Everything posted by DerekU
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Thinking of coming back to a Skoda Fabia
For my last several vehicles I mounted my Garmin sat-nav on an adhesive disc stuck to the top of the dashboard, but I'd rather not do that with my Fabia. Using one of the USB sockets to power the Garmin device would be tidier than using the 12V socket, but I'm pretty sure that's not practicable without using a special 3rd-party cable. (More on-line research needed.) On my Roomster I use the dashboard disc and the car's 12V cigar-lighter socket, but the latter is further forwards not far behind the gear-lever. The navigation on my car's Amundsen infotainment system may be fine for many drivers, but I'm used to Garmin sat-navs and they suit the way I plan trips.
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1.0 MPI Break-In (max RPMs)
JeffffeJ The graph below shows the MPI 1.0 motor's power curve (white line - PS (horsepower)) and torque curve (orange line - Nm (Newton-Metres)) Torque is a measurement of a motor's 'twisting force' and (basically) the higher the Nm number, the greater a cars' pulling power. Torque is what you need to start from stationary and in order to accelerate. You'll see from the graph that, at 1000rpm, torque is at its lowest, as is power. By 2000rpm the power figure has not risen much, but the torque figure has increased significantly and peaks at 3700rpm. Regarding 'labouring' there's really no Yes-or-No answer. If your car's motor were turning at 1500rpm in 5th gear and you were driving on a steep downhill slope, the car would still accelerate quite quickly if you depressed the accelerator as not much torque is required in that situation. However, if you attempted to accelerate in 5th gear at 1500rpm on a steep uphill slope, not only would the car be unable to do this, but it should be apparent to you that the motor did not 'like' being treated in that way. My Fabia has automatic transmission, but the "Economical driving style" section in my car's Owner's Manual indicates that Fabia Mk 4 cars with a manual gearbox have a gear-changing prompt feature (my Manual says "Follow the gear changing recommendation on the instrument cluster display") Nowadays most modern cars with a manual gearbox have an indicator showing the gear the car is in and - if the car's computer 'thinks' a higher gear could be used for better fuel-economy - it will be 'suggested' to the driver that he/she changes up. This feature can also operate vice-versa so that - if the computer 'thinks' the driver is in too high a gear (when the car may well be 'labouring') - it will recommend a downwards change. You will need to get to know your car to decide how best to drive it, but - for now - the gear-change indicator should give you a reasonable idea of which gear you should be in.
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1.0 MPI Break-In (max RPMs)
Welcome to the BRISKODA forums, JeffffeJ - a good choice for a first car. Performance data for the MPI 1.0 motor are shown here The motor is normally-aspirated (no turbocharger) with a 5-speed gearbox and a relatively low power output. It will need to be recognised that the (quite heavy) Fabia Mk 4 fitted with this motor will not be a 'rocket ship', but that's fine. This 2016 forum discussion related to running-in/breaking-in/driving-in Fabia Mk 3 cars. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/387337-new-fabia-running-in-advice-please/ Apparently Fabia Mk 3 Owner Manuals contained the following guidance Driving in the engine The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres. During this period, the driving style decides on the quality of the driving-in process. During the first 1,000 km ,we recommend not driving faster than 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed, not to drive at full throttle and not to use a trailer. In the range of 1,000 to 1,500 kilometres, the engine load can be increased up to the maximum permitted engine speed. I cannot find any equivalent guidance in the the Fabia Mk 4 Owner's Manual, but the advice above will apply similarly to your car. During the breaking-in period, when cruising on a motorway/highway at a steady speed - in your case (say) with the motor running in the 3000-4000rpm range - traditional received wisdom has been to let the revs drop occasionally (say to 3000rpm) to give the motor a 'rest'. However, as the MPI 1.0 motor's maximum power output is at 6300rpm, you need not be concerned about using 3500rpm. Drive the car in a manner you are comfortable with. As Classic has advised above, avoid letting the motor labour in an over-high gear and don't thrash it This (Australian) article may be of interest https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/do-you-need-to-run-in-new-cars/
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Thinking of coming back to a Skoda Fabia
