Jump to content

Yeti start/stop system.


Fabcol

Recommended Posts

Hi,

 

Bron and I have had our Yeti a couple of months now putting 1,700 miles on its clock. I've used the stop/start system successfully until a week ago whilst in very heavy traffic on Manningham Lane; Bradford; the traffic was bumper to bumper; the stop/start system was behaving as normal until it stopped at red traffic lights; pressing the clutch lots of times failed to start the engine and then to my horror the engine would not start after repeated attempts using the key until it finally fired up whilst the Yeti was blocking the traffic lights with its hazard lights running; as a one off I could ignore this but further along Manningham Lane exactly the same thing happened; I switched off the stop/start system and will no longer use it because I want control of the vehicle I'm driving. For the Yeti to behave in this manner was highly annoying and hugely embarrassing to me and is totally unacceptable.

 

It's now becoming a pest having to switch off the stop/start system each time I start with the key; can this stop/start system be completely deactivated by a Skoda dealer as I no longer trust nor want it?

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The system cannot easily be permanently switched off.
If it would not start using the key I'd say it was not a problem with the stop/start but elsewhere.
In nearly 2 years mine has only failed to restart once and it said something like "Manual restart necessary" in the Maxidot display.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, mine behaved immaculately in a threequarter hour traffic hold up on the M5/Bristol end.

But then the engine was nice and hot after a nearly three hour dash up from S.Devon

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your reply Urrell; Bron and I had a new Fabia Monte before the Yeti and no problems. Our Yeti bristles with electronics many of which I have yet to understand; I confess I never ever thought about checking the Maxidot I was in a panic trying to get the Yeti started twice within a few minutes of each other it was an horrible experience and I never want to repeat it again hence I would like to completely once and for all deactivate the stop/start system; it's a pity Skoda don't install the stop/start system as "Off" by default I can quite happily live without it. Now I switch the stop/start system off each time I use the Yeti it's been fine but it does have its moments. This morning I drove over to Rufforth Auto Jumble near York from home here in Fenay Bridge; I really enjoyed keeping an eye on the fuel consumption which was having a very hard time; 13 mpg up to 200 mpg and everything in-between it didn't settle at all either on the M1 motorway with cruise control set at 67 mph or on the winding country roads; on the way home it was just the same until out of curiosity I used the steering wheel thumbwheel to look at the menu; running the menu a couple of times I selected fuel consumption and it must have reset itself because it's now working again; on top of this I've watched the fuel gauge which sticks on full tank when the yeti is fuelled until the pump clicks off; it has shown full tank at the pumps but then I've added £20 of diesel; now I find the gauge will read full then after some mileage it suddenly reads to below the first big bar; it used to fall gradually; our weekly mileage is pretty constant using around £20/£25 of diesel. I wonder why I bother driving our Yeti when I can just sit in the rear seats and let it do its thing?

 

Thanks for your information Gizmo68 from what you say it's likely then that the stop/start function could be deactivated; I hope so.

 

I don't want to be taking the Yeti back to the dealer under warranty every time it sneezes and I'll live with the problems until it goes in for its first service next April unless I'm completely stopped; Bron and I buy new cars so that we don't suffer these silly little things although being highly embarrassed in the middle of Bradford by the Yeti is far from silly; we've owned over a dozen brand new cars without the slightest problem; I still like the Yeti but Bron now wants to dump it not just for the few things which go wrong but for other more serious issues as well not affecting the running of the Yeti. The fuel gauge and fuel consumption problems are small and I'll not run out of fuel; the engine stopping and refusing to restart is obviously more serious but now sorted by switching the stop/start system off. The fuel gauge might be simply a sticking float arm; the  fuel consumption might now be fine but time will tell?

 

I love driving the Yeti on the whole; it's a Tonka toy I've always fancied but if it upsets Bron much more it will be history.

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Thanks gumdrop. The Yeti engine was well up to full working temperature by the time the fault appeared; it simply stopped and proved very difficult to restart; it just appeared to lose the plot?.

