Rheumy

Just to say I didn't manage to get the CC activated until today. There were a few minor mix ups and I only see my Daughter's car every few months. I eventually got it done (for anyone else in Cornwall or West Devon) I got it done SW Retrofits in Saltash. Great service for £80 + VAT. . Skoda had insisted that it's not possible to fit cruise control to this model and also the the Activation code I had asked for (5E0054800) refers to another Skoda model and not my MK 3 Fabia. It wasn't looking hopeful at first either because Skoda have changed where the box for the activation codes is entered in Odis but once found it worked perfectly. It toggles nicely between the speed limiter and cruise control. I also like the little symbol on the dash which says what speed the CC is set at. I don't have that on the CC my old VW. I'd say do your research to find the correct switch for your model and note the significance of the tiny 1x mark on the switch in the pic above.

Good luck with your work. 👍 Just to keep you warm in the winter, look at the price of this! Wonder if they actually got that price? I think the pic is from 2023.

Might be to remember (or write down) the setting.

+1 for the clutch switch. 👍 On many other VAG's a failed clutch switch is known to cause similar problems including high idle sometimes and also snatchy gear changes. On an '08 car you can find the clutch switch operation monitoring with VCDS or similar scanner in the engine controller as live data under 'Measuring Blocks'. You can watch the figures change as the clutch pedal is pressed. It should trip just as you press the weight of your foot on the clutch pedal if it's working correctly.

It's worth running the 'Output Tests' function in the BCM. It might well include the interior lights. It won't cure anything but it might narrow it down because the BCM will attempt to switch the interior lights on directly so if it manages to put them on, it's ignoring the input from the door and its wiring. There are usually a number of things tested consecutively on the test which will be explained on the screen. If your VCDS isn't genuine or is genuine but not registered the Output Tests function might be greyed out or shown as 'Function Not Available'. Once you have run the tests you might have to close VCDS and cycle the ignition to try it again. There is no limit on how many times you can run the tests.

Do you have any fault codes in the BCM? The BCM controls the voltage supply for interior lights and also the dimming function. It comes under 'Cent Elec'. Can't help with a wiring diagram I'm afraid.

I think your problem is more likely to linked to the door wiring. The broken wiring has probably blown a fuse or there are other wires in the same bunch which might look ok but are broken inside. VCDS live data can show the positions of each lock (both the safety catch and fully closed position) and what the microswitch attached to the lock is reporting but not much else. On the coding, I don't think I have seen the external locking/unlocking button as a coding option which could have been deleted but I couldn't swear that it doesn't exist. If you click 'Coding' in the Comfort Module' you can use the long coding helper to see a list of what coding configurations are possible for your model. It's vital to make a complete autoscan of your car first before making any changes. You will then have a handy record of all codings and the part numbers of the various controllers (abs, airbag etc) your car has for future reference. But I'd definitely start with a careful check of every fuse using a meter or test light with the fuses still in place.

As long as it's genuine VCDS you hover over the figures and you get pop ups to give you the rough figures to expect. MAF and MAP logged together I think I'd go for but I'm not a tuning or logging expert. Make sure throttle opening is included (I think it will be) possibly shown on VCDS as 'Load' in %. It does need to be done on a nice clear road with a warm engine and full throttle through say third and fourth to show up maximum boost. A good hill is handy to get the boost level up (and stop you getting pulled up by the fuzz!) Don't forget to use the 'Start' button after clicking 'Log' and the 'Stop' button when you have finished. :) The logs are a great long list of the recorded numbers from your drive which can get a bit confusing so I like to upload the whole unopened log to Tunzilla's free graphing tool. You might have to sign up for a free A/C but it's a handy tool. From there you can see the peaks more easily. The reason I said unopened is because I think if you view the log with something like Notepad first it alters it very slightly and Tunezilla's tool might not recognise it.

