nta16

Wot!! ? !! No paper printed, so reliable, copy of the Owner's Manual!!! Well ain't that progress. Luckily, if you have a reliable device, and reliable connection, and the website isn't down you can download an electronic copy of the Owner's Manual, I always strongly suggest using a PC with wired connect by I realise this is as strange as like suggesting to use a landline phone to some. Here's the link that works on my hand-cranked PC, whether it works on one of these 'marvellous' latest mobile device like a "smart"? phone sorry I won't have a clue, forgive my cynicism but I've had to put up with computers and mobile phones since the 1970s and 80s and their overall reliability has gone full circle despite them being able to do a lot more, but only when they're working. Fabia Owner's, Manual Issue date: 14.6.202, Part number: 6VA012720AA - https://digital-manual.skoda-auto.com/w/en_GB/show/1d1c2693afde670eac144525194ab158_1_en_GB?ct=1d1c2693afde670eac144525194ab158_1_en_GB If that link doesn't work for you, go to - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models HTH, cheers, Nigel.

@johnh510 - I've just realised I might have misled you, the 12.4v was part of the manufacturer's label on the battery rather than one added by Tayna.

@johnh510 Yes I can see that and it makes sense to me. I always check and if required fully charge a new car battery, or any car battery, to green LED on with my old 4-stage charger so that I know for sure the battery is fully charged right from first fitting to give a known and confirmed start point. To be fair our new AGM battery only needed a quick top up, and I did top up the old battery before I took it over to our mate yesterday, IIRC by the time we got it in his shed he checked it on his cheap digital multimeter it was IIRC 12.86v. I can't remember what the drop was from charging 2-3 weeks to before recharging this time but it wasn't notable, whether the drop would have been notable with use on the car I don't know but too late now and the reassurance of the new battery is probably worth it alone.

To be fair there were imperial tools at that show, but not the ones I wanted of course, it was just that I noticed the majority were metric which seemed strange. Later years there seems to be many more types and sorts of imperial and metric tools available. I notice most stalls have the same names of cheaper imported tools, Bergen (?) for a few years, USA-pro(?) more recently. I thought I didn't have decent sockets and spanners until 10 years ago when I got a set of Halfords Advanced but then I discovered some of the spanners I'd previously given away were German made Geoge(?). I've bought cheap tools just to do one job or get at one awkward fitting to find I couldn't so have given them away (I don't have space, time or patience to keep stuff I won't or don't want to use). But this did remind me that cheap tools can be useful sometimes. I've got no Whitworth stuff so have to borrow or bodge round so I might buy some and then Sod's Law never need them. On a neighbour's 16 year old van we found a 'security' Torex headed screw but it wasn't T25 or T27 so I guess must be a factory only size(?) and we couldn't get a flat blade to turn it and couldn't try too hard as there are two in a bit of 16 year old plastic deteriorated from the engine bay environment so we worked around it. So many different types and sizes of fittings now that the average DIYer can't keep up with them all.

A few tears back I used a neighbour's very old Bacho adjustable which was a lovely bit of kit and I recognised the brand logo IIRC from an old saw I used to have and remembered it being very good so when I saw the brand on a tool store at the NEC Classic Motor Show I was disappointed to find they were no longer made in Sweden. I remember one year at the show I needed to look for a certain set of imperial spanners and I could not find them and most of the spanners were metric sets, at the classic car show! I knew someone who a good few years back worked for Snap-On in the UK and he said their quality had dropped back then and IIRC they'd bought Blue Spot and dropped the quality. Now I think Blue Spot are just low priced tools(?). What I'd want to find is NOS or good s/h Holts, often Draper 'Expert' badged and sold, small tough plastic tool box, full opening with tote deeper tote tray and handle that fits on the base and inside lid when open, instead of the shallow tote trays of more modern. They were just the right size for me but now feel overloaded for my feeble arms, shoulders and wrists.

