SOLVED: Squeak when car is unlocked

cheesecakelover

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
44
13
I insisted on the part being changed but they said it's up to SEAT Technical.

I was also unsure about the turbo actuator arm. They said it moves a bit when the car is unlocked. They're certain that's the cause because it was squeaking during testing, and stopped squeaking after it was lubricated.
 
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GlekkeMatrak

Active Member
Dec 22, 2020
60
45
Houtvenne, Belgium
My fuel flap actuator made a noise similar to that before it broke.

You could open the flap, remove cover and disconnect the actuator then see if the noise still happens or not.
Damn! Mine has been squeeking every now and then upon unlocking too lately. Sprayed some WD40 once and was a little better but it's already coming back...
 

R.Bot

Active Member
Oct 30, 2019
77
42
I insisted on the part being changed but they said it's up to SEAT Technical.

I was also unsure about the turbo actuator arm. They said it moves a bit when the car is unlocked. They're certain that's the cause because it was squeaking during testing, and stopped squeaking after it was lubricated.
What engine is this on ? (Apologies if already mentioned, couldn't find it)
 

chrisRibiza

Active Member
Sep 27, 2007
1,194
51
Damn! Mine has been squeeking every now and then upon unlocking too lately. Sprayed some WD40 once and was a little better but it's already coming back...
Its a sealed plastic unit so WD40 will do nothing.
The part is £25 so I’d change it before it fails.
 

cheesecakelover

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
44
13
The master technician, in fairness, has just sent me a written update. He said it was actually down to the turbo adjuster arm squeaking. What was happening was when the car is left for a certain period of time, once you press the unlock button, the control units start to prepare, for want of a better way to put it, for you to start and operate the car. The ECU will activate several components to make sure they are in the correct position and one of those components is the turbo charge actuator. This controls the turbo adjuster arm - that's also the reason why the squeaking noise could be heard when switching off the engine.
 
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cheesecakelover

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
44
13
The technician has put on his report that he removed the actuator arm and moved it manually, which confirmed the fault. He noted that he lubricated the arm and found the squeak disappeared but concerned it may return and cannot guarantee the part for the future. He also wrote that the hot bolt paste used is not specifically for this repair and no other lubricant can be suggested, and although no change or fault in running, the arm felt like it had some resistance, and believes the turbo should be replaced to stop further fault in the future.

The case manager at SEAT UK is already working to overturn the decision to replace the part. I'll call him tomorrow to let him know what the technician's report says, as that will add weight to the argument for the turbo to be replaced.
 
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cheesecakelover

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
44
13
Looks like the squeak has returned - because the thermal paste has burned away with the heat of the turbo. The master technician has been extremely helpful and provided irrefutable evidence that the turbo arm is moved upon first unlock and that it is the charge actuator that's squeaking. The charge actuator has partially seized which is why it's squeaking.

Even though the master technician and the warranty manager at the dealership think the turbo needs to be replaced, the extended warranty claim was rejected because the only status option to select for the part was 'failed' - and that is the problem because the part hasn't failed but it is failing and needs to be replaced. I'm still waiting for SEAT UK to contact me to confirm whether the decision not to replace the turbo has been overturned. The master technician said that if the problem had been discovered during the three-year warranty, the turbo would have been replaced because he would have the justification and authority to do it. He said to me that extended warranty is a different game because he has justification but not the authority to replace the turbo. I logged a formal complaint with the other dealership who didn't get to the bottom of the problem during the three-year warranty period and they've said that if the master technician at the other dealership can provide evidence of his diagnosis, then they'll replace the turbo themselves at no cost to me if SEAT UK's final decision is not to replace the turbo. Result.

If anyone's car makes a similar noise when unlocking or when turning the engine off, it'll be well worth checking whether the turbo actuator is starting to seize. The noise when turning the engine off is new and only started happening a few months ago - which was another sign that the seizing was worsening.
 
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UnworthyBean

Active Member
Dec 6, 2019
48
26
Just seen the reply and your message here. Thankfully mine hasn't done it since I first posted and it gets used 6/7 days of the week so it's not as if I wouldn't have noticed. Will keep an eye out though and will likely help diagnose the issue.

Don't think it was mentioned but how old is your car? Mine is only 3 years old next week and I'll be getting the extended warranty regardless.
 

cheesecakelover

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
44
13
My Leon was registered around April 2017. The noise first started in December 2019 - the car was about two-and-a-half-years-old and had done about 24k miles at that point. Lubrication of the charge actuator hasn't worked and is noisy again because the part is seizing. The master technician emailed me this morning and said that SEAT Technical will back a replacement because lubrication hasn't worked. He'll contact SEAT Extended Warranty to argue a case for a replacement. Just a heads-up for anyone else because SEAT said to lubricate the part first. Hopefully they'll replace mine because lubrication hasn't worked. At least if anyone else has the same problem then SEAT will want to try lubrication first before replacing the part.

I'll ask the master technician whether some sort of knowledge article will be written up about this issue to help other technicians who might come across the same problem because SEAT Technical hasn't seen this problem before and there wasn't any knowledge about it when the master technician checked the knowledge hub.
 

280jl

Active Member
Nov 20, 2015
162
59
Bromley
I've been hearing this noise for a while on my car, I always noticed it from the nearside front and thought it sounded like an actuator noise to me.

Now I know what it is, I feel a bit more relaxed at last.
 
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