It can't be good with that much slack in the spindle. But it would still be worth doing some logging of the boost live with VCDS if you have it to see if it's making its correct numbers. Of course it should have underboost codes if not but if it's only a little down it might not be enough to flag them. It can't be great with that mileage if it's the original turbo though.

Us oldies remember the seventies when radiators where often blocked after say 50,000 miles or less. (Think mini's or Hillman Minx's) When you held the old and new rads in your hands you could easily feel the weight difference between blocked and clear.. But these days materials and rust inhibitors are much better and you rarely see a modern radiator. I'd be surprised if that was it unless the coolant looks brown and sludgy. Worth checking for any restriction in the cooling fins though. If you have an intercooler in front of the coolant radiator they can get stuff caught in between the two. Usually feathers or leaves.

On the 1.9 (PD) VW diesels, cylinder head gaskets can leak under load. Sometimes the symptoms are obvious but often more subtle especially in the early stages. One thing worth checking is to open the coolant cap first thing in the morning before starting the engine. There should be no residual pressure. If you get a definite hiss as you open the cap that means pressure other than the normal pressure caused by heat is still in the system. Any normal pressure should dissipate once the engine is fully cold. The system starts with no pressure and should return to that state if all is normal. So any pressure left in the system must have come from somewhere else.

I'd definitely bite the bullet and take the tank out if you are close to that. If not, you can protect plastic pipes with metal/and or a fireproof cloth. If there is any sign of a leak anywhere on the whole car I wouldn't take any chances. I had a fire extinguisher, a garden hose and a bucket of water next to me when I did mine (and it was a diesel) but I still had a couple of 'moments' with underseal (and occasionally overalls) catching fire! 🤣 That repair looks like nice little fabrication to hone your skills on. :)

Only just come across this thread. I will be watching with interest. Great work and perseverance. :) I know what you mean about the welding (lying on your back getting burns from sparks like bad wasp stings!) And what you often start with can look pretty scary. I had a poorly repaired sill rot out on my T5 van after 10 years. This is what it looked like after a dig around with a screwdriver.. Old sill cut out Second hand sill (body cut) welded in. I was lucky my rust was so limited so kudos to you for sticking at it with yours. 👍 You will get there and not many folks will be able to match your story in the pub! :)

If it's this one it should be ok but after 2020 there are some models with protected diagnostics and you have to buy (I presume there is a cost attached) a token for access from VAG. If they are going to give you a print out/email of a full scan it seems like a reasonable deal as long as you don't have to pay if they can't connect for any reason. All VCDS can do via a scan is to tell you what each 'controller' is complaining about. It is often quite a long way from there to a fix. You will also end up with a very handy record of all of the part numbers and current software codings of each item on the car VCDS can communicate with. For £199 (if you don't mind being limited to 3 particular cars) you could buy a legal registered cable and use it as often as you like. There are many options the car has you can change via the diagnostics (locking/lighting/warning tones etc) to suit your preferences as well as reading codes and looking at live data from each sensor. It's quite a steep learning curve but I think it's well worth the price considering updates are free for life.

My Transporter (above) exhaust will be 23 year old in Jan. I'm not changing it as long as it's not blowing.

I buy my oil that way too. 👍 The Launch should be good for the rear pads on other more modern Skodas with an electric handbrake. I haven't got Launch but I've used VCDS to retract the pistons on several VAGs. Works a treat.

I've seen plenty looking similar after a couple of years but if it's blocked it's blocked. If they charged you, vote with your feet and don't go back!

