Leaderboard

Also started on a little tart up job as I’ve just recieved my Ecs intake pipe and racingline panel filter. I felt like having the throttle body black would really go. Cleaned up inside and out and hand brushed with some high temp black enamel. Already to go back on tomorrow once it’s cured, have four new genuine bolts and gasket, then just a throttle body reset to do. wasnt that dirty inside but had abit of residue.

Got some wheel bolt covers, I much prefer these over seeing the bolts

Bingo! Thanks a lot, that answers that! As to a full sized 17" spare, the problem is not that it won't fit in the stowage but that it would protrude into the boot floor as stated by nta16. The Fabia tyre sizes listed by DerekU show that our 215/45R17s are the only 17" ones supplied, and hence the 185/65R15 'space saver' is what I need. My thanks to all. A perfect example of a forum working at its best!

I would say no, but you don’t have to remove the wheel or the arch liner. 15mm? spanner on the tensioner wheel to get enough slack on the belt and it comes off. cable tied through the outer cage of the alternator and then another through a random hole on the frame at the other side to keep it to the RHS of the car.

You guys are a hard bunch on newer members. Maybe i need to develop a thicker skin!

Aye, it is a passive system. I blooming new that. Showing my age, silly auld fecker!! My wife's UP is the same as all VW group cars, I believe.

It is actually a 185/65R15. I will check later for speed restriction marking, but not sure why it would need it as it a 185/65 R15 88H Nexen Nblue HD Plus, H rated to 130MPH and has same rolling circumferance as my 17" wheel. Maybe I am showing my ignorance of these matters! Edit. No extra packing, what you can see other than factory installed packing pieces, the grey squares, is a couple of plastic bags to accommodate the removed wheel should I get a puncture. Sods law it would happen when the wheel was manky with dirt, also keeking in at the left side is a rubber floor mat should I ever need to give someone a lift who has manky feet. Haha. I really am quite obsessive about keeping my cars in immaculate condition.

So, car in the air, under tray off, belt off, 3x13mm headed setscrews, compressor supported with cable ties and you have access to the valve now.

If the vehicle has automatic idle stop (stop/start) - and therefore a smart alternator, battery adaptation is required when fitting a new battery.

Notice a while ago the rear xenon level sensor had pulled out the balljoint, had a quick 5 mins this afternoon to play with. The bottom ball joint was very stiff so lubed that up and freed it off and with abit of heat on the ally bar and it pushed back in nicely, I’ll keep an eye on it but it shouldn’t pull out unless I let the suspension get full droop again so should be good.

I found the waste gate rod and yes it has a significant play on both sides. I will upload a photo of what am I seeing and a video sample. (See here) My guess is this is just a normal wear of moving parts. This is expected from this type of designs. Now, the fun part is how to resolve this with least effort possible 😁. Any thoughts?

Pirelli Scorpion Verde in 235/55R18. I will get the micrometer out tomorrow and confirm the tread depth, as a quick check yesterday said only 3mm at the front. Will confirm. I currently suspect a combo of depth and age (they are the originals, so 6 years old).

Any decent tar remover for the stickers - Tardis, ObliTARate, something like that. Nice and gentle. It'll clear up a treat. I think the emblems come with 3M backing - that'll be plenty, long as you don't jetwash it point blank (and even then... It's pretty strong!)

You need to do a proper auto scan/road test and get someone who knows what they are looking at to go through it.

Update. Spoke with the manager of the garage today, who said the insurance company field engineer, phoned him, and manager stated that engineer was quite a aggressive and was trying to get the manager to answer questions about what he reckoned had caused the problem. Needless to say the manager refused to answer his questions on assumptions and honestly told the engineer that he could not answer a lot of his negative questions and could only advise him what he found. I hadveused this garage for the past 10 years and have a full service history. So daresay the engineer will be questioning me to minimise the payout for the insurance. I'm just worried that I might say something inadvertently, which will give them an argument for a reduced payout or refusal to payout at all. Totally new ground from me as in 40 years of insurance I have never had to claim and I have only been with Aviva for 3 months. Any words of advice would be appreciated.

I don't know what my plate says, but certainly have no problem with my 1350kg caravan behind. Ì use the manual change mode towing or it hunts between the gears too much, and it does not run any hotter towing, but then I'm mostly in the northern part of Scotland where it is always cold!

..... And the rubber mats currently in the lead by more than 2 to 1.

Now that sounds like a plan.........

