nta16

Have a look at your Owner's Manual to see what other settings it might be. Are you sure it's from the car, you appear to have some cable is that going to some device that might not like you going over 70 mph (different speed reading to speedo) a SatNav, speed watcher, related to temperate perhaps(?). Is there any other system on the car that gives that bleeping. What model and year of Octavia Mk3 do you have?

Have a look in your Owner's Manual you might have a warning light for worn brakes. Obviously hearing and describing noises is different for different people but the old systems at least were I thought (but I've never experienced) a sort of definite screech. (ETA: by Gaz's post, perhaps they're more subtle now) Not saying in this case but brakes can sometimes get noisy through wear or change of pads and remain so for a while and/or suddenly the noise goes away or doesn't with bad or mismatched pads/disks or other reasons.

That could be the sound, or one of a contributing sounds. Might be the photos but the pads look quite a way off the discs for the rears, perhaps slider pins or the calipers, I don't know if or how the handbrake is to the rear brakes. Has the brake fluid ever been changed. This will be picked up on any visual inspection "free health check" tomorrow so you can leave diagnosis until then, tell them about the noise in case it's also something else as well as or instead of this.

@rcd I think whilst you never take any risks with brakes - brakes are the number one priority (brakes includes tyres) - the situation might not be as bad as some think - but then again it might be, very difficult to tell from a brief text description. Lots of detailed, well taken high definition photos and a video with audio for the noise might tell more, or might not. My wife's 2015 Fabia has a slight scraping of pads on discs that I sometimes hear when I'm not being annoyed by all the other strange noises from the engine bay as the computers seem to be doing as they please. When I changed the front pads and discs I hoped that'd be the end of it but no it returned. Perhaps it's the slide pins I didn't replace or something else (not backplates). Another thought is perhaps there's some sand/stone type grit caught somewhere and perhaps a sensible high pressure rinse might flush it out, care with the use of wet brakes of course. (ETA: Gaz beat me to it) Wheel bearings are usually more a constant rumble, hoarsey-roar type sound, sad to think an eight year old car would need them replacing but apparently they can do, like the dampers, springs, engine bits and brakes, so much for 'German engineering'. It may be that you'd want to change the discs as well as the pads, depends on their condition of course. (ETA: as you've noticed) Never put too much faith in an MoT pass (nice though they are to have) do bear in mind an MoT is just a statutory test for the car to meet a minimum standard, taken at one point in time to one trained person's point of view, it doesn't mean the car is as good as it could or should be and the car could potentially fail the same test the next day or even from driving away. I'm sure tomorrow's service with highlight any seen issues. 😄 Good luck.

I'll wait for someone like toot to come along but I thought these modern spec engines wanted the 0w20 oil, though I'm not sure about any car newer than 2015 (1974 really). I saw in USA 0W16 GSF(?) 6(?) requirements for some engines and IIRC(?) earlier engines running better on the thinner oils, better against oil dilution that some were suffering from, that's if IIRC (always suspect).

Again you can look up alternatives, going cheap is usually not a good idea but get good quality at lower prices usually is. I would go for the expensive long last plugs if changing them is a PITA (what isn't on a modern car), I like to go for NGK as a spark plug brand, again care is needed with their database and I'd check the threads search faculty for here (sometimes easier via external search engine) and as you have ask for advice from here (from others). I was going to change the plugs on my wife's Fabia this spring (and air filter) but when I investigated it I need to buy a coil puller tool, appropriate plug socket, a more accurate lower torque wrench (that went up £50 in price) and then even the four standard NGK plugs would all add up to more than the Dealership cost to do the work. Yes I've got the tools for next time or other work but I don't want to do any other work and I hope the car is gone by the time it needs plugs again. @numskulllast year I got four NGK plugs for my car for £10 and a few years before that I tried some £1 a piece NGK plugs, showed fine on the rollers, a mate never cleans the plugs on his but replaces them every year as part of the service, cars from the 60s and 70s were so much simpler. Oh the joys of 21st century "German engineering". 😄

Cross check the service fill capacity, which can depend on method and thoroughness, but if it's 5.7 litre then obviously you're going to need more than a 5 litre bottle. Better to initially underfill and then do top ups to correct level before using the car and check again after first use, usual engine oil and filter change checks. If you can remember to look for the oil well in advance of need you can sometimes get good prices on the oil as sellers clear stocks for various reasons. I've used all sorts of different sellers over the years (for Millers for last x-years) and as an example got the Millers gearbox oil for my wife's Fabia at half the usual price from Demon Tweaks, who are often very expensive with the items they stock, no explanation so whether it was a pricing / catalogue error I don't know but it wasn't old stock at all.

