gregoir

I looked at mine yesterday for the first time. Id to hold the tailgate half open on my Combi. I used to test and certify such switch actuators. It looks a superb (no pun intended) design. The moulded rubber diaphragm would be given a very high IP (ingress protection) from me. And it faces downwards. I often take my car through a soft brush automatic car wash with no trouble. That doesn't help you. Don't use a pressure washer close up as others have said. You will cause damage to the car. Seal the number plate lights and the aperture which the switch goes into, if you must, with clear silicone sealant. BTW is your rear window washer working OK? Hope it goes well.

To be honest, I don't know what the tail gate button is. My MK3 Octavia Combi has a release hidden above the number plate. I wouldn't describe it a a button. Must get a mirror on the job.

Heard a different squeak from the same area. Another spray with WD-40 Dry lubricant sorted it.

Hi Thanks everyone. I've just had OSRAM bulbs fitted, purchased from Powerbulbs. Night breaker Laser +150% H7 Cool Blue Intense Next Gen H15 Both claim to be 120% brighter. The wider spread of the H7 is noticeable as is the increased whiteness of both beams. And yes, I've a manual thumb wheel adjustment -hidden by the steering wheel.

Just ordered OSRAM from Power Bulbs. Those H15 are very expensive though.Thanks. My current bulbs simply do not illuminate the grass verge. My eyes have been checked by the finest eye hospital in England.

Well, yes, but needs must. I don't want to hit a walker on a dark verge.

After a number of eye operations and getting older, I'm finding it more difficult to drive in dark conditions. My eyes meet and exceed the DVLA requirements. I'm driving with the foglights on to pick up ill -defined road edges, pedestrians and pot holes on dark roads. I know that my 2016 Octavia Mk3, standard halogen bulbs, has an odd bulb covering the dip and DRL. Have you any recommendations for decent, legal and brighter bulbs? Dip and main.

Wheel /tyre imbalance is what springs to mind.

My brother in laws 2016 Golf R is similar in some ways, but does not have permanently live sockets. A strange VW/Skoda difference. I did help him out with remote window opening options, which were the same as my 2016 Octavia..

I flattened my battery using a cooler box. Camping in France. I then fitted a hard wired automatic cut out which senses when the voltage drops too low. Towsure etc in the UK. I prefer the permanently live sockets overall.

I don't know which car this is. The steel brake calipers on my 2016 Octavia are so black with road dirt, no rust can be seen. I'm not bothered about such cosmetics. Try asking your supplying dealer if there is a manufacturing fault.

A run of around 10 miles, in several stages today, was enough to trigger the Stop/Start to work, again, even in the dark with the headlights on. I'm impressed, but don't understand what improvement the intelligent charger has been able to make to the system.

I've never "tried". In the past batteries have failed pretty suddenly. The worst case was my Mini 850cc. The battery was so weak it wouldn't crank the engine over. I removed one spark plug and it started. Screwed the plug back in with a running engine. It went well enough to get to the local battery store. A mark III Golf battery went from hero to zero suddenly when away from home. I called the AA out and a new battery was fitted. Other cars needed coaxing along with battery chargers. The good old days, mostly involving cold and snowy weather.

My battery has never been low enough to prevent first time starting. The intelligent charger has stimulated the Stop/Start system. Worked at each halt over the past two days around town. Even once with the headlights on. Looks like a success. Thanks folks for all your "inputs".

I have read both the Skoda Octavia manual and the Kia Picanto manual for details of battery charging. For the Skoda it is , naturally as the advice here. The Kia manual insists that the battery must be removed first. Impractical and onerous. I'll stick with the battery jump pack when necessary. As I said before, connection of a charger sets off the alarm.