nta16

Well done on finding this, it shows you know your car well by your concern with idle speeds. Is this some sort of manually operated diverter, by hand or cable?

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Yeah engine keeps going but even at idle it uses some fuel and if the engine is off the start system would have to kick in and I don't think even VW would have the engine off for downhills, or perhaps they might. 😉 The method you give is reasonable for the idea of mpg but not that accurate, first click of pump could vary how much is in the tank from previous fill for a few reasons and you'd have to be returning to the same pump, I'm not sure how accurate the trip/odometers are on theses cars good enough I'd guess but I've never checked. Out of habit and just to see if my wife will ever remember the sequence we divide to 4.546 (and it's 0 next anyway). My wife is the queen of spreadsheets (her brother is literally an expert in them, MS Excel at least and probably others) but she doesn't keep any on cars, she does how ever have records on 'food type' shopping going back decades IIRC on spread sheets going back to something like 1993. I think it started when I said it wasn't worth the effort of saving shopping coupons many decades back and I said if she kept a list of the savings from them to the end of the year she ought to have half that value to treat herself to something, I created a monster and was proved very wrong. The older ones don't need a website as they're used to using manual rotary calculators and keeping records from the days of black & white tellies. 😄

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Thank you for your reply, whatever the exact figures your mpg is impressive but I think some figures do need to be a little less absolute in some respects, if the engine is going at 1400 revs it must be using some fuel otherwise surely it'd stall and I'm not sure how much you can rely on the car's computer for accurately, especially a VW, for consumption readings, if you said it used next to no fuel, but ZERO? And the 58 figure is impressive would be impressive at 50 but have done mpg figures on old 1960s and 70s cars I don't see how you can have such accuracy when filling new cars, accuracy on distance could be good but figures for mpg would still be approximate - unless you worked it out to about 60mpg and decided to call it 58 for margin of variances. I've no idea what my wife gets on a good run as she never uses the display other than MPH and I forget tank fill mpg despite having to remind her every time how litres to a (UK) gallon why she could stop at the one decimal place that she can remember but she keeps going for three and misremembering, like I do for just about anything else.

That is fine, that is your oil belief. The box I have goes back to the 1960s I doubt, but don't know, if the Felica box goes back that far or further.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. I understand the fiddling and farting about VW computer programs try to achieve to save an nth degree of mpg which is laughable given how heavy they make the cars but they do rather specialise in making output figures look good. The bit I can never get around is the 80% and 20% harvested* from engine overrun, I know all about engine braking I've been driving 1960s and 70s cars for the last 30 years, and 1960s cars in the late 70s, until I inflated the Fabia tyres to the Eco setting I wasn't conscious of much engine overrun as you have to overcome the too-wide wheels and tyres on all these modern fuel saving cars so you foot is on the accelerator most times if it's not on the brake. Does one of the computer programs take the throttle setting metering the fuel and have that as overrun? Some vRS drivers are going to be upset to find they've been coasting so much. 😄 Car manufactures have been known to make mistakes (many never admitted) so do we know with real life use how accurate the VW programs are and whether this is the best system if the start/stop button is never pressed? * Harvested, that sounds like a word a defence lawyer would use to describe the action of his mugger client. 😄

Yes and that's the problem, not making things clear is what many companies and corporations do for many reasons and the problem is unless someone has changed the battery say 8-10+ years ago without bothering to have it configured it's difficult to know for sure - but then the same battery might have lasted 10+ years and more if it had been configured. Unless a whistle-blower comes out and says you don't need to configure the battery - but then can you believe them, this is life, full of uncertainties. For your oil grades, as Wino pointed out to me VW state specifications rather than grades and I always point out the SAE engine oil weights are a range rather than only at one point. The tyre pressure is what the manufacturer recommends for factory standard vehicle on factory standard tyres to cover the wide range of customers use, in the location, it's usually a best overall figure and best kept to with factory standard but again the definitions are very loose, usually you check when the tyres are 'cold' but at no mentioned ambient temperature range and as we well know in the UK a 10c difference from one day to the next is not unknown. Do you have an Eco tyre pressure setting mentioned on the Yeti or in its Driver's Handbook?

comfort features - may not - work immediately and unrestricted - without registration.

