DerekU

On the top of a Fabia Mk4's starter-battery the protective plastic cover over the terminal 'bus-bar' is clipped to a sub-frame beneath. This photo of the cover shows two lever-type plastic clips (A and B) and, if you look closely at the sides of the cover, you will see three small holes where I have arrowed. Short plastic stubs on the sub-frame fit into those holes when the cover is correctly attached to the battery. After taking off the small plastic clip-on cover that protects the battery's positive terminal, the removal method I use is as follows: Move Clip A sideways so that it frees up from the sub-frame (it will only move in one direction) and simultaneously pull the top-left corner of the cover firmly upwards. This should result in the two holes in the left side of the cover coming free from their stubs, leaving the cover loose. Now move Clip B sideways so that it frees up from the sub-frame and the cover is now completely off. When replacing the cover, I begin by hooking the hole in the cover's right-hand side over its little stub. I then press the cover carefully downwards all around so that the two holes on the cover's left-hand side slide over their matching stubs on the sub-frame, and make sure that clips A and B lock properly in place. (I've not attempted to remove the battery, so it's no good asking whether I know how to do that 🙂) For the UK (and presumably everywhere else) there are three possible infotainment units that a Fabia Mk 4 may have. These are named "SWING", "BOLERO" or "AMUNDSEN", with Swing having the lowest specification, Bolero having a higher specification and Amundsen having the highest specification. Swing and Bolero (photo below) both have a two genuine rotary knobs whereas Amundsen (photo below) is a pure 'touchscreen' unit and has no knobs. For a Fabia Mk4 to have an inbuilt sat-nav navigation capability, it must have the Amundsen unit and this feature is visually apparent from the Amundsen unit having a specific NAV 'button' on its right-hand side (above the CAR button). Of course this does not prevent a Fabia Mk4 owner from employing Android Auto (or Apple CarPlay) to pair their smartphone with the car and then using a navigation app (GOOGLE Maps, Waze, etc) as your garage guy has explained.

The "CS ONE" is CTEK's premier battery charger. It's not cheap https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/cs-one-uk?srsltid=AfmBOoqQJQbWNuc7LPVM-Po7DH9GT4cl2Ne_53606fmtiVV7cSoOOwp- but it should be fairly foolproof and (as logiclee has said) its WAKE UP option is designed to revive shut-down lithium batteries or seemingly dead lead-acid batteries. (Obviously it won't revive genuinely dead batteries, but - unlike less sophisticated chargers - there's no minimum voltage threshold.) This video mentions the WAKE UP feature, but does not explain how it works (I expect it's magic!) and there's also this long in-depth 2022 review. Bennetts BikeSocial MembershipCTEK CS One review | Motorcycle & car battery chargerAt £219, this is the most expensive motorcycle and car battery chargers we’ve tested, but do its high current and connected features makes it worth it?

'Thermo covers' are dual-purpose - they shield a car's starter-battery from high temperatures in the engine compartment and also provide (limited) protection against extreme cold weather. This image is of the starter-battery fitted to a 2024 Israel-marketed Fabia Mk4 and shows the insulated cover surrounding the battery's sides. My own 2024 UK-marketed Fabia Mk4's starter-battery does not this cover (though my 2009 Skoda Roomster's battery has a cover) but specifications can vary significantly from country to country. (I don't know what the red thing in your photo is. It doesn't look like it is part of your car, but you might want to check whether the rat has also had a go at the sound-deadening pad fitted to the underside of the bonnet. You may need to have the engine compartment professionally valeted to get rid of the rat crap.) My Fabia has integrated sat-nav (GPS) navigation operating through its Amundsen touchscreen infotainment display-unit, but (obviously) I don't know what your car has. Some vehicles have built-in sat-nav that uses GPS and some vehicles have traffic-sign navigation as well. Other vehicles may just have traffic-sign recognition but no GPS-based navigation, while others may have traffic-sign recognition coupled to a GPS database but no navigation. Your Skoda dealership SHOULD be able to advise you on the GPS issues you are having.

I read documentation...

My CTEK charger is similar - 2.0V minimum battery voltage.