The trouble with ECP unbranded guff is that it's designed to make them money rather than solve your problem. I would order a decent set online and wait a few days for it to turn up, fitting is quick and easy so you don't need the weekend to do it, especially since it doesn't get dark until 2100.

Yeah, and also to prevent blowing fuses if you are on lower A outlets. I found out now that it apparently reduces current outtake to 5A.

Be aware that the sizes of tyres given are nominal and actual inflated sizes of the tyres in a boot well may vary a very little. The tyre manufacturers catalogue or website might give you actual sizes, and tyre tread depth from new can vary, say between 6.5mm to 8mm so be wary of tight squeezes if not getting official wheels. You can use the hyperlink Tintowellfan posted to compare nominal sizes of tyres (in mm or inches). About a quarter of a century ago I had to put a space saver tyre or a car that didn't have such overspec'd wheels and tyres as now (and much lighter car with much less electronic driver "aids") and going up hill in town at less than 30 mph when braking on a dry road I could feel the difference in grip and how it affected the braking (no power steering). That wasn't a very powerful car (but much lighter than now) but it put me off carrying a spacer or using one unless really necessary which was just to hold that corner of the car up whilst I got the tyre repaired or replaced. I'm not sure that the goo couldn't be sorted with a bit of effort but I'd sooner use a manual footpump, the plug in electric one are generally wheezy, very noisy and can get sometimes get hot and take a fuse out if used to fully inflate a flat tyre on a big wheel if not given rest and cooling down breaks and the pressure gauges well out - but perhaps the VW provided ones are of better quality now, I've tested the one in my wife's car a little but I only know for sure it's a bit wheezy, very noisy and gauge is out and no real idea of it's full inflation capabilities, it might surprise me - my wife bought a cheap manual footpump and put that in the boot as well.

Well worth it after all the work done replacing the Inner & Outer sills, wheel arches and whatever else needs doing.

I think the issue is that the valve ported end spins freely from the solenoid coil end, so I thought because you could turn it in the hole it was breaking the O ring free in the bore but it wasn’t, just the coil end moves and you have no option but to just pull it out with a wiggling motion with some grips which is easier said than done. Hope that makes sense The new one has a 25 Ohm coil, old one is 1200-1500 so a conclusive issue

The four tyre sizes available for Fabia Mk4 cars and (using Continental's data) their rolling circumference in millimetres are 185/65 R15 (1894mm), 195/55 R16 (1891mm), 215/45 R17 (1909mm) and 215/40 R18 (1918mm). This means that, as the wheel with the 185/65 R15 tyre will definitely fit in the Fabia's spare-wheel well the other three wheels should too, though (as has been already mentioned) the wider tyres of the 16", 17" and 18" wheels might stop the boot floor shutting properly. The difference between the two Skoda spare-wheel options may simply be due to their labelling. If both spare-wheel options provide the same steel wheel and 185/65 R15 tyre, this will only exactly match the size and tyre specification of a Fabia that has 15" alloy wheels - so the steel wheel is then a 'genuine' spare-wheel, not an 'emergency' wheel, and need not carry speed-restriction labelling. For Fabias with 16", 17" or 18" wheels, the steel wheel and 185/65 R15 tyre will NOT exactly match the car's alloy wheels/tyres, so the steel wheel cannot be considered a 'genuine' spare-wheel and, as an 'emergency' wheel, needs to carry speed-restriction labelling. This is just theorising - but, if any forum member has a Fabia Mk4 with 15" alloy wheels and the steel spare-wheel option, it would be interesting to know whether or not the spare-wheel carries any emergency-use-only labelling.

So today I layed under the car and checked the cables for the lambda sensor, covered the good ones with insulation tape and the rest two as well separately. The best solution might be to cut off the cable and re-solder it, but anyway it fixed my problem. Despite the fact that it was a little struggle, connecting disconnecting I also cleaned some cable plugs with contact cleaner in the meantime. So I wanna thank you guys for your help appreciate it @Breezy_Pete @Crasher 🙏 🙂

