SouthernComfort

Before anything else, check the 12v battery condition. Even a slight drop in voltage can cause a variety of intermittent electrical gremlins in these cars.

They do, but I've worked out it's more speed related than proximity alone. Back up to an obstacle too quickly and the 'emergency' stop will happen.

The birds either like (or dislike) Skoda's just the same as any other brand. The rest of it is just tech that you'll get used to. The speed at which you approach a potential collision obstacle, whether forward or in reverse, determines the collision warning and braking trigger - it's a fine tolerance.

When you get a fresh battery, also get hold of a smart charger to keep it trickle charged if your driving is infrequent or mostly short distances. Depleted 12v batteries are not uncommon in these cars, they soak up a LOT of electricity and the alternator needs help if the car is to be left standing around. It's not unique to Skoda either, or hybrids. Many modern makes including ICE models are in the same boat.

Being a bit whimsical today, but on the anniversary of my Mk4 turning 3, I thought I'd comment on how pleasurable and faultless this car has been since the day I collected it 3 years ago. It has genuinely given me nothing to complain about at all. No faults, knocks, rattles, creaks, no performance or system issues. In fact the only minor thing I can think of was the mirror USB socket slipping back into the casing when connecting a dashcam, which I fixed easily. Overall, this car is a calm and relaxed place to be, very comfortable on long journeys and I just enjoy getting behind the wheel. The turbo TSI is smooth and responsive, pulls from the mid range to overtake as quickly as any of my dinosaur V8's from the old days. The 8 speed Aisin auto is perfectly mated, and I have to say much smoother than the DSG in my previous Golf. Given that forums like this are usually used to report or seek help with faults and other issues, maybe I've been lucky, but based on my own experience I feel the Mk4 deserves a positive review. My car gets looked after meticulously, and it seems to be doing the same for me. Looking forward to the next 3 yrs and beyond, I have no intention of swapping it despite being badgered by the dealer every 5 mins to trade in and update!

I don't like like the look of many dashcams, some being downright ugly and obtrusive. A coupIe of years ago I bought the Garmin Mini 2, very tiny and virtually unnoticeable yet with great resolution. Plugs straight into the C mirror socket with a short lead. The only niggle is the USB mini socket on the unit, but the newer Garmin Mini 3 has been upgraded to a C port - better.

I don't know if it's consistent across all regions, but mine is an EFB+, not AGM. I use a CTEK CT5 stop/start charger, but it has auto detection of battery type and is suitable for all lead acid type batteries including Wet, Gel, and optimized for EFB & AGM. Maybe the setting isn't too critical? Is there no indication of type on the battery itself?

The Mk4 needs the battery to be in peak condition, it doesn't take much of a drop to cause random codes. Obviously, ignoring codes is a potentially dangerous practice, so you're always obligated to check them out and determine whether genuine or phantom. About 12 months ago I started the habit of connecting my smart charger when the car isn't in use for more than a few days, since then I've never had a code appear.

On two other forums I'm active in (non-Skoda), new sections are created only for complete new models, not FL changes. One of them covers my particular model that ran for for 9 years with at least three iterations in that time, all in one section. People learn to understand which they're driving and rarely post without clarifying model year etc. If a separate section for 4.5 did exist, those who don't know what model they have will still possibly post in the wrong section.

Well found! I hadn't thought of that setting being the likely cause 🙄

Speaking from my own experience and FWIW, I think it's unfair to generalize the MK4's reliability issues. I would argue 4.5 being a 'very different' animal, or the 4.0 being 'dreadful'. My '22 build (MY23) 4.0 has been a great car, no infotainment glitches, in fact nothing other than an occasional bulb failure warning which is entirely due to a slight drop in 12v battery voltage, not a blown bulb. If anything, either the batteries or the alternators could have been a bit beefier for these cars and I see no evidence of that being different with the 4.5. Notwithstanding the teething problems some owners experienced with the 2020/21 builds, I rate this car as one of the smoothest and nicest driving cars I've owned.

So are mine. @Missyoctober I think your lights may be faulty?