It's a computer program! And if you're involving a computer/mobile device/wireless (radiowaves)/connections - well, the possibilities for failure are multiplied. When I used to ask my mate why the computer had done something strange often his reply was "Because it can." Well done on persisting and getting it to do what it's supposed to, there's work for you in certain Government contracts.

Yes of course that's the real test how it stands up in actual use, any figures from (most) machines only give you an indication. Our new AGM battery had on its label a symbol badge "min 12.4v (with a tick)" so I assume it means it's fine at 12.4v but I've not looked anything up, my digital multimeter I get the feeling is a little optimistic with its DC volt readings so I'd never know unless I borrowed a well cared for proper professional meter. I'm sure we'll see the 5 years 'guaranteed' use out of the battery though. I had three Estelle 2s in the mid-80s to start of 90s when The Sun newspaper(?) ran all the Skoda jokes, sure they were check cars but the rear engine certainly made them fun to drive and with some good tyres on them could go well on B roads. I liked the jokes but more than once I had someone whisper to me that they'd owned one and they weren't that bad - as if I needed telling. I know all about lower quality cars as I've owned a few British made cars. 70s would have been Estelle 1, in late 80s I drove one as a loan car from the dealership "the flagship of the fleet" an old high mileage 110, just over 1,000 cc, heavier steering but it flew along, garage part owner said they just couldn't kill it and it seemed to go better as it got older.

Sorry no idea, obviously double, treble check you're putting the right numbers in, get someone else to check just in case, always check at source (the "plate") rather than any copies, we all make mistakes but sometimes they're difficult for us to see and we can copy mistakes from others without realising it. Or contact the dealership or Skoda UK, it's new car after all.

That sounds very reasonable to me, there can be a slight gap and on many such compartments(?), drawers(?), glove boxes there are (used to be) sometimes little soft pads that allow a little give when pushed shut and give a bit of springy tension to hold the latch(?) firm and stop vibration and rattle. Well done, a cheap easy and effective cure, but to be fair to dealerships if they offered such most customers would like it, but they might accept it from an independent or advice from a friend or source such as this. Well done again.

@Sunny_Kay AGFalco has put my first thought - I'd disconnect the battery from the car and give it a long slow and low recharge - not a modern very quick fast and higher recharge, or if you have or can borrow a smart charger set it to 'recondition' (or some such term) but bear in mind this could take hours, or many hours even if disconnected from the car. On a battery that is very low this could be overnight or more (or on a totally flat battery up to 60 hours, 2.5 days). Having had 'fun' with the Fabia recently I found taking the battery off the car, over overnight plus, for a long slow and low recharging that when I put back in the car the only setting lost was the time of day clock (fault codes were reset by someone else days later, which included intermittent misfires on cylinder 3 & 4). Might be a good time also to check your key fob batteries and then synchronise them, which is very easy for you to do have look at your driver's instruction handbook 'OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS' - http://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Model/Fabia_NJ Once you are sorted have both fobs, with good quality batteries fitted, then alternate their use, say every 6 months swap which fob is in regular use, that way you know you will get more even wear out of the set of two fobs and will know that the spare fob works (and where to find it) and when the fob batteries are getting low. See the 'Key Fob Failure' thread on here for more details. Batteries and their condition and state of charge has always been important but even more so with modern vehicles with all their onboard computers that need constant regular reliable power. Always remember that no matter how complicated things are you always start with checking the basics first. One of the biggest causes of roadside breakdowns is the car battery, rarely is it actually caused by the battery being at fault but by other causes, look after the battery and the battery will look after you, it is also one of the most oversold car parts often replaced before required, but they do have a finite life use. Tyres, well, they wear out with use (and abuse) but remember they are the only four very small patches of rubber that keeps your car in contact with the road, the tyres affect the braking, steering, suspension, handling and ride comfort and noise so always get good quality tyres. Who ever fits your tyres should tell or give you something written to tell you to take it easy on your new tyres as they need the "grease" run off them for the first about 100 miles or 200 if wet weather - and to have the wheel nuts/studs checked for tightness (torque) after the first 30-50 miles. Sorry I seem to have gone on a bit. HTH, Nigel