Great info there Wino, do you have another reliable source as a cross-reference confirmation of that information you could post up please. I know what you mean by self-learning and can't think of a better term myself but these computers don't really self-learn they're dumb machine's other than we allow ourselves to be dictated to by their programming, instead of the car being our work tool or servant we're it's servant many times

I keep forgetting the clutch pedal as in my car you do not push the clutch pedal when starting the car and in factory form if you do it hinders the starting. That leads me on to one of my other obsessions of what oil's in the gearbox 😄 - but I'm more wondering about damp, condensation or wet somewhere but it might be in Joob's 'world' that it's also very cold there too . (Apparent 0.5c, 31f, here at the moment which might be warm to Joob).

Personally I would still resynchronise them as if there is a problem with the system, or battery getting too low, you may not realise it straight away and tend to press the remote key fobs buttons more and/or harder wearing the battery and keyfob more, don't wait for the mummy warning messages, prevention is better than cure and often less expensive - but if it continues to work fine fair enough. Also might be worth checking your car battery's state of charge, especially this time of year, as the over-complicated VW computer programming can throw wobblies when the computers feel low. Are you sure it didn't need resynchronising. 😄 If you are sure they're not knock-offs then contact Duracell.

In effect yes, the cold and/or damp could effect any or all parts of the starting system but the starter seems OK at other times and the car bump starts so easily that would point to the starter system. or there is something else about these cold starts. Are you pushing the accelerator? Have you checked for fuel and spark at these times when it will not start? Did you look for sparks in the dark? Tried spray WD-40 around the electrics when it will not start? Tried taking the starter motor off and thoroughly cleaning it again, if the car was stored for a while the starter might be full of dust or debris, or it might be getting damp, a good soaking and allowed to fully dry with something like GT85 would help to clean and drive out water, better still a strip down and clean of the starter as you might also find any weak connection. Other than when cold the car starts so well that I keep feeling that the problem is something simple (and possibly obvious once found). Did I ask what engine oil you are using and how old is it it (I think I did but forget now)?

Must be either as put modern components and/or your hearing as my old tellies don't do this at all, I've just checked - but - the very old 8" telly in the kitchen that was designed for use as a screen in a car so has a power adapter plug does buzz a lot with the sound off but it is very old .

John, this is the type of error or typo I usually make, good to know I'm not alone. I've given up worrying too much if I make a mistake now as I've seen so many errors and misinformation the t'net, any information needs to be checked and cross referenced. I never knew the numbers of the battery was the physical size but those button batteries have other names too. I guess (no more than that) that 3.2mm thick battery can probably hold more juice than a 2.5mm so last longer but I'd not try to fit a 3.2mm into a 2.5mm holder - and just to avoid the bother to uncover the key hole in the drivers door, you lazy devil. 🤣 You made a mistake, stop digging, 🤣 pay £6 for a year as 'FREEDOM Lite' and you can go back and edit your posts and do corrections and leave the reasoning if you want. If it's not a spelling or grammar mistake I tend to just cross through the bit that's wrong rather than just delete it.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. We switch off the start/stop at the button after the engine has started too but if we forget no worry we can do it mid-journey I think there are times when the engine should be off (to stop further fumes). I've yet to investigate this 80% or 100% charging seems strange to me but who knows what (else) VW are up to with their over-complicated computer programming and what overrides or false switching info are in the computer programs, bit like perhaps Merc drivers thinking they've fully turned off traction controls. Just heard a report on the radio about breakdowns on EVs being mostly tyres and the 12v battery system (my words - often misuse, abuse, neglect, ignorance). 😄

