Former

None of the VWŠkoda Dealerships (plural) paperwork including the bills (invoices), liesheets ticksheets, (complementary) Visual Health Checks mention anything about diagnostics or diagnostic checks or checking for updates. I'm sure the "carry out 8yr/80,000 mile service to manufacturers specification" they would say covered this - but - none of the other service or other works done at the Dealerships (plural) had this "to manufacturers specification" qualification, I expect they have this written on a display somewhere in the Dealership (possibly the Service manger's desk drawer(?). Even if they are different independent (that's a laugh) garages they could surely print invoices liesheets ticksheets, and (complementary) Visual Health to a standard VWŠkoda UK templates to include what should have been done or is in the possibility work scope (I don't expect spark plugs for a diesel).

The VW manufacturer tells you many things for many different reasons, most for their benefit rather than yours, the VW manufacturer also tells outright lies (10th anniversary of their programming achievement being officially caught out). They didn't even stick to their own battery 'coding' protocol at their factory as shown in the battery 'coding' of my wife's VW(Škoda) and other Briskoda members cars. The manufacturer also tells you (in the 'Owner's Manual' for my wife's 2015 Fabia) that "You should replace batteries older than 5 years" and 4 years in later manuals IIRC, John will be in trouble for keeping his 6.8 years!!

By the way in the battery 'coding' I had done for me by a Briskoda member with an OBDEleven scan tool system I didn't bother with the three character VW code for battery manufacturer and just had "BOSCH" put in but as the battery has only been in for just over 4 years I can't tell if that has shortened the battery life yet. Also note the factory couldn't even be bothered to put in the "serial number" instead like many others it is in as ten ones (1111111111) so the number was just changed by one digit to show a new battery installation. I have done other things with the battery other members have been very upset about me doing like fully charging the battery to 100% before installing it as they say the car's system will take it down to 80% which is correct but totally misses the point of fully charging the battery, they also get upset about me fully recharging the battery rather than only to 80% or leaving it all to the alternator (despite advice in the car's 'Owner's Manual' and more so with newer models, and they get very upset about other battery stuff I put yet my wife's car battery has yet to expire or explode or car's charging system fail (10 years old now, same as VW's programming achievement) nor has the car exploded or fell apart, well from anything to do with the battery or charging systems but as it's a 21st century VW(Škoda) other parts have prematurely failed and clonking and water getting in. 😄 As always each to their own, whatever helps you rest easy, believe as you wish, trust no one on the internet. 😄

I'm with rum4mo brakes will be wear and tear. Dealership "oil servicing" on modern cars is little more than annual engine oil and filter change and a look for any chargeable (that they can get away with often) so not even a service for the engine let alone car. AFAIK they check the brake pads and linings, visually I would have thought by the guesses on the paperwork of my wife's car, certainly not any disassembly and/or cleaning. Changing the brake fluid is "additional work". I've always taken diagnostics to be plugging in a scan tool though I've never seen any evidence of this from my wife's visits to the Dealership(s). I doubt they well clean the rear brakes as they will want to change them - before you consider or have any work done ask the Dealership for a quote for both cleaning the rear brakes and replacing the wear and tear parts. I bet if they clean they will say to you the parts need replacing at additional work and charge, if you are lucky that will be whilst the rear brakes are apart and not when you turn up to pay for the work done and collect the car. I have a low opinion of the English motor trade from decades of experience of using them and knowing people in the trade and I've not found the VWSkoda Dealership(s) my wife has used to be much better than most particularly as my wife as a woman that has very little interest in cars has dealt with them (until something goes wrong then I have to sort it with them as not a woman to be taken advantage of).