@johnh510 Bad luck, sometimes it's a loss and not a win. Did you put the CTek on recondition mode, a neighbour's Ring charger/diagnostics has that but as he was given it after it'd been dropped I don't think it was always reliable. I lost out to a neighbour's battery last winter but he had really drained it and really it wasn't man enough for the job as the car's not often used and then only for short journeys. I blamed his Lidl charger/conditioner but I think really it was a lost cause despite might two old slogger chargers. I do however think that possibly the more modern chargers are a bit too cleaver and impatient, I think some of the modern ordinary won't entertain as low as 6v and refuse to try. I've no really idea of the specs on my two I just plug them in and let them get on with it but with the two batteries for another neighbour's diesel van one at least took almost the 60 hours to complete the task but that was a previously drained battery from at least two years before that had just sat in cold garages, the chargers got it back to full charge and holding the charge so much so he kept as a spare. This year's failure was the first, I know modern batteries seem to give a lot less warning of their demise and modern cars are on constant drain but the failure was an ordinary battery in a 1991 Merc diesel, but with lock down the battery was more suited to active use as it was lower of of the spec required in normal use. Pity the battery wasn't nearer to me I could have taken the challenge with my trusty old chargers, it's the type of work I like, plug in and walk away, only having to check to see when the work has been done without me. I've just checked the Fabia's old battery before I take it over to my mate tomorrow and it 12.77v on the digital multimeter from a few weeks of sitting in the shed on its lonesome. I used to have a (130) Rapid, a long time ago (1986) ...

@rum4mo not so much a weak spot as sore spot. I've cut & pasted your info for future reference thank you. NGK Partfinder has the same info for plug. - https://www.ngkpartfinder.co.uk/catalogues/cars/search/spark-plugs/SKODA/FABIA+3+(14-->)/2015/8635/ I just had a quick look and none of the info on the plug sockets makes sense on the Halfords site so I'd have to take my Bacho made in Spain adjustable spanner and see if it comes out at 15 or 17mm. Euro Car Parts doesn't show brothers anymore (not to say they're not involved though, who knows). - https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02680212/officers Plugs will probably not get looked for some time as I've yet to get around putting the coolant in that I bought about a month ago, three things need to coincide and they rarely do, getting the availability of the car, the right weather to do the job (outside) and me being bothered to do the work. Cheers.

Yeap, a bit zany but very helpful, spot on to my thinking too. Yeah a bit kooky, a bit old school (spelt in the "vintage" way) children's presenter way but he seems to me to be a genuine character and not putting it on too much for the vids and has a lot of experience and knowledge to pass on in a simple and friendly way so more power to his elbow (for those that might have a clue to what that means). And it must always be remembered that we all have to learn everything for a first time (unless you're old like me and have to relearn what you forgot repeatedly) plus to allow for those that think they already know it so dismiss it, and some have it wrong, but often can't be told, usually a male brain, I know as I've 60 years experience of such and had to defend someone trained and certificated from losing their job because they're too macho and/or arrogant to RtFM. I have to declare my own arrogance here, (I do have a 60 year old male brain) and say I've only skimmed a couple of vids as I thought I've read the 'Operators Manual' (Driver's Handbook to me) so knew all the simple stuff (forgetting I forget) so will now view them all fully to learn what I thought I already knew.

Some useful simple information videos for ordinary owners. The information will also be in the driver's instructions handbook that came with the car the Owner's Manual and available at (as at 4/7/2021). – https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models Not all viewers to this site will know as much about the cars or the models as many members do so some useful videos with simple information for ordinary owners. I've no connection with the video maker, just another viewer, I just see these videos and helpful and informative. - These videos give the info in a very clear and simple way - possibly not everyone will like the simple and humorous style of presentation but the useful info is still there. The channel isn't a money maker for the maker/presenter, just look at the number of views, so can be viewed as just what it is useful info* - and just possibly there might even be something some more experienced owners might have forgotten. *ETA: An immediate example at the start of the first video, I never knew the parcel shelf could be slid behind the rear seats like that, I'd always taken it out and put it in the shed where it gets in the way and forgotten about until my wife went to the boot or either of us the shed.* HTH some, cheers, Nigel.