This long YouTube video on the Ultimate Speed ULG3.8 B1 charge may be of interest. My previous car was a 2021 Hyundai i20 that proved to have a starter-battery high parasitic drain. Assuming that the car's original Yigit Aku (Turkish) dinky little starter-battery was on the way out, I replaced it with a higher-spec Yuasa equivalent. Assuming (again!) that this would address the SOC loss, I left the car standing for a couple of weeks and, when I came to unlock it using its central-locking key-fob, it wouldn't and, having manually unlocked the car, the starter-battery's voltage was found to be about 10V. I put the battery on charge using my elderly CTEK MXS 5.0 that happily brought the Yuasa battery back to full charge. (So no problems with the CTEK charger dealing with a heavily discharged, but otherwise healthy, battery.) I keep the Yigit Aku battery in my garage and use it to power my 12V tyre pump. The battery retains its SOC very well and an occasional short blast via the CTEK (when I feel in the mood) brings it up to full charge very quickly.

I've no personal experience of either product, but there are Trustpilot reviews of both that would be worth you reading, particularly as you envisage needing to replace your Fabia's tyres annually. https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/alloygator.com?stars=1 https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/rimblades.com?stars=1

If by "gap" you mean what I've marked in green on the image below, that is perfectly normal for the design of front disc-brake caliper commonly fitted to VW Group cars (my 2009 Skoda Roomster has a similar front-brake caliper design) and what you can see through the 'gap' (arrowed in red) is the back of a disk pad and (I believe) an anti-rattle spring. This photo is of a complete front-brake caliper removed from a Skoda Fabia Mk 4 and I've marked the 'gap' in yellow.

Yesterday I lowered my 2024-built Fabia's glove-box fully down (as I described in the August 2023 thread). No fixing screws were evident, but - although I looked very closely and used a torch - I still couldn't decide exactly how the bottom rear edge of the glove-box 'hinges'. The glove-box has a 'damper' controlling its descent and (based on generic VW/Skoda YouTube videos) the small trim panel on the left end of the dashboard will first need to be (carefully) prised off to allow the damper to be disconnected. There are several current ebay adverts for Mk 4 glove-boxes that have been removed by car salvage companies, so it must be possible to remove the glove-box without damaging it. If you study the advert photos, you may be able to decide if detaching the glove-box from the dashboard is just a matter of using judicious brute force or something more subtle. If you eventually decide to replace the glove-box, I suggest you ask a friendly Skoda workshop manager how to do it.

On 26 April In this 2024 forum thread I described how to fully lower a Fabia Mk 4's glove-box. I didn't explore removing the glovebox completely from the dashboard, but - if the same retention method is used as for the small storage box in front of the fuse-box - there may be no screws, just moulded plastic 'hooks'.

This April 2024 forum thread discussed spare-wheels for Fabi Mk 4 models I obtained the Skoda optional spare-wheel kit for my Fabia Mk 4 and provided the following 'technical' data in the above forum thread. I asked the dealership to obtain the optional spare wheel 'kit' for my Fabia SE L (that has 16"-diameter alloy wheels) and the 1st type (for £200) was provided. My car has Goodyear 195/55 R16 91V tyres, whereas the 15"-diameter steel spare wheel carries a Nexen 185/65 R15 88H tyre. Obviously neither that steel wheel nor its Nexen tyre match the alloy wheels and Goodyear tyres fitted to the car's other four wheels, but the rolling circumference of 195/55 Ri6 and 185/65 R15 tyres is near as dammit the same. So - if I have to bring the spare wheel into play - the car's handling should not be much affected and the distance and speed limitations that bedevil space-saver tyres won't apply. As the rolling circumference of the 17"-diameter and 18"-diameter wheels fitted to some Fabias (as standard or optionally) is greater than that of the 15" and 16" wheels, It's possible that a wheel fitted with a 215/45 R17 or 215/40 R18 tyre would not fit in the spare-wheel well, which might explain why there are two spare wheel options.

As gumdrop's original enquiry was on 17 June, hopefully he was able to sort out the problem himself by now or have had the problem resolved professionally.

The purpose of the CTEK indicator accessory is described here Criticisms generally are about the relationship between the indicator's three LED lights and the genuine battery voltage.

This is CTEK's "Comfort" indicator. There are several versions of this and this is a sample advert. https://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/ctek-m8-comfort-connect-led-indicator-56-382.html I remember visiting a local Skoda dealership (15?) years ago and all the cars in the showroom had a CTEK indicator poking out of their bonnets. Next time I went there the indicators had gone. If you GOOGLE-search on ctek comfort indicator useless you'll find plenty of criticism.

