nta16

Just curious. Did you not also change the battery serial number from presumably factory setting (or scan tool data) of 1111111111 to 1111111112? Also the JCB (Johnson Controls batteries(?)) labelled as Moll batteries confuses me as I thought sometime before 2020 VW went over to Banner batteries - or does this relate to a different car than the 2020 1.6 Scala your name badge thingy shows?

Just as a follow up to oil temperature, normal range as in the 2015 Fabia Owner's Manual (and a increasingly rare event of remembering correctly). (If the oil isn't up to 50c three separate lines ( - - - ) are displayed not one long line.)

At the very start I was going to suggest a 123 dissy but I could not see any for Skodas on their site, perhaps you just use a generic one or one same as another car manufacturer on their list. I fitted a 123 to my 1973 MG Midget in June 2009 and it's still on the car now, and the car was, and still is, used regularly. It has remained at the same setting at base and turn in engine) despite a few session on the rolling road (for road use tuning) and external engine bits being slightly changed and the change in petrol since then. Despite the cap points getting immediately scarred they only need cleaning up at annual service with rotor tip. Forget the tune or programable 123 if you get the correct curve one on the correct (curve setting and turn on engine) settings you can fit and forget. If they still use the Bosch rotor arms with the 5 kohms resistor then the resistor can break down over time and you don't notice until later so once out of guarantee or warranty just remove the resistor and wire passed it. As you've learnt there is lots of crap, abysmal or not so good parts about so if you ever need to replace the rotor arm or dissy cap buy good know brands, some of the copies can be reasonable for cost but nowhere near as good and others poor, abysmal crap. Same for spark plugs and HT leads. NGK have counterfeits about apparently but the genuine ones are very good and already reasonably priced. Many keep things like spark plugs (and HT leads) on their cars for far too long because they look OK, seem to work OK and pass a multimeter test. If you have a Weber you probably appreciate better performance (mpg and mph) so prefer better than mediocre "it works".

Uhm, America and oil, they do things differently over there, 3k-miles and 5k-miles oil changes. Never really checked this but I'd have to be doing illegal speeds (lone driver, unloaded car on flat roads) to get to 102c and much over in my wife's 1.2 TSI let alone 110-127c. ETA: IIRC the Owner's Manual has 80-110c for normal range) I've never really driven the car a long distance on a motorway to see what oil temperature it might show and anyway I tend to do mainly 60mph on motorways now. Of course you have to be aware that things that work at extremes can be less beneficial in other uses and possibly not be as good or appropriate overall but just for figures, one non-US example - Millers Oil, competition fully synthetic 0w-30 (NT+) triple ester oil, suitable for 125c with peaks up to 150c (257f to 302f). - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/MOTORSPORT-CFS-0w30-NT-7962.pdf

Hopefully you won't need three bottles and if Sod's Law applies if you have three you'll only open one. When I went on the autobahn there was a lot of traffic down to at one point crawling. My wife's 1.2 TSI petrol Fabia shows around 96c normally (0w-30 oil IIRC) if heavy loads for car or engine IIRC 110c is fine but that's without a coolant leak. Have a look in your Owner's Manual for normal operating temperature and try and keep off the higher figures. - Free VWSkoda pdf version of Owner's Manual here. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models Obviously make sure your oil level is higher enough on the dipstick Just be sensible don't have the car working too much with the engine poorly reduce the harder work the engine has to do, your car is loaded up so make sure the tyres are all inflated correctly for this, don't run with every electrical extra on, make any roof rack stuff aerodynamic, don't drive above say 40 mph with the windows open, make sure the radiator(s) are unobstructed, if you can avoid heavy congested and stop-start traffic, steep up hill climbs, a clear Péage over country roads. You could look up stuff for high mpg, sensible hypermiling, not the stupid stuff. It's usually cooler driving in the rain. Keep plenty of fresh air in front of your car and radiator. If you wanted when you stop the car you could lift the bonnet to get rid of the residual heat quicker from turning off the engine. It's been a little while now since I've had a car where I've had a head gasket fail, or overheat or leak so the thoughts don't come as naturally to me as they would then, but then no thoughts do now anyway. 😄