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The S/S system will switch off if the battery gets low and needs a run to get it back up to a safe working charge. Maybe, the system detected a low battery level and then got itself 'hung' up, worth seeing if there is a fault code logged at a dealers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The S/S system will also not work if there is a high electrical load on the vehicle at the time, such as lights, fans and heated screens, or if the air con is on "low" and working hard. As said the Maxidot will tell you to restart if needed.

The first thing you should do is get your dealer to check there are no fault codes recorded that may have affected it.

 

The consumption figures you were seeing were the "continuous" consumption figures, so they will go up and down; that is nothing to worry about. I would suggest that you have now moved the display to the "average" setting. That can easily be confirmed; if there is a small figure 1 or 2 to the upper right of the reading you have it on "average". A figure 1 signifies it is averaging over the current journey and will automatically reset if the ignition is off for 30 minutes or longer. A figure 2 signifies it is a continuous average over a much longer period. If you press the knurled wheel whilst either is displayed it will zero the average in the group shown (1 or 2)

 

The behavior of the fuel gauge is also quite normal and seems to be linked to the fact that you have a saddle shaped fuel tank that transfers fuel from one side to the other.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Many thanks ernieb for your reply. Yes I agree it is highly likely the battery had run low on charge given the number of stop/start cycles during the short journey but then I had problems starting with the key which was most disconcerting.

 

Thanks Llanigraham for your information. It was a warm afternoon and I think the heating/ventilation was on "Auto" the only thing I was controlling were the indicators. I've been driving the Yeti now for a couple of months; the fuel gauge for the first few weeks behaved as expected once it started to read after a filling up; it slowly showed fuel being used as the needle swept the dial but now it will suddenly drop to the first big bar on the dial; also this morning is the first time ever the fuel consumption has behaved so strangely; I will however accept your suggestion and look to see if a small figure 1 or 2 is displayed. The fuel consumption this morning was rapidly changing at random as I say giving lots of assorted readings between 13 mpg and 200 mpg; it's never done this previously.

 

This Yeti has lots of electronics which are totally new to me so I'm on a steep learning curve; I don't want to be visiting dealers unless absolutely necessary because we buy new cars to avoid this sort of thing and have never had to do it with any of our new cars since 1986; apart from routine services the only time a car needed to go in for repair was our Skoda Fabia Monte when it needed a dry ball joint replacing under warranty. If other things start to crop up I'll book it into RRG  Rochdale for a checkover otherwise it can wait until its first service; the only problem I have is having to keep switching the stop/start system off; perhaps a more basic car would suit us better without lots of electronics?

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much for the hard and fast driving instructors rules

To say that it is disconcerting when it happens is a massive understatement and for some will be the end of the road

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Col, the behavior you were seeing with the fuel consumption figures confirms that you had it set to "continuous", so showing what the engine was using at the time. Obviously that will continually change. The more steady figures are only one "twist" further on the thumb wheel, so it is easy to move it by accident.

I know people hate being told, and it isn't necessarily the best, but "read the manual"; it does explain all the different settings there are in the many displays shown on the Maxidot. 

Persevere with the Stop/Start, it is a good system, but you do need to read the Maxidot display when it does cut-out as that will tell you if you need to "manually restart".

 

And you can always ask further questions on here. :happy:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had found that the revs drop after restart and you need

to increase them to pull away without stalling.

This caused me a few panicky moments and an initial

loathing of the stop start system.

However the stop start is part of the cars spec. that helps

give it its low (er) carbon output for taxation purposes, so

I would be wary of any permanent disconnection of the system.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would be very wary of a new car that has Stop / Start and the anti stall does not function.

Or the brain fart that the OP's car seems to have.

 

Best talk with a Main Dealers Master Tech and see if a Software Update is required.

 

As to low VED because of low Co2 G/Km from EU Testing using Stop /Start.

They get that also with the Tyre / Wheel Size as fitted, and a vehicle with no Options, so maybe no Spare Wheel, no Roof Bars / Box, Bike Rack,

Tow Bar, or even a caravan / trailer /horse box/ boat on the rear.

So as to not having Stop / Start functioning, that is not much of a difference, many people have stop start not operating.

Edited by Offski
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have to think of the less experienced nervous drivers freaking out.......but they probably drive an automatic which is more programmable as there are fewer variables

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

snip...

