Octawia

2022, Octavia 1.4 TSI PHEV Combi Hi, since yesterday for no comprehensible reason the car started changing from EV mode to Hybrid mode by itself, switching the ICE on and off every 10 seconds whilst driving in slow traffic. There are no error messages, the temprature is warm, so no reaon comes to my mind. I'm wondering if the mini battery is depleted again. Any ideas are welcome.

It's generally a bug. Even if you get the part replaced, it may still come on.

Rev counter? I have a MK4 PHEV and when the recurp. kicks in, the consumption numbers go from positive to minus. But I feel you RobL50. It's extremely hard to understand the logic behind the recuperation and the braking. I mean I still think it's a useless tech that only saves the manufacturers from the cost of an alternator. It's a huge pain and a good reason to reconsider PHEV or even hybrid cars in long distance travel or winter conditions as both functions become literally a mere accessory.

I have my Octavia IV (4) 1.4 TSI DSG PHEVs for about 10 months now and as many owners will agree that this series are quite problematic. They have been so problematic that even Skoda halted their production. Similarly, they are still producing Superb with similar configurations. I'm close to the limit of getting rid of mine, as I do long journeys that makes me feel vulnerable. Gear lever error is one of the most common bugs you see in these models. Try to search function, you will see what I mean. TBH, I had better experience with Passat and T-ROC, which I am considering deferring back.

Yes, but, that's not what I'm stating. When I keep the car in e-mode, it runs on battery, perhaps at lower capacity during the cold days, but when I switch it to hybrid, it turns on the ICE, whilst displaying the message on the left side of the driver dashboard momentarily. Then, the ICE stays on until the engine gets up to 70 C then switch back to hybrid mode. I'm just trying to figure out if this is a normal automatic response or is it another bug.

It's a quite common error many of the 1.4 TSI DSG PHEV estate owners experience. It's a common bug in all similar VAG (Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Seat) models. I've seen the error about 3 or 4 times as well. But as you say, then it just disappears and doesn't appear for a couple of months or in some cases, years. Hence, even if you change the part there's no guarantee that bug isn't going to pop up again. Sadly Skoda doesn't accept it as a manufacturer error. From the link provided by others you can see that the part cost about 350 € and if you live in a EU country then it costs about another €250 to change the part. As it seems like a passive bug and doesn't put the car into limp mode, it may be something that you can live with. In worst case scenario, you turn off the engine and start the car again "poof" the bug disappears. I have seen couple of videos in YouTube how people fix this problem, but as I regard as it is non-invasive to daily driving, it's not worth wasting so much money on it. Of course, it's your call.

If it starts around 100 km/h it's most definitely to do with the rims/tires. Starting with tire balance maybe good idea. Plus, those guys can also tell you if your rims are dented too.

I live in a cold climate. At least 8 months/year the temperature is around -5C / -15C. I've started to believe that the PHEV isn't for countries with cold climates ( although the sister brands perform better!) I've had several problems in the harsh winter with 1.4 TSI engine sensors, even went into limp mode couple of times, rattle sounds in cold starts, GPF not regenerating etc. Eventually, I spent the whole winter mainly driving in e-mode. Even though it's not so cold anymore, (+7 C) whenever I switch to Hybrid mode, it's switching to ICE engine and keeping it running until the radiator temperature rises around 70 C. It doesn't even allow switching back to e-mode. It's momentarily displaying a message "You need to keep the engine running for longer". I'm wondering if this is a bug or a built-in function.

Sadly, your assumptions maybe correct. Skoda's quality assurance standards have lowered over the years. The topics in this forum are the living proof. Although new rims & tires do not require tuning, there's no guarantee as these days, car parts are produced in many different locations and just assembled in a factory building. High risk scenarios may include defective tie rods, wheel bearings, engine/gearbox mounts. If the car is still under warranty, I strongly advise you to get it tested at Skoda service as they are liable.

What I have realized is, the rims of Skodas are quite weak. Last summer I had dented 2 of the rims, which took its toll at higher speeds, making the whole car shake. Apart from the rims, if you are a seasonal tire changer just like myself, there's a chance that you may have placed the left wheels to the right etc. which makes the car vibrate at higher speeds (noisy as well). Thirdly, you get the wheels check for balancing, as the tires do tend to deform and cause vibration with high speeds. Of course there can be many other reasons including springs, shock absorbers, engine mounts etc.

Very recently I posted the same topic. Many people were skeptic and have told me it is only possible by "special OBD gear". I have tried a couple of the videos on YouTube as well. None of them worked.

Did you try the search function on this site?

Indeed. I think it went into limp mode whilst I was closed throttling (@Warrior193 thanks for the abbreviation) and OBD2 P2084 error popped up. I'm relating P2084 to the GPF regen as it seems to be related somewhat to the gas temperature sensor. Hence, since the GPF regen has been completed, there's no repetition of P2084 error.

The manual states that, the transmission should be put into S mode, whilst driving minimum at 80 kmh at 3000-5000 rpm for about 15 minutes, from time to time letting go of the accelerator. I followed it and it worked.

I was in the motorway regenerating the GPF (typically driving in S mode at 4th gear at 3000 rpm / 100 kmh) for 15 minutes or so. Then a message popped up "You have to run the engine for longer", then it have a message that I should visit workshop (the OBD2 says P2084 - Exhaust Has Temperature (EGT) problem. (as it's so cold here that it doesn't warm up the exhaust easily). Limp mode: Engine became less powerful, when I stopped at the traffic lights, I realized the engine was shaking and barely running. I immediately switched off / then on, it did not repeat. I drove 25 km more and it was normal.