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How to replace door protectors

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28K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  deborah.petty31  
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#1 ·
Hi All,

I have a replacement drivers door pop out protector strip to refit. Does anyone know the easiest way of doing this as without forcing and breaking it it would be good to know.

Thanks
 
#4 ·
It's not quite that simple. You have to stop the carrier for the edge protector, retreating into the door. It involves jamming it with a screwdriver.
There is a thread with detailed instructions on how to do it. I'm afraid I don't have time to find it for you at the moment. Try the search button.
 
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#5 ·
I recently replaced a broken protector. I have read that most dealerships will not replace these any more under warranty or charge over £100. A replacement protector only costs £12, and the operation takes less than 5 minutes for an experienced mechanic. It took me, having never done it before, about 10 minutes. If the previous one was completely disconnected when breaking off, then the manual description above perhaps with a little screwdriver help to hold the connector out works. However, in most cases the old protector probably broke off leaving the tongue still engaged in the connector, as in my case. This requires a bit more work. The tongue slides on and clicks in with two little prongs. I opened the door and used a small screwdriver to hold it out. I then used large pliers to hold it out and engaged from the top with a large screwdriver to disengage top prong and the same with the bottom. It may be necessary to leave the top in while doing the bottom so that the top does not reengage. Once both are disengaged, the remnant will slide or pipe off. The next trick that I found that was required was to use a screwdriver to pry open the groove a little bit to more easily slide on. My new one had a bit of remnant plastic and was narrow. Once widened, it will slide on. I then opened the door slightly and slid it on without using a screwdriver to hold the connector out.
 
#6 ·
It is disgraceful that Skoda, having an application which is clearly not fit for purpose, refuse to replace them under warranty.
 
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#7 ·
Colin Lambert said:
It is disgraceful that Skoda, having an application which is clearly not fit for purpose, refuse to replace them under warranty.
Click to expand...
I disagree about the fit for purpose bit. I've had 2 Kodiaq with door protectors over 4 years. I've lost one and that was down to teenager stupidity
not bad design. It was refitted by the dealer free of charge at service time.
 
#8 ·
All unto their own.
I have been Mod on this forum for 5 years and can assure you that there have been many problems with these door guards. Nearly every case involving arguments with Skoda and or the dealer. Admittedly the majority in the earlier days.
SUK's attitude has always been unhelpful. Only after after applied pressure have they, in most cases succumbed.
 
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#9 ·
Colin Lambert said:
All unto their own.
I have been Mod on this forum for 5 years and can assure you that there have been many problems with these door guards. Nearly every case involving arguments with Skoda and or the dealer. Admittedly the majority in the earlier days.
SUK's attitude has always been unhelpful. Only after after applied pressure have they, in most cases succumbed.
Click to expand...
Do these things just break or is it owner error? I say that because on occasion I've got out of the car then reached behind me without looking to close the door and found my hand has been on the door protector. I very much doubt they were designed as a handle to close the door. Thus far I've been lucky and realised my error before forcing the door shut. Other than that, I can't really see how these things break because there's never any pressure placed on them. Perhaps if the mechanism is slow to retract the protector then it may catch and snap but I've never experienced that on my car.
 
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#10 ·
JamieK said:
Colin Lambert said:
All unto their own.
I have been Mod on this forum for 5 years and can assure you that there have been many problems with these door guards. Nearly every case involving arguments with Skoda and or the dealer. Admittedly the majority in the earlier days.
SUK's attitude has always been unhelpful. Only after after applied pressure have they, in most cases succumbed.
Click to expand...
Do these things just break or is it owner error? I say that because on occasion I've got out of the car then reached behind me without looking to close the door and found my hand has been on the door protector. I very much doubt they were designed as a handle to close the door. Thus far I've been lucky and realised my error before forcing the door shut. Other than that, I can't really see how these things break because there's never any pressure placed on them. Perhaps if the mechanism is slow to retract the protector then it may catch and snap but I've never experienced that on my car.
Click to expand...
+1 from my perspective - I've never had a problem with them and have 10 year old twins who aren't exactly careful with the doors! Would rather have them than not.

That said, by saying I've not had a problem, that's probably put the kiss of death on them in true Murray Walker style!
 
F
#11 ·
JamieK said:
Colin Lambert said:
All unto their own.
I have been Mod on this forum for 5 years and can assure you that there have been many problems with these door guards. Nearly every case involving arguments with Skoda and or the dealer. Admittedly the majority in the earlier days.
SUK's attitude has always been unhelpful. Only after after applied pressure have they, in most cases succumbed.
Click to expand...
Do these things just break or is it owner error? I say that because on occasion I've got out of the car then reached behind me without looking to close the door and found my hand has been on the door protector. I very much doubt they were designed as a handle to close the door. Thus far I've been lucky and realised my error before forcing the door shut. Other than that, I can't really see how these things break because there's never any pressure placed on them. Perhaps if the mechanism is slow to retract the protector then it may catch and snap but I've never experienced that on my car.
Click to expand...
Luckily my latest Kodiaq doesn't have them but my previous Edition did.

The design of these in my view are fundamentally flawed and on my old Edition were not fit for purpose. Two broke and replaced as goodwill gestures which I took as Skoda not admitting they were useless. When two more failed I just threw them in the glovebox and forgot about them. Interestingly when the drivers door one went the dealership blamed my 9 year old daughter for not closing the door correctly.

Good idea but badly implemented.

I really don't miss these things at all.
 
