DerekU

This image is of the back of a door-card from a Fabia Mk4. As Peter said in his original enquiry, there are fixing screws under two removable 'caps' in one edge of the card and a visible fixing in the card's lower edge - and that's it! There may well be further fixings behind the armrest's trim panels, but the procedure for removing a Fabia Mk4's rear-door card does not seem to be available anywhere online for free.

Which of your car's menus need the engine running to use? I note that, earlier, you said "Our Fabia 4 mc has no ignition switch". I assume your car (like mine) has 'keyless engine starting' with the push-button on its steering column shown in the photo below. This replaces the traditional 2-stage key-operated ignition switch, with (Stage 1) a simple press turning on the Fabia's ignition, while (Stage 2) pressing the button with (depending on whether the car has manual or automatic transmission) the clutch or brake pedal being simultaneously depressed, causing the engine to start. It's definitely the case that some setting menus need the car's ignition to be turned on (Stage 1) but going to Stage 2 should really not be required. The last time I Bluetooth-connected my iPhone 7 to my car was in May 2024. Out of curiosity I did it again today following exactly the guidance in the video I provided a reference to in my last posting. 'Pairing' took place with no difficulties and I successfully made a phone call just to check everything worked. I did not need to turn on my car's ignition, just its infotainment system.

Do you actually mean that? Although selecting/altering some items in a Fabia Mk 4's settings menus requires the car's ignition to be switched on (advice to do this should appear on the car's infotainment display-unit) as far as I'm aware every settings-menu item can be selected/altered without needing to have the car's engine running. A Fabia Mk 4 can have one of three types of infotainment display-unit (Swing, Bolero or Amundsen) and guidance on connecting a smartphone using Bluetooth is covered separately for each type in the Owner's Manual. This video describes the procedure for a Fabia with the Amundsen display-unit The smartphone needs to be compatible with the infotainment display-unit and the Bluetooth and Visibility items need to be 'ticked' in the display-unit's settings. I've no interest in using a phone in my Fabia, but, when experimenting, my elderly iPhone 7 connected easily to my car's Amundsen display-unit via Bluetooth. My Fabia does not have 'wireless' Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, but cable-connecting my iPhone 7 was also straightforward. Nimni originally said "Today I entered my car and the phone didn't connect to the infotainment. I tried several times and got a message bluetooth needs to be turned on?" I'm unsure if that means the phone connected previously but now did not, or that nimni expected the car to automatically recognise his phone with no action needed on his part. As bazz2004 has suggested, it's more likely to be something wrong with the Bluetooth-related settings on nimni's Fabia and/or phone, rather than an 'electronic' fault.

The Fabia Mk4 Owner's Manual has the following advice on fitting the towing eye to the car's front or rear. This guidance is 100% accurate, but, if a Mk4 owner ever has to do this, it may be worth highlighting that, when the appropriate side of the plastic 'cap' is pressed (arrow with 1 on it) the cap's opposite side only moves up a very small amount and (unless you have fingernails like Count Dracula's) it will be necessary to prise up that side of the cap quite forcefully with a suitable tool (and very carefully to avoid damaging the cap's and/or bumper's paintwork). The cap is attached to the bumper with a thin hard-plastic 'tether', so it won't fly off when it comes free. I found it reasonably easy to remove the complete rear cap+tether from the rear bumper for cleaning, but lack of space meant I could not do the same with the front cap. To aid subsequent removal I rubbed some wax polish paste over the rear of the caps.

