MinionBob

No, it does not happen only when stationary – “dry” steering. I would rather call it “cold” steering. As I have mentioned when I need the car in the morning when is still quite cold around 5 C that it does the sound, and decreasingly vanishes around 15 – 20 minutes’ drive. Does not matter stationery or driving. When I need the car after launch time, when it becomes more “hot” around 15 it does not do the sound at all even at beginning. Really strange, but like everything with this particular car. By /clock "spring"/ do you mean this part - https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/5q0953569-airbag-ring-skoda-24874.html ? I hope not and it´s something other. Quite expensive considering the fact that in authorised Skoda Garage they are deaf, blind and stupid all in one and I would have to probably change out of my pocket somewhere out of Skoda Garages.

Of course, I have played the video to myself before posting. Probably "creaking" is not the best English word to choose. Please excuse my imperfect dictionary. But anyway. You really can´t tell that there is A sound from the steering wheel which should not be there? Can´t find the perfect word for it. It sounds like sprocket. Have you ever been on a roller coaster with the "carriages" being pulled upstairs by the chain? For me it sounds exactly like that.

Unfortunately, my perhaps never-ending story of "minor" defects on a 2-year-old vehicle has another sequel. For better illustration, I enclose a video. https://streamable.com/2c681o I unfortunatelly can´t attach the video here as the maximum file size is limited to 8 MB and the video has 45 MB. Does anyone have any idea what that sound it is? It only does it in the morning when it's cold. At the afternoon when it´s 15 degrees outside it does not do it. And in the morning, it disappears in a 20-minute drive. Maybe poorly seated plastic / metal that shrinks / expands with heat? The defect did not show up to the authorised Skoda garage :-D And the video is from the next day after the car was returned to me. Oh noo…. Then I found out that the incompetent “mechanic” was dealing with car axle from the outside and not the steering wheel inside. It really starts to bother me. I originally bought this Fabia so that I wouldn't have to deal with problems with the 5-year-old Octavia for the same money as 2-years-old Fabia, but I haven't stopped since I bought the Fabia.

Unfortunately, my perhaps never-ending story of "minor" defects on a 2-year-old vehicle has another sequel. For better illustration, I enclose a video. https://streamable.com/2c681o I unfortunatelly can´t attach the video here as the maximum file size is limited to 8 MB and the video has 45 MB. Does anyone have any idea what that sound it is? It only does it in the morning when it's cold. At the afternoon when it´s 15 degrees outside it does not do it. And in the morning, it disappears in a 20-minute drive. Maybe poorly seated plastic / metal that shrinks / expands with heat? The defect did not show up to the authorised Skoda garage :-D And the video is from the next day after the car was returned to me. Oh noo…. Then I found out that the incompetent “mechanic” was dealing with car axle from the outside and not the steering wheel inside. It really starts to bother me. I originally bought this Fabia so that I wouldn't have to deal with problems with the 5-year-old Octavia for the same money as 2-years-old Fabia, but I haven't stopped since I bought the Fabia.

I used to work for a really large car rental company before the covid crisis and within the cars younger than 2 years (with keyless starting) we had problem with the key fob battery once, so in my experience the lifespan should be at least 2 years. Anyway. I don´t understand how someone can come to the British forum and start to write in Greek or any other language. I have seen it here there with Polish, Spanish... Disgusting. English is not my first language either but I would not ever have such a stupid idea (or to be so arrogant) and to use my first or second language on British forum. If you don´t speak English than use a translator and don´t force people to use it because YOU don't speak the language used here, not them!