CTEK advertises their CT5 product as being "fully optimized for cars with Start/Stop technology, e.g. AGM and EFB batteries", but the CT5 does not check the battery 'type' (AGM, EFB, etc.). CTEK has tended to indicate a charger's maximum output by the charger's product number (eg. MXS 10.0 = 10 Amps), but the output of a CT5 is actually 3.8 Amps. While the Voltage output of a MXS 10.0 is given as 14.4/14.7/15.8/13.6 V, the CT5's voltage is simply stated as 14.55 V, suggesting (to me) that CTEK has chosen a voltage high enough to charge an AGM battery adequately, but not so high that it might damage other 12V battery types (WET; MF; Ca/Ca; EFB; GEL) What the CT5 does when connected to a 12V battery and switched on is to carry out a battery 'health check' to confirm whether there's any sort of problem that would prevent it being charged safely/correctly - but that's standard practice for CTEK chargers and not unique to the CT5. CTEK markets a wide range of battery chargers https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/vehicle-type/car-battery-chargers?srsltid=AfmBOopSDLlG2YGWvbm1qbYsXo3VpXmm7BUeezVsBtLgCKdKKfsMFtyL I notice that at least one of these (the CS ONE UK) https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/cs-one-uk can recognise the battery type - but the CT5 does not have that capability.

Skoda Fabia Mk 4 battery-charging was discussed at some length earlier this month. This photo was provided showing a CTEK charger connected to the Fabia's battery using crocodile clips. The small protective plastic cover over the battery's positive has been taken off in order to attach the (red) crocodile clip, but this takes just seconds to remove (and subsequently replace!) The CTEK CT5 charger is a simplified version of the 8-stage MXS 5.0 charger that I (and I assume super717) use. I find the standard cables that come with the crocodile clip ends long enough to be led out of the engine compartment and for the charger to sit on the top of my Fabia's front-left tyre. (I can then close the car's bonnet.) The 3-pin mains plug at the other end of the cable is pushed under the car out of the rain. I connect a 10-metre cable to the 3-pin plug and lead that cable to the 230V domestic power-outlet in my garage that's next to where I park the Fabia. A caveat - there is a CTEK CT5 POWERSPORT battery-charger, but this is intended for charging batteries with 5-25Ah capacity range (and includes lithium-iron type).

If the 'cover' is made from ABS, it may be practicable to make a repair if a suitable adhesive were used. However, the photo showing the damage indicates that obtaining an acceptable combination of repair-strength and final appearance would be hard to achieve. This part should not break in normal use and - if fabia960's car is still under warranty - a Skoda dealership should be expected to replace the cover without quibbling. Even if the car is out of warranty, as the price quoted for a replacement cover is just £23.50, a 'good will' replacement would not seem (to me) an unreasonable thing to hope for.

GOOGLE-search on skoda fabia dsg gear lever button I have a 2024 Fabia Mk 4 with DSG and none of the 'covers' advertised online match the cover fitted to my car's gear-selector lever. My car's cover is made of shiny black plastic (presumably ABS) and, although the plastic is clearly thin gauge, that doesn't mean it cannot have a long lifespan during normal use. Your photos suggest that it's a piece of the plastic cover's rear moulding that's broken off (with this piece holding the cover in place on the mechanical 'button') and - I would have thought - it really shouldn't need a £150 diagnosis to decide whether the breakage is more likely to be due to a manufacturing fault (and appropriate for a FOC repair under warranty) rather than being caused by a car driver's misuse. Did you buy the car from the Skoda dealership that has mentioned the £150 diagnostic 'fee'?

I notice that replacement (chrome) DSG-transmission 'trigger-button' covers are marketed for older Skoda models. But I'm pretty sure these would be unsuitable for your 2022-plate car and I think your only source for a new cover would be through a Skoda dealership It's not unreasonable to expect a Fabia Mk 4's trigger-button cover to last the life of the car. If your Fabia is still within its warranty period, it's also not unreasonable to expect that, if the trigger-button cover breaks, that Skoda should carry out an under-warranty free-of-charge (FOC) repair. If your car is out of warranty and your Skoda dealership won't carry out a 'good will' no-cost repair, I suggest you contact Skoda Customer Services and complain. Chances are that they'll direct you back to a dealership, but it would still be worth trying. As a new cover costs 'only' £23.50, if the dealership will fit it FOC, it might be simpler to grit your teeth and take that option rather than risk the £150 diagnostic charge.

