nta16

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. As my wife's car was here this morning I thought I'd do a test. Locked the car left it 10 to 15 minutes then stood next to the passenger door, unlocked and opened the door, pull the bonnet release, lifted and secured the bonnet, put the multimeter probes on the top of the battery posts (battery obviously fully connected up to car) - all done within seconds well before any whirls or clicks which I think are minutes later usually. Reading was 12.40V, left the bonnet up and went off to do chores, came back about 30-35 minutes later took another reading, 12.68V, so call it 0.3V difference for a round figure (on this occasion and conditions). No user consumables are connected or left on just the malicious VW computers festering away I expect, SE spec 2015 Fabia.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. John, up to you of course, depending on what breakdown service you have you might have to be careful what you say as some don't like the client/customer messing with the car as it's their job to mess with it. I'd not think some charging the battery would be messing with the car but I'm not working at one of those places perhaps under pressure with too many call and not enough staff. Get the battery full charged if you can, but not over charged, do your tests then try starting it up and see how it is and what if and warning lights and messages remain, go for a short drive if any remain and see if anything is left to ring the breakdown service about. Any hidden error codes from the battery being low can be cleared sometime later as that issue is over. Bear in mind any reading off the battery just after charging will show higher than a reading taken after the battery has been sitting for say 12 or 24 hours later. Charging the battery is only really minutes of easy work but (many) hours of patience.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Martin, see varooom's guides here for info, the first paragraphs explain it and if you're interested there are links to more information. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/508877-vcdsodis-how-to-adapt-a-new-battery/

cado, 500, 700, 1,000 or a time are just a figures really, conditions of use and environment play into when might be best for the oil change, most people wouldn't bother, engineers will say it's a waste of time and any oil to spec will do (what spec when and how it was arrived at is a different matter). Personally I don't but into the idea of a long life oil, a better oil will protect better for longer by its extended protection and retaining its protection over wider ranges, more consistently. I'd change the oil at least once a year or 12k-miles. I can't see any point in not changing the filter every time the oil is changed as you hope the filter is holding some crud so you want that out of the car for the new filter to collect the next lot. And I prefer to use better quality oil filters, what they are for VW I've not really established yet as I've managed to avoid the hassle of doing an engine oil change on the Fabia (though I have done the "waste of time" gearbox oil change). Just to make things clear I l - o - a -t - h - e doing any work on cars we own, dirty messy horrible thankless unrewarding pain in the back, neck and head way of passing time, but I'm not so anti doing small jobs on other peoples' cars . Americans might consider 6-7k-miles a long oil change interval, but things are cheaper over there and they love oil. I am thinking that I might do (a) 6 month engine oil and filter change on the Fabia as it's used so frequently for very, very short journeys but the plastic underheld means it needs driving on to breeze blocks for me to get my head under there to get the shield off, and I need to lug the breeze blocks there and back and be arsed to do the job that if my back's not playing me up from the "£$%^&* stupid idea of using wheel bolts instead of wheel studs, the !£"$!%^&. IIRC on my wife's Fabia 1.2 TSI the oil filter is middleish at front (near cooling rad) and looks easy enough to get but I've yet to discover how true that might be. Do bear in mind the engine is not of importance compared to the brakes, steering, suspension (all three include the tyres), safety electrics (lights, wipers, blower, horn, car battery) and windows.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. I'd have put a small bet on it being your battery before but now I'd put a bit more on it being your car battery and I'd stress the fully recharge it with an appropriate battery charger (and maintainer) a 4-amp better than a 6-amp and a 2-amp better than a 4-amp. The lower the charger the long it'll take so the rare commodities of time and patience are required to fully recharge the battery. If you can't fully recharge the battery in one go then do it in two goes. Hopefully you will see once the battery is fully recharged and you have driven the car a short distance that you don't need to worry about driving the car. Given your low mileage use, despite what others might tell you, with the use of an appropriate charger (and maintainer) when required you might still have been on the original factory battery, if not then there might be problems to have prevented this. I'd have another small bet your breakdown people weren't the RAC as they'd have possibly sold you a new battery if you needed one or not, if it was the RAC or your breakdown person knew it wasn't the battery I'd be surprised but I am often wrong. I'd have also put a small bet on your battery not being the factory original without being Mystic Meg. When you had this battery installed was it a like-for-like replacement, possibly EFB, 59Ah or different, was it 'coded' by Halfords. You may not be aware that a battery may show 12.7V -12.9V when new so as has been put 12.0V is low, best normally to keep the battery above 12.3V depending on when, what, how the readings are done. I'll put what I always put - just because the car starts and the lights seem bright enough it does not mean that the car battery isn't too low in charge for the computers and their programs will throw up all sorts of unexpected issues even before any warning lights or messages. As you have found by the time you get the warnings it's often too late - and prevention is better than cure. I'm a lot more convinced than you and hope it is the battery as it's an easy resolve but even if it's not having a battery in a good state of charge will be helpful for diagnosis and problem resolution whereas a battery in a low state of charge can hinder or even prevent full diagnosis and problem resolution. If the battery state of charge is the fault then fully charging it once won't be the full resolve, two batteries in 6 years suggest further actions are required to prevent the situation reoccurring, keeping an eye on the battery state of charge and fully recharging when required, possibly looking at consumption on the battery or battery replacement again (I'd put that off with using a charger/maintainer or lots more use of the car and charger when required). For the KESSY keys my guess is that VW, VWSkoda aren't being 100% transparent about possible issues and would probably like to trot out the "nobody else has had problems" as much as possible. Where is the second key kept? (you shouldn't have a spare but rotate use of a second key) Do let us know how you get on, unlike some I'd not mind if you put I'm wrong and it wasn't the battery but I'd be surprised if you didn't find some improvement on something on the car from increasing 12.0V on the battery to somewhere much nearer full charge. Good luck.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Check the voltage of the car battery after being parked up for a couple of hours, if low it could be the cause and you're best to fully recharge the battery using an appropriate battery charger (and maintainer) Talking of batteries, my wife's non-KESSY (thank gawd) fob takes 2025 (20mm wide by 2.5mm deep) the 2032 is 3.2mm deep. Good idea to use a scanner but often it tells you what wrong that you already know and not the cause, good to have a readout though if you want to post it but check the battery voltage anyway as the start/stop is a warning that your battery might have been low for a while unless it's had recent heavy use.