It would be worth you browsing through the on-line Owner's Manual that would be relevant to a 2022-plate Fabia. https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models There are three potential locations for USB connectors 1: On the rear-view mirror 2: In the car's rear passenger area on the back of the central arm-rest's base. 3: In front of the gear-lever, beneath the air-con controls. The USB connectors at the 1 and 2 locations are for charging only. The USB connectors at location 3 can be used for charging or for data transfer. (My car just has the two USB connectors at location 3 and I believe that this is all you get with the Fabia's standard specification.) A couple of Fabia long-term tests that may be of interest https://www.parkers.co.uk/skoda/fabia/review/long-term/ https://www.whatcar.com/news/skoda-fabia-long-term-test/n25189
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Thinking of coming back to a Skoda Fabia
This 2023 thread from the BRISKODA Octavia MK3 forum may be worth wading through. https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/515830-timing-belt-advice-changed-by-skoda/ Having inspected my Fabia's motor more closely, at the front of the motor is an alloy cover that, if removed, would permit the condition of the timing-belt to be checked.. Removal of the cover looks reasonably straightforward and quick, though (obviously) the motor's crankshaft would need to be rotated so that the full length of the belt could be checked. My Fabia SE L has the Amundsen infotainment system that has 'navigation'. I've yet to come to terms with it and it was certainly providing incorrect speed-limit data when I first used it. This photo shows my car's system information I assume the "24/6" relating to the Navigation database indicates June 2024, so (presumably) the mapping is now up-to-date. Updating is Over-The-Air (OTA) so my car may have received an OTA update since I last drove it. (We'll see...) I'm accustomed to Apple products (iMac, IPad, iPhone, etc.) that are deliberately designed to be (fairly) user-friendly, but my Fabia's tech is decidedly bloody-minded. I suspect I'll continue to rely on my Garmin sat-nav that I'm comfortable with, can regularly update myself free of charge and that I trust. I have a 'beanbag' mount for the Garmin, though having to plug the sat-nav's power-cable into the socket in the Fabia's central armrest compartment is a bit irritating. (I know why the socket's there, I just wish there were another 12V cigar-lighter socket nearer to the dashboard.)
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Thinking of coming back to a Skoda Fabia
The car you are interested in should have the same motor/transmission specification as my Fabia Mk 4 SE L DCT (built on 16 January 2024). My car's EC Certificate of Conformity indicates that the motor is a Volkswagen AG product, has an engine code of DLA and is a 3-cylinder 999cc petrol-fuelled unit. But that's all... This motor has a 'dry' TIMING BELT, but I can't tell you what the official Skoda (UK) advice is regarding the belt's expected lifespan or replacement intervals. When I inspected my car prior to purchasing it, it was not immediately obvious visually (to me) whether the motor had a timing-belt or timing-chain. I asked the salesman, who wasn't certain either, but he did say something on the lines of "I shouldn't worry - it has a 15 years lifespan." (Fair enough if that were the case, as I'd be aged 95 then and well beyond worrying about timing-belts/chains long before that!) As 15-years seemed unusually long for a timing-belt's expected lifespan (5 years used to be a 'norm') I did do some research. There's plenty of on-line discussion/argument about this and I eventually lost heart (plus I didn't much care anyway). If you REALLY want to know the official Skoda (UK) recommendations, your best bet would be to trot along to a friendly Skoda dealership, tell them you are considering buying a 2022 Fabia, ask to speak to the workshop manager and see if he/she will show you the maintenance schedule. My Roomster is in for a service in a couple of weeks at the Skoda dealership that sold me my Fabia, so I might do the same myself to satisfy my OCD.
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
I have now been able to check what tyres were originally fitted to my 2009 Skoda Roomster. The original tyres were Continental "ContiPremium Contact 2" pattern with a 195/55 R15 85H specification. The maximum inflation pressure shown on the tyre's sidewall was 61psi (4.2 bar) - so well within Skoda's 3.2bar (46psi) recommendation for when my Roomster would be fully loaded (5 people and 3 large suitcases).
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Front Assist Faulty?
An acquaintance of mine bought a new Fabia last September and, within days of having taken delivery, the car carried out a violent autonomous emergency stop for no apparent reason. I know that the dealership that sold him the car had it back for a day, drove it for 20 miles or so, but could not find any faults. He was threatening to reject the car, but I don't know what the aftermath was. As you've said, it's a quite common issue (not just with Skoda cars) and - after your Fabia is 'fixed' - please could you let the forum know what the garage did.
