Plate GT tdi mk5 about 2 years ago, went to VW bodyshop who put it to VW who said NO.

Cut a long story short i moaned a bit at VW customer sevices and asked them to send someone out to the car as you can clearly see there is no way it can be from stone chips etc and hey presto the car was fixed under the 12 year anti perforation warranty. Obviously the VW dealer will check to make sure there has never been any other paint work done to the relevant area, i knew mine had never had any done in its life because it was my mates from new. I used to work at a Vauxhall dealer for many years and i know how these things work, they just try there luck and hope you'll accept the NO decision.

I also heard there is a some sort of bulletin on this matter however ive never seen it.

Gav
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Russ_leeds on January 08, 2011, 04:15:45 pm
i have also had this on my 07 gti. fixed under warranty no probs
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Snoopy on January 08, 2011, 05:27:01 pm
The mk6 thread was prob mine.
Have you seen this thread about the mk5 on the vortex forum
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3962526

Basically dirt gets in behind the wheel arch trim and collects in that corner.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on January 09, 2011, 10:32:02 am
Thanks all, I will be contacting the dealers tomorrow and will update on here when I get an answer from them.

I had this exact problem with my 54 Plate GT tdi mk5 about 2 years ago, went to VW bodyshop who put it to VW who said NO.

Cut a long story short i moaned a bit at VW customer sevices and asked them to send someone out to the car as you can clearly see there is no way it can be from stone chips etc and hey presto the car was fixed under the 12 year anti perforation warranty. Obviously the VW dealer will check to make sure there has never been any other paint work done to the relevant area, i knew mine had never had any done in its life because it was my mates from new. I used to work at a Vauxhall dealer for many years and i know how these things work, they just try there luck and hope you'll accept the NO decision.

I also heard there is a some sort of bulletin on this matter however ive never seen it.

Gav

I'm half expecting a similar NO decision initially but lets wait and see. I'm not surprised there is a bulletin about this because it's definitely a dirt/water trap at this location.

The mk6 thread was prob mine.
Have you seen this thread about the mk5 on the vortex forum
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3962526

Basically dirt gets in behind the wheel arch trim and collects in that corner.


Yes it was your thread! I took the driver side wheel arch liner off a few weeks ago when checking the diverter valve and it had some dirt in it then, but no where near as much as in that thread. When I first bought the car 3 years ago I spotted leaves, etc, collecting in this gap (when you're looking into it from inside with the door open) and have always tried to clear them out as best I could. Interestingly this "inside" area hasn't rusted, it's directly underneath where the wing panel ends and "inside" meets "outside", presumably this is where it stays wettest and therefore rusted here first.

Jonathan
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: big al on January 09, 2011, 11:14:32 am
Mine has the same issue, get the pressure washer in there every chance I get to flush all the muck out.
Not got any rust showing yet though.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Norbreck21a on January 10, 2011, 07:55:01 am
Phew, thanks for the heads-up guys. Just checked mine yesterday whilst cleaning the car and found this !!!!

Wonder if it's something to do with having front mud flaps, as the linked thread also showed a Golf that had front mudflaps fitted as well ?

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg547.imageshack.us%2Fimg547%2F5314%2Fp1010148m.jpg&hash=dce2347de328198b07e656139b2c56d891d67078)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg89.imageshack.us%2Fimg89%2F9002%2Fp1010147t.jpg&hash=da42ffad4c9fc6c43afec05669a6219d84d466aa)

Needless to say a little concerned. Think that's going to have to be part of the annual check over now. (BTW, that was 5½ years worth).

Andrew
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: big al on January 10, 2011, 09:31:17 am
Mine gets it and never had front mudflaps.
Will have the wheel and cover off at the weekend to see how bad it is.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Snoopy on January 15, 2011, 10:35:53 am
Its the gap at the top of the plastic wheel arch were the strut is, crap gets in there and falls down to were your photo shows.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on January 15, 2011, 12:42:27 pm
The car has now been into the dealers and they have taken pictures to send off to VW for assessment. Should hear back on Monday.

The warranty guy at the dealers said he thinks this issue is covered by a technical bulletin (as G4V VW suggested above). He said that it is a manufacturing fault - something to do with when the car is travelling along the production line the machine that holds the sills as everything is bolted on sometimes grips the sill too tightly and cracks the paint. Eventually water, etc. gets in and it starts to rust.