@KenONeillwhat do you make of the videos?

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Scanners are a bit of a minefield especially if bought off somewhere like Amazon where they might be intended more for the USA market and there are so many at different price points. I'm not against generic scanners but some work better than others and specific systems should be better for the specific use. Buying an all in one machine means you are obviously paying for the hardware as well as the computer programs. Best to ensure you update info before every use. I don't know how good this one is at (forget the technical term) getting the readings from the sensor(s) to the screen and gaps left, then two lots of info to screen and how in sync. My old eyes and mind was swivelling at trying to tie up graphics and numbers on the split screen, I can only cope with both on one graph (merge graph perhaps on that scanner?). I didn't see any battery voltage read out. To me, but just about anyone else would know better than me, the display of S2 (as after cat) looks wrong, either sensor, the reading, machine's programing (doubtful here I'd have thought) or cat (or computers starved of car battery power 😁) - but check with others as I'm very often wrong. Reading your OP again I see you put "Bank 1 sensor 1 gives slow response" yet you changed the rear(?) sensor. I've no idea how it is with the C1 but sometimes although you can buy a range of sensors as replacement some are bettered suited to to particular use than others, new cheap Chinese stuff can sometime be worse than worn original parts. I'm not sure how this might relate to the tyre and esc lights but I'd check the car battery voltage as if it's too low for the computers they can almost get more confused than I usually am. Bit strange that the scanner doesn't show anything for the tyre and esc lights, have you looked at the wheel sensor yet, might just need a clean or check of connections and wiring. Don't get too hooked up playing with the scanner and forget basics like visual checks and manual simple repairs (often boiling down to clean (and lube)). Good luck.

Well done. I was going to suggest taking lots of photos and then zooming in on them, or using a cheap endoscope on your phone to get in better to where the fixings might be. On MGBs the heater box is clearly visible in the engine bay and held in by 5 or six screws one being under the circular sweep of the fan housing part and in decades I never found anyone who knew how to get that screw fitted properly yet the factory managed and so did many restorers. Now the matrix is out you can clean it internally, it looks clean externally in the photo, and flush, back-flush and flush again with a garden hose. The way you look after your car it's probably quite clean internally any way, I've seen some that perhaps just used water at some time(s) and they never fully stop giving out some debris. We'd do a small vacuum test before reinstalling even though it was rare to get leaks on them. Good luck.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. If you have not already sorted this by now . . . What manual are you working to, is it for that particular installation, can you put up the manual instructions (pdf?) for others to see if you might have missed something. I usually find it's a fixing I've missed or forgot about - I was once struggling to get a brake drum off tapping it harder and then I noticed I'd only removed one of the two plainly visible screws, a job I had done a good few times before so knew there were two screws, so how could I miss it but I did.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Uhmm, how good is this scanner, is it also Citroen based. To me, not knowing a C1 or much else really, the three lights more suggest possible wheel sensor or a dodgy wheel bearing than an oxygen sensor though of course you could have more than one issue at once. Be careful with even correct error codes as often they're not the answer but just a pointer in the diagnostics. Have you access to a more Citroen and/or higher level scanner to see what that comes up with. Have you checked to see if the car has any updates due or recalls or stuff like that. IIRC, unless I dreamed it or on Fantasy Island again Toyotas could throw up traction and engine if there was a fault at a brake light cluster and perhaps might have heard of similar with a VWSkoda (though surely not, I must be confused again). If it was a VW or VWSkoda I'd also check the car battery voltage a couple of hours after the car had been parked up to make sure the battery charge wasn't low. - now Ken's beat me to it. 😄 ETA: me being me if the battery was low I'd first try fully recharging the battery with an appropriate battery charger (and maintainer) and not a quick/fast charge, and see how the battery takes and holds that, possibly stand more chance as it's not a VAG car of the battery being able to be retained longer. I've got a feeling battery chargers will get more popular over the next decade.

