Warrior193

Suggest addressing the Aux. belt and tensioner issue and see if that could be the cause. Does your automatic stop/start operate correctly? Have you checked the battery voltage?

If your Aux. belt and tensioner are inhibiting correct battery charging - or are allowing battery voltage to drop too low, this could affect the electro-mechanical power steering - but this would also adversely affect starter motor operation, which you do not mention.

Hello, welcome to the forum. That sounds as if you may have a fault with your steering rack or the variable-rate control to it - strongly suggest getting the steering inspected ASAP. The suspected fault will not leave you without any steering at all if the assistance fails completely - but it may well feel like it!

Do you have the headlights actually switched on when you notice this?

Hello, welcome to the forum. I don't drive a mHEV, but I do use auto stop-start all the time in my 2015 Mk3 - EFB battery is more than 9 years old and there are no signs of any issues with the starter motor. The original 2015 AGM battery was replaced, along with the alternator under warranty in 2016 due to manufacturing defects.

Skoda UK cambelt replacement schedule was changed to match other VAG manufacturers recommendations in (I think) 2023.

No stated time interval, 120 or 140k miles I believe.

My post was a reply to a post that appeared to suggest that cambelt replacement interval was still 5 years regardless of other issues with water pump.

Are you aware that the previous 5-year cambelt change interval, mandated by Skoda UK alone, is no longer applicable?

I am aware of the advice to change the water pump on a TDI when the cambelt is being replaced - but is replacement of the belt actually necessary when working on a pump problem only? (I.e. vice-versa)

Good afternoon, welcome to the forum. It may help others if you clarify whether your engine is TDI or TSI? I've assumed from your comments that you have a 2.0 TDI, DSG - is that correct?

Did you have your new battery adapted (coded) into the BMS?

My understanding is that the EFB+ is a fairly recent upgrading of the EFB - I don't think EFB+ batteries were around in 2017, so your old battery was probably not original.

^^^ Agree with this for the DTCs - they aren't in the usual VAG format.

If this is an indication of their 'services' I'd consider someone else for future servicing requirements.

Hello, welcome to the forum. Provided the AC appears to be running efficiently, almost certainly an attempt to upsell an unneeded service.

Check the sealing of the fuel cap - you should be able to hear an intake of air (hiss) when you release the cap immediately after a run.

Suggest getting the battery tested.

If it wasn't like that when you first bought it, something has changed - or possibly you are now driving on roads that are more cambered. Have you checked steering position when the road surface is completely flat?

@jim457 have you got things sorted now?

Check DTCs for any faults recorded, good suggestion for MAF sensor, also check for anything concerning crank/cam position sensors - although reports of these failing often quote reluctant starts.

The fuel computer reads the amount of fuel put in tank and adjusts the range currently available by comparing previous use data, you say 'nothing wrong with MPG figures' - have you noticed specific occasions when this range figure has significantly dropped from the last time you drove?

I'm pretty sure that there's an anti-syphon trap fitted to the filler to these vehicles - should not be possible to extract fuel that route.

Hello, welcome to the forum. Can you describe better what the tacho is actually doing - are the revs just dipping before the engine shuts down, or are they increasing and decreasing (I.e. very unstable idle) ?

Welcome to the forum. Best suggestion surely would be to have the fuel pump pressure tested?