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Fabia Infotainment
There have been general complaints (from owners and journalists) about the infotainment systems of later VW Group cars. An example here https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/opinion/355800/latest-infotainment-systems-some-vws-arent-fit-purpose and a GOOGLE-search on vw group infotainment system complaints will retrieve masses of bedtime on-line reading. I wouldn't class my Fabia's Amundsen infotainment system as 'utter rubbish', but its operation is not intuitive and tends to be user-opaque rather than user-friendly. You haven't said what cars you've owned previously, but there's no doubt that coming to a Fabia Mk 4 from vehicles with simpler systems can be a shock. I don't like it either and I suspect other Fabia Mk4 owners don't too. Will I get to love it - definitely not. Will I get to tolerate it - probably.
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
There's absolutely no standardisation of where a car's tyre-pressure 'sticker' will be located. The reverse side the petrol-filler cover is a convenient and fairly common location (eg. Roomsters and earlier Fabias). But that position is unavailable for a Fabia Mk 4 as that 's where Skoda puts a dinky little ice-scraper. Taken from my Fabia's printed Owner's Manual The 'sticker' for my 2021 Hyundai i20 was on the the door-pillar frame to the rear of the driver's door (ie. the right-hand door for RHD cars and the left-hand door for LHD cars).
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
The Kwik-Fit website fails to recognise my 2024-registered Fabi Mk 4, but I experimented by providing the registration numbers of my 2009 Skoda Roomster and of my (now departed) 2021 Hyundai i20. In both cases the car's were accurately identified, but the Kwik-Fit inflation-pressure recommendations for the tyres fitted to those vehicles failed to match the Skoda or Hyundai advice on the cars' tyre 'stickers'. For 'normal' loading Skoda advises for my 2009 Roomster 32psi (front) and 30psi (rear) while Kwik-Fit recommends 32psi (front and rear). For 'normal' loading Hyundai advises for a 2021 i20 34psi (front) and 31psi (rear) whereas Kwik-Fit again recommends 32psi (front and rear). I don't know where Kwik-Fit gets its information from, but the Hyundai i20 Owner Manual includes a LOT of tyre/wheel data (as shown below) It's improbable that someone at Kwik-Fit is tasked to delve deeply into car Owner Manuals or check what is on inflation-pressure 'stickers' affixed to cars - it's much more likely that the inflation-pressure values quoted on the Kwik-Fit website are generic for a particular tyre-size and that the same value is then given for both axles. (i hesitate to say this, but why would a car owner bother with Kwik-Fit's recommendations, or take note of a Kwit-Fit fitter's opinion, when the manufacturer of their car provides a visible 'sticker' carrying inflation-pressure advice?)
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Build times Škoda fabia
This 2021 link may be of interest https://rsw.io/how-to-track-your-new-skoda-on-the-cargo-ships/ Best of luck... 🙂
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
It looks like the 3.4 Bar value shown on the Fabia Mk 4's inflation-pressure 'sticker' for R15, R16, R17 and R18 wheels is probably OK for all four wheel-sizes. My 2009 Skoda Roomster currently has Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN 195/55 R15 85V tyres (sample advert here) https://www.tyres-outlet.co.uk/product/falken/ziex-ze310-ecorun/195-55-r15/r-364735 The 85V indicates (85) a maximum load of 515kg and (V) a maximum speed of 149mph. The Falken tyres' sidewall shows the maximum load as 515kg (matching the 85 Load Index) and a maximum inflation-pressure of 51 psi (3.5 Bar). So these tyres are designed to be easily capable of being run at the 3.2 Bar pressure shown on my Roomster's inflation-pressure sticker despite their Load Index being 'only' 85. My Roomster has now had three sets of tyres, initially Continental, then Hankook, now Falken and I believe the Continental and Hankook tyres would have had a 85H specification (H=130mph maximum speed). I didn't deliberately choose V-rated Falken tyres (my Roomster is hardly a rocket ship!) it's just that the Falken tyre I wanted happened to be V-rated. I may be able to confirm whether the Continental or Hankook tyres' sidewall also showed a maximum inflation-pressure around 50psi, but I'd expect that to be the case. It's worth observing, perhaps, that - while Skoda advising 2.5/2.5 Bar pressures for the front and rear tyres of a 'partially-loaded' Fabia Mk 4 and 2.7/3.4 Bar for 'fully-loaded' might seem perverse for all four wheel diameters - it would very questionable to think Skoda might advise 'unsafe' inflation-pressures too high for the car's tyres to cope with.