This 2024 BRISKODA forum thread suggests that some SKODA cars have had a 'wet' timing-belt (a 2013 Fabia 1.6 TDI model is referred to). Fabia Mk 4 cars definitely DO NOT have a 'wet' timing-belt.

It's often suggested that disconnecting the starter-battery and leaving it disconnected for (say) an hour before reconnecting it MAY cause the MFD to start displaying again. (This ploy worked with my 2009 Roomster.) However - as you've had a history of bad luck with this car - I suggest you just drive it for a couple of days and see if the MFD spontaneously recovers. If you mess about resetting the system via the infotainment unit (or DIY disconnecting/reconnecting the starter-battery) there's a chance you'll do more harm than good. If the MFD does not come back to life on its own, best you consult a Skoda dealership.

This recent forum thread discussed Fabia Mk 4 cars with DSG transmission and 'driving modes'. As you've said, when in 'normal' mode (D1-D7) the car will coast (D), but coasting will not occur when the driver has moved the DSG's gear selector-lever to 'sport' (S1-S7) or 'manual' (M1-M7). The difference between my own DSG-equipped Fabia and the car owned by Diermot (who initiated the earlier discussion) was that his car apparently displayed ECO on its instrument-cluster when the car began to coast, whereas my own car's instrument-cluster just shows D instead of D7 or D6. (This difference was never resolved.) While there's no doubt that the Fabia's DSG's coasting capability is a fuel-saving feature, coasting does not take place for very long and, even when it's happening, the car's motor is still running at around 1000rpm. Some cars have multiple driving modes (eg. the Hyundai i20N has ECO, NORMAL, SPORT or TRACK) with the ECO mode applying a range of fuel-saving measures that may include reducing the air-con's cooling output. But the Fabia's D1-D7 is its normal 'mode' and it would be very peculiar if the air-con's maximum cooling were only available when the car was in sport or manual mode (and there's nothing in the Owner's Manual to suggest that's the case).

Based on your first BRISKODA forum posting, this seems to be the 4th Fabia you've owned since 2013, including a 2022 SE L. I don't think you've said which model you now have, but as the air-con has 3 control knobs, I'm guessing it's a "Colour Edition" with the controls as shown here The Fabia SE L model's air-con's control will have involved the car's infotainment screen and is decidedly 'fiddly', but - if that car's air-con met your requirements for cool air and that's not the case with your present Fabia - as your Skoda dealership is prepared to investigate the issue further, it would be sensible for you take up their offer. I dislike my 2024 Fabia SE L's air-con (the system gets general criticism for its complexity) and it lacks the rapid reaction of my 2009 Roomster's simple 3-knob air-con when the temperature is altered from hot to cold and vice versa. But my Fabia's air-con will blow cold air when the temperature is turned right down and the controls are appropriately set. I doubt that the issue with your current 2024 Fabia relates to the cabin (pollen) filter, but it would still be worth checking the filter for cleanliness. Gaining access to the filter was detailed (by me) within this thread. This thread may also be worth reading

Front Assist is part of the standard specification of all Skoda Fabia Mk 4 models. This forum thread related to a 2023 'Colour' car.

SurreyJohn In the Car Info section of Gumdrop's Profile is "Model Yeti Elegance Outdoor 2WD 110ps EU6, Fabia Combi 1.0L 110 Kamiq 1.5 DSG Monte Carlo" but this recent thread is more informative I also have a Fabia Mk 4 SE L (2024 in my case). By switching on the car's ignition and turning on its Amundsen infotainment touchscreen unit, then pressing the unit's CAR 'virtual button', then SETTINGS followed by INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, a list of 10-or-so choices is displayed. One of those choices is DIGITAL SPEED DISPLAY and this needs to be enabled (ticked) for the car's speed to be shown in the central section of the analogue instrument cluster (as shown in the image on my posting above). First thing for Gumdrop to do is to use the steering-wheel's right-hand controls to scroll through the DRIVING DATA options just in case the DIGITAL SPEED DISPLAY choice is already enabled. (At present on my Fabia, the DIGITAL SPEED DISPLAY is the only INSTRUMENT CLUSTER choice I have ticked. So, when I scroll to DRIVING DATA, I'm just offered either a digital speed readout or a RANGE readout.)