What is this bit? (I'm not very mechanically inclined)

[mr_bzr]

Will do. Thanks gave for the assurance. first new car and everything so still a bit apprehensive about everything. No oil consumption issues yet so far though (thank god), gave it a hard but not a thrashing break in.

Leave it alone, mine is exactly the same

Take a look under the spare wheel, check the battery clamp is done up properley and that none of the goodies regarding teh spare wheel have come loose and are rocking and rolling around in there.

[gavs]

Hmmm, hard and thrashing...... Differeing terms to different people...... In your definition, I probably thrashed mine and have no oil issues after nearly 10,000kms. People in the UK who I have spoken with assured me they did a "hard" run in and after telling me what they did exactly, it wasn't hard and are now dealing with pistons and rings being replaced, new engines or whole new cars......

Best way to run in a new engine? Take it to a specialised engine builder and let them do it on a dyno, just don't watch if you're worried about your car

[mr_bzr]

Eh... haha I use the word hard because if i say thrashing it pains me hehe. But I made the engine do what it was designed to do, enthusiastically. Mind you I'm no where near 10 thousand yet, so it might be a bit early for me to talk about oil issues.

[jeremy629]

Was driving along one day and heard a very very loud thud when I was making a right turn, made the turn under a bit of sharp acceleration from stand still. Never heard such a noise before so pulled over to have a look (pretty sure I drove over a manhole cover, but the noise was louder than anything i've heard before so made me a bit apprehensive), everything appeared ok (circled back to the intersection and nothing had fallen off), something strange I had never noticed before under the body of the car though. the photo below is taken at the rear of the car directly below the luggage area. The bit of interest is this black bit sticking out at abit of an angle in the middle of the photo.





Car is a Polo GTI. Its rubbery and can be pushed in a bit but it just pops out again...

Regards,

I have been around a round about and all of a sudden I heard a loud sound from the front left of the car. It scared the crap out of me cos the car is so quiet, I soon realised after going around another corner enthusiastically that it is the car thinking that I am out of control and braking the particular wheel. There is a button on the dash (car with sqiggly lines underneath it) which will turn off the traction control. Im not sure if this the same sound you heard but might be some help?

[mr_bzr]

jeremy629

I think so. I was turning right and it was from the front left also. a loud thud. I'll try some sharp acceleration from stand still into a corner again with the traction control off and see if it will still do it.