You should also cross reference any info you get with a couple of other reliable sources (so not me or general pub-internet). See what Opie Oils brings up from your car reg as the model (VIN, engine). - https://www.opieoils.co.uk/

See if putting in your exact model makes any difference. (ETA: is your engine a DKZA) In my experience most databases have errors and omissions and companies compile, combine and buy in databases with errors and omissions, the likes of eBay sellers just copy databases so the same e&o proliferate. Some (many?) can start with the car and part manufacturers - obviously I'd never suggest this with VW !! 🙃 Millers have on their "Which Oil? – Oil Checker" the following. - "Although every care is taken to ensure accuracy and completeness in compiling these data, no liability, other than that which may not be excluded by law, can be accepted for damage or loss caused by any errors or omissions in the information given." It'd help with earlier models if VW specified a multigrade weight as well as their spec number, they seem to change their minds about things for their engines and gearboxes with time and progress(?) (or to try to sort things perhaps).

I don't know if that's the correct oil or not for your model as there's not enough info about which actual model yours is but Millers are good oils and you can contact them and actually talk to their people on the phone for information. Or use their "Which Oil? – Oil Checker" (whilst confirming info). - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/which-oil/ Plus for those that might care about such things (or even object) it's a UK oil blender company, HQ at Brighouse, West Yorkshire and at Cumbernauld for Scotland. - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/

Great news and great write-up, well done. 👍 Just a note, for UK at least it's usually easier to go with the EN / SAE number, 680A on your previous EFB battery (780A on your new battery). I've also seen where some have put that factory AGM battery installs get additional insulation on engine bay installations, to the battery tray I think but don't know. I've not bothered about this with my wife's 90hp 1.2 but I might with have with a VRS type model. Some will say that's placebo but the battery state of charge can effect the computers and the computers control the car, you now realise how very important it is to the car not to have the car battery in a low or very low state of charge. Even though you have an AGM battery now it is still just a storage device so if you want the longest life out of it and least hassle from the computers and are going to have a similar car use as previously you'll want an appropriate battery charger and maintainer (which may or may not be your present trickle charge depending on its use) and use it when required in a preventative manner. I put a Bosch battery on my wife's car but apparently they're Vatra with a different label, which is good. 🙂

Or just charging but if the car doesn't allow start/stop more often because the battery is too low then the battery will be harder to rescue. I do see your point and don't blame you but it's not really a dodgy battery as such. As I put get a new battery and perhaps you might need to treat it more if you want it to last longer. Thinking of it perhaps like some bank accounts, gets depleted because is more taken out more often than is put in. Depends when the reading is taken, just as an example, after the car hadn't been used for (a lot more than) a couple of hours (gets rid of surface charging from use) I quickly unlocked my wife's car and had the bonnet up to take an immediate reading -12.4V, left the car unlocked and bonnet open to settle itself down for 35 minutes then took another reading, 12.6V this time. (A new fully charged settled battery could show 12.7V or 12.8V, then you have to allow for how accurate or not your multimeter is) At a settled 12.3V the battery wants charging, best I think to fully recharge using an appropriate battery charger and maintainer, lower the better for me, 2- amp charger better than 4, 4-amp charger better than 6, 6-amp better than 8. I'd never use a fast charger on a battery that's not at its best, quickest way to kill off a battery in a poor state I've found. Personally I'd (slow) fully charge the new battery before fitting it too* though this isn't or shouldn't really be needed. ETA: I've just thought, if you fit the new battery to the car and charge the new battery on the car with the negative connection of the charger to the body earth point the computer might(?) get the idea of the battery being in a different state of charge (charging) sooner than just fitting the battery and driving to sort things out. ETA 2: Do consult your 'Owner's Manual' about changing the battery, what needs resetting/synchronising (usually just time of day clock if you've not left stuff open) and do consult your 'Owner's Manual' about charging the car battery, lots of good info in the 'Owner's Manuals' and needs looking at even for what you'd think is very simple straight forward job - plenty of posts and threads on the site where people don't, and I sometimes forget to look first and then have to. Figures from my neighbour's Ring battery charger/tester. - 12.7v - 100% 12.5v - 90% 12.4v - 80% 12.3V - 70% 12.2v - 60% 12.1v - 50% 11.9v - 40% 11.8v - 30% 11.6v - 20% 11.3v - 10% VW Charge level No-load voltage 1.28 g/cm3 100% 12.7 V 1.21 g/cm3 60% 12.3 V 1.18 g/cm3 40% 12.1 V 1.10 g/cm3 0% 11.7 V

