Adox

Thanks, varoom. I'll look for a VIN decoder online.

I have a 2009 Mk2 1.4 TDi estate. Is there any way of finding out if this has a dual-mass flywheel (without taking the engine apart!)? Thanks

I had to undo the tape binding the loom because the break was exactly on the edge of the tape. After soldering in a repair wire, I taped it all up again. Quite tricky because there isn't much room to work, there's little or no spare length on the loom and the wiring has that horrible hard insulation. Had to use a Stanley knife to remove the insulation instead of wire strippers. Good luck. It's worth the effort just to have everything working properly

Thanks for the reply and for the link to the previous forum thread. Very helpful and lots of options

No electric windows in the back and a note in the service history that a garage had charged to 'Disable rear door lock'. It seems that they unplugged it for some reason.

Well I got the rear door stripped and found that the lock had been intentionally disabled - by unplugging it. I plugged it back in and tried it, expecting a fuse to blow or something, but it seems fine. So now I have full remote central locking, for the time being at least. Also got the boot linings off and replaced the clips for the cover, so now that works as it should. If only I could get rid of the occasional rattle on idle, the car would be perfect.

Break in the weather and I managed to solder in a length of wire in situ, so didn't have to strip the door trim or take the door off. Will do for now. Best bit is that it has fixed the front door problem. Now all (except the 'disabled' rear door) lock and unlock with the fob. Again, thanks for your help PS. Can you think of any reason the previous owner's garage disabled the rear door lock? Shorting and blowing fuses?

I have a 2009 diesel estate. After about 20 minutes driving, I get a pain in my lower back and hip. Only seems to happen when driving this car. Seat looks OK, but perhaps has collapsed inside (previous owner was quite large). Are there any straight swap options for this seat? Thanks

Yes, I did force the orange clip back. Seemed to be lots of locking and locking as I did so, presumably the connector making a breaking contact as I wobbled it. No other obvious breaks. The purple/yellow wire has broken right next to the cloth tape binding the loom so soldering in a repair in situ would be nearly impossible. Is the best plan to take off the door card and take the whole loom out to repair it? Need the car in a minute, so have put everything back for now, but will take photos when I get back to it. Thanks for all your help. I feel I'm on track now. Then there is the 'disabled' rear door lock.... Oh, and the rear shelf locking clips ... Oh, and the clutch thrust bearing/input shaft bearing that rattles sometimes on idle ....

Yes, my mistake, it's pin 2

Managed to get the boot a bit further back and found a broken wire, but it is purple with a yellow stripe and appears to go to pin 3 of the connector

I've got the boot off at the A pillar end and no obvious breaks in the wiring, although not exactly easy to get at the tangle of wires. What's the trick to release the boot at the door end? How do I release the plug at the A pillar end? It looks as if the orange clip should click down from vertical , but seems stiff and don't want to break it

OK. So with a slight pause in the rain, I tried opening and closing the window with the key in the door lock. Worked like a dream. So what does that point the problem towards? (Too wet to expose the wiring yet)

I'll check the wiring loom (when its stopped raining). I presume its behind the massive flexible trunking near the hinges

Thanks for such a quick response, Breezy Pete. Yes, the car does have electric windows. I'll try what you recommend once the rain stops (its chucking it down). I'd be interested to know your thinking behind this manoeuvre. Shorting, cracked wire loom? Thanks again Sorry, I replied before reading your second message.