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
My 2023 Fabia Mk 4 SE L has Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 195/55 R16 91V XL tyres (sample advert here) https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/goodyear/efficientgrip-performance/195-55-r16-91v-1123230 USA regulations demand that tyres marketed there carry maximum-load/maximum inflation-pressure information and, as a result, tyres available in other countries also display those data. The sidewall of my car's Goodyear tyres carries the data 'block' shown below The 615kg MAX. LOAD matches the tyre's 91 Load Index and the 340 kPa/50 psi MAX. PRESS equates to a 3.4 Bar maximum inflation-pressure. So Skoda's advice that an inflation-pressure of 3.4 Bar be used for a Fabia Mk 4's rear tyres when the car is has onboard 5 people (of an unknown weight) and 5 suitcases (of an unknown weight) represents a worst case scenario when each of the rear tyres will be carrying 615kg. That the car's rear axle's maximum permissible load of 800kg would now be exceeded by 430kg is quite another matter (!!) but at least, if the tyres were inflated to 3.4 Bar, they might survive that level of ill treatment. Tyres having the 195/55 R16 91V XL specification should have the same maximum load-carrying and inflation-pressure values, so Skoda can provide the same pressure guidance irrespective of whether the tyres are made by Goodyear, Continental, Bridgestone etc. It looks like the tyres fitted to 17" wheels also have a 91 Load Index, so I'd expect them to carry on their sidewall a 50 psi maximum-pressure value. I'm unsure about the tyres that are apparently fitted to a Fabia Mk 4's 15" or 18" wheels as the information on Skoda's website indicates that these have a lower Load index, which might, in turn, mean that they are not designed to be inflated as high as 3.4 Bar. Owners of Fabia Mk 4 cars with 15" or 18" wheels are invited to check what's on the tyres' sidewall. If the maximum-pressure datum proves to be below 340 kPa/50 psi (3.4 Bar) they may then wish to interrogate Skoda about whether there's a conflict with the 3.4 Bar recommendation on their car's 'sticker'.
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Is the Fabia a good or bad car to own?
It might be worth knowing what the Part Number is on your printed Manual. This is because I've noticed that the last Manual produced for Fabia Mk 3 cars had a Part Number of 6V901272AA and an Issue date of 20/6/2022. The Fabia Mk 3 never had a Digital Instrument Cluster (Virtual Cockpit) so there's nothing about this feature in that Manual. If, by some weird chance, you have a Mk 3 Manual, that would explain why there is no information in it about the Digital Instrument Cluster (Virtual Cockpit).
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Correct Tyre Pressure?
This image shows Skoda's recommended tyre pressures for my 2009 Skoda Roomster (1.6/77 kW motor 195/55 R15 tyres) and it should be apparent that there's not much difference conceptually in how the data for the Roomster and a Fabia MK4 are presented. The Fabia's EC Certificate of Conformity (CofC) provides weight and wheel/tyre data. My car's CofC indicates that the vehicle's actual mass is 1225kg, its technically permissible maximum laden mass is 1640kg and its technically permissible maximum axle mass is 890kg (front axle) and 800kg (rear axle). Its tyres are stated as being 195/55 R16 91V on a 6.0Jx16 rim with an ET45 offset. 91V indicates a Load Index of 91 (maximum tyre load of 615kg) and a V Speed Rating (maximum speed 149mph) It's possible to extrapolate from those data as to what the car's axle weights are likely to be when it's empty, but - if the car were to be used in competition - the weight on each tyre would undoubtedly be measured. My wife and I weigh about 52kg each and (with the spare-wheel and tools in the boot) that's around 30kg of 'luggage' - so about 21 stone overall in old money over the car's 'empty' weight. Using Skoda's 2.5bar recommendation will (and does) produce a firm ride in our case and, if I so chose, reducing that figure to 2.2bar front and rear (which is what I use with the Roomster) should be safe though less fuel efficient. Can't say this bothers me much as I've always been a masochist where vehicle ride-quality is concerned.
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Is the Fabia a good or bad car to own?