I'll be in trouble for thread drift next, better than snow drift though. I can't take too much heat and decades back I was in Scotland hoping to avoid too much heat, Dingwall way at that time IIRC and it was 80+°C, too hot for me and negating the reason for the mileage and petrol a bit but still had a great time as it was a one-off extra hot day. I live about 3 miles from Pitsford (school) weather station, and at one time we had another weather less than half-mile away, but we seem to often be a degree warm here but I've no real equipment to back this up let alone to certified standards. My shed is single brick and concrete floor it feels colder in winter but the wooden shed is like a sauna in summer.

Well the 0°C might be a typo or other error or just being cautious. Some electronics seem to dislike the cold more than others. My 20+ year old Carcoon (Accumate) was stored in the shed and one time when we had minus double digits (which is rare here) it had to warm up before it would operate, mind the shed always seems colder inside than it is outside. One of the reason I got my new "smart" charger was because it had it worked down to minus 20°C, and up to plus 40°C, we had +40.2°C here last summer, but I see others go to plus 50°C.

Must be the oil, couldn't be the German engineering quality oil specification or the engines. 🙃

Sorry I forgot that, thanks for putting me right, I was thinking more of my classics (I see I did put / sensible so wasn't totally off with the fairies but you make a good point to subject).

😄 Oh yeah, I've missed a bit, forgot it once and repeated the mistake since, that's why I have to use hyperlinks, videos and photos so often. I don't mind you taking the **** out of my mistake but I'd sooner you didn't start or join in on a plie on against me, please, pretty please. You have made your point, thank you, and I've accepted it.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. No problem, glad it worked. A lesson there, read the manual and refer to it when needed - but I'm not even an expert in that as I've found stuff in the manual I've either not read, missed, mi-read, misunderstood or often forgot. Another tip is to change the fob battery before it gets too low, and more importantly to not let your car battery get too low, even if the car starts and the lights seem bright enough the car battery can still be too low for the car's computers and their programs will throw up all sorts of issues even before you get any warning lights or messages. And just driving and using the car often isn't enough to fully recharge the car battery and could even be further discharging the battery. Many owners are now discovering or rediscovering the benefit of preventative use of an appropriate battery charger (and maintainer) and this I expect to apply even more to the newer models, Even in the latest digital versions of the Owner's Manual there's information on the battery and charging it. Good luck.

cado, sorry I've not posted to help with your main subject but I really can't help you with your dilemma as I've rarely found garages that can be trusted and have had ****-poor work from respected and recommended garages on (much) more than one occasion. Yes but I was following on from someone else. 😄 - - - 😄 And the tangent lead to you getting the VW oil spec number, this from a 2015 Yeti Owner's Manual. - And then we got on to oil beliefs which I will chip in on, as I have for decades on oil beliefs. A good oil is a good oil, be it, mineral, (marketing) 'semi-synthetic' (marketing) 'synthetic' or synthetic. Assuming the VW engineers have specified the (correct) oil for many reasons you can stick with that as there's so much variety of choice with its availability. Unless you're very lucky the workshop will do a not so thorough quick cold drain and refill, but the thoroughness of the oil change is important as interval / regularity. I like your idea of the first workshop oil change as a running flush but I'd do it sooner, depending on use and mileage, perhaps do the oil & filter change at 3 months later, so in warmer weather for convenience, 6 months at the latest, or after 500 or 1,000 miles. When I do oil changes (engine, gearbox, rear axle) I get the oil as hot as possible, leave to drain for as long as possible / sensible, at the very end of the drain tip a small amount of fresh warmed (solar gain often) oil in the filler hole and let in drain out fully as a sort of mini-flush. I'd change the oil every 12-months even if I'd not done 6 or 7K-miles, short journeys, especially where the oil doesn't fully warm, get the oil more contaminated. Just because I like to support the country when I can I would buy the oil from an English blender and as I've had good service and products from them I get Millers Oils. I'd go with 5w30 for short journeys. But they do a 5w40 if you want. Both cover toot's VW502 00 and your VW 502 00/ 505 00 and ACEA C3 (in one oil!, well two, not looked at the others). Millers EE Performance Engine Oil C3 5w30. - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/products/ee-performance-c3-5w30/ Millers EE Performance Engine Oil C3 5w40 - https://www.millersoils.co.uk/products/ee-performance-engine-oil-c3-5w40/ They also do a choice of ten other engine oils suitable for use too.

