Squeaking is driving me loopy

jamespoxon64 · Mar 22, 2012

I have 4k on my Cali 180ps and at about 3k it developed a squeak that seems to come from the rear of the van on the drivers side. Gets worse when turning and I think it is the bench seat but can't be certain. I've lubricated the runners and the pull out drawer runners but the only thing that stops it for a while is if I reposition the seat forward.

Has anyone else had this problem and, if so, can you tell me how to fix it. I recall the old VW ads when it was the driver's earrings making the squeak, but I don't wear any!!!

Please, please help me sanity regain my sanity as my van is an every day driver :crazy

dex14 · Mar 22, 2012

I too am suffering a squeak at the rear. I had it a while ago. Removed everything possible to remove but the squeak remained. Whilst it was in having other warranty work done, they tried to sort it. They basically went through everything including adjusting the tailgate and it stopped ... for about 3 months! :crazy Now it's back. It is definitely coming from the rear around the tailgate but my hunt continues.

I do find increased volume on the radio seems to cure the problem, temporarily at least!!

Silverfox · Mar 23, 2012

Hi - mine developed a squeck last week, after lots of looking(swearing) it turned out to be the awning casing, acts like a amplifier, I opened up and then closed, this cured for a while, but not convinced it won't come back, live down a pot holed country lane!!!!!!! did sound like a squeck and rattle, might be worth a look -

Kev
ps that's if you have an awning

Hammer · Mar 23, 2012

I had same issue and in the end I got in back whilst my wife was driving and found the problem. Our squeak was coming from the draw under the rear seat, when I opened the draw the squeak stopped. I finally found it was the left hand latch at the top of the draw. This has some stick on fabric that had worn thin and allowed metal on metal.

A bit of extra tape sorted for a while but dealer has now put fabric tape back on for me and now no more squeak

jamespoxon64 · Mar 23, 2012

I'm on it. Interestingly, when it first started I thought it was the awning crank moving in the drawer and when I pushed it into the brackets more firmly, it seemed to sort things for a mile or two. This explains it, as I suspect it was the simple operation of opening and closing the drawer that stopped things for a while.

Is it the left side as you look towards the tail gate or as you look to the windscreen please?

Will let you know how I get on, many thanks for your help.

James

jamespoxon64 · Mar 23, 2012

Hammer

Had a good look around and found the latches and assumed you meant the left hand one looking down the van adjacent to the sliding door.

There was no sign of any tape at all on the latch or over the silver securing latch bolt. Was your van new when you purchased it, or could this have been tape added when another owner discovered a squeak?

May be looking in the wrong place so please forgive me if I don't make sense, but I couldn't seem to find any fabric tape anywhere.

Any chance of a more specific description or even a photo?

Many thanks for your help once again.

James

Hammer · Mar 23, 2012

The tape is on the slide out draw section of the latch ( the hook that lowers when you pull draw release handle) and van was 4 months old when I purchased. I will take picture for you.

Mark

jamespoxon64 · Mar 23, 2012

Hammer, you're a star, very much appreciated.

CaliTess · Mar 23, 2012

Overall the Cali is remarkably quiet as it is derived from a commercial vehicle & has so many movable accessories/parts.

jamespoxon64 · Mar 23, 2012

Pardon, couldn't quite catch that over the squeak in my ear!

CaliTess · Mar 23, 2012

jamespoxon64 said:
Pardon, couldn't quite catch that over the squeak in my ear!

Hammer · Mar 24, 2012

As promised heres picture of my latch with fabric tape to stop the squeaking.

Mark

Hubert · Mar 25, 2012

Thanks for the picture Hammer.
I think the fabric tape you show must have ben added by someone, No tape on my first Cali and none on my new one.

Had a bad squeak developed on my 2009 after 18 months, really annoying. Did what others do and got my wife to sit in the back, drawer open - no squeak. What I also found was that the plastic front to the drawer was catching the seat frame nearest the fridge, with plastic rub marks on the metal.
To further explain - If you look at the edge of the drawer plastic front, nearest the fridge next to the removable cover, you will see that there is a stepped return at the top. I think this is to provide push support when opening the catch. It was this top 4-5cm that was rubbing on the seat frame. I used some fine wet & dry paper and removed this stepped edge. When the drawer was then closed this could not come into contact with the seat frame. It sounds like a drastic measure but to be honest I never noticed any difference in the operation of the drawer or the catch.
Result was total peace for the remainder of my ownership.

Worth checking if the fabric tape doesn't cure the squeak.

Hubert

barry · Mar 25, 2012

The latch is (2 latches are) also a frequent source of a bad rattle of the pull out drawer. It appeared on mine at about 40K miles and became intolerable. It took a few weeks to find and the pointer was a posting on the FB Discussion list from a guy who was being driven mad by it.

Like him (maybe her?), I fixed it with gaffer tape wrapped around both latches. A very fiddly job that took about 15 mins each side. It fixed the rattle immediately and the fix has lasted 10K miles. I had not realised there might have been some fabric there origionally. I had simply thought it was indeterminate wear and tear.

My younger son's philosophy (that I embrace totally) ... "If gaffer tape doesn't fix any current problem, you're not using enough gaffer tape"

jamespoxon64 · Mar 26, 2012

Hammer

Many thanks for the picture, does look like it's been added after purchase and a very good fix by the sound (or lack) of it. I've also noticed the plastic residue, so will go with the tape first and then the surgery thereafter if that doesn't fix things.

Interestingly, I went away for the weekend in the van and not having seen your picture by then lightly oiled the latches with olive oil before leaving. Amazing how quiet it was for the first 100 miles without the squeak before it returned.

Here's hoping for many more noise free miles going forward.

Thanks once again for everyone's help.

James

Hammer · Mar 27, 2012

James

The tape was on there when i got it but the squeak started again, so on last trip to VW garage they added additional fabric tape and now all quiet again. Issue longer term is as the tape wears away the squeak will come back, so not best design feature!

Mark

barry · Mar 27, 2012

yup there are a few areas where fabric tape is designed to stop rattles (said catch, indoor table, sliding roof above two front seats) but wears out very quickly (ie less than 3 years in our case).

and don't get me started on the design of that bloody water tap ...