And formula / blend / composition / make-up or whatever the correct term or terminology is. This is not a recent thing it goes back years, oils are developed for car companies hence the various car manufacturers specifications I suspect more recently to sort design and build flaws or mistakes or discoveries in real world use by the purchases. Going back decades manufactures have been changing their minds as to which and what sort of oils are recommended or "must" go into various models of vehicles they made. I could give you an example of a Ford oil (Ford do not make oils) and its specification that Ford enthusiasts and specialist gearbox rebuilders insist must be used but the specification over the decades has been amalgamated in with other old Ford oil specifications meaning all those oils are now considered interchangeable. This from the Technical data Sheet for the Motul Gear 300 75w-90 (GL-5) that I previously linked to - "Suitable for any type of seal and yellow material used in gearboxes design." - https://azupim01.motul.com/media/motulData/DO/base/GEAR_300_75W-90_en_FR_motul_34200_20211021.pdf Also Millers replied to my emails twice to say the Millers CRX 75w90 NT(+) would not damage 'the yellow metals' in my Ford gearbox, I say twice because some of the posters on another (classic car) site just could not or would not believe this which is why I often put about oil beliefs.

Cornish_Lad, after you have fully recharged the battery if you know anyone or a friendly garage that has a battery charger or battery checker that a battery capacity tester it will tell you as Austin put so well if its a teeny motorbike size inside. See attached PDF for more details (it's for my neighbour's Ring machine, but I'm not sure it's exactly the best machine on the market but to be fair it was given to him because it'd been dropped or something). RSC612_RESC612_Instructions.pdf

As car batteries are one of the most oversold parts I think it's always worth trying a good long low slow recharge as I've revived quite a few batteries for neighbours, rescued in some cases. 😄 It will depend on how the car and battery have been used as to how long the battery reasonably lasts perhaps it might be 5 years in this case but it might be years more if revived (or reconditioned) and the driver/user is more aware of it's importance and drain.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. I wasn't specifically thinking of that sort of spillage but as Ryan has put them there old batteries, perhaps in the back of my mind I was, IIRC some old batteries for the "classic" (over-priced and over-valued old - how many times you read that) cars still have 6 screw top or am I in a flashback. The spillages I was thinking of were all sorts I've seen on batteries, must have been lunches and teas for some, gunk going the width of the battery. I've changed the wording or I might delete it later, see who else moans about it. Being serious I do have trouble with words and spelling particularly to a screen, I often miss out words without noticing or alter a sentence and then make it difficult for others to read because I don't see it, so just shout out. 1992 IIRC I had a car with two 6v batteries, I think the tops unscrewed but not sure as I can't ever remember having to do anything with them. I've got a feeling the battery before the one I have now was 'sealed' but all that was needed was to peel the plastic label back to lift or unscrew the lids. Or perhaps even it was one with lift off lids anyway. I don't think those unsealed batteries go back that far, but I have been known to loose a decade. ETA: I remember now sorting a neighbour's (Halfords battery) about 5-6 years ago and I'm sure I could unscrew the sunken level caps if I wanted to add water. You have to bear in mind on my car even though it's a 1970s car I have things like if I wanted to turn the heater on I have to lift the bonnet and turn the tap, not much, it's either off or full heat, previous model I had didn't have a boot light or interior light, I'm used to the older stuff on cars. Hey! You've missed a word out, long slow low recharge!! Pay attention. I did wonder if there should be commas but I think not. I copied and pasted most of above from a Thread I put up in General Maintenance but it's lost there and the 'battery issues' have started (do they ever stop) and we're on the first cold snap that weakens (like c/h systems) and too late at second cold snap when they break and it's no-goes and breakdown call outs and batteries not on shelves (and waits for c/h call-outs, repairs and parts). Just trying to get in prevention before it's too late and it's the misery and hassle of cure, soon get cold without the engine running.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. It doesn't really matter when you read this as the battery and its condition and state of charge is always important especially with modern cars with all the electrical items and systems on them, the car may start and lights seem bright enough but the battery may still be too low for the car's computers and this may cause them to throw wobblies of all sorts - just check out some of the threads here if you find this hard to believe. But at time of writing the days are getting shorter and darker and colder so you will need the car battery to be in good condition and connection and in a good state of charge to get you through without what can be a lot of hassle and inconvenience if you let the battery get too low, or fail altogether. Letting the battery get too low can cause all sorts of problems and some of them unexpected, many people will think that because the car starts and the lights seem bright enough that the battery must be fine and well charged but this might not be the case. Now is a good time to check your battery - that both battery terminal post clamps are tightly secure (and battery securely clamped to the car), that there are no spillages of any sort or mess on the top of the battery and that the battery has a good level of charge in it. You may want to consider a suitable battery charger, not a very fast or booster charger though, to keep your battery well charged and not be caught out with low charge problems and/or your use of the car's electrical items especially when the engine , so alternator, aren't running . This may also perhaps save you being caught out and being one of the very many that need to call out the breakdown services because the battery is flat, the AA number one most common cause of breakdowns - Flat or faulty battery. The AA won't say this but I will, very rarely is it a faulty battery, a few might be charging system faults but the vast majority will be user error, ignorance or neglect. Remember prevention is better than cure - and not have the computer hassles or become an AA statistic. 😉