Hopefully you don't need that much but If you can get it proportionately a 5 litre bottle will be a lot less expensive if you need to top up that much or want the reassurance of having plenty on board just in case. Normally I'd not worry about the engine getting warm or hot but in your case I'd use the oil temperature setting to keep an eye on things as the coolant gauge is biased to be rock steady on 90c so if you see the oil temperature has steeply risen and then the coolant needle has or is moving up off 90 you'll know you need to cool things down and possible check and top up. Reducing the load on the engine and even if required turning off things like air-con and putting the heater on full heat (great fun in hot weather). Depending on loads of factors, 50 mph in 5th gear (unless going up a good slope) should be effective at keeping things cool and still getting progress, might save a bit of mpg too to help pay for the coolant. 😄

I can assure you that you can get air locks and issues from not using pressure filling (but you can get round it). That won't be the cause of your leak. I'd ask them to sort the leak and completely drain and refill with the correct coolant fresh coolant. G12++, G13 or G12evo whichever is easiest to get, yes it's a ratio thing, more of one means less of the other. Same when the coolant (or engine, gear, axle oils) are drained and changed the more residue of existing fluid left in the less fresh fluid can get in so the fresh fluid effect is diluted by the residue. some people and methods get more residue out that others. So ask them to fully (as much as that is possible) the existing coolant (mix). I hope that all makes sense. 😄 Good luck.

ETA: I'm beat to it, but as reassurance see below, also if the coolant can be seen in the expansion bottle (or it's not too far below that) then just normal top ups will be fine. Personally I'd get a load of either VW G12++ or G13 or G12evo and not use the G11 unless I really had to to keep the existing coolant less mixed. G12++ is for vehicles 2005-2008 on the chart I have and G13 2008 on, but the latest stuff is G12evo (don't ya just luv the number systems VW have). I'm assuming the coolant you have is premixed ready to use rathe than concentrated (water needs adding). Best not to mix different brands and types of coolant just in case but see chart below, the number you would have used when the car is new could be printed on your plastic expansion bottle.

Yes that's what I'd imagine. I used the direct clean supply and/or earth off the battery terminals for testing items in my very old car but that had never heard of computers (thank gawd!). I've never taken any trim off my wife's Fabia, in theory it should be easy especially with a (or set) of plastic trim removal tools but I also didn't bother on a neighbour's 15 years old (newish to me) car as I didn't know the fixing points of the plastic panels and then reinstalling 15 year old plastic fixed lugs can have some jeopardy. You seem very capable I'm sure you could work it out but I'd imagine at £45 the auto-electrician has has quick method of repair and provided he's good at his job and not using some "wally fittings" at £45 I'd leave it to him.

A battery in a better state of charge and health will need less charging. As I put before best to get the new battery 'coded' at installation or soon after but fitting the new battery and immediately fully charging it as you have and then driving the car has the computer knowing the battery in the car is now better and it can respond to this. I'd not lose any sleep over it, some have reported that they've never bother with 'coding' and been driving the car that way for a number of years. Yes if you get the opportunity now or in the future to have the battery 'coded' get it done, and have a scan report and error codes deleted, but it can wait no panic or rush. Just remember to charge the new battery before it gets low if you want it to last longer than the previous battery.

Did you try turn the ignition on and off a few times or driving the car around the block, I'm not sure if this works but costs nothing to try, some things are a little sticky on the computers - but I'd have thought brake light warning would go off once sorted. Note the high level is on a separate fuse to side brake lights. £45 sounds very good. If he has a VW appropriate scan tool get him to give you a full error codes report and after that delete any error codes showing to keep things as clean as possible with the computers. Good luck, do report back, cheers.

