Replacing missing Skoda Fabia estate trunk cover lock piece
by alex
I love my Skoda Fabia estate 1.6 TDI (5J, 2010 facelift): it has plenty of room, was not expensive, it has a nice VW engine, all the extras I need and good fuel consumption.
Unfortunately one of the pieces holding/locking the trunk cover in place when it’s extended fell of and this seems to be a fairly common problem with the Fabia estate. It’s really annoying because it involves removing some of the car’s panels. It is, however, not a difficult procedure and you can do it at home and avoid going to a repair shop.
The retractable trunk cover is held into position by two plastic pieces, one at each side. Unfortunately these pieces have a tendency to fall from their place. In this case you can either take the car to a garage, or fix the problem yourself. You probably won’t be needing a new piece (it should be somewhere between the panel and the body work) but if you do decide to buy a new piece (which I did), the parts number is 1Z9 867 925 D 47H (the old parts number seems to be 1Z9 867 925 C 47H – this is the SAME piece).
You will need the following tools:
- T10 bit (torx)
- T15 bit
- T25 bit
- H5 bit (hexagonal), a big flat screwdriver or simply a coin
- 10 mm wrench
- Panel removal tools (not really necessary, but useful)
- Flat screwdriver or pin removal tool
You will need to remove 3 panels, or 2 panels and pull a bit the panel where the piece is supposed to go, if you’re lucky.
Although you won’t probably take long enough time to drain the car’s battery, I recommend you start by removing fuse number 23 (15A) in order to turn off the trunk light.
Start by removing the bottom panel by the trunk lock.
You will have to remove 2 pins and 2 nuts (10 mm). The pins consist of two parts: an inner and an outer one. The inner piece needs to be pulled out before you can remove the entire pin. You can achieve this by easing a flat screwdriver under the pin head or by using a pin removal tool (the screwdriver works really well, so there’s no need to buy the tool, in my opinion).
Then remove the nuts near the bottom of the panel using, for example, a ratchet wrench. The panel is still attached to the bodywork by metallic clips, but just needs to be pulled out (if you have those panel removal tools, it will make the job much easier).
You need now to remove the grey side panel by the window. It is attached to the bodywork by some metal clips and nothing else. You just need to pull it out (don’t be afraid to use some strength, these panels are not that fragile). Again those panel removal tools may come in handy. It may happen that one of those metal clips will remain attached to the bodywork. If that’s the case, simple pull them out and re-insert them into the back of the panel.
You are now in position to remove the screws from the big side panel where the piece is supposed to fit. You will need to remove the following objects (note necessarily in that order):
- The nut holding the lights, using either a big flat screwdriver, a H5 bit or a coin
- 1xT10 screw (holding some sort of hook into position)
- 3xT15 screws (one where the trunk cover fits, another beneath the side panel you removed and the other beneath the bottom panel you removed)
- 1xT25 screw (beneath the hook)
There will still be a pin near the seats that you should remove in case you want to remove the entire panel. This may be necessary in case you want to look for the missing piece. In case you have a new one which just needs to be clipped into position, you don’t really need to remove the entire panel but simply to pull it away from the bodywork. In this case you don’t need to remove the pin.
Now, simply pull the panel away from the bodywork (again, it is be held into place by some metallic clips) and attach the trunk cover lock piece.
That’s basically it! Put everything back in reverse order.
P.S. I am not responsible for any damage your car incurs in following this guide. If you have absolutely no idea of what you’re doing, you’re better off taking the car to a repair shop.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Thanks for your blog. It was very helpful for fixing the trunk cover lock.
Thank you very much for the article! it helped me repairing my fathers car, Skoda Fabia 2008. Have a nice day!
Thank You very much!! It helped me fixing it. Brgds
Tinhas de ser Tuga! 😉 Obrigado, pá! Eheheh Só depois espreitei o teu site…. Abraço
Thank you very much Alex, you save me before going insane! both locks were between panels.If fell again will try to glue them.
Skoda fabia estate 2008.
Thanks Alex. Much appreciated. Took me about 45 minutes. Piece had just dropped out and was still working… Great! Only bit that hasn’t gone back right is the luggage hook that won’t sit back flush!! Great instructions. Cheers.
Many thanks for taking the time to post this – had it done in 10 mins thanks to your detail and pics – otherwise I’d probably have taken hours, broken bits, and have given up!!!
Excellent guide. Many thanks.
I think I got stuck! Got so far then had no sign of the “small side panel” and so couldnt undo any scre as per the picture labelled “T15 at the top” . Does look a bit weird though – am I missing something? Should the upholstery covering this be pulled away first? Maybe it wont work for my 2008 Fabia Estate? Mine looks like the whole of that rear side is a large long plastic panel.
Duh! Sorted. I hadnt twigged that I had to pull off the trim at the higher level, behind the window. My (stupid!) fault entirely. Now sorted – fixed. Brilliant! Thanks
Great easy to follow instructions took just an hour to fix the issue
Many thanks Alan
Excellent guide and so easy to follow. Thank you for taking time to post this – it saved me hours and money.
excellent instructions and helpful photos. still useful in 2019!
many thanks couldn’t have done it without this
Hi Alex
Although it’s been a few years since you’ve published this help guide, let me state that this has been more than helpful and that you’ve saved me £135,- which I was quoted by D. M. Keith, my local Skoda dealer with whom I service exclusively, it makes no difference to them ; they’re just after a profit.
Anyway, thank you is all I want to say, you’ve made my day.
Best wishes
Libor
Hi everybody,
thanks for all the comments! I’m glad to know this post was (and keeps being) useful/helpful!
Back then when I posted it, I would have never thought this was such a design flaw from Skoda.
Alex
Thanks Alex the great, very helpfull and very well explained. I managed to fix my two locks without any difficulties. The community of “know-how” to the “DIY” followers.
Hi Alex
Your article is still helping people! I sorted my Fabia this morning with your excellent guide. Couldn’t have done it without it. Sometimes this detailed step-by-step is exactly what you need, not a lengthy video. Many many thanks.
And another satisfied customer here too! Step by step guidance made a daunting task straightforward.
And eight years after its publication, here’s another person who thanks you. Fixed in less than an hour. Thanks for the tutorial.
Greetings from Manchester, UK.
Another here as well , followed instructions and hey presto i had two catches that had fallen off , now all good again. Many thanks indeed.
Brilliant, your help has saved many swear words and hours of work, many thanks
2023 and the article is still helping Fabia owners. 🙂
Thank you for this. No replacement part required, the catch had just fallen out.
Sheffield, UK.
24/10/2023 Second time this blog has helped me fix the bloody boot on my Fabia.
Thanks again Alex.
Greetings from Manchester, UK.
*Hopefully I won’t be here again soon, although I will be back.