Just thought, when you did this, did you hold down the remote fob's boot button as just pressing that button gives silent unlocking and lights flash, the remote fob's boot button has to be held down to unlock and open boot lid, giving some noise.

Are you sure you need a new battery or does your existing battery just need a full recharge using an appropriate battery charger and maintainer now and in future before the car battery gets too low again. The battery may need a long or very long recharge preferably on a lower rate charger than higher rate (see your Owner's Manual for more detains) but the lower the slow to get to fully recharged, however if required you could do the full recharge in a perhaps couple of sessions (or more) if you run out of time at first attempt. Simply driving the car is not always enough to fully recharge the battery depending on the journey(ies) and battery use and the state of charge of the battery. Once fully recharged and kept from going too low in charge again you could get many more months or a year or two more perhaps out of your existing battery - depending on how much and how often you get and keep the battery charge too low. If you want to replace the battery anyway then not allowing the new battery to get too low in charge and if/when required using a battery charger and maintainer as a preventative rather than always restorative measure might well see your next battery last longer than 5 years. Do bear in mind your car's charging system also has to be in good order and that it's 5 years older at the start of the new battery's life than the previous battery but usually the charging systems are good for many years.

@Pessimal following on from the questions varoom asked you, if you get (got) a new EFB battery of the same Ah (near enough?) you could try as others have done and just fit it and use the car leaving the car's computer program to work it out, provided you haven't run the existing battery so low that the dash is lit up like bonfire night and there's loads of unseen error codes in that case you might have to drive the car on a journey or two for things to settle. Better and quicker to have things sorted would be to 'code' the new battery in and clear any/all error codes just to keep all the computers' programs happy quicker. If you just fit an new AGM in place of an EFB the computer program will running things for the wrong type of battery and probably shortening its expensive life more. As with SomethingSuperbly, and as I did, have look at VCDS owners and see if someone can help you with 'coding' or buy the AGM battery from somewhere that also 'codes' the battery (they won't clear any error codes, if there are any, though unless its a garage). Perhaps there might be someone near you that would do the 'coding', map of VCDS owners. - https://tinyurl.com/yn6mmtyk

Personally I'd not worry about any of that as it seems to me that was about VW statics and monitoring any warranty claims, probably so they could get money back off the battery supplier. As you can see from my previous post my wife's battery was just listed at the factory with supplier (JCB for Moll battery) and serial number of all the ones, the same as I've seen others report so it makes a nonsense of any codes really being required. Perhaps there might be someone near you that would do the 'coding' for less than £20, map of VCDS owners. - https://tinyurl.com/yn6mmtyk

If the only difference is braiding and the other original rear mid hose is still in good condition I can't think of any issues. Any real problems and you would get a warning light.

Mine was done on a OBDEleven, from EFB to AGM ("Fleece"), altered Ah and added one to lazy factory entry for serial number and although not important the make was changed, put in as BOSCH, and shows as 'BOS' on another scan tool. The coding was done a few days after the battery was fitted and the AGM battery fully charged with a battery charger before being fitted. That was all 20 months ago and all seems fine. The battery was recharged around Xmas as my wife uses the car on lots of very short journeys. Print out below from OBDEleven 'coding' the battery.