Strange... On-line Skoda Owner's Manuals can be selected through this 'portal' https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models The earliest on-line Manual for a Fabia Mk 4 car is for the production period beginning 2021/6 and that Manual has an Issue date of 14/6/2021 and a Part Number 6VA012720AA. That Manual includes information about the Digital Instrument Cluster (Virtual Cockpit). Assuming that Skoda has - for all Fabia Mk 4 cars - linked on-line and printed Manuals via the Part number (as is the case with my own car) on your printed Owner's Manual the Part Number will be the last line in the left corner of the rear cover. The Part Number format begins 6VA012720, followed by two letters beginning AA, then AB, AC etc. for later Manuals. My 2023 Fabia's Manual's Part Number is 6VA012720AE and the Part Number of the most recent Fabia Manual has a Issue date of 2/9/2024 and a 6VA012720AG Part Number. While it's possible that Skoda might edit the on-line Owner's Manuals retroactively, it won't be able to do the same with the printed Manuals that have been provided to buyers who have taken delivery of new Fabias. Consequently, there OUGHT to be information about the Digital Instrument Cluster somewhere in your printed Manual even though the Manual's index does not refer to it as "Virtual Cockpit".
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Is the Fabia a good or bad car to own?
I'm a mite surprised by your statement... The hard-copy Owner's Manual for my 2023-built Fabia contains two pages relating to the Virtual Cockpit (VC) and includes a QR code to a video describing the VC's operation. And exactly the same VC-related information appears in the on-line version of the printed 2023 Manual. As your car is a 2022 model, I wondered if my 2023 Manuals (hard- and soft-copies) might be more informative about the VC than equivalent Manuals for earlier Fabia Mk 4 cars. Obviously I don't know what's in your car's 'printed' Manual, but the on-line Manual that should be relevant to your car (Issue date 29/11/2021 Part Number 6VA012720AB) has the same Overview/Operation/Settings information about the VC. The only difference (and this MIGHT be significant) is that the printed Manual for my 2023 Fabia specifically refers to the VC as "VIRTUAL COCKPIT" (in the text and in the Manual's index) and also in the on-line Manual, whereas the 29/11/2021on-line Manual calls the VC "Digital Instrument Cluster". Interestingly (for a IT geek like me!) looking for "Virtual Cockpit" on the 29/11/2021 on-line Manual using the Manual's Search feature and "Virtual Cockpit" as the search-term successfully retrieves the Overview and Settings sections for the Digital Instrument Cluster. I'm accustomed to drive with silence in a vehicle's cab, so I'm not interested in my Fabia's infotainment system as far as its radio, media and phone capabilities are concerned. My Fabia's in-built navigation system was an attractive feature in principle, but I'm addicted to Garmin stand-alone sat-navs, and am comfortable with how they work given the way in which I plan longer journeys, plus my Fabia's mapping has proved to be amusingly untrustworthy. The snag is that most cars now being marketed in the UK are very well endowed with technical 'information' kit. If Apple had designed these systems there'd perhaps be a reasonable chance of standardisation and user-friendliness, but that's not the case. My 2021 Hyundai i20 was much the same, with a 650 pages printed Owner's Manual (with a pathetically short index) and - because of the infotainment system's complexity - instructions on how to use it only held on-line. There's a recent Fabia versus Corsa article in the current Auto Express magazine. Summary here https://gb.readly.com/magazines/auto-express/2024-06-27/667bf4d8cbaa1e108794fd3f
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Does the 1.5 TSI Have Rear Disc Brakes?
Yesterday, out of interest, I weighed the now-redundant alloy wheel that I used to store in a wheel-bag behind one of the front seats of my 2021 Hyundai i20. As that wheel is 16"-diameter and fitted with a 195/55 R16 tyre, its weight should be reasonably close to my Fabia Mk4's wheels that have a similar specification. The exact weight of the i20's wheel i(in its storage bag) is 19.4kg/42.7lbs, and knocking off the weight of the bag and padding, results in around 19kg/42lbs. ("Close enough for jazz" as the saying goes") I can lift the wheel relatively easily using the bag's 'handle' and could get it into the space behind the i20's front seats without too much difficulty - but getting it out again was another matter. The wheel-changing procedure for the i20 was easier than my Fabia's, as the Hyundai had wheel-studs not wheel-bolts. On the other hand, the Hyundai anti-theft nuts (photo below) were complicated and challenging to undo or to torque to the required setting. It was widely reported that Hyundai/Kia dealerships had no 'universal' keys and, if an owner did not have the appropriate matching key-nut and a wheel needed to be removed, they were in deep trouble as a consequence. The centre part of the anti-theft nut is essentially cosmetic and freely rotates, so traditional brute force methods cannot be used. I feared those nuts and replaced them with less secure but more conventional anti-theft nuts that I could undo and tighten straightforwardly and, if necessary, that could be undone in the traditional way.