Same as @Stonekeeper above, it happens to me very occasionally. I don't worry about it since I won't place the key in the car and risk jumping out without it (self-locking risk, etc). I always keep it in my right pocket. Batteries are replaced regularly, plus I rotate the 3 keys every 4 months.

I decided to make a habit of disabling start/stop a while back for the same reason. I alternate between 3 cars, which means the Skoda isn't used every week. I have 2 smart chargers permanently set up in the garage and always connect the cars not in use to keep the batteries up to spec.

I've had it with new and aged batteries. It depends on what decent daily driving means, if you're doing good freeway km's for example, I'd expect better battery performance.

They are heavy on the battery, a lot of systems pulling on it continuously. It's not exclusively a Skoda thing as I've had the issue on a previous late model car full of electronics. There are periods when my car isn't used for a couple of weeks or more, or is doing only short runs, so I keep the battery trickle charged with a CTEK smart charger. I did this with my previous car and never had a problem. This battery charge issue can also be a source of those little electrical gremlins e.g. false bulb failure warning, random wiper action etc. The systems need a fully charged battery to function properly.

FWIW, some time ago the VC randomly activated in my car on two or three occasions. I discovered it was due to me unwittingly stroking the VC button on the wheel as I turned it. Not a bug. Since being aware of it, it's never happened again.

Still very happy with mine. Smooth, plenty powerful with great fuel economy (not an EV fan), stylish, well finished and equipped, also roomy (for a smallish/med wagon). All modern cars/brands laden with electronics have the odd hiccup, it's not unique to Škoda. Maybe I'm lucky, but mine has been totally reliable and everything works so nothing has ever ruffled my feathers. Before I bought the car new I was fully aware of the safety systems it came with, so I harbour no negativity toward them and we get along just fine.

If your car's spec is 95 minimum, that's what your engine is tuned for and that's the least you should be using for your engine to perform correctly. If you use anything less and you do happen to experience engine issues, you may find your warranty voided if an incorrect fuel is found in your tank. The possibility of a previous owner having regularly used low grade fuel is one of the things that scares me off buying used cars (among many other aspects of vehicle abuse!). Your choice, your risk.

Thanks for clarifying. I find it sad that so many blindly equate price with value. Maybe they don't realise they're risking destroyed fuel pumps or turbos, even catastrophic engine failure in the long term. Despite any skepticism around manufacturers specifications, there's a scientific reason they mandate minimum octane fuels and would rightly void a warranty claim if they saw evidence of incorrect fuel being used. It's also another reason to be very cautious when buying a used car, no matter how pretty it might look on the outside, you just don't know what abuse it's been subjected to, such as the regular use of incorrect fuel.

Not sure I understand this. When you say your friends are using "whatever is cheapest", do they mean from 'wherever' it is cheapest for the correct grade? Or do they mean they're using the cheapest fuel regardless of grade? What is 9t? Is it this a typo meaning 95? If so, has the fuel leak been proven due to the specific fuel they're using, or is this just a tenuous link?

Absolutely. From factory spec, using anything in Aus other than 95 (minimum) or 98 would be asking for trouble.

All I'll say is that it's not about freshness (because of turnover), it's about quality and consistency of the fuel and where it's sourced from before it gets to your servo. Turnover and cheaper prices are not reliable indicators of quality or value.

As I said, opinions will remain divided. We'll all stick to our own choices. Given the frugal fuel consumption in these cars I don't care much about price, just fill up at the bottom of the silly price cycles we're subjected to in this country. WHERE you buy your fuel from is an equally important (and likely contentious) matter, but I'll leave that one well alone!

I've always used 98 in VW & Skoda, won't use anything less. Moreover, I'd never touch E10 since a previous bad experience in another car due to ethanol's moisture retention characteristics (aka fuel pump destroyer). Opinions will always be divided, but imho ethanol is just false economy. @LuxoviaRS , it's unlikely that the amount of E10 you accidentally put in there will cause any issues, but my advice is to stick with 98 if you can and your engine will thank you.