#12 ·
Mine (2017) just decided not to retract fully for some reason and just pinged off.
If Skoda would be prepared to supply new pieces to those with enough knowledge (very simple) to replace them, they would create a lot more good will than their constant refusal.
I think the problem is that most garage will not charge less than an hour labour (over £100 these days) which makes warranty claims extremely expensive for an operation that takes 5 minutes per door.
 
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#13 ·
scratch113 said:
JamieK said:
Colin Lambert said:
All unto their own.
I have been Mod on this forum for 5 years and can assure you that there have been many problems with these door guards. Nearly every case involving arguments with Skoda and or the dealer. Admittedly the majority in the earlier days.
SUK's attitude has always been unhelpful. Only after after applied pressure have they, in most cases succumbed.
Click to expand...
Do these things just break or is it owner error? I say that because on occasion I've got out of the car then reached behind me without looking to close the door and found my hand has been on the door protector. I very much doubt they were designed as a handle to close the door. Thus far I've been lucky and realised my error before forcing the door shut. Other than that, I can't really see how these things break because there's never any pressure placed on them. Perhaps if the mechanism is slow to retract the protector then it may catch and snap but I've never experienced that on my car.
Click to expand...
+1 from my perspective - I've never had a problem with them and have 10 year old twins who aren't exactly careful with the doors! Would rather have them than not.

That said, by saying I've not had a problem, that's probably put the kiss of death on them in true Murray Walker style!
Click to expand...
Another vote for absolutely no problem with them after three years. The problems I have heard about come from kids' bag handles etc. catching them when kids exit the car quickly in their enthusiasm to get into school. 😂
 
J
#14 ·
FoxtrotAlpha said:
Luckily my latest Kodiaq doesn't have them but my previous Edition did.

The design of these in my view are fundamentally flawed and on my old Edition were not fit for purpose. Two broke and replaced as goodwill gestures which I took as Skoda not admitting they were useless. When two more failed I just threw them in the glovebox and forgot about them. Interestingly when the drivers door one went the dealership blamed my 9 year old daughter for not closing the door correctly.

Good idea but badly implemented.

I really don't miss these things at all.
Click to expand...
I fully accept what Colin says i.e. if the mechanism fails to retract then obviously there's going to be a problem, but unless the car belongs to Uri Geller or it's possesed by a poltergeist, things don't just break for no reason. All you've told us is that two broke and were replaced then when the other two broke you just threw them in the glovebox. What you haven't said is how they broke.
 
J
#15 ·
Not quite 2yr since my post above but worthwhile updating because I too have now fallen victim from this failure. It did happen in a crematorium car park so can't fully rule out that poltergeist theory however my passenger took full responsibility for snapping the plastic strip.

So having now taken a more detailed interest in the subject, there is or maybe an additional cost, that nobody mentioned above. The plastic protector which is dirt cheap ( less than two gallons of fuel - why are people getting so upset? ) is connected to a wire mechanism which is then connected to - I'm guessing some mechanical input from the hinge. Now whilst that visible plastic protector may be dirt cheap, the cable mechanism is not. In fact for what it appears to be, it's ridiculously priced. So if the cable snaps or breaks in some way or just needs looked at, then it's certainly not a 5min job. First of all the door card has to be removed / replaced and the cable mechanism itself needs to be removed / replaced. Is that not a more plausable reason why people have been quoted three figures to have the protector replaced?

I'm not 100% sure if my cable is broken or not but having some basic knowlege of how things work, it's certainly something I'd want to look at and possibly try to repair myself. Even if a repair rather than replacement is possible, that's still justification for a dealer to charge for their services.

I was under the impression it'd just be a simple case of replacing the plastic protector and as per above, it'd be a 5min job. But I have to say my local dealer was more than helpful explaining how things work, giving me part nos etc. At this stage all I've ordered is the plastic strip as that'll defo need fixing, but all I have is praise for the dealership for their help. At the end of the day, they're not charities, they do have to run a business.
 
D
#19 ·
I recently helped my son successfully fit 2 door protectors to his Skoda Kodiak - one on the driver door and the other the passenger door directly behind. Both genuine Skoda parts. The problem is that the parts are not finely moulded or finished on the latching mechanism that you fit onto the part that is in the door.

Use a very fine metal file to file off the excess bits of plastic - no matter how small they appear to be - to make the bit that you slide over the little rail bit in the door smoother and neater.
Put a very thin film of vaseline on the little bar you are sliding onto and the bit that slides over on the door protector.
Do not open the door very wide at all (15cm max) so the bit in the door sticks out to maximum degree.
Hold the door bit open using a couple of small screw drivers in the notches at the back so you have something to push against (if you don't do this the bit you are trying to fit onto will just press back to the door)
Slide the fitment onto the bar. You do still need to push, but once the first bit goes then it slides on easily.
If you file the tiny bits of plastic off it really does make all the difference. We tried it without before and nothing was happening and we were worried we might break the mechanism in the door. But refining the part with a small fine file really did the trick.

DO NOT try to open the end sticking out prongs with a screw driver or one will break off - though you can still fit the part successfully with one gone. I am not talking about the bar slide fitment but the bits the at stick out at the end. The fitment is just not that well made and is vulnerable. But get rid of the tiny lumps and bumps from the manufacturing process and use a bit of vaseline (not much) and it worked on both very well. (You do still need to hold the door latch out to be able to push against it, but the pressure is less and it worked for us.)
 
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