Some useful simple information videos for ordinary owners. The information will also be in the driver's instructions handbook that came with the car the Owner's Manual and available at (as at 4/7/2021). - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models Not all viewers to this site will know as much about the cars or the models as many members do so some useful videos with simple information for ordinary owners. I've no connection with the video maker, just another viewer, I just see these videos and helpful and informative. - These videos give the info in a very clear and simple way - possibly not everyone will like the simple and humorous style of presentation but the useful info is still there. The channel isn't a big money maker for the maker/presenter, just look at the number of views, so can be viewed as just what it is useful info - and just possibly there might even be something some more experienced owners might have forgotten. HTH some, cheers, Nigel.

@rum4mo all very interesting stuff. Mouse pads and touchscreens don't like my fat oily fingers, computers already drive me mad, Microsh*t twice today have updated and removed my user settings despite me being the admin. But a "smart" (really !?) phone did give me a marvellous memorable moment when it played up when I needed it, so I skimmed it across an empty canteen floor and it slid all the way across and bounced off the skirting board on the other side of the room. My wife's friend's face was a picture, it was my wife's very ancient phone made out of stone and in a thick protective cover so came to no harm - but still the journey didn't improve it (almost no volume to ear). If you saw my ancient "burner" mobile you'd think I was a drug dealer, it just about never leaves the spare room desk and still has about £14 on it from a £20 pre-paid card my wife got for it's predecessor which failed I think through lack of use, the phones are often switched off for months. Yes, I'd be pleased to know the VAG part number or NGK number. Average classic vehicle owners on average generally tend to be tight-fisted and because they so rarely drive their vehicles, most seem to have more than one or a fleet that get used even less, so they insist on buying the cheapest ****-poor rubbish and crap parts they can, even if a better quality version of the same part is offered. I'm sorry Beru quality has dropped as I relied on getting NOS Beru, or Bosch, rotor arms and dissy cap as my fully electronic aftermarket 123-ignition scars the cap posts instantly. I've just got another 'Intermotor' cap which has been Standard Motor Parts (SMPE) for a good while and they still seem reasonable. Part of Lucas product lines is one of SMPE brands, Elta also owns Lucas name for other products. Lucas products in the green boxes have been of suspect quality for very many years, so much so that the packaging has change to red but not the same style as the old packaging. Some classic car parts are so poor they're not worth fitting, some last between minutes of use (or not) to months but not always more than that, they really are that bad. I've been plagued by rubbish rubber going back 15 years, currently popular to blame the 'f'an'ol rather than poor modern quality - or very ancient parts on near static vehicles. It's just about certain this low quality will find it's way into modern car parts, those that aren't already counterfeit, I'd be happy with counterfeit for classic car parts as they'd probably be of higher quality. Parts catalogues and how they're compiled are always great fun in trying to remember how different suppliers organise and categorises theirs. Of course as with every database (computer or not) there are errors and omissions and these get copied and repeated. Cross-reference lists get more errors as the variations of what basically is the same parts but with different numbers and applications to different marques and models as the variations of that part are no longer as even NOS. The exact same part, modern made can be a higher or lower price depending on which marque and model you order it as. Same I suppose if you order the same part for a (fantastic plastic) Bentley or Audi, VW or Skoda. See, see, wot you dun there, you got me going on spare parts quality.

There you go a perfect example of me "do as I say not as I do" I didn't even notice the air filter was on the 6 years / 60k-miles lists I've put up twice now, wow that's a long time. I was at my mate's this afternoon cleaning the MAF (already clean as a whistle) and throttle body (carbon powder only) and as his car is 26 years old (59k-miles), I was little surprised even though I know he looks after it and it is garaged then he tells me he 'annual' services it at 6 months and 2-year service every 12 months, so the air filter is changed every 6 months. He showed me the last air filter he took out and apart from a smudge of dirt off a gloved thumb it looked as new both sides. The air filter on my wife's car has been changed as it looks good, I thought last September but I'm wrong, it was September 2019 when the spark plugs were done. Considering our cars sit outside 365/6 and our neighbours very lazy building habits I'm surprised it's so clean, my open filters on the MG were covered in breeze block grit from him cutting them with a half-sharp blade.

