pikpilot

Yes your probably right. Handbook writers don't think. They forget that people are more interested in the volume for an oil change rather than the oil volume in the sump.

Sorry the formating didn't carry over on posting. The answer is 4.3 Litres.

Handbook says: Diesel engines Specification Content 1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR - EU5 VW 507 00 4,3

The Mk 1 Octavia had a problem with corrosion at the battery end of the alternator cable. It is a crimp connection and subject to black corrosion, probably by water ingress. Your problem suggests the Mk2 may suffer the same way with time.

As an aside, batteries can die very quickly. In my case the car had been driven the previous day but next morning showed no sign of starting. I called the AA (I have Have Start in case my wife needed it) and he started the car after connecting another battery in parrallel. Following an engine start and a 15 minute engine run, he disconnected the jump start battery and the engine immediately stopped. The car battery read 0 Volts and presumed to be open circuit internally. Unfortunately the four year guarranty (well known German make) ran out two weeks earlier.

Just a point for future. In the instructions you quoted it says disconnect both terminals from the battery. The same instruction is given with modern battery chargers that can recover over discharged batteries and the reason is that they go over 16V during charging. This can damage some of the electronics.

I have a Bolero radio but my fix for anything related to the radio is to remove the supply for a few seconds. Always works. The radio has two supplies - one permanent and one through the ignition. So with the ignition switched off remove the fuse for the permanent supply for 30 seconds and then put back in. In my car car the fuse in question is in the fusebox near the battery but look in your handbook to find your location. It may be shown as radio if your lucky.

The compressor is running all the time. The pistons travel are dependant on a signal from the controller. Imagine a tilted swash plate that can control the amount of displacement of the compressor pistons. With the plate vertical there is no pumping action but as the plate is tilted the pistons are progressively engaged more. This a mechanical system described but the same effect can be had in electrical systems. Either way, there is no engagement clutch like the compressors of decades ago. Your scraping noise may be a worn front bearing on the compressor.

Mine was another one with corrosion on one of the bulb contacts on the rear number plate light.

Typically the handbrake should start to hold at 4-5 clicks of the ratchet. As said above you can also adjust at the handbrake compensator under the rear of the central console but on some trim levels it is a long winded job to gain access. This action will not do anything. It is the handbrake cable length that needs changing at the caliper end or under the rear of the central console.

Set the handbrake cable correctly (from memory is only 1mm gap at the caliper end) then see if you still have a problem.

Does the handbrake now have a longer travel? If so you may have not set the correct cable clearance at the calipers and this can show up as a longer initial footbrake travel. However this will not account for the slow downward movement. I read somewhere that if air has got into the ABS pump you will need to use a procedure (VCDS or similar) which runs the pump to expell the air.

That is why it still works using an extension cable from one side to a bulb on the other side. The current is still being monitored on the original right hand side.

In a situation where I had the same radio and comms faults, I disconnected the battery, left it for 10+ minutes and reconnected the battery. All faults gone. Give it a try as it may fix the fan problem too. My thought is that if the battery voltage gets too low it screws up some stored settings and then needs the equivelent of ctr/alt/del.

I don't think so as the power is still coming from the right hand wiring.