True, if you have the time to do a full long low slow recharge otherwise it' might be a series of recharges on the car rather than in one go off the car, if there's the time.

Does your mate's C-Tek have a winter charging setting, if so that for below 5c - and does it also have a setting for AGM battery as that will also be at a higher setting so a bit faster.

Might be very slow via a 12v socket. Best to check your Driver's Handbook (Owner's Manual) and see what needs setting up again after disconnecting the battery (it was only the date clock on my wife's Fabia Mk3) and then disconnect the battery from the car (to stop it draining the battery) and recharge it somewhere above about 5c as batteries don't like it too cold or too hot. I'd also resynchronise all of the remote keyfobs if I disconnected the car battery. Otherwise connect charger as pointed out above and charge on car for as long as possible at a low setting and repeat this as many times as required if you can not leave the charging long enough each time.

Even so check the battery anyway, now is the time to do so, see the AA list of their number one cause of breakdown call outs and all the threads that will start appearing with problems and error codes and battery problems. See here for an example, and tell other VW/Skoda owners - and don't become an AA statistic. 😄 -

The problem is the VW/Skoda over-complicated car computer programs are not as clever as thought or intended and throw up all sorts of wobbles because of this. It is difficult for some to accept that if the car battery is in a low state of charge it will still start the car and the lights seem bright enough but the computer will not be happy and can throw wobbles. Also with the fashion for instant fixes a quick fast high recharge of the battery (still connected to the car so still also discharging) often will only be sufficient in the short term. For a deeper long lasting recharge it needs a long low slow recharge (as gumdrop did) preferably disconnected from the car. Now is the time with the shorter colder wetter days that these problems will appear commonly.

Just to be clear - I've no idea what scan tool your local garage uses and if or not it would pick up what error codes were there, if there are any. VW so Skoda have such complex and over-complicated systems and programs (as I always put, I wonder why, meaning Dieselgate) that they have their own system requiring the correct scan tool or program. Sorry, long explanation - these computers, or the car, can play up within the programs' parameters so that it will not show an error code, but being computer programs there could be glitches were a code might show for momentary cause of no cause at all. If you have ever experienced and ad to dealt with a Microsoft update you will get what I mean. The Dealership should have the correct tool to see error codes that are recorded and not permanently wiped by a capable machine. Just having error codes does not mean necessarily that is the direct problem (though it might), it requires someone to interpret and test that information and follow the diagnostic path. Sorry to be so longwinded but it's like trying to explain that if you let the car battery get too low even if the car starts and the lights seem bright the battery could still be too low for the car's computers and they could start to play up and throw up error codes until the car battery is sufficiently recharged. Your car battery wasn't low on charge at those instances was it!(?).