andy-fisher

This suggests that it's on the top of the head unit.

I had an issue where the outer high level brake light LEDs were faintly illuminated all the time. Not obvious during the day but noticed one night. After a little investigation I found that the connectors near the CD changer were wet. It wasn't the usual washer pipe problem and I assumed it may have been the water that always seems to run off the hatch and into the boot when its been raining. I dried it all up and cleaned the green fuzz off the connectors and all was good again. More care is now taken when opening the hatch to minimise how much water runs into the car by opening part way and waiting for the water to run off into the channels either side before opening all the way.

I got a light on mine when the EGR was disconnected (removed vacuum line). Didn't come on straight away though. I get a little hesitation under light acceleration which I believe is my EGR as when I disable it, the hesitation stops. I had EGR insuffiecient flow which I fixed using a second hand vacuum solenoid unit which is what i now think is causing the hesitation.

I chased an EGR fault for months and it ended up being the vacuum control solenoid. I changed it for a second hand unit and not had the warning light back for approx a year now. The EGR fault I had was insufficient flow.

To steal an idea from someone else.....

I have decided that my particular fault was the vacuum solenoid. I have done many miles and all is still well in the Octy. I believe that the vacuum solenoid was not delivering enough vacuum to open the EGR valve enough and so throwing up a fault code. I hope this little investigation helps another owner with similar problems. My only real advice is don't buy cheap Chinese EGR valves and don't always assume it's the valve itself. My original one is back on the car and has covered 191,000 miles (allowing for the miles I did with the new one).

Can't beat a good set of TLA's!

Glad it was a simple fix.

Go into the lighting section and make sure marker lights are turned off or 0%. Other than that, I don't know. I gave marker lights a go and it uses the indicators at whatever brightness you set it to. Think they come on if you change the country as well. (Scandinavian or North American mode I think but can't remember).

Have you had a look at darksides website? https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/

Have you had a look at the springs?

It might look odd with the black bump strips going all around the car but not on the rear bumper. I could be wrong and it might look fine. I guess the side ones could be removed to uncover some horror beneath but unsure what you'd do about the front ones unless you facelift the front too but that's a totally different job altogether. Edit to say a pre FL VRS front bumper may fit and that didn't have the bump strips. I know the fog lights are different but no idea what else may be slightly different.

Double post

I used one of these as my ELM adaptor wouldn't fit properly. Not sure its the problem your having but made it much easier to get mine working. Maybe it was just the type of ELM adaptor I got that was the issue but I found it fouled on the opening to the socket and was difficult to get it to connect properly. I got this one which, with the cable, works perfectly with Carista.

Have a read here.

If you don't already have cruise control, now could be the perfect time to fit it if you need to remove it all anyway. Just a thought....

I can't comment on removing the whole manifold, I just removed the EGR as that's what I thought the problem was. Its a 5mm ball ended allen key for the 3 EGR bolts (a normal one will do it but the bottom one is a pain) If you don't have a ball ended one then once you remove the exhaust feed to the EGR (I cant remember now but its about 6mm allen key for those two) you should be able to get the bottom EGR bolt out as you can move the pipe slightly out of the way. It also helps to remove a couple of the mounting bolts for the black air pipe that runs across the back of the engine and down the left side (one located at the top and a second below the EGR valve). Once the EGR was off the car I used an old screwdriver to gently scrape the sticky gunk off before using carb cleaner and a toothbrush for the remaining carbon deposits. Wear old clothes or coveralls as the sticky black stuff seems to get everywhere and doesn't come off you clothes. I used an old plastic bowl to clean the valve in to prevent staining of my path. It's a very messy job but mine looked almost like new by the time I'd finished. I replaced the bits in good old Haynes fashion with a new gasket for the exhaust feed pipe (about £3 from the dealer) and a new rubber O-ring type thing for the EGR to manifold joint which I can't remember the price of. Mine had done 179,000 miles and I had a fault saying EGR insufficient flow. I did change it for a new unit at first but I then cleaned up the old one and put it back on as the new chinese cheapie gave me a new problem. I never would have touched it otherwise as I'm a firm believer that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Id be wary about the muck getting pushed further in rather than getting it out if you leave it in place. On my 54 plate 1.9 PD I just took it off. A ball ended allen key helps no end to get the bottom bolt out. New gasket and large o-ring are relatively cheap from the dealer. What problem are you having as I replaced my EGR which made no difference, it was my vacuum solenoid.

I tested it by forcing the valve open and then sticking my finger over the vacuum pipe connection and then letting the valve try to close again. It didn't, it stayed open. Also, if the valve doesn't open then I would get an isufficient flow fault which I don't have now. i believe that the Chinese valve was opening too easily (less Spring tension) which was causing the hesitation as it was opening too much for given parameters. With the newer valve fitted and the old vacuum block I still got the fault code. Newer valve and replacement vacuum solenoid, no fault code but hesitation. Old valve and replacement vacuum solenoid, no fault code and no hesitation.

With the belt off you need to stop the insides of the alternator turning and then turn the pulley both clockwise and anti-clockwise. It should only turn one way. If it won't turn either way then it's seized. watch this video for a failing alternator pulley. It's cheaper than a compressor if that is the fault. A seized pulley will also wear the tensioner out quite quickly as there is much more work for it to do. watch this video for a way to test the pulley. I get a feeling that if your alternator pulley is the problem then it's seized rather that it being free to rotate in both directions.

Update time. I have refitted the old EGR valve with new gasket and seal. I've not fully tested it yet but initial signs are good. I've not managed to get the same hesitation I was getting before but I've only done a short drive and re-checked the security of the bolts. My commute should highlight any issues and I will report back. As the car stands now it has its original MAF sensor and EGR valve back on but a 2nd hand vacuum solenoid with silicon vacuum lines. I think the old saying, 'Buy cheap, buy twice' has been the issue here with a Chinese EGR valve causing the hesitation. Most annoying though is the fact I didn't even need a new valve despite advice all over the Internet. I hope my experiences will help some one else out. I would have made a guide but the vacuum block is so easy to change there's little point unless somebody wants a guide. If your after a new vacuum solenoid rather than 2nd hand then the best price I've had so far is from [email protected] followed by Darkside. Part number: 6Q0906625E

double post

It's probably worth checking the alternator pulley, it sounds very similar to when mine seized and the belt squeaked a bit and the tensioner rattled around. It is supposed to free wheel in one direction. The noise only happened when pulling away. I'm unsure about the climatronic. I just have standard a/c (or did). Everything works as it should apart from I obviously don't get cold air.

I have been running a shorter belt on my Octavia for a long time now with no real issues. The compressor went shortly after the warranty ran out and the car is now over 12 years old and with 183000 miles on the clock. The only downside I have found so far is that I'm now pulling dead weight around.

Initial signs are good (sort of). The warning light has not returned and I would have expected it to by now. However, I now have quite bad hesitation and juddering on gentle acceleration, normally when going up hill at around 40-50 mph in 5th gear. It feels like the engine is stuttering like fuel starvation or maybe the EGR is open when it shouldn't be. Fuel consumption seems to have increased a little which may be due to the fact I can only get the car to behave if I put my foot down. Power seems fine when I push the pedal that little bit harder. To try to figure out what's happening now, I have refitted my old MAF sensor which has made no difference so far (no engine light and still feels like it's being choked up). My next step is going to be to put the old EGR valve back on as I don't think it was faulty in the first place. I think I'm on the right lines with the vacuum solenoid but I may need to invest in a new one rather than a used one unless someone has a better idea as to what may be happening now. To be honest, I could probably live with just putting all the old stuff back on and having a warning light as it performed well like that.