Yesterday I noticed that when braking from 30 mph (to about 10 mph, then it stops) something makes a whistle. I thought it was the front brakes, so I opened the window but suddenly I didn't hear anything. So, I played with it for a while and I found out that the whistling can only be heard when my window is closed. I read something about the overpressure in the cabin, the overpressure flap in the trunk, the inner / outer heating circuit and I don't know what else, but here it doesn't matter if I have the heating on the inner, outer or completely off. And most importantly, it really only whistles when I brake, not when driving. I absolutely don't understand it, I don't see any connection there. It's true that the "radio technician" solves it. I noticed it, because I just finished playing the playlist on AppleCar and there was silence in the car. When listening to the music, it´s not possible to hear. Anyone have any ideas? Attached are photos of what my door seal looks like. Could it be that? But why does it only do at a certain speed, and especially only when braking? Warranty repair definitely not solve this for me, in authorised Skoda garage will say with almost certainty that it is the seal. They will make a lot of money from it and it will continue to do the whistling anyway. If no one has any idea than it´s ok, I will let it go. It's nothing terrible, but I wonder what it could be. Otherwise, how difficult is it to replace the seal around the door? I mean like the seal on the car body. According to the photos, it seems that it is necessary to dismount the plastics at car floor + part of the dashboard, the lever for opening the hood, etc., because part of the seal is behind it.

So good afternoon, gentlemen. Done, 200 GBP with 0% VAT. I enclose the battery measurement report. They charged the battery and it was ok right after charging, however, in 18 hours it was dead. Completely. Unfortunately, the warranty claim was rejected because they found a post-installed GPS tracker in the car. Good to know, I'm going to have it removed right away. The previous owner was a large company and they probably had it there to monitor the employees so that they would not make a private car out of it. Quite “funny” having this in the car and not knowing about it. So, warranty rejected because the idle (car turned off and locked) consumption is 0.24 and the normal is 0.11, which means they said that this contributed to premature battery failure. So far, only one ride of 15 km, but I immediately saw on the voltmeter in the socket that it went even to 12.4 V, so just in “keeping” mode, which I never have got with the previous battery, sometimes to 13.3 V and then back again. Recuperation 14.9 V, but it was on the old one as well. I haven't seen the 16 V over-charging yet so we'll see. But the point is that with the old battery it never went to 12.4 V because it all the times tried almost desperately to charge the battery. And a good ending in the end. It will be reimbursed to me by the original dealer under the used vehicle warranty. That is, not from the Skoda factory warranty, but from the classic seller-buyer purchase agreement. I mean by reimbursed that I have a new battery to pick up from them, but can´t now due to COVID, it is in another country, that´s the reason why I had to try to claim the factory warranty where I did. So brand new battery will be on Ebay for cheap really soon :-D

Such a positive comment :-) Will see tomorrow. The car is in Skoda authorized garage and tomorrow they will do battery stress test so will see if it passes or not. If not, then issue is obvious. If yes, than they will look into other things like alternator, smart charge, the resting (stand-by) consumption etc. I´m not such a stupid person to buy a new battery if they say that the battery is ok. And anyway the alternator seems to be working fine. 14.9V full charge or 13.3V when recuperating which is ok. But lastly it tried to charge 14.9V almost all the time, so I would really guess it´s a battery issue because the battery can´t be charged properly despite the alternator trying, it keeps charging at the maximum level. Let´s see tomorrow. Have I written it somewhere? I hope not, or I was on drugs probably if I have written that.... Nope, I never have done this. I never connected the battery to any external power source at all. Only what I´ve mentioned here was that I have a phone charger to 12V plug that shows voltage as well. I highly doubt that such an accessory could damage anything.

Yes the car is manufactured and sold in 2018, but the technician clearly stated that he had seen 5 years / 100 000 km warranty in the system by VIN of the specific vehicle but claimed that the battery is excluded and has only 2 years. Everyone everywhere on the internet speaks about 3 years for the battery, but no one was able until now to provide some evidence on Skoda website, in a handbook, contract etc. If I don´t find anything to "fight back" I will have to pay around 200 GBP from my pocked to have it replaced. Luckily the car is registered to a sole trader who is VAT payer is this price is VAT free and final.