@toot thanks, as you know I very often quote and post images from various Skoda Owner's Manuals, I was thinking of something different but don't want to get into a debate or upset any VW or VWSkoda loyal and faithful.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. The AA0725 4A Intelligent Car Battery Charger is obviously from before the time they added "and Maintainer" though it does this. A very good idea to have this given your car use. Suitable more for garage than outdoor use perhaps as it's "Operating ambient temperature" is "0°C ~ 40°C". Perhaps it's just me and I am truly not an expert, but depending on the car's use and on it's parked up conditions, personally once a month or two I'd not connect the charger for up to a week or two and let the battery drop to about 12.4V so that the battery gets some cycling discharge / charging. AA0725 4A Intelligent Car Battery Charger Manual pdf. - aa_4a.pdf

And the car's 'Driver's Handbook' told you so much more. 🙂 (and no VW excluding info on oils and coolant). From my last car, but that was from when cars were so much simpler, one page for the relevant wiring diagram, the whole book wouldn't be big enough now. 😄

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Good call. Do bear in mind the trickle charger will take a long time to fully recharge the battery, especially if the battery is still connected, and if the weather is cold. Depending on how low the battery is it could take a good overnight or 24+ hours. If you have start/stop car and leave the battery connected to the car remember to connect the negative of the charger to the engine earth point so that the computer knows the battery is being charged and will respond to this quicker. If you have a battery with the 'magic eye' remember you need to tap on the battery before looking at what it reads, before and after charging. If you disconnect the battery before doing so make sure the electric windows are fully closed. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. ETA: A battery in a low state of charge can cause all sorts of unexpected issues even before warning lights or messages are given. It might be other things but I'd start with checking the car battery voltage and that the battery posts clamps are both secure and clean and the earth body connection is clean and secure. I'd even disconnect the battery and with it disconnected [ carefully bridge/join the positive and negative battery leads post clamps together to complete a circuit ] turn the ignition on and press and hold the brake pedal down for about a count of ten to get the brakes lights on if the battery wasn't disconnected, as a "turnin' it off 'n' on agen" sort of reset, switch ignition off and remove key before reconnecting battery. Also consult Owner's Manual before to check what might need resetting after battery disconnection. With the car battery disconnected I'd take the opportunity to fully recharge the battery. It's very easy to check and/or fully recharge the car battery, even if the battery being low isn't the cause having the battery in a good state of charge is very useful when you have electrical or starting issues and a battery in low state of charge can hinder or even prevent diagnosis or resolution of electrical (including computers) and starting issues. A battery in a low state of charge can cause all sorts of unexpected issues even before warning lights or messages are given. It's your car and your issue you decide how you want to go on. It'd please some if you could report that you fully recharged the battery with an appropriate charger (and maintainer) and it didn't sort this issue (and possibly prevent further issues). A recharge with with a 4-amp charger would be better than 6-amp and 2-amp better than 4-amp but any might take a good while depending on how low your battery is, hours, overnight, a day or more but time and patience will be rewarded with a better recharge. Failing all that plug in a higher level scan tool search for error codes and do a air-con reset - be a waste of time if the car battery is low of course. 😁

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Rule 1, of course, RtFM. 😄 I almost put a link to the Owner's Manual but decided not to that time. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Conal, have a read your Owner's Manual for 'Disconnect/reconnect and change' of the car battery, if you keep the windows up before disconnecting the existing battery you'll only need to reset the time of day clock. As has been put, personally I'd fully charge the new battery with an appropriate battery charger before fitting to the car. If you have access to a suitable scanner then 'coding' the new battery and clearing any error codes the existing battery has caused means you start with a clean slate sooner but if not the like-for-like new battery swap and a little bit of driving will sort things anyway. Check any info instructions that come in the Tayna packaging.