DSL

Unfortunately 0.75 mile trips to the local woods doesn’t suit a DPF but it’s just too slick at the mo to use SWMBO’s car. And more snow is forecast for middle of next week.

Thanks, again. Will keep an eye out for the coil light, though if last time was anything to go by it’ll be very obvious as the car struggled to back up a slightly sloping driveway. Hopefully my little blast will clear out the DPF for now anyway.

The fan has been running on lately so regen interrupted. Just been out for 29 mile drive on a reasonably fast A road (no d/cways anywhere near here) mostly with the gearbox held in 5th and at 2,500rpm, hopefully flushed out the DPF and fan wasn’t on when I stopped, with either engine on or shut down. Is there anyway to see if the regen is operating when driving? Can the oil temp be used as an indicator? My oil temp got up to 106c then dropped off to 101c but no idea if that is normal as I don’t usually lock the gearbox in 5th. Why oh why can’t manufacturers put some kind of indicator in place to tell the driver that the DPF burn is in progress so they can choose to keep going until it completes? S’pose the reasoning will be along the lines of we’ll single handedly kill off all the polar bears with the extra miles so best not give the driver that choice, it doesn’t matter that he’ll have to shell out for extra oil changes or maintenance. Cynical, moi? My “normal” type of driving is lots of long hauls (now banned) then using SWMBO’s car as the run around but with the snow and ice up here we’re using Skippy, silly using a fwd Jazz, on full winter tyres, when we have a decent 4x4 available, also on proper winters. Our drive and access road are like skating rinks and too slippery to even try and walk on. Oil level looks normal, at the top of the dipstick range as it was last time I checked it a couple of thousand miles ago.

Many thanks, will get it booked in after lockdown is eased a bit, or SWMBO is vaccinated. Mrs DSL is now in a shielding category so it will have to wait as we’re not taking any unnecessary chances with Da Bug. The car’s been out today and all well, but we know it can return. If it comes back and doesn’t reset on restart we’ll just use SWMBO’s car and get the breakdown peeps out.

Agreed, looks like it. Now I think about it I did see Skoda signs outside when I last passed it way back in late summer. Will see how she is when heading out this morning.

That’s the “local” VW dealer, never thought of them. PS After lockdown’s over.

Many thanks, will see how it’s playing tomorrow. If it does it again will give Skoda breakdown peeps a ring as the car is under able when it’s flashing. Just popping into my local Skoda dealer isn’t an option, lockdown aside, as the nearest one is over 100 miles away after they closed the Inverness dealership.

As in blown bulbs? Will check tomorrow when out, drive is sheet ice at the mo so not a good idea to get MrsDSL out of the nice warm living room to look at back lights.

Karoq 2.0Tdi (150hp) DSG 4x4 Was out moving the car on the drive a little while ago, usual start up letting the glow plug light go out and cranked. When I went to back the car up in front of my gate, up a slight hill that was very icy, she struggled to move and the glow plug light was flashing. Went back in to house to check the manual and found: Diesel engine control faulty flashes Driving in emergency mode is possible - a noticeable reduction in engine performance may occur. › Continue driving, exercising appropriate caution, and seek the help of a specialist garage. Went out to see if it was still showing the faulty, no flashing light and nothing in the vehicle status screen. Any thoughts out there? Hopefully just a ghost in the machine.

I’m pretty sure that covers can be put on seats with airbags. I used manufacturer’s accessory covers on my previous cars (LRs), that had gaps in the side for the bags to deploy through. Just about to see what covers Skoda produce.

Any suggestions/recommendations out there for front seat covers? Pics would be wonderful. For the basic seats on the SE model. No interest in rear seats, no-one ever sits in them, and may well be removed.

Deffo no longer going out playing, car gets de-snowed and de-iced for our daily walk and that’s it. We’re just N of the Amber Alert area but expecting a decent amount. Highland Council issue snow gauge, some call it a garden waste wheelie bin, is at the ready, though don’t want a repeat of this.

It might not be applicable for your hill but don’t forget that backing up puts more weight on the front wheels and gives more grip.

True, true. It’ll be summer soon.

You can never have enough winter pics!

Another observation, they could do with another element to the heated rear window element. That would break the bond with the wiper blade nicely, means I wouldn’t have to lever it off. -6c this morning, bit of snow overnight so car was de-iced and de-snowed and taken out for a lockdown spin, well drive the slightly longer way to the local pharmacy. A few pics. Smaller roads around here, preferably the ones the pesky gritter/plough hadn’t found. Local high street, loving the mullet look. And matching slush accretionary wedges. a Back in the warm now, sun is out and another day of lockdown ahead. :(

Did someone say wiper blades? https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00W1KKYUI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I did think of that but too late, by that time the snow/slush had refrozen. Plus I’d forgotten how to do it.. The milk container tops work quite well as the don’t ping off and disappear if I forget to remove them, the tops just stay under the wipers and give me a nice blue wave, laughing at me on the way past.

It is indeed. Fantastic part of the world. No better place to be in lockdown. Been out today to get the car de-iced, I was lazy and hadn’t cleared the car and the slush had refrozen solid last night when it was -4c. I thought this would be a good chance to see how long it takes to de-ice. This was how she started. -1c and a little snow drizzle coming down. Side windows well iced up and would have needed some serious scraping. Engine running and with 5 mins on max screen heat the wipers could easily deal with the slush, plus side windows are all clear. Rear window was de-iced in less than a minute! Wipers weren’t stuck to the screen as the milk container tops did their job well, in spite of being well consumed by the slush. Then out for a short(ish) run as it’s a shame to waste that nicely warmed up engine.

Cheers, will have a look at the update portal and see what’s there. Still feeling a little nervous re updating. Plus will have to find an old SD card, haven’t seen any of mine in years. PS And yes, I think it is Bolero with the slot, 2020 MY SE.

I noticed an “update software” choice in the settings menu. When I went in it found nothing connected so it doesn’t want to do it via my phone’s 4g connection. I’m assuming this is a dealer plug-in thing, is it worth doing? Does a newer software version give anything else or is it a case or if it’s not broken don’t fix it?

PS Forgot to say the real testing section I wanted to try out was the part of the road to the left of the wood in the middle of this pic. Unfortunately it had been gritted and cleared.

Just been out today to see what she’s like in more challenging conditions. Mostly ice, once off the gritted roads, with snow on top. This is typical. Temps just below freezing. All well, prob down to tyres rather than being 4x4, but driving and braking pretty good. Pulled into a few deeper snow areas, a forestry access and lay-by, both snow that has started to melt then refrozen so provides resistance that “normal” snow doesn’t. Even stop/starting in the deepest parts wasn’t an issue. I didn’t choose any areas where I knew there might be the slightest chance of not going out, at worst backwards, but getting going again wasn’t an issue with no sliding around or wheel spin. Even getting into my drive, which is mostly black ice (was lazy and didn’t clear the snow) with about 1” skin of soft snow was no problem at all. Gratuitous pic of Grantown on Spey area from the Tomontoul road. Oh, and again impressed how fast the front windscreen started to defrost. By the time I’d gone round and brushed the snow off the front screen was half done and slush was taken off with squeegee.

Saved on eBay for future. Cheers.

And from me.