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Does the 1.5 TSI Have Rear Disc Brakes?
Sets of 'wheel alignment pins' in multiple sizes are widely advertised and their price can vary from fairly cheap to very expensive. I've seen the set you provided a link to for around £17 on-line (identical but with a different brand-name) but you definitely got a bargain at under-8-quid. I have one of these Its light weight suggests it's some sort of alloy. It has a hard super-smooth black (anodised?) finish, is very nicely made and is easily inserted and removed from the hub's bolt-holes. I know it still works OK as I used it when removing/replacing a wheel on my Skoda Roomster yesterday! If I remember correctly it cost about £9. For the record, a Fabia Mk4 alloy wheel with a 195/55 R16 tyre weighs about 19kg (42lbs).
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Is the Fabia a good or bad car to own?
These "What Car?" articles may be of interest. https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/used-review/n808/reliability https://www.whatcar.com/news/reliability-survey-most-reliable-small-cars/n26142 What you would like to know is how many Fabia Mk4 cars (not just those marketed in the UK) have needed under-warranty work since they were sold and what that work involved, but that information will be commercial-in-confidence and there's no chance that Skoda would release the data. You haven't said what your '21-plate Fabia Mk3's problems have been, but - if they have involved the car's 'tech' - it wouldn't surprise me if Fabia Mk4 cars (even more loaded with user-unfriendly techie stuff) prove to be problematic in this area. Statistically, you'd be better changing to a new Honda, Toyota or Suzuki....
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High pitched sound coming from dashboard
EmilyFabia Are you able to hear the "high pitched, whistling sound" on your video? The previous two posters have said that they could not hear the sound on your video. I've tried listening to your video on several devices, but the only noise I was able to hear was through my iphone, but the sound was just a low-pitched hum. I've never had a hearing test, but it's quite common for older people (I'm 80) to have high-frequency hearing loss to some degree - so the whistling noise may be present on your video but I'm now physically unable to hear it. Presumably, before enquiring on this forum, you have asked people in Germany to listen to your Fabia and they have confirmed hat they are able to hear the whistling sound? Best thing is for you to take your car back to where you bought it from (a Skoda dealership?) and ask them if they can hear the whistling sound, identify its cause. and stop the noise occurring.
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Does the 1.5 TSI Have Rear Disc Brakes?
1: The 9CIRCLE=branded tool is an American product and expensive even in the USA. It was just an example of a tool with a tommy-bar hole. 2: Nope - that's my weight. Cleopatra was described in one of Shakespeare's plays with the line "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety". Sadly, age has definitely withered me, though I like to think it has not yet staled my variety.
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Does the 1.5 TSI Have Rear Disc Brakes?
I'm an 80-years-old male and weigh a weedy 52kg. Removing and replacing my Skoda Fabia's wheels at home is fairly easy without using the type of tool being discussed above (I took the alloy wheels off soon after buying the car to give them a good waxing and check that the steel spare-wheel would fit), but carrying out a single-handed road-side 'emergency' wheel change would be a real challenge without some means to safely hang the wheel on as it's replaced on the hub. As I said above, an alignment tool suitable for the Fabia's wheels is widely marketed and (as nta16 has highlighted) the quality varies. A good quality alignment tool will be made from strong metal (You do NOT want the threaded end to snap off in the hub!), be smooth and - if possible - have a 'tommy-bar' hole in its outer end to aid insertion/withdrawal. (Examples here) Regarding Chug41's enquiry about offset, alloy wheels normally have their offset (ET) cast on their inner surface. https://helpcenter.wheelpros.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055697352-Identifying-Wheel-Markings#:~:text=Wheel Size and Offset - The,and an offset of 0mm.&text=Manufacturing Date - This is the month and year of manufacture. https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/how-to-read-the-wheel-markings
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Does the 1.5 TSI Have Rear Disc Brakes?
This 'tool' is widely advertised on eBay/Amazon for around £7-upwards and the M14 x 1.50 version will be required. (Example advert here) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223480382915 (Also advertised on AliExpress for a couple of quid.) This link may be of interest (though the basic 'European' argument is incorrect.) https://www.reddit.com/r/AskMechanics/comments/qhlc51/why_do_european_cars_use_lug_bolts_rather_than/