They do often start grey like that when brand new because the genuine or quality aftermarket versions are charcoal impregnated. So it's not a smoking gun. :)

Thumbs up from me. 👍 But did you do everything else like checking all the suspension joints and bushes individually with a good light and a bar where necessary? CV boots checked and listen out for any clicking on full lock on the road? Tyres and pressures? A good look round all the coil springs for fractures and check that the top suspension mountings turn smoothly? Did you check both pistons in the rear wheel cylinders were free (drums obv) and check the function of the handbrake? Spin up all wheel bearings? All the lights (including headlamp motors) for correct function plus washers and wipers? Oil all hinges and check locks? Look out for corrosion on body, brake and fuel pipes? Check boot for spare tyre if applicable and corrosion. Seat belts not loose, frayed and working correctly? Diagnostic check? Good road test? No gearbox, suspension or engine noises? Might have missed a few things.. Tongue in cheek post of course 🤪 but there is a lot more than just changing oil and filters. Plus the garages have to pay to dispose of all contaminated commercial waste. They used to have to have 9 separate chargeable bins when I was in the trade. Lots of H&S and insurances too.

The plain pipe sections have no double skin like the silencer/box does so if it's getting weak you do have to replace it because it will break.

I agree with @Breezy_Pete They have been 'pass & advising' the exhaust on my VW every year since 2015! This is because the original silencers have more than one layer, the outer one often peels over time leaving the inner one solid. I cut off what I could and wired it back to stop it rattling and on it goes! Jan marks 11 years of pass and advising. 😂 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER MOT history, Check mileage recorded at test, expiry date, and test outcome, HideDate tested 3 April 2025 PASS Mileage 135,417 miles Expiry date 5 April 2026 Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories): exhaust corroded under trays fitted Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened under sealed (5.3.3 (b) (i)) brake pipes/pas pipes under sealed What are advisories? Date tested 6 February 2015 PASS Mileage 94,931 miles Expiry date 5 February 2016 Advisory notice item(s) Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3) Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d) exhaust corroded Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components What are advisories?

That is a good point Alistair. If the centre rips out of the friction plate or the lining shreds off it would leave the gearbox undriven by the engine and able to select a gear without pressing the clutch just the same as it would be with the engine not running. I have seen quite a few stripped drive shaft splines in recent times (no Skodas) but no centre plates fail that way since old Vauxhalls and others in the 70's. But it could be either. 👍

It might be worth having a moan to Skoda UK Customer Services. They can sometimes speak to the dealer and get you moved up the queue. It sounds more like an aftermarket warranty to me.

If it had codes for a failed clutch pack they will still be there until someone clears them even if they are marked 'Intermittent'. I understand that they can't work for nothing but a diagnostic fee of say, £75 would be plenty for what is a few minutes work. You can bet that a Skoda salesperson isn't going tell you any of this could happen! I've only ever bought two new cars. A Nissan in 1984 which I kept going for 25 years (almost every part was original) and a VW Transporter I bought in 2004 which is still going at 22 years old. It's still capable of towing a 1 ton caravan 4000 miles over the Pyrenees to Spain and back in 37 degree heat. I thought the dealers (for both new cars) were pretty useless at the time but it seems they have got worse! I do all my own work so I don't really care but if I am forced to part with my (Euro 4) diesel van I won't be buying a new car/van especially now the manufacturers are gradually 'sowing up' the repairs by using component protection on many parts which has to be removed via a live connection to Skoda HQ. All in the interests of 'security' of course. I understand the need sowing up key programming but the crooks don't seem to have much bother getting around it!

There isn't a simple way to tell if the splines in the inner CV joint have stripped without jacking it up. If the drive shaft outer CV joint splines have stripped, the shaft will be turning up to the point where it enters the outer CV joint when in gear but I don't advise anyone to crawl underneath to look with the car in gear! It's a similar thing for the inner joint but all best checked on a ramp. Not sure on the Fabia but usually one of the drive shafts (the shorter driver's side one) has a centre bearing and they can pull apart at this point. As regards price I would say between one and two hours labour. Genuine Skoda shafts are expensive (£250 ish?) but there are aftermarket versions for around the £80 mark. There is chance the the disconnection in the drive is inside the gearbox but it's less likely than a CV joint or drive shaft separated at the centre bearing. This is just my experience from being in the trade (I'm retired now) not specifically Skoda. Good luck!