Personally I do think the very dumb computers systems will figure things out but best practice is to 'code' the system if practically possible ass soon as you can but it is not urgent. Not doing so in your case might shorten the life of the battery minusculely in the time for either 'coding' or the dumb computers sorting it out, whichever is sooner. As you can tell I'm neither a computer or VW fan but I've never seen evidence either way and VW are as tight as a duck's bottom with info (10 years since their programming achievement scandal) but given various users reports and what a BMW "technician" has told me I can accept that those who said they never bothered with coding and things were fine after (years later) might not all be mistaken or lying about not bothering with 'like for like' battery swap without 'coding'. Your battery life will, given you only got 4.5 years out of your last battery, probably be shortened a lot, lot more by not doing when required very occasional preventative battery recharging. The battery itself, er, self discharges at twice the rate at 30C than 20c weather temperate and twice again at 40c so if you are somewhere hot in Italy that might be something you have not previously considered. If you are in Rome then see if the Briskoda member (see below) can code the battery for you (for €15 or less) and with the likes of a VCDS (and other scan tools) you could see if the car has sorted itself anyway. BTW - over here it is not unknown for shops, and at least one auto-electrician, to wrongly 'code' the battery (very bad programming on VW's part that at least the auto-electrician's mistake was accepted by the computer program, parameters or lack of them perhaps) and then the new battery has a very short life and car owner gets all sorts of unexpected warnings from the car, error codes and issues but of course they don't expect them to be from the new battery - or rather in reality the incorrect 'coding'. Two sides to every coin. Amateur or paid professional the work has to be done correctly and a good person will double-check his work. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262215-list-of-vcds-owners-previously-known-as-vag-com-vcp-owners/#comment-3091029 Let us know how you get on, whatever you decide and whatever you do - might take 4.5 years to tell fully though. 😄 Good luck.

IIRC there used to be something about rear drums on VW (VWŠkoda) not being great but I can't remember this on Mk3 Fabia (but my memory isn't the best) so perhaps it is a fault. You could try having a look around the rear brakes for anything obvious but, er, obviously drum brakes are mainly within themselves, handbrake cable is visible though. If the handbrake feels normal in use and no slack then if you don't have any warranty I can't think of anything else other than removing the wheels and having a look inside the drums. Others might know more and better. When taking out the stupid wheel bolts (instead of wheel studs) do yourself and your back a favour and use two (or at least one) "wheel alignment tool(s)".

ETA: other scan tool than the (to me, horrible presentation) VCDS can be used in simpler ways.

Try as above, or starting the engine with the headlights on, air-con and blower on and turning the steering wheel fully both ways and check battery voltage again with engine running, if no difference then go for a reasonable length drive and test in the same way again. If you buy and occasionally use an appropriate battery charger maintainer (cheap ones are fine) in a preventative (not reaction when when battery is very low) you should get much longer out of your new battery than 4.5 years (if you decide to keep a 2020 VW that much loner). Best practices is to have the battery 'coded' (data entry only really) but many have previously found with use of the car the computers work it out for themselves but it is always best to get the computers' knickers untwisted as soon as possible (in this case by driving the car or getting the battery 'coded'). See below and attached pdf for more info if you want 'coding' but if the car sorts itself there is no rush for it and others haven't bothered. If you are in Rome there might be a member able to help you with 'coding'. VCDS How to adapt a new battery.pdf

Depends if you have a (to me, proper) mechanical handbrake or (to me, horrible) electronic handbrake to possible, er, possibilities but are you sure it's the handbrake and not just the brakes being wet rusted, though 12 hours does seem a bit quick. Have a look at the brake discs and see how clean or rusty they are before using the car after a 12 hour brake. It may be because of use and parking circumstances you need to clean up the rear brakes but a bit more use of them, more frequently and heavily. If you park on long grass or a hardstanding or drive that holds surface water and/or out of the wind and in the shadow. It also depends on other systems on the car as to how much and how the brakes are generally used. With the "old" mechanical handbrake you could apply it (when and where safe to do so) at lower speeds on and off to help clean the rears. Very, very occasionally I think I've had a clonk from brakes when first reversing or driving off our hard(luck)standing with my wife's 2015 Mk3 manual gearbox manual handbrake and that usually doesn't sit used for more than a day unless my wife hasn't taken it away with her. HTH.