The locking on my Mk2 estate is very peculiar. I should say that the rear offside door doesn't lock or unlock at all as, according to the service history, it was 'disabled' for some reason. I have to use the emergency system outlined in the handbook. That aside, the locking situation is as follows: Locking with the key When I use the key in the driver's door to lock the car, the central locking works - all doors lock and the red alarm LED flashes. When I unlock with the key, only the driver's door unlocks. Everything else stays locked and the alarm is still active. Going by the scratches around the lock, this was the preferred method of the previous owner. Locking remotely When I lock remotely with the key fob, all doors lock except the driver's door. Two beeps on the fob unlocks the doors that the remote locked. If I have locked the car with the key, two beeps unlocks everything except the driver's door. As a result, I have to use the key to lock, and then two beeps AND the key to unlock without the alarm going off Does this imply that there is some sort of wireless receiver fault in the driver's door lock? If so, do I need to replace the whole lock/actuator, or is the wireless receiver available as a separate unit? I would be grateful for any help. Thank you

Thanks, mrgf.. As it happens, the car is on its second clutch already - replaced after 5 years use, which seems very short run. Perhaps the clutch was 'ridden' a lot previously. I think I'll continue with the car as it is, and just monitor the situation. I'm rarely in traffic, so noise when idling isn't a major problem. And thanks for the tip about oil changes. Do people stick to the service interval in the Skoda service book of 15,000 km (9,000 miles) or use shorter intervals? Any idea on the age aspect of changing the cambelt? Doesn't seem to menton it in the service book. I see from the service history of my new car that although the cambelt wouldn't need changing on mileage for some time yet (another 70,000 miles), it was done 4 years ago. I wonder what the time limit is on them. Thanks again for your help

If I could work out how to edit my post I would remove the bit about setting a faster idle. I'm from the era when you could do things like that with just a screwdriver, but realise now that is no longer possible.

I've recently bought a 2009 Fabia with the 1.4 diesel (engine code BNV). Occasionally, I get a horrible noise from, I imagine, the gearbox or clutch when idling. It is characterised by: Only happens occasionally When it does happen, it disappears when the clutch is released but doesn't come back when clutch is engaged again, or disappears when revs reach 1,200, and doesn't come back when they drop again Doesn't seem to happen when driving I've been through the forums and the conclusion seems to be the problem derives from a worn input shaft bearing. I've seen in my Fabia's service history that this was mentioned during a service report 4 years ago at 82k miles. Current mileage is 109k, so its been like this for at least 27k miles. On a VW forum I found a post of a VW Technical Report discussing 'Rollover noise': "Neutral gear rollover noise describes the condition whereby a rattling noise from the constant mesh gearing in the transmission is heard while the engine idles with the clutch engaged (pedal released)". It goes on to say the rollover noise is inherent to the design and is not detrimental. Considering all this together, and assuming my car doesn't have a dual mass flywheel, I'm inclined to live with it as is, or possibly set a faster idle, but would be grateful to be advised by those with more experience whether this is sensible or not. Thank you

Great, Cocain. Thanks for such clear advice. I've discovered an invoice in the documents that includes "OSR door lock mechanism disabled". Dated February this year. I'll give the garage a ring and see why. Have to say that the Fabia is growing on me the more I use it. Be great when the door lock is sorted out, too. I've decided I can live with the occasional horrible sound from the clutch (I think) when idling. It's not always there and goes away if I put the clutch out then in again. I can see from the service history that this noise was noted over 4 years ago, so I assume can't be too bad.

Thanks, chimaera. I'll give it a try

I've just bought my first Skoda, a 2009 1.4 diesel Mk2 Fabia (so pre-facelift?). Bit of a change form my Volvo that preceded it, but seems like an interesting little car. And surprisingly lively for such a small engine, if a little rattley at tick-over. It took a while to master the one or two button operation of the remote locking, but whatever combination I use, I can't get the offside rear door to lock, even when using the key in the driver's door. The person I bought the car from didn't mention this! When the rest of the car locks, there is no click from the solenoid in the offending lock. I assume this means either the solenoid isn't working, or no current is getting to it. It seems a replacement lock isn't too expensive, but is there a simple way of checking whether the signal is getting through? I've had a look in as much of the door wiring loom that I can access by pulling the trunking out of the door and pillar, but as far as I can see, none of the scarily thin wires are damaged. For now, I'm using the emergency locking system from the owners handbook. One more thing. Any tips on removing the door card without damaging it? Thanks in advance John