gm73

All belts were changed at the intervals except the one that snapped. The timing cover was covered with tippex numbers! The one that snapped was retiring as a taxi in a few months time and I'd stopped caring as I had a new car lined up. Someone did try and repair it but it was never the same again and I think it ended up scrapped.

Just an update to this. I've changed Octavias since this issue began and it does it on the new car as well, again on cold or damp mornings. It goes away with repeated pumpings of the clutch pedal as it did on the older car. Since the older car is still on its original clutch after 230k miles I'll assume it's a harmless, although annoying, "feature" of the Octavia clutch on either petrol or diesel models. As they say at the dealers "they all do that sir".

An update to this thread. My 2020 1.5 TSI ACT is on 90k. It’s a taxi. Škoda are saying 140k now, as they told me at the dealer, as a change interval. I’m going to get it done at 100k as a precautionary measure. OR trade the car in October for a Toyota Corolla. Henry’s Škoda can do the job for the princely sum of £995. However a local independent with the VAS 611007 tool is £650. I’ve had 6 Octavias as taxis, one 1.9 PD did 400k. And I had a timing belt snap on a 1.9 PD at 330k. Great cars in the main. This one will be the last however.

It's a timing belt on this car. The sound has now vanished, car is driving well. I had an oil change done earlier that day followed by fuel smells in the cab at startup. These have went away now after a run from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back and adding wynn's extreme petrol treatment.

Just six months after replacing the turbo on my 2020 1.5 TSI another rattle has developed on startup. This one is different from the first, more tinkly in sound, and goes away after a few seconds. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the turbo wastegate again. If anyone can discern the noise as being different to my suspicions I'm all ears. Many thanks. 2020 1.5 TSI ACT with 86k miles. Oil changed with 0w20 508/509 every 7/8k miles. Car drives normally albeit with a raspy noise under load between 2nd and 3rd gear. I've provided a video link below to the start up rattle. Many thanks

Yeah. The weird thing is they also already do a separate 508/509 spec Longlife IV which is the correct oil for my car.

That’s the one. I’m taking it back. Just recently had the turbo replaced so I’m not taking any chances. Picked up a good brand of 5 litres of 508/509 spec locally

Absolutely useless. I said to the parts guy that I didn’t think it was correct but he insisted they used it on all their cars in for service that needed the 0w20. So I bought it. Now I need to take it back and get it somewhere else.

Arnold Clark VW Pollokshaws Road. With a bit of digging it appears that Quantum do their own 508/509 spec Longlife IV oil. So this oil, despite being ACEA 5 and 0w20, isn’t right. Should have just went to Skoda at Kyle Street directly.

In an attempt to save money and since the car is out of warranty I’m doing DIY services now. The local VW dealer has just sold me a 5 litre “cube” of Quantum 0w20 for my 1.5 TSI. He insists it’s the correct oil but nowhere on it does it mention VW 508/509 or Longlife IV but it does state ACEA 5. The local factors didn’t have the Comma stuff I used the last time so I thought I’d give the dealer a whirl since it’s the same price. Is this the correct stuff or do I need to take it back? TIA

It's a Private Hire taxi. I had done 70k miles when this happened. Just out of warranty and Skoda weren't very helpful with goodwill as, although it's been serviced independently every 8k miles and uploaded to their portal it wasn't dealer serviced. Even with goodwill I have paid less than Skoda doing the job.

I'd imagine you could probably half that bill by going independant IF they have the special tool. However I'd doubt they'll have the tool but they might have a way of doing the belt without it. I'd imagine VAG specialists MIGHT have that tool and you may get the bill down to the £750 mark with them. What mileage are you on or is it a decision based on the 5 year change interval. My TSI is on 70k but is only 2.5 years old so I'm going to hang off until 80/90k/

It was back in 2019 right enough, fresh coolant. Work carried out by an independant garage in Glasgow who mainly deal with Skodas. The electronic water pump didn't need replaced only the mechanical one along with the timing belt. In fact the car is on 220k now and still hasn't had the electronic water pump replaced.

Slightly late to the party but I had the belt changed on my old 2015 1.6 TDI at 133k after Skoda told me it was 140k intervals. The tensioners had become noisy so I dodged a serious bullet. Cost was £375 including waterpump.

For my previous Octavia - a 2015 1.6 TDI CR - I had to call Skoda customer service and was told 5 years or 140k for that car as it had the "long lasting parts".

I believe I could get it changed for around the £500 mark in my local garage, especially if I dont get the water pump changed. The sticking point is that he will need the special tool that the Skoda dealers have which costs around £1k. He won't buy that tool because he is unlikely to change the belt on another 1.5 TSI ACT as I'm his only customer with a car with that engine. There is the possiblity he could perhaps "borrow" the tool for a fee from Skoda.

Does anyone have the mileage interval change for the cambelt on the 1.5 TSI (It's a 2020 registration). I'm sure I read it was 100k or 5 years. I'm hoping so as the car is on 70k and if it's 60k I'm going to have to play cam belt roulette until it hits 80k as I won't have the money for it until then. Cheers.

The mechanic did indeed manually open and close the actuator. It worked okay for about 20 minutes then went back into limp mode. Apparently it's an issue with an internal part of the turbo so a whole new unit was neccesitated. So new turbo supplied and fitted for £890. Now onto the clutch.

Car is in limp mode and I have this dreaded management code. Will the whole turbo need replaced or can the wastegate/actuator rod be replaced individually? Its a 2020 1.5 TSI with 69k miles.

Cheers. The weird thing is I only smell it when reversing and when I stop the exhaust fumes smell normal and there’s no strange smells in the engine bay.

I’m getting a rather awful fumey smell in the cab when I reverse the car. It comes and goes almost immediately and doesn’t linger when the car moves forward but is pretty smelly when it appears. There is also a nasty noise under initial load which is most noticeable in second when building up to changing into third. If I was to offer a description I’d say it was almost “leaking exhaust” like but seems to be worst at biting point. Im wondering if the two are somehow related but if not if anyone has any pointers as to what to check I would be most grateful.

Nope. I like my job but each shift is becoming a test of mental strength. Never again will I buy a Skoda as a taxi. The days of the 400k 1.9 PD are long gone. Next taxi will be a Toyota or something French and comfortable and quiet.

My 1.6 TDI had a slight misfire now and then at lower speeds. Car is now with a new owner and on 230k and he’s reported that it still does it occasionally. Never materialised into a bigger problem. Just another one of the niggly problems with these cars that no one can get to the bottom of.

Mine has several creaks, turning at low speeds and going over bumps. 5 garages, including the dealer, have failed to identify a fault so I have to live with it. Unfortunately it’s a taxi and 10 hours a day of all the various noises from this car is beginning to affect my mental health. My two previous Octavias did the same.

The several 1.9 PDs I drove as taxis previous to this one were outstanding cars, noisy yes but torquey and predictable. They didn’t annoy me in the way this one does, even when on mammoth miles.