If the battery is in a good state of charge, which it should be if you charged it before installing (something I recommend) and you have got the data entry correct for the new battery and you haven't driven the car yet then you could try - starting the engine, turning on the headlights with the air-con on and blower on and then turning the steering wheel fully in both direction and going for a reasonable length drive. That might settle the little darlings that are the computer(s) and a relatively cheap and easy thing to try. You might first want to check (double-check) what you have inputted for the battery, did you do a like for like change, same battery type (EFB, AGM (known as "fleece" to our dear friends VW), same Ah or near enough, and you changed the battery "serial" number (often from factory ten ones (1111111111) to 1111111112. I notice in your photo a line of scratches near the l/h sensor (as we look at it), have they ben there a while. The child locks used to be simple mechanical thing but now we have the sophistication of electronic control so as well as mechanical issue you add electric, electronic and programming but it could still be something very simple other diagnosis tools can be used to check including human senses or if you want to stick with scan tool perhaps a bidirectional test of activation and deactivation if possible. Odd that the car has warnings about the child lock but not the scan tool, "implausible message" is always a great one sometimes meaning not much in actual relation to the item, brain farts and actual system faults can go in odd directions and locations and amazing how an unrelated faulty sensor can mess other system(s), oh the joy of progress. Live data is what you can get on a scan tool if you have the system(s) running, say with driving the car buit you don't want to be distracted as a driver (as you can be with the TwatNav, phone and other infotainment stuff. If you want to see real time live data then you need to be passenger. HTH.

You had a new battery fitted so presumably it has a good state of charge (and health) and it was coded in correctly (you can check this(?)). Has the car been driven any distance to see if it sorts itself out, as the computer systems are very complex and intertwined (with program errors and omissions) and a brain-fart by one of them at one end can affect others unrelated. Have you cleared the errors yet to see if they return. I would expect a mechanic to possibly not check the battery before installing it, over tighten the battery terminal post clamps, make a 'coding' (data input) error (or not bothered with 'coding') but unless he is really clumsy not damaging the front sensor or child lock whilst doing the battery, so I would, as always, more suspect the VW computer programs causing the error - but of course there might be these two problems in reality and just a coincidence they both appear a day after a new battery is installed. I don't have a high opinion of many mechanics but from experience I would expect possible failings with the VW programmings to cause unexpected and unnecessary warnings and restrictions with the amber triangle of doom showing and I'd start there and rule that out first. Good luck.

Until someone else is able to help you with more specific details some advice from me for what you might have to do as the owner of an old car where some parts might not be available, or seem unavailable or difficult to locate. For things like distributor caps I found for general car parts suppliers you need to get a cross-reference of (correct) part numbers as the exact same parts could be offered for different car makes and models b y the same generally parts suppliers at different prices and availabilities. There were different part manufacturers (possibly making the same part under different brand names they own) offering the same part but under different car makes and models. As an example, for a Bosch distributor cap I had a cross reference list of part numbers and applications that I could confirm would be correct as long as my arm, including for Citroen, Hyundai, Peugeot, Saab, Talbot, various models and there were many more possible but I was unable to confirm in the time I wanted to put to the research for the part. Also for rotor arm Audi, Porsche, VW, BMW, Borgward, Ford, Mercedes, Volvo - though I only needed to confirm a couple of car makes on this. The car models went back to at least the start of the 1960s. A mechanical fuel pump is a different matter but might be easily replaced with an electric fuel pump so a lot less specific top car make and model. If a part is not easily available you do have to do some research, with the internet any part number can be investigated but do bear in mind all data bases have errors and omissions particularly those from general parts providers but also from car and car parts manufacturers. If you search there are details of some specific parts providers, details on this forum and site, but of course you need to confirm the details are not out of date. Parts can also come from less expected sources, like military or transport enthusiast suppliers. Good luck.

If you just want a scan and health report and delete error codes then other scan tools can do that, and more. £20 isn't unreasonable if you are happy to pay it but just plugging a scan tool in isn't full diagnostics if you have an issue or issues on the car. The scan tool may or may not point to the correct item or area causing the issue or issues and it depends how diligent the user is. For just a health report before and after deleting error codes I think I'd prefer £10 but 20 minutes of scan tool diagnosis or messing around with the car's settings is fine for £20 - if that's where it ends. As put it seems like a "loss leader" to get you through the doors as an advertising tool - or for more profitable work. Why not see if there's a Briskoda member near you that can do a scan and health report and delete error codes for beer tokens? - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262215-list-of-vcds-owners-previously-known-as-vag-com-vcp-owners/#comment-3091029

Hi, welcome. you might get a quicker answer or reply by looking at and/or asking in the Octavia Mk3 forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/235-skoda-octavia-mk3-2013-2020/ HTH. ETA: I see your post has already been moved to the Octavia Mk3 forum(!), well done to Moderator.