From the 05.11 Owner's Manual. -

Wot even those with British 4-60 air-con. 😄

We were stopping in Dingwall and it was 80+ IIRC in that area if not Dingwall itself, all so long ago I forget exact details (I'd probably forget even if it was last year too). We were stopping at a B&B and had a family room with IIRC 2 or 3 double beds and singles all to e two of us and very unusually booked in for a second night instead of moving on. At the time Dingwall was one of the few places around that served good real ale (at an hotel with loads of whiskeys too but that's another story, not that drink whiskey usually).

It's not WD-40 Multi-Use and it is a good thing it isn't as GT85 is better than WD-40 Multi-Use. As I put I remember using GT85 (before the American company bought it) and using WD-40 Multi-Use before that. I've no idea if WD-40 Company has changed GT85 in anyway since they took it over but it stills seems very good to me (and way better than WD-40 Multi-Use). Whether the WD-40 Specialist® Dry Lube with PTFE is as good or even the same stuff as GT85 I wouldn't know as I've never seen let alone tried it. I can remember loyal VW owners recommending (VW?) Gummi-Pflege for use on droptop rubbers as they had issues with their convertible at the time then I looked for more reasonably priced alternatives at the time to discover Gummi-Pflege wasn't a formula or product or product name but rather Gummi-Pflege was just German for rubber care. 😄 Glad you get good results with Liqui Moly, I know the name for their (black) oil and stuff but have never used their products (that I can remember but might have).

In the 2004 Owner's Manual it shows fuse location F17 as Instrument cluster (10 amp) in engine compartment and also in the dash panel fuse box number 6 for Instrument cluster (5 amp). I've no idea if either or neither of these are correct for what you want or if the Owner's Manual has either or neither correctly assigned (the Owner's Manual don't always seem to be correct with fuses). I would disconnect the battery and whilst it is off try spraying with an electrical contact cleaner or suitable lubricant if you dare (GT85 is my choice) turn the switch lever a good few times to hour and minutes to work things in/loose and leave to thoroughly dry before reconnecting the car battery (I'd also take the opportunity to fully recharge the battery but that's a different matter) . For the power steering issue I'd start the car, give it a few seconds at idle then fully turn (or drive) so that the steering wheel goes fully one way, without straining or holding at the extreme and then fully turn (or drive) the steering wheel the other side without straining or holding at the extreme, perhaps do that a couple or few times with the revs up a bit if not driving. But you know your car and power steering and if you say that'd confuse your car fair enough.

Good that you had a listen, shame it wasn't the result you'd hope for but it's cost you nothing really to do and the basics are needed at the start to efficiently progress through the diagnostics and repair. A break in a cable is just one possibility but as before plugging in an appropriate machine should help go some way with further diagnostics. Getting the boot open means physical tests can also be done. Up to you if you want to go the route of a Dealership, indie garage, an auto-electrician or a member with an appropriate machine. It may be a bad wire or connection (electrical/ computer) or a faulty part or parts. As I put I thought toot had put that it's £60 for the Dealership to plug the machine in but I don't know. Some places charge for diagnosis but discount or remove that cost if you have the work done by them. The local Dealership charged my wife £41.40 to code in the new remote key ( the fob itself was an arm & a leg but that's another matter and why the previous one stopped working, so much for German engineering quality, again). Unless you're able to remove trim and/or other bits and use your diagnostic eyes (and camera for photos) I've already put as much as (I think) I know and others would be better if you did put up photos anyway. Unless it's an easy to get at and see connection off or 'furred' up then it might get a bit more involved, but not necessarily, or that much involved, depends. Be interesting to know how you get on whatever path you take, good luck.

@markbsac don't you use the air-con in winter to further clear the windscreen, we have to in my wife's 2015 Mk3 if we want to drive the car in the same hour after the engine was started. I exaggerate but it's a good few minutes plus to clear the screen and that's after using dehumidifying bags, synthetic-chamois, angled sunvisors and the (very noisy) heater blower on full - ours is not a climatronic type though.