 

stop/start system was behaving as normal until it stopped at red traffic lights; pressing the clutch lots of times failed to start the engine and then to my horror the engine would not start after repeated attempts using the key until it finally fired up whilst the Yeti was blocking the traffic lights with its hazard lights running;

 

snip...

 

 

Kind regards, Col.

the fact it needed a number of attempts to restart using the key, points more to an issue with the engine than stop / start

 

if the car had started first time on the key you could point the finger at the stop start, but as the car took several attempts with the key points more to a fuel or ignition issue which is outside the control of the stop start

 

I would get the car in asap for a quick check at the dealer to see if any fault codes logged

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Col

 

Of all the places for that to happen, Manningham Lane would be my last choice  :sweat:

 

Good advice above. We're on our #2 Yeti and wouldn't have bought another after 5 yrs with the first if we'd had any concerns.

 

That's not to say stuff can't go wrong. Meanwhile, I'd try and remember to switch it off. That's what I do. Some of the roundabouts in Bradford, the DSG lag is a trifle disconcerting at times.

 

There is another thread somewhere about a means to disable the SS by removing a wire to the battery. This was apparently a tip the owner got from a tech. Others asked what the side effects might be, and the effect on warranty, but I don't know the outcome.

 

Good luck  :thumbup:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your replies and comments Ryeman; Llanigraham and Gumdrop all are very much appreciated.

 

I lay awake in bed last night thinking about the Yeti in general and also the problems encountered thus far in ownership of the Yeti. I've never owned a car previously with so many electronics installed and looking back I'm not happy. Just over a week ago I was plunged into panic something I'm not prone to; I was driving our Yeti as normal and all was well with the world until the Yeti refused to start as normal by depressing the clutch? At first I thought what have I done wrong but after more clutch depressing it was clear something had gone wrong and in my book this amounted to a car breakdown because the car wouldn't start as normal. As I say I've been thinking about this and being still unfamiliar with having to depress the clutch in order to start the engine manually with the key did I in my panic fail to depress the clutch a few times before finally getting the engine to start with the key; if so then I do not wish to blame the Yeti for my own mistake and I'd much rather be honest and share these thoughts. I must have depressed the clutch to start the engine manually with the key but now I have doubts as to whether I did depress the clutch resulting in no start after repeated attempts; everything was in slow motion as panic raged through me; completely blocking Manningham Lane in one direction on a very busy Saturday afternoon what would now happen if the emergency services wanted to attend an emergency where every second counts; so much distress was heaped upon me as I was plunged into misery.

 

I had been using the stop/start system successfully apart from as you rightly state Ryeman in stalling the engine a couple of times at a busy junction; each time it was a very hot day and the fan was making so much noise that the engine couldn't be heard resulting in a powerful jolt each time but I sussed this out because I quickly learnt to look at the rev counter? I've now lost total faith in the stop/start system and I want full control of the Yeti or the Yeti goes I've had enough; I've also given the cruise control a fair chance but for our busy roads and motorways the cruise control to me is just another selling gimmick; yesterday I engaged cruise control at 67 mph and yes it was working fine but now I found myself having to read the motorway a long way ahead as I used to do many years ago whilst on my bikes at 130 mph. I had to watch upfront and pay a lot of attention to the mirrors; we are breaking the law hogging outside lanes on a motorway so I pull over to the nearside lane as much as possible but then with cruise control engaged I approach a slower moving vehicle and have to disengage the cruise control because of speeding vehicles in the outside lanes; I admit many years ago I used to ride my big bikes with the needle off the clock but these days it's strange to have vehicles pass doing at least 100 mph; I think the drivers must have a death wish for their driving license; anyway I now keep to the speed limits and this impacts badly on the cruise control; of course I could set the cruise control at 50 mph and sit in the nearside lane.

 

All I can do is give my own personal impressions and opinions but no thanks in future to the cruise control or the stop/start systems I no longer wish to use them. Why so much complication with the fuel readings; electronics again; I've never seen mpg figures constantly in flux unable to settle so this particular function is a waste of time; I was doing a constant 67 mph with cruise control engaged for the motorway part of the journey so why was the mpg reading all over the place reading a maximum of 200 mpg; in short it was unstable to say the least; on the way home from Rufforth yesterday I pulled into a lay-by and initially thought I'll record this wayward mpg reading with my dash cam and stick the video on YouTube but thought better of it because I want to be safe and be safe to other road users but the mpg reading was going berserk; if this is meant to be one of the options then someone needs medication?