Guys, where is written that the warranty for the battery is 3 years? The car is in official Skoda garage and they say that battery has only 2 years warranty. I know it can vary in every country but let´s say for UK or Ireland. Where I can find this information? It has to do something with the extended warranty plan for 5 years / 100 000 km because without that is only 2 years for a whole car so extra 1 year for a battery would not make any sense at all.

And have you had overruns (is it something around 16V isn´t it) before on the faulty battery? I have not seen any on mine! Short or long runs. Does not matter. My one is probably on a (should the indefinite article be here or not :-D) bigger slippery slope than yours. As I said, the car is 2 years and 4 months old. I have it for a month by tomorrow. If it had started a year ago it would have been in an age of 1 year and few months of the car, which I personally find quite appealing.

I have the plug in voltmeter as well. My car mostly charge at 14.9V, sometimes "slips" to recuperation 13.3V when pressing accelerator and back to 14.9V when breaking. Turning the ignition off makes around 12.0V. After locking the car at the evening is at 12.4V, at the morning 12.2-12.3V but when start ignition (without engine) drops suddenly to 11.9V. It still starts but... Yesterday I did little maintenance with the washers nozzles, I had the car ignition (without engine, but everything like AC, infotainment system was off as well) on for an hour, and did few sprays and wipers movements, everything was fine, the spray, the wipers speed. After not even 24 hours, the car failed to start and the wipers worked as a snail. KESSY is off etc... I´m wondering and dunno how it could happen when at the evening yesterday was fine :-/ And had another story few weeks ago when I switched off the engine but was still doing something in the car with radio on, then after few minutes "Infotainment showed 12V battery getting low. Turn off the infotainment system or switch on the engine". I really don´t think this is normal. Getting this message after 5, max 10 minutes (one story) and not being able to start after 1 hour with ignition on on the previous day (another story). I remember how old Passat made us an entertainment with playing music for definitely more that 1 hour at our cottage and started next day with no problem. So considering all the facts which I was able to picked up and your story, I really think that the battery is dead. But come on. Only 35k miles and 2 and 1/3 years?! What´s your measuring now? When switching off the engine after the ride? I ques is not only 12.0V like before as your original post states. Anyway. I did not get the last sentence. English is like my 3th language so, then sorry for any gaps. But what did you mean by "and with 35k you would have achieved this"? What have I achieved? The lifespan of the battery, so you think that I should pay for a new one from my pocked or have I misunderstood?

@Fabia3iowWow, this sounds exactly like my story! Today it "ended" with me being unable to start. How does it goes with your issue? Has really the new battery fixed everything? I´m gonna fight for a new battery on the warranty (battery has 3 years warranty and its 2 years and 4 months) but the car has already 35k miles, so I hope they won´t say something like "It normal capacity decrease because of use and you have to pay for a new one".

The car itself is 2 years and 4 months old, around 35 000 miles. I do mostly short runs, but by foreign coins (and not only EUR) found in the car when deep cleaning I assume before it did mostly long runs. I just don´t get it all, how it could be fine yesterday 6 PM with washers and wipers working perfectly with engine off (changing nozzles and testing) and by 10 AM today not able to start and wipers slow as a snail! The car was turned off and locked during the night!

I have enough of this “Clever charging” and this battery life! Yesterday, I changed the washer’s nozzles. I had the car switched on (without engine) for one hour with infotainment off (no music, no Bluetooth) with lights of and with few switch ons and offs (but never started engine). I tested the nozzles and washers. Wipers worked well on designed speed, I locked the car and went home. Today morning the car did not start at all. Not even a sound of starter trying to initiate the engine. Wipers move like a snail. Battery at 11V. I don’t understand how this could happen (Anyone has any idea?!), but I have really enough. This “clever” battery will be changed for “old school” battery and I will pull out the black cable which leads from the “clever charging unit” to the battery. It will disable permanently the Start / Stop (which I don’t even use), but also disable the “smart” charging.