Xman thanks. I shouldn't really have thrown in about the intermittent codes as they might not be anything IIRC they were just the P3 lots of noughts and 3 and 4 at the end, they could have been from me charging the old battery, disconnecting the old battery, refitting a new battery without coding, disconnecting the BEM/BMS, the wiper stalk having grease over all its contacts, the weather or me standing on one leg pointing north - I don't always trust everything a computer tells me. The car has always been serviced at the local Skoda dealership (through the change of owners) except the first service which was I believe only done on paper, well computer files, by the selling dealership and then it was only because I insisted on a paper print out, you'd have thought I'd asked for their first born child, it took long enough that the office staff could have been making the job appear on the computer, a "10k mile service" on 31/12/2016, uhm, yeah, maybe. I know not to assume, anything, and a mate had a GM/Vauxhall dealership garage not do a full service and charge for it on his wife's car, he'd marked the parts that were on the car before it went in so knew for sure. I've very little mechanical or technical aptitude but I'm used to 1960s and 1970s cars so I am used to checking the basics (when I remember) and preach to others to always start with the basics and recheck what you've already double-checked (a touch of the 'do as I say not as I do'). One of the reasons I wanted to open the air filter box was to check the filter had been changed, it had, to be fair my wife always says the car feels better after the dealership services (and when I changed the transmission oil earlier this year). So unless I need to I won't bother about the plugs (I don't know what plug socket is required, thinwalled?). I rarely drive the car so I'll wait for the boss to say if she notices anything odd with it, the few times I have it I can sometimes get the chance to give it an 'Italian tune-up', after fully warming the engine of course, that at least gives me some idea of how the engine is running. The boss always says the car feels better after I've driven it, she's got so used to 5th gear at 35mph in her previous cars. Cheers, Nigel.

Whilst looking on the parts pages I did have a look and saw that, before I saw your post of course. If I remember next I have the box out I'll put some water in it to see if it's some sort of dump valve(?) or just a bit of plastic with a small hole. Provided the drawings are correct and parts in correct order of assembly they are also useful to see what's where before starting a job and goes where when you've forgotten to take notes, drawings, photos and can't remember on reassembly. On the 'classic' (overpriced old cars) MGs the parts drawings from the parts suppliers and even some in the original factory Workshop Manuals can have errors which catch out those that don't know (like me).

Doh! the wonky brain and eyes strike again. Even with your link I couldn't follow the path back one step until I zoomed in the page size, I need a 36" monitor I've only got a 19" widescreen. Many apologies to you and thanks for your patience, I'm usually alright with these sorts of things but sometimes I just can't see for looking, I'm sure it won't be much longer before I need a carer. I can now get the seal from the dealership, if I carry on, I'm going to do my mate's this afternoon he'll take the unit out and reinstall so he can be careful about any seal or grommet. I once had a two in 20,000 and 20 years of production faulty seal but that's another story ... With cars generally if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all, except for the proper Japanese Japanese cars and then it's only dealing with the English dealerships.

Thanks rum4mo, The drop pipe I can't get my head around unless the valve? at the bottom is thermal operated, one or two different plastics expanding at different rate(s) but there's only a very small hole at the bottom, perhaps air goes out instead of in or a moisture/condensation drip valve - all totally beyond me. IIRC we had a Ford Cortina (2000E) where the air inlet pipe to the car pivoted horizontal for normal use and vertical toward the hot exhaust for cold weather use. Yes the air filter box is in three ball pegs, that going into I guess rubber cups or open grommets , difficult to see black parts fitted to other blacks, I saw on a video the order the hoses have to be disconnected so that the box can be lifted off the pegs, that air filter must be very precious! I'd have to look at the coils so if something can be made up or my neighbour might have the correct or similar tool - but unless anything happens again I ain't not touching nuffink. I was really annoyed about the cambelt as I had a feeling it was at around that time - and according to Skoda Servicing and Maintenance National Price Serving info I got after the cambelt is in the 5 years or 50K miles column. I've never found the Skoda UK website that good for servicing info always very confusing and different to when I previously looked. national-price-servicing-min.63862747c3e6286ede19bc446a023030.pdf

Thanks. I had a look on my PC and can't see anything related.