 

Every week I've checked tyre pressures and now have a Yeti with onboard warning if there is any low pressure; a few days ago the tyre pressure indicator started to flash then came on solid on the dash indicating at least one tyre had low pressure? Back home thinking the tyre had picked up a nail I expected the worst only to find all four tyres were bang on 32 psi so another electronic thing I no longer trust or like; I actually asked our neighbour Terry to witness the testing of the tyre pressures and to see the warning on the dash; I tried inflating the tyres to 34 psi but no change then I looked through the owner's manual and had to reset tyre pressures which in the first place were correct. Our neighbour Terry supplies tyres and associated equipment to dealers and Terry didn't know that the tyre pressure indicator could be reset within the car; out of interest Terry runs a big expensive new Jaguar and he too dislikes the stop/start system so no longer uses it. Our friends in Cottingham live near a level crossing with gates; they've just bought a new Hyundai i30 and both husband and wife drive it; at the crossing they had to stop and hence the engine also stopped; as there was some delay before the train cleared they were talking in the car when the engine suddenly restarted taking them by surprise.

 

I love the style of our Yeti and always fancied owning one but now I'm afraid with the problems with the supplying dealer and now these electronics I don't like and can't do much about after only two months the honeymoon period is well and truly wearing off; I want a car I can trust and to be in full control of; I no longer trust the Yeti and can only wonder what other surprises it has in store in future. If only we had kept our lovely 2014 Fabia Monte Carlo and never bothered with the Yeti but we can't put the clock back and time to move on with our lives; perhaps a Toyota is due.

 

Bron and I couldn't have got off to a worse start with our Yeti; I had to sign up for the Yeti then to collect it on my own because Bron was too ill to accompany me; no sooner was the Yeti parked on our driveway with only ten miles on its clock I was rushed into hospital by emergency ambulance then spending three days in hospital; Bron can't drive so we had a brand new car on the driveway and Bron relying on the goodwill of our excellent neighbours to help her out with transport; the same weekend was our 40th wedding anniversary; we now associate the Yeti with problems unaided by the Yeti electronics; oh hum these things happen.

 

Thanks everyone once again for putting up with my ramblings and for your generous offers of help and information.

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The stop/start system is too fundamental to your safety for it to be suggested that YOU the driver, needs to relearn how to ensure IT works.

The default should be that IT never interferes with your safety ....EVER!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

Many thanks ernieb for your reply. Yes I agree it is highly likely the battery had run low on charge given the number of stop/start cycles during the short journey but then I had problems starting with the key which was most disconcerting.

 

Thanks Llanigraham for your information. It was a warm afternoon and I think the heating/ventilation was on "Auto" the only thing I was controlling were the indicators. I've been driving the Yeti now for a couple of months; the fuel gauge for the first few weeks behaved as expected once it started to read after a filling up; it slowly showed fuel being used as the needle swept the dial but now it will suddenly drop to the first big bar on the dial; also this morning is the first time ever the fuel consumption has behaved so strangely; I will however accept your suggestion and look to see if a small figure 1 or 2 is displayed. The fuel consumption this morning was rapidly changing at random as I say giving lots of assorted readings between 13 mpg and 200 mpg; it's never done this previously.

 

This Yeti has lots of electronics which are totally new to me so I'm on a steep learning curve; I don't want to be visiting dealers unless absolutely necessary because we buy new cars to avoid this sort of thing and have never had to do it with any of our new cars since 1986; apart from routine services the only time a car needed to go in for repair was our Skoda Fabia Monte when it needed a dry ball joint replacing under warranty. If other things start to crop up I'll book it into RRG  Rochdale for a checkover otherwise it can wait until its first service; the only problem I have is having to keep switching the stop/start system off; perhaps a more basic car would suit us better without lots of electronics?

 

Kind regards, Col.