Lets just hope that VW come to the same conclusion and pay up to get it repaired.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on January 17, 2011, 04:33:41 pm
VW have confirmed this is the defect covered by the technical bulletin and they will repair it under warranty. Just waiting for a call from the body shop to book the car in for repair now.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Gtiain on January 20, 2011, 09:04:38 am
Having read this thread I thought I should check mine. This is what I found;
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fxx215%2Fgtiain%2Fa00297e6.jpg&hash=b22d59e960344e8dc5625d9a1b83dcaab5d7e5d3)

Now I think it looks like itsbeen repaired before and I think it's in a slightly different place (you can see where the sill rises up towards the hinges at the top of the pic) so where do I stand? Thanks  :happy2:
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Ands GTi on January 21, 2011, 08:54:41 pm
So where is the affected area? Is this inside the wheel arch trim, not visible from the outside or are we talking about on the door sill by the door hinge?
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Snoopy on January 21, 2011, 09:23:16 pm
Front of the sill under the front wing, Infront of the front doors.

I said about inside the wheel arch as this section were it turns in to under the wing is were the front wing bolts onto the sill and it collects dirt and rubbish as shown in that other posters picture.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Ands GTi on January 21, 2011, 09:41:43 pm
Front of the sill under the front wing, Infront of the front doors.

I said about inside the wheel arch as this section were it turns in to under the wing is were the front wing bolts onto the sill and it collects dirt and rubbish as shown in that other posters picture.

Gotcha, cheers  :happy2:
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on February 13, 2011, 04:33:05 pm
I got my car back from Smith Knight Fay bodyshop on Tuesday after it was in a week for the warranty repair to the rusting door sills. All looked OK from an initial glance when they handed back the keys but I've had a proper look today using an inspection lamp and this is what I find:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FP1000143.jpg&hash=ba2cff54d23cdafa785cf8f2c6b87e1ab1c51975)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FP1000142.jpg&hash=7a6367d400e787f346586d47e3a788cae89c5ff5)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FP1000146.jpg&hash=65ea60caca385db7ec01433f333ea7fd16ad8413)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fcopnalljb%2FRust%2FP1000147.jpg&hash=4c48a1bd08a16362343525cacee6ffc3483044da)

It looks like they've spent 5 minutes painting the sill (only) with a touchup brush. And they've managed to file off paint from the wing (right hand side of last picture) :mad:

No prizes for guessing who I'll be ringing first thing in the morning!
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: G4V VW on February 13, 2011, 06:50:25 pm
God mate thats look terrible, just cant seem to trust anyone nowadays, to do it right they need to take the wings off.

Hope you get it sorted  :happy2:

Gav
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: RedRobin on February 13, 2011, 07:14:08 pm
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi22.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FWheelArch_paintlift.jpg&hash=416c4614a0aafbaf0c92e0ba4c1a3185cda25181)

An interesting thread.... Now subscribed.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on February 15, 2011, 08:11:43 pm
Sent my pictures of the bodyshop's "repair" to the VW dealer who arranged the warranty repair yesterday and the bodyshop were on the phone to me within 30 minutes. The bodyshop manager said that the work they were requested to do and the work that was done "don't appear to match" and he does know why the wing wasn't repaired. It's booked back in for another repair in 2 weeks time. Lets hope they do a proper job this time.

I told them to collect the car from me (35 miles away) and drop off a courtesy car. I also asked to see photos of the repair work before they return the car to me. He agreed to all this, which makes me think they know they've screwed up and need to keep me quiet!!
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on March 10, 2011, 03:42:48 pm
Finally got my car back on Monday following it's second 1 week stay at Smith Knight Fay's bodyshop in Manchester. Thankfully they've done the warranty repair properly this time and it looks like new again - none of the surface irregularities, etc. that were left last time. They had to take the front doors and wings off to do the repair properly so it took longer than their estimated 2 to 3 days!