The self sprung metal ones I used waterpump pliers on, it was the plastic tangs to part the air box that got me, because of the awkward shape of the box and because I'd given the top cover a wipe over previously on the outside, it slipped and I managed to get a couple of small scratches on the plastic, good job it's black. I bought a pistol grip long reach hose clamp pliers, same as in that vid, for another job on the car (but it wouldn't fit in the space but that's another PITA story) and the pliers did make removing the self-sprung clips easy to remove and replace on the air filter, still the job took me more than 7 mins despite those pliers and swearing. I too think the high octane fuels which also have a higher cleaning additive package are a good idea now and again, I think a tankful before, then another tankful during and after a service and/or MoT, so two in total is a good idea along with occasional use. Even my wife might put some in now and then and she watch the price at the pumps carefully. If you do the plugs make sure to get genuine NGK, apparently there are counterfeit ones about. I've never replaced the cabin pollen filter on the Fabia but I imagine it's like in other cars, an easy job make just a bit awkward somehow, I've done them on neighbours' cars and they sometimes go very easily and quickly and the next time on the same car, Sod's Law, something just doesn't got back easily first, and second time for. Incandescent DLR bulbs, my hands and wrists just don't suit replacing those and the silly plastic cover seem welded on despite being cleaned and sprayed the previous time (get three times life bulbs).

I can lend you four swear words you can repeatedly use, won't help with the work other than make you feel better whilst doing it. I've not seen one but I've not looked I'm sure there will be some. On other threads here Ootofhere put up some photos of home made diy coil pullers, bent (welding wire, cable-ties and other). AFAIK the coilplugs are tight to get out and back in, you want long (and magnetic if possible) correct size plug spanner and possibly some secret VW grease to help with future removal of at least one coilplug, one one the end I guess , you'll know if you struggle with it to remove it. I didn't do the plugs as by the time I'd added up buying the tools and the plugs it wasn't worth it for for a one-off job, my neighbour will all the tools had moved and my wife said she'd not have the car in another 4 years (she's ****ed-off with it too, obviously it was her choice of car I have no say in such matters but she's learnt her lesson). Years ago a mate bought year-old BMWs and Mercs, also bought a VW Bora, I went in it once, never has a car been so aptly named, he never kept the cars long enough to have much trouble with them, except years back the horrible G-Class thing, slid in snow and bumped square on to a lamppost at very slow speed on the way to me, he was a good car driver but obviously forgot the weight of the vehicle and it being on ordinary road tyres he was so worried about any damage to the front (plastic IIRC), next visit we went to the greasyspoon, first time I'd been in it, sitting front passenger I kept telling him there way a noise that side that wasn't right, he told me not to keep moaning about it, shortly after than the nearside front damper had to be replaced (under warranty). German engineering quality. 😁

Just for info, if you want to quote something the two ways I know of are, you can highlight the section you want as I have for with what Paws4thot has put, this brings up the 'Quote section' box which you click and it goes into your 'Reply' box or if you want to quote the whole post you can click the '+ Quote' and the whole post goes in your 'Reply' box. As below. HTH.-

I've seen on this site that you can set the level at which the start/stop becomes inoperative with VCDS (and possibly other scan tools and systems?).

Be an interesting experiment to see if after a new battery has been fitted and used for a while if the computer has cottoned on to it being a battery restored to full health so fully charging as to their program or if 'coding' now would have them doing more as they've been told a new battery has been fitted. I think if you have to put a new battery in without coding then perhaps immediately charging it up, as much or little as that takes, on the car (with an appropriate battery charger maintainer following the instructions in the car's Owner's Manual and for the charger) means the computer "learns" there and then or next drive(s) thus speeding up the computer's "learning" but I have no proof of being right or wrong without the use of a scan tool, which I no longer have.

Bad will actions - vandalism(?).

Hi, welcome. Quick thoughts. Did you check earth supply as well as power? If you can take off interior panels and get at wiring you could try a test supply and test earth to see if the third brake light works and it turns off the warning (you might have to give the computers the old "off 'n' on agen" to satisfy them with the ignition switch but I don't know. I've no idea of the wiring and connection points so also wonder if you'd be better repairing the break on original wire. Have you checked connectors for issues? I don't know if you could trace the break with an appropriate VW scan tool but with bidirectional you can certainly activate them. Certainly for earlier cars you don't have to have the third light working but have to tell the MoT tester that you have disconnected it and probably get rid of the light on the dash which I don't know if this can be done with an appropriate VW scan tool. You could ask or look on the 'Diagnostics & VCDS' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/23-diagnostics-amp-vcds/ Someone now will probably be along here to say something like the wire(s) break in the conduit tube thing between body and rear door or yes run a fresh supply or you need to look at another fuse number, or any or none of above, hopefully not too long before they get here.. Good luck, let us know how you get on in the end.