As the switch for the SS is conveniently close to the gear lever it is part of my starting procedure to turn off the SS and it's no hassle.

Increasingly cars are being fitted with SS and you will find it hard to find even a basic car without it or without lots of electronics.

It's called "progress" and not always for the good. :(

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

I've got to go but thanks to you other members who posted whilst I was adding my last post; I'll reply a bit later; retired and not enough time?

 

Kind regards, Col.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Col

 

I'm on the senior side myself, and not always totally comfortable with car tech - but with the greatest of respect, I've a feeling you're letting it get the better of you.

 

If you're totally unhappy with/lost confidence in the car, sell it and take the hit. But if like me you prefer a new car, you might find the next one has at least the same complexity needing a learning curve.

 

I'd persevere for a bit longer, trying these steps:

 

1. Disable SS on start up.

2. Set the average consumption to #2 in the display. Fluctuations will be very gradual. Or, choose something else to display.

3. Don't use Cruise on Yorkshire's crowded roads. On a run down to Italy this year, it came into its own. Over here, not so useful, but simply touching the brakes disengages it.

4. Our TPM comes on every 6 weeks or so. There's usually one tyre wanting a quick blast. I just think of it as a reminder to check the tyres.

5. Have a re-read of the manual. The actual booklet I find a bit hard going, so I use the pdf available from here:

 

http://www.skoda-auto.com/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/pages/yeti.aspx

 

Good luck.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Col

 

I'm on the senior side myself, and not always totally comfortable with car tech - but with the greatest of respect, I've a feeling you're letting it get the better of you.

 

5. Have a re-read of the manual. The actual booklet I find a bit hard going, so I use the pdf available from here:

 

http://www.skoda-auto.com/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/pages/yeti.aspx

 

Good luck.

I think you've hit the nail on the head Colin.

The Yeti is not relatively loaded with assist systems and getting used to the ones that it does have after reading the manual and trying them out make life a LOT easier.

I had a friend that would not use the cruise control because he said it ran away with him, it did not do that it was just he did not know how to use it.

He had not taken the manual out of the dash in 2 years he had the car!!

Give all the assist systems a try (there will only be more in the future) and they will work for you not against.

Relax and let those systems help you out..

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off Topic but do VAG read this forum I wonder? I would love to see if there are any dealer

/workshop notifications regarding Stop/Start anomalies.

If people are having problems, would they really wait until there was a nasty accident or

would they issue a fix or driver advice to avoid such an incident.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We know that Skoda UK do look at this, and other Forums, but they will never admit that something that was said here would make a difference to their models. And like a lot of forum "situations" you mostly only hear from those people who are having "difficulties" and not those who are perfectly satisfied. With no disrespect to Col, this thread is a good example; some people can't get on with Stop/Start whilst others of us have no problem with it and actually like it. I know my wife was very circumspect about it when we got the car in April, but now admits she doesn't even notice it is there, and she is not the most technically aware person.

 

As to the fuel consumption readings that Col can't understand, even when using the cruise control; the system is apparently reading the fuel used without the use of a flow meter, so is judging the revs and various other parameters.It will show the 200mpg when it judges that the car is not injecting any fuel, and that could be because the car has reached the speed set and the road is slightly downhill, so the engine is "coasting", for example.

 

The "depress clutch" notice has caught me out a few times; I've thought I have pushed the clutch right down, but then realised I haven't. Probably me being lazy, as it doesn't need going to the floor a lot of the time. 

 

Col, you may check your tyre pressures each week, but do you reset the Monitoring system each time, as you are advised to do?

 

Having spent last weekend in our friend's new Merc, I have to say that the Yeti controls are simple!! That has a knob in the centre console that seems to do all sorts of things, from running the adaptive cruise control, to setting the temperatures. It even writes the address in the sat nav! And the passenger seat seemed to have 6 different buttons plus the seat heater controls!

 

I would agree that Col seems to be allowing the car to master him, when it should be the other way around. Perhaps there needs to be a "Huddersfield Gathering" and some can point him in the right direction. There seems to be plenty of members up around that way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Community Partner

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to BRISKODA. Please note the following important links Terms of Use. We have a comprehensive Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.