That possibly shows poorer quality of the drum brake components used/bought by VW than the actual need for rear disc brakes, all the cars I've had with drum brakes have only needed adjustment at servicing and occasional clean but it would depend on vehicle and driver, modern cars are so heavy now, in four plus decades I've never had any issues in the winter with drum brakes, better really when wet. For spare wheel nothing wrong with the 15" wheel or tyre size it's just that when using it it's not the the same size, and possibly make and model, as the other three on the car so should be used with the restrictions, all the driver aids in the world can only do so much the physics of the tyre (hopefully) contacting the road is the deciding factor. The 15" Nexen N blue HD and later the 15" Nexen N Blue HD plus tyres when fitted to my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 were not the grippest tyres. For decades off and on I never carried the extra weight of a spare wheel (tyre, jack and tools) instead a manual foot pump but I know others don't like that, I don't like all the spare wheels that are carried that are not checked so often not at the correct pressure or even flat but that driver error. I know many like the fashion of bigger wheel sizes (kinda unnecessary party frock and high heels to me) but other than getting over oversized brakes perhaps the size isn't needed and a smaller wheel means a tyre with more sidewall height so more cushioning for car and occupants from the 3rd-world roads we have. 185/65 r15 gives 24% more sidewall height than 215/45r17 and the grip, handling and ride will be as much about the tyres used as the difference in width and profile. I'll leave ootohere to answer the TPMS bit. 🙂

Doubt if the spare will have a TPMS sensor fitted.

The Wheels tyres of the car do fit in the Spare Tyre well. There are models of cars where the floor might sit on the rim / sidewall a few mm higher. If you have a puncture, car full of stuff or people and the boot full, then you might put on the Spare. reset the TPMS. Put the deflated or partially deflated wheel / tyre into the spare tyre well, load up and set off, remembering it is an odd size tyre, maybe just narrower, maybe a few mm less circumference, maybe brand new , GREEN. & maybe at a different pressure, compound and tread. It matters not if that Full Sized Steel wheel spare has a 'Speed restriction warning sticker' to say it is an emergency spare, you know it is.

Stick with brands you've heard of, Febi, Valeo, Lucas, Bosch, Delphi etc. that way you can buy whatever is cheapest but you'll still be getting decent quality. I replace all the leads as soon as I start to see intermittent misfires logged, if that doesn't fix it you need to do the coil packs as well. They're all consumables along with the spark plugs of course.

It seems that you have found the answer on how to do it. The described instructions are self explanatory about loosing the ac compressor and replacing the valve. But guys, BE CAREFUL when you working with coolants, AC refrigerant circuits and ware PPE. It’s not worth to loose you sight or have skin or lung damage just to replace a valve.

Really it is not 'Just buy a Tesla, drive and forget, there is no servicing schedule'. Buyers beware, new or used. *Renters maybe could not care less.* Do not be a Rodney. If you are not inspecting and checking then have someone else do it. Even if just the inside walls of tyres. Or the suspension, steering, brakes.

The fact it moves sounds like you have the dial set to the left mirror which is good otherwise it wouldn’t move. What you need to do now is start the car, put it in reverse (wait for it to do what it’s doing now) then adjust the mirror how you want it for reverse. Drive forward over 10mph or whatever it is then you should see the mirror return up, then stop put it in reverse and it should go back to where you just set it, if it does that and you have memory seats set it. If it doesn’t go down then maybe it’s had a whack in the past and it’s fubar, try above first though

I'm onto my second MK3 facelift Octavia with this engine & dsg box, my current Octavia has covered 66k up to now, no dsg or engine issues with either motors so far. They are known for going through sparkplugs fairly quickly or within my experience, anyway. Other than that I'd have no issues with buying this engine again. On my previous 1.5tsi dsg, I replaced the rear wiper motor & boot lock button switch (common issue), other than a recent software screen glitch that's not occurred again, they've been reliable. I also replaced a set of plugs after 10k. Both engines have ran smooth from cold & hot, until one of the plugs started to fail, it was then running lumpy for a bit without any dash lights, until I replaced it when a dash light came up with a cylinder missfire, caused by the plug breakdown. If my current Octavia wasn't under Skoda extended warranty I'd prob have the dq200 dsg box oil replaced & the mechatronic box's oil replaced, too. Both sealed for life, but we know what that means. I bought my current Octavia from a skoda main dealer, it came with a yaers extended warranty, when that runs out I'll be taking the Skoda all in 2 year warranty out, inc servicing & breakdown cover, as it's reasonably priced. If I have my car after that I'd then prob change the gearbox oil & have the timing belt replaced, too, but as they'll all be covered under the extended warranty, I won't until then. So far I've not had any dsg related issues with either car, the 7 speed dsg box has always ran smoothly without issues.

