Trunk hinge weatherstrip problem

AreaMan

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
2013 Passat 6M
Hey all,
Anyone else have a problem with the right trunk hinge catching the inside edge of the weatherstrip when opening? The inside edge of the weatherstrip appears to bunch up rounding the corner, and since the right hinge is close it is catching and folding it up and chafing it when open. Left side hinge has more clearance so it's not a problem.
I'll make note to the dealer when I hit 10k, just curious if anyone else has experienced this.
 

vw_norm

Gone, but not forgotten.
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Location
Hawaii
TDI
2012 NMS TDI SEL Platinum Gray w/moonrock
Try to push the arm cover down a little bit, (into the trunk). This will relocate the curve down a bit more and should clear the weatherstripping. Noticed this when I fitted a cover to my side side (didn't have one from the factory).
 

LiVWonia

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Location
Livonia, MI
TDI
SE
Same issue on my 2013 B7. Within one week, I noticed the driver's side of trunk rubbing and had techs "align" the trunk at 30 days. Before the recent 10,000 mi service, I did a walk around to see if there was anything I should have serviced and noticed the passenger side was rubbing identical to your photo, AreaMan. I called after 10 days of no car; the techs apparently "realigned' the trunk and are awaiting a replacement weatherstrip. It's been at the shop for 12 days and counting…I love my B7s (yes, we have two!) but there's been obvious assembly issues (our 2012 had paint drip issues on the mirror so had that corrected).
 

vw_norm

Gone, but not forgotten.
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Location
Hawaii
TDI
2012 NMS TDI SEL Platinum Gray w/moonrock
One thing I noticed when I was working on the LED taillights and was running wires on both sides to swap the reverse and turn signal circuits, when I reinstalled the right side arm cover was that one of the tabs that latches the cover across the arm is equipped with a little nub for alignment. This meshes nicely with a hole for that purpose on the left side trunk arm. The right side arm, never intended to be equipped with a cover, had no alignment hole, but the cover tab has the nub present. I had to cut off the nub in order to get the tab to latch properly. Never noticed this when I first installed the right side cover, but since I had both covers off, I was able to compare. This contributes to the cover slipping on the the right side arm. Once I had it in the proper position and clears the weatherstrip, I put a dot of silicone on a couple of the tabs to help keep the cover from slipping. No more issues since then.
 
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AreaMan

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
2013 Passat 6M
So this problem is not unique to me after all. I wouldn't have even noticed it except one day in my garage I heard a sound from it rubbing and went to investigate where it was coming from.

Anyways, I tried adjusting the cover and even trimmed any overhang off the cover so it's flush with the arm, but in my case the weatherstrip has already taken a set from being bent up so many times so it always catches, even with the cover removed. There's actually quite a bit of clearance there, but the weatherstrip happens to bunch up in just the wrong spot rounding the corner. Ah well, I'll just make sure to get it addressed before the warranty is up.
 

LiVWonia

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Location
Livonia, MI
TDI
SE
So, I finally got my car back from the dealership after 42 days! The service advisor told me he was fighting with VW to get the bumper replaced because there "is something wrong with it". That issue is still open, unresolved. As for the trunk hinge/rubber gasket issue, the clearance is minimal. I compared the clearance to two other Passats (one was a 2013 S that was my loaner for 42 days and the other was a new SE on the floor). Both had ample clearance. The body on mine isn't right - the trunk cavity opening is short a mm or so. Any thoughts or suggestions? I know my lemon law rights and will be pursuing a case. At a minimum, my car was in service for a long time and that has devalued my car.
 

AreaMan

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Location
Cincinnati, OH
TDI
2013 Passat 6M
Ugh, 42 days?!?!?! That's nuts.
I had them look at mine a few weeks ago when it was in for a turbo replacement.
Work order said "Found weatherstrip incorrectly installed". They ordered a new one and replaced it. New one looks fine, it looks like it's slightly contoured to clear the hinge. With the old one, even completely removing the hinge cover didn't work, so something wasn't right.
 

50pascals

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Location
Rochester, NY
TDI
2014 A6 3.0 TDI Prestige, prior was a 2013 TDI Passat SEL Plus
42 days for the trunk lid weatherstrip? That's a bit much. In this day, 5 days for ANY service event should be considered too long.

I must say though that I don't really see this as a problem, and don't see how the car has been devalued by this weatherstrip issue or having been in a service a long time. I suppose I could make the case that the car value was increased, or worse case decreased much slower than if you had actually been driving it.
 

LiVWonia

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Location
Livonia, MI
TDI
SE
As for devaluing of the car, I am concerned about a future, prospective buyer of my car. I wouldn't buy a used car that has a service record like the one mine has now. "Why was the car in the shop for 42 days?"
 

50pascals

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Location
Rochester, NY
TDI
2014 A6 3.0 TDI Prestige, prior was a 2013 TDI Passat SEL Plus
How would a perspective buyer know this?

If you trade it, it won't matter anyways.

And lastly - own it long enough that it's value is sub $10,000 and it will be irrelevant.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
ANY shop that would keep your car for 42 days for a (non-leaking, I presume?) weatherstrip fitment position should be run out of business. That is just completely absurd. Why oh why would you allow them to keep it that long?
I doubt any prospective buyer would be able to see "42 days out of service". They MIGHT see "weatherstrip replacement", and assume it was in the shop for the 20 minutes it would take to replace the weatherstrip.
...and 40 x 40 is right...your car is an NMS, NOT a B7.
 

50pascals

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Location
Rochester, NY
TDI
2014 A6 3.0 TDI Prestige, prior was a 2013 TDI Passat SEL Plus
BTW - My weatherstrip has that wrinkle in it and the hinge cover does not even come close to touching. I believe that wrinkle is from bending the weatherstrip around the corner. So based on my experience - I would call that wrinkle "normal."
 
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