They showed me pictures of the repainted sections before they had reassembled the car to prove everything had been repaired properly but refused to let me have a copy for "data protection reasons". Somehow I don't think this is quite right, more like protecting themselves and stopping me posting them all over the internet.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Richn83 on March 10, 2011, 04:06:58 pm
I get leaves collecting down in the sill between the wing only visible when the door is open and generally only on the drivers side.  The source of the leaves is from the vents in the plastic at the bottom of the windscreen if you open the bonnet on the left hand side remove the rubber seal at the top far left of the engine bay and look in you will see a mass collection of leaves and gunk just past the wiper arm worth a clean out, as you poke around you will probably find some of the leaves end up back down by the sill at the base of the wing.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: stealthwolf on March 10, 2011, 04:57:13 pm
Thanks rich, will have a look this weekend. Last weekend I noticed crud in the door sill at the front where the hinges are. None of my brushes would reach the area so i resorted to pressure washing the area.  :happy2:
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Ferrariflip on March 04, 2013, 05:52:19 pm
I have this issue at the moment on my 05 GTI. I noticed the rust coming through about 6 months ago but thought nothing of it until stumbling upon this post.

Today i thought i would start the process of trying to get the issue sorted under warranty, First step i phoned customer service and was told to take it to nearest paint shop which i did and spoke to a very helpful salesman who informed me that he was aware of the front wheel arch issue but had no knowledge of the sill issue.

While inspecting my car he went to the wheel arches and said he was willing to compile a report as the arches are showing signs of rust which will be under the 12 yr warranty. on which he took photos of the areas L/H & R/H.

When back in the showroom he went onto VW database and brought up the issue regarding the sills and showed me pictures of other cars that have had the same problem, (Fixing bolt from front wing to sill) causes this and said that it isnt covered under 12 yr warranty but has put in a good will claim which is a sliding scale on age,mileage of vehicle, which turned out to be 50/50.

I got home and informed customer service and told them all about what had happened and was told they would call me back.

2 hours later i received a call from VW informing me that the cost of my half to repair of the sills would be £280, which i found totally unacceptable and told the adviser to take it higher, which is where i am now.

Could anybody give me some advice on how to get this under warranty?, any info would be greatly appreciated.

 
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: jbc on March 04, 2013, 06:54:56 pm
As you've seen from my post, I received this totally free of charge. This seems to be a common problem people with the wing rust issue have had - most come back as under warranty but a few say good will gesture and want you to pay a percentage.

When they confirmed my repair would be done free they said it wasn't being done as a warranty claim under the 3 year paint or the 12 year anti perforation warranty but because it is a known issue caused by a manufacturing defect during the production process. Told me the jig on the production line grips the sill to tight so when the wing is mounted it flexes the sill causing the paint to crack. Takes a few years for the water to get in but eventually rust appears.

He also said there is a Technical Bulletin Notice for this, but no-one on here has ever managed to get hold of it, unlike the wing rust one which RR has a PDF version of.

Sorry I can't be more help, I did try to get a copy of the Technical Bulletin and some paperwork for the repair work when I had mine done but they told me they weren't allowed to. Think they knew I wanted it to post up on the Internet.

If you don't get anywhere convincing VW to do it for free then don't dismiss their price of £280 too quickly, it's a big job to repair as the doors and wings have to come off before they can get to the area needing treating.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Nodz on March 04, 2013, 07:00:30 pm
I also got this done for free when I had my wings replaced, I was only getting one side done as it was visible but when they stripped the old wing off the near side it was also there so applied for more good will. If you still get no joy phone VW UK and see what they say
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Ferrariflip on March 04, 2013, 08:02:47 pm
Thanks for the quick reply's,
I have phoned VW again and informed them that other cases have had this don FOC, Lady said she will put the info on my claim and hopefully the claims dept will have a change of heart.

Should be an open and shut case IMO as it is a know flaw.

Will keep you posted.
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: Frodo-anni on March 04, 2013, 09:54:25 pm
Good luck on this matter, i have just notified my local seat dealer about the girlfriends Leon, as the sills are showing signs of rust, but it is not something i have heard of happening on the leon, only the Golf's touchwood my edition 30 is ok so far.  :happy2:
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: SkyJawa on April 13, 2015, 11:37:11 am
Digging up an old thread but just noticed the same on our 2005 GTi this weekend.  Major design flaw the way the sill/wing is shaped and attached that allows all the crap to collect in there.  Going to take it to the dealer we bought it from 18 months ago and see how I get on, I'm bracing myself for lots of arguing!
Title: Re: Rust on door sill
Post by: AndyBrown on April 13, 2015, 12:38:48 pm
Digging up an old thread but just noticed the same on our 2005 GTi this weekend.  Major design flaw the way the sill/wing is shaped and attached that allows all the crap to collect in there.  Going to take it to the dealer we bought it from 18 months ago and see how I get on, I'm bracing myself for lots of arguing!

Good luck mate, you'll get offered 50% contribution at best