Fuel pressure issues are a nightmare to diagnose as there are so many components that can cause the fault 😭

@ords agree with that if its working you could leave it alone. the thing with Climate is that its on all the time (albeit the AC won't run when temperatures are below 5C) and this helps keep the refrigerant gas and oil moving around and they loose less than manual A/C systems. I would add though that I have mine serviced every few years by a trust worthy mobile A/C specialist in my area and it does loose refrigerant between them, around 10-15%. I like that its all he does is A/C system repairs and servicing. Being an engineering scientist 👨‍🔬I'm very nosey, and he's happy for me to watch and see the weight of the refrigerant extracted so he can determine how much its lost each visit.😁

One of my mates did that with his mum's brand new Ford Escort...

Pure luxury! But keep the carpet shampoo handy as we head into autumn - which, in the UK, starts tomorrow, once the longest day has concluded!🤣🤣

Absolutely, a failed/failing ABS sensor affects any system that needs to know vehicle speed.

That just lets you know that Air Con is the biggest of your consumers (as it's the only one that's on) nothing to do with gassing levels. Watch the display and turn on your heated mirrors or heated seats if you have them, they'll show up there too and the bar should change. If the Air con is not blowing cold then you probably have a leak and need a fix and a re-gassing, I've never re-gassed mine but then the missus's 2019 Octavia blows a lot colder than mine at LO so maybe I do but doesn't bother me too much.

I'd never let a belt go to 140k, even 100k is pushing it. 6/7 years and around 80k seems like a better option to me. They aren't going to supply and fit a new engine for you if it failed.

Don’t conflate and confuse data with method of delivery. The traffic data is no longer being delivered over ‘the radio’ (a simplification) because it is no longer being broadcast by the data provider in that manner. This method of delivery was free to you because it required nothing else. The traffic data is still available via ‘the Internet’, which is why it works when you provide an Internet connection via your phone. Cars with built in SIMs can get it from ‘the Internet’ because they have built in connectivity. However, this data is only available if you have an ‘Infotainment Online’ subscription, no matter if your car has a built in SIM or not. edit: the reason TMC isn’t crossed out when receiving data via the Internet isn’t because your car is suddenly receiving TMC again… it’s because VAG have a poorly coded UI that uses TMC to indicate traffic data is being received, whether that’s actually via TMC or via the Internet. Your car won’t be receiving it via TMC because the data isn’t being broadcast via the TMC channel it listens in anymore.

I agree with the above and I similarly have been making sure that I avoid buying VW Group cars that don't have rear disc brakes. since 2000, and yes I do all my own brake servicing.

I just wanted to drop my thanks to Giannis20 for this guide, it helped me install it on my '21 Octavia. I didn't use the black connector, I just got the USB module, the trim and the cable from a write-off vehicle and just connected the pins 1-3 with WAGO connectors, I assume it was easier with the black connector extender, but I didn't have it handy. And as you said, Giannis20, the space under the front module is quite narrow and there is not much cable to use.

If you want smaller, easy to park etc. How about VW T-cross or Taigo, or Toyota Yaris Cross, or Ford Puma If want it upmarket too, Try a Lexus LBZ or new mini Aceman

The problem is solved. I struggled with it for a year. In the end, it turned out that the sensors of the exhaust gas temperature were mixed up 1. Noticed that Output Gas Temp is higher then Input 2. Did some ELSA/ETKA research to find what temp sensors should be installed and what color. 3. Found some photos in internet with temp sensors installed correctly 4. This is how they installed in my car. Temp sensor after CAT has different wire color, should be black and vice versa 5. Now installed correctly I don't know who needed to remove the temperature sensors. Car was servicing on dealer. I have recorded in service history that ~800km before purchase, they replaced DSG.

Damage occurs when you're not square on when undoing the bolt. Hold the key fully home and square with one hand when applying force on the wrench. Angled wrenches should be avoided including the pathetic wrench supplied on the Skoda wheel toolkit. 4 way cross wrenches are the safest. Torque wrenches with short extensions are reasonably safe Avoid these angled wrenches, they do not apply force in the correct plane and carry a high risk of key damage

That is not quite true, to get the USB C point behind the rear view mirror you had to buy the charging pack for £350 which I wanted but you could not have it aswell as the Premium winter pack, so I opted for the premium winter pack only.

That will be because the correct term in English is gear lever knob or gear lever, you have not put your location and I am assuming that English is your second language, my apologies if that is not so.