(Winter tyres) "Which brand of tyres do you recommend? Index 84 or 88?" This is an English language site. I don't use winter tyres, others may have preference but the tyres may be different make up in Poland than UK. There is a general running all-seasons thread (not Fabia Mk3 specific) here. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/520748-which-all-season-tyre/page/2/#comment-5967808 Or a general (not Fabia Mk3 specific) winter tyres thread here. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/182447-the-winter-tyres-thread/page/26/#comment-5922950 I hope this helps you.

VCDS is very favoured by many but also bear in mind it only does VW products/brands.

He might come here from the 'shout-out' to him in my post, or there will be info on this in the 'Skoda Favorit, Skoda Felicia, Skoda Fun and Skoda Forman' forum. Good luck.

Sorry I would not have a clue, you need advice from someone like @Papez who knows so much about these cars, hopefully he will soon be along.

Welcome back.

Should the flap (or something else?) occupy that small square hole(?).

Not necessarily, many scan tools may be able to read the code and help with diagnosis and if appropriate resets and/or clear code(s) but not all repairs are just a matter of plugging in a scan tool and just deleting error codes, checking, cross-checking is needed plus often diagnostics and further testing or checking with other diagnostic tools including the human senses. I agree with Gizmo's post.

Are you sure it's not running as 1 is very low? The most (very with VW) common thing is the heater blower fan resistor stops working and the fan only works at full speed, 4, a cheap part (obviously too cheap often) but a bit of a PITA/neck/back/knees/wrist/fingers to fit often. You can get a residual bit of cold air after air-con is switched off. Have a read of the 'Owner's Manual' for the various settings and restrictions from computers doing their stuff (gwad bless their little cotton socks). If you've not got the paper printed version you can get free VWŠkoda pdf download version from their site. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/apps/manuals/Models HTH.

If the car sits around unused for weeks or months that may not help and not help the car generally in some respects.

Bits of plastic and 'rubber' faulty or damaged perhaps. When you fill the fuel tank and the petrol station better practice is to stop filling at the first clip of the petrol station filler pump, not carry on to round up to any particular figure or get more in. Depends which work or bit of work is to be completed, if you still have the message then that bit of work hasn't been completed (or started?). You could ask if there are any computer program updates are yet to be installed for your car, that might clear issues (and probably create others if like MS updates). If your (Mike's) consumption of electric in the car is too high they should be able to tell you where and why, are you running a mega sound system and video cameras on with equipment plugged in to make breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, dinner. 🙃

Thanks for reporting back. Battery state of charge is very important to these cars. Sod's Law, I often start with battery state of charge on many issues but not this time - battery was mentioned and by others but not state of charge and recharging this time, that's Sod's Law. The headlights may seem bright enough and the engine starts easily but the 12v battery state of charge may be too low for the computers and they often throw up all sorts of unexpected warnings and lights, issues - and unseen error codes. There are lots of threads and posts on here and other sites about this on all models. Get the battery corrected 'coded', there is lots of info for this on this site or just ask even before it is 'coded' check the state of charge on your battery and if necessary recharge it using a suitable battery charger maintainer following the instructions for doing so in the car's 'Owner's Manual' and for the charger maintainer, recharge the battery to full (or at least 80%) on the charger. The battery may have been weakened by the incorrect charging so do check its state of charge regularly for a while to check it can be charged well. Even a good battery is best to do very occasional when required preventative (not at or after it is low) recharging using a suitable battery charger maintainer following the instructions for doing so in the car's 'Owner's Manual' and for the charger maintainer, recharge the battery to full (or at least 80%) on the charger to have a long and reliable useful battery life. VWŠkoda 'Owner's Manual' site. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/apps/manuals/Models Do not underestimate the importance of the 12v battery (and charging) on modern cars and how much the computer systems are effected, the 12v battery has always been very important but much more so now (even on electric cars) because of the computer systems as well as the other electrics.