In the UK we were conned into 5yrs/50k-miles while elsewhere had 15yrs/180k-miles (or 15k-miles, I forget) and recommended annual checks - finally last year they stopped the con here and made it 15yrs/180k-miles (or 15k-miles, I forget), too late for us and others, £450 taken under false precentrices from us, not that it ****es me off (thieves) but that the motor trade all over. I put lighter green lines through that old list for it. There's more to the battery use than the start/stop system connected or not. Think yourself lucky you only have a 2019 car, a 2021 or 2023/4 car is another couple of levels of pain and annoyance up on 2019. I was driving a 2016 car today with auto wipers, the auto wouldn't wipe soon enough but then also odd time when not required, I'll see about programming the "feature/benefit" out next week if I can as it also annoys the owner who like me has always been capable of operating the wipers without this "assistance".

Ian, the following video appeared on the YouTube Home page, filter change, thought it'd give you the idea. I'm not sure if the chap fully seated the new filter in the box but I might be wrong about that, difficult to see, and he didn't bother wiping/cleaning inside the box or hoses. He does have the benefit of cable pliers suited to the annoying self-spring hose clips (a tool that is awkward to store unless you keep the original packaging) even then you see he has to fart about, bear in mind someone in Germany has been paid to make things more awkward than necessary and they'd done a good job at it. You can use adjustable water-pump type pliers or proper spring band type pliers too as you can get at the clips (unlike elsewhere on the car where you might be able to use the cable type if you're lucky.

As them to print off s "complete record" this should show you everything put on the computer record, which won't be a lot anyway but will show services and perhaps (admitted to) VW recalls.. You're probably be luck if it fills an A4 printed page. Dealer and VWSkoda services and maintenance really cover little more than the minimum, often just an engine oil & filter change, there's a lot more to car and more still on a 2020 model than engine oil. Like the MoT is just an annual check at one point in time when the car means the statutory minimum standards to one (hopefully trained) person's opinion it does not mean the car is as good as it could or should be, just better than nothing.

"What is an EFB battery? An enhanced flooded battery (EFB) can also be used in cars that feature Stop-Start technology. It is considered an entry level battery for use in cars with this technology. EFBs are wet-filled and similar to standard flooded batteries, however, there are differences that give these batteries enhanced cycling abilities and improved charge acceptance. This means the battery recovers more quickly, as its application needs to handle heavy-duty, cyclic, Start-Stop applications." - https://rac.com.au/car-motoring/info/car-batteries-explained "EFB batteries – for compact and mid-range cars with start-stop EFB batteries are a further development of conventional lead-acid batteries. The Polyvlies material on the surface of the positive plate guarantees that the EFB has a longer service life. EFB batteries have a low internal resistance and are characterized by twice the number of charging cycles* in comparison with conventional starter batteries, as well as a high load capacity. *Test standard EN 50342-1 and for EFB and AGM, additionally EN 50342-6 EFB batteries are suitable for the power supply of cars: with simple automatic start-stop systems without start-stop, but with demanding driving requirements (e.g. in urban traffic), without start-stop, but with extensive equipment." - https://batteryworld.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/efb-or-agm-which-battery-do-i-need