Now you tell me. Just joking, see my last post.

Hi thanks for replies, to answer you both. I've not removed any pipes on that yet, yes often best to replaces seals but I can assure you 200% not always when buying some of the rubbish rubber and ****-poor parts we get in this country, I expect the VAG seal to be OK (but you can never be sure even buying from the part manufacturer). It does throw up the problem of finding the correct part number, I'm so used to be able to look up parts on 40 -60 year old vehicle usually with ease but I wouldn't know where to find a parts book for this car. I've found that information for this car is so much more difficult to find than I'm used to - but I'm grateful to those on this site and YouTube. If I had access to the ETKA? parts list? I'd be happy, are they still on microfiche? AG Falco, the maybe intermittent misfire is really a different issue perhaps but I don't know how much all these computers gang up to take advantage of an innocent like myself, they may not have as many brain-farts as me but they do have them and gawd knows why and what they're going to come out with. Mileage is 39k, sparkplugs were charged for so hopefully changed at 28k, September 2019 (4 years old). I don't believe that just because you can keep stuff say 40k (or more) that you always should or that the part although still working won't be well passed its optimum or best or even good. (what's the betting now I've put that the plug weren't changed, no I'm sure they were, hopefully they're not like a certain GM/Vauxhall, hopefully of the past. ETA: Also as this car does so many very short journeys it needs more attention and part than mileage or perhaps time interval, I'd be using better quality engine oil that offers greater margins of protection. I recently changed the transmission oil, but that's another 'story', and my wife said she could notice the difference and she wouldn't say that just to keep me happy. Some believe that oil is in the ground millions of years and that's how long it can stay in the transmission. Although the name of the service seems to vary I've never seen any reference to Q 16 or Q 14 the car goes in every 12 months and gets whatever service is required so far they've been called Inspection with oil change, 30k Service, Major and minor. Twice I've remined the dealership(s) the brake 'service' was also due and required and the last time despite reminding them of this and checking if anything else was required so that we could budget for the expense it wasn't until my wife went to pick the car up they said the cambelt was due! I'm beginning to think this throttle valve cleaning might be too much effort for too little reward, I had to look at a video to see how to get into the air filter, I was glad to see it looks like it was changed last September, and no one mentioned the inverted snorkel on it what's that about with a valve? that seems to go neither way and the bayonet pins were different sizes which I didn't notice until I tried to refit it, two screws underneath, why all the security, how much do these filters cost!

Hi, the fuel was also to give an indication of my wife just drives the car, la-lars to the radio and that's it and pays no attention to what I've previously told her. We also have a neighbour that's been doing up the building opposite and leaving the building debris outside so we get a lot grit and **** blowing across the road from his working there and self fly-tipping for the last two or three years, or is it a decade. I couldn't believe the amount of grit on my open carbs filters from him cutting badgers ar*e breeze blocks. I realise the intermittent misfire codes could be something or nothing and lots of causes or red-herrings and that the idle might just be as they are, I don't drive it enough to know. I've not looked at the plugs, I couldn't even get the air filter box cover off none of the plastic clips on the car work well with my fingers and brain and I don't want to break any bits of plastic to find the assembled is not pvc (plastic very cheap). I could just leave the valve in place to clean it but to get to it is bits off and it's only another fiddly plastic clip and four screws more to remove it, if I'm cleaning it I will want to move the flap to properly clean it. For leaving it to idle to work out what's upset it and its brothers should that be for 2 or 3 minutes or a lot more?