After brakes and tyres the battery was one of the first things I checked when getting a car new to me and very many of the cars I've had have been old or very old as I ran various "classic" (over-valued and over priced) cars as dailies for work, commuting, holidays in UK and Europe and for club events, mainly driving events. (47 years of driving) I checked the hire car my wife recently got particularly as it was a 2023 VW Seat 1.0, 3-cylinder, TSI (110 ps) sport (with start/stop) the engine oil as promised was at max but the coolant was just below 'min' on a warmish engine on a warmish day and as my wife was using the car on her usual very short journeys I checked the battery and fully charged it with an appropriate charger maintainer and despite a couple of 110 miles trips I later done a quick (3 or 4 hours on a 4-amp) to fully recharge it again in case it was going to stop with us longer than expected. I only learnt about all this VW battery stuff when I decided to change the battery on my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 to save me any hassle when I think the first thing went wrong with the car, unlike many (most) here I'm not a VW fan, never have been (Golf GTi Mk1 perhaps being the only exception) and generally not a fan of German marques, this German engineering quality is literally so last century. I also loathe working on my cars and certainly my wife's Fabia, not so much doing small simple jobs on my neighbours' cars. The Mk1 Fabia seem like they were good and earlier Mk2s but by Mk3 things were lower quality still it appears. I think they should have already been done by now, check your records. Below is an out of date service, maintenance schedule. Hopefully the pdfs will at least make somethings clearer. If you want to just disconnect the battery monitoring thing on the battery terminal, there's literally no law that says you have to have it or connected. I was quite surprised when our neighbour got a 71 plate Honda and it didn't have start/stop, I helped persuade him to go back to a Honda after BMW and VW Seat both of which gave him hassle and expense unlike the Hondas. Good luck.

Yeah that's about it. I prefer to use GT85 as it can be used on some much more, good as a penetrating/releasing fluid, longer lasting lubricant (than WD-40 Multi-Use) has PTFE instead of silicone (which some painters don't like) and smells nice too. Also have a look at the last section of this vid for help to stop the squeaking. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B6dSwFW98M HTH.

@Gonzini you've got things a bit upside down with charging, if the battery is at capacity for the computer program it doesn't need to take on more charge and if much electric stuff isn't being used the alternator has less to do Also I was suggesting how to speed up the battery being accepted if needed. Not you, but as always my troll has skim-read and imagined what I'd put rather than actually read what I put, I've given up on him long along but will help you, he's beyond help, for you see pdf below. You shouldn't need to use a battery charger maintainer on your car for a good while unless you do the stuff to deplete it as shown in the Owner's Manual or leave some supply running for a long time with the car parked up. Letting the battery get too low for the computer can cause all sorts of unexpected odd stuff warning lights and perhaps error codes all before you get the warning signs that the battery is low and before you get the actual warning message and light that the battery is low - but the engine will still start and the lights will seem bright enough, the old if you can get the engine started things will be fine is in the past. The problem will become more noticeable (or ignored or not known about) the newer the cars, 2019 is prime period now, if the battery hasn't already been replaced, More premature avoidable battery replacements. Some may be happy at paying £104, or £250 or £300-£400 every 4 or 5 years to avoid any extra maintenance no matter how simple and clean near hands-free that maintenance might be. Why should an EPC light be on just for a low battery you might think, perhaps it might be coincidence if it doesn't return. Despite what some insisted it has been proven numerous times that for some (many?) battery charger maintainers are required, and increasingly so or more regular battery replacement, as many commercial concerns would like it. Might not be any but a very good side benefit is that you could have a full scan report ,then 'code' the new battery just for the few seconds it takes, also any error codes could be deleted, you can get stuff just from disconnecting and reconnect the battery most stuff should reset with a very short drive after reconnecting the battery but you'll be able to se if any were left or more historic. Like most mechanical servicing, maintenance and some repairs just boil down to clean and lubricate not a bad idea to clean the electronics, the computers are very dumb and already prone to brain-farts best to give them as little as possibly to worry over, they already have enough, more so on later cars. I'd suggest if you're near enough you take up AGFalco offeror you can look for a nearer member offering the same. - On a tangent, you put you've only had the Dealership servicing (which is little more than annual engine oil and filter change and a Free look to see if they can find more chargeable work) at this age you may want the spark plugs checked/replaced (they work is divide by one less than it used to be) and certainly the engine oil filter, of course things like brake fluid change or check(s) at least, check brakes and tyres - all stuff for and on other threads. As promised pdf which I hope helps you, plenty of other and similar info available on the internet, some battery manufacturers and suppliers have (had) info freely available on their sites too. - SSP-504_Vehicle_Batteries.pdf And if you want to know more about the start/stop, which does affect the battery and alternator as you've found. - SSP-426-Start-stop-system-2009.pdf