These earlier forum threads referred to the Fabia's aero wheel covers and their removal For removing the aero covers the Fabia Owner's Manual recommends use of the metal 'tool' shown here. This was originally intended for removing the cosmetic plastic caps covering the heads of VAG Group cars' wheel bolts (though there's a plastic 'tweezers' tool that does a better job.) The metal tool is small and insignificant. If a spare-wheel has been specified, the tool should be in the foam-plastic insert that holds wheel-changing equipment (jack, wheel-wrench, etc.) 🔧 𝗦𝗞𝗢𝗗𝗔 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦: 𝗛𝗜...1.462 Aufrufe | 🔧 𝗦𝗞𝗢𝗗𝗔 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦: 𝗛𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗡...🔧 𝗦𝗞𝗢𝗗𝗔 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦: 𝗛𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧! 🔧 Ever wondered about that mysterious little gadget tucked away in your Skoda's toolkit? Mystery solved! Those aerodynamic wheel cov...If the car just has a puncture-repair kit (12V inflator, canister of sealant) I'd expect the little tool to be in there (maybe!) The VAG reference for the metal tool is 6X0012243 and a GOOGLE-search on that reference will identify plenty of suppliers (and plenty of different asking-prices!) One BRISKODA forum-member purchased two of the metal tools to make the initial 'pull' easier. As shown in one of the earlier forum discussions about the aero covers, I DIYed my own more efficient 'pullers' out of fencing wire. See also the warning about 'brittleness' here

This video relates to a Fabia Mk 3, but the symptoms sound similar to your car's.

This link may interest you https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/knowledge/articles/article-details/efb-or-agm---which-battery-do-i-need Technically, there's nothing to prevent your Fabia's EFB starter-battery being replaced by an AGM battery (plus there's space for a dimensionally larger battery with a higher capacity). It's to be expected that recoding the Fabia's system would be necessary to 'recognise' the new battery, but that's commonplace with VAG cars. I believe there would be no amazing improvement making such a change, though - if the car is only be driven very infrequently - it might extend the need-to-recharge interval.

I'd be interested in a list of "the important shortcomings" that you have identified.

A photo of the VRS wheel without the aero trim I'm not sure I like it any better and I'm reliably informed that removing the aero trim will increase fuel consumption by 10%. (Or was that 0.0010% ?)

If you GOOGLE-search on skoda retrofitting heated windscreen you'll retrieve several discussions about this possibility, including some on the BRISKODA forums. GOOGLE AI says Retrofitting a heated windscreen to a Skoda, while possible, can be complex and may require more than just a new windscreen. It often involves replacing the A/C control panel and potentially coding the vehicle's system to recognise the new functionality. The process can be expensive, with costs potentially exceeding £1000 for a factory-fitted windscreen. Rather than retrofitting a heated windscreen to a Fabia Mk4 that does not have one, it would be wiser to replace the car with a Fabia that does have one. In the USA cars often used to be marketed with a 'delete option'. The car's standard specification was high, but, when ordering, buyers could choose to delete features that they did not want, thus reducing the cost. This is the opposite approach to cars being marketed with a 'basic' specification and a buyer choosing (say) a different colour, different wheels, etc. at an extra cost. My Fabia Mk4 SE L DCT is silver and bought new off the Skoda dealer's 'forecourt'. If I'd wanted a different colour or a significantly different specification, I would have needed to have bought elsewhere or specially ordered and accepted a time delay. The only thing I chose to 'retrofit' was the spare-wheel pack that the car lacked - but that was easy.

This image is taken from an advert is for a 2023 Fabia Colour Edition with manual transmission and I've green-arrowed the button that turns the car's START/STOP system OFF. This is the standard position of the START/STOP button of a Fabia Mk4 with manual or automated transmission. The purpose of the 'keyless start' button on the right of the steering-column beneath the steering-wheel is to switch the car's ignition ON or OFF and start the car's engine.

I think my Fabia's Amundsen infotainment unit differs from your car's, but I'm guessing the menus will be similar. This image shows the my unit's "Openings and closing settings" and the three "Door unlocking" choices are All doors Single door Vehicle side "Single door" - only the driver's door is unlocked. "Vehicle side" - the driver's door and the passenger door on the driver's side are unlocked. "All doors" - all four of the car's doors AND THE BOOT LID are unlocked. Regarding Window operation (Convenience opening), in an earlier forum thread I said: A comment on the simultaneously opening or closing of all the car's windows feature (called "convenience" window operation by Skoda). This is set via the infotainment system menu as described on the link below (the video relates to a Skoda Superb, but the procedure is similar for a Fabia) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwL9bo4HkA8 There have been reports that the windows can open spontaneously, either resulting from an electrical glitch or from the key-fob button being accidentally pressed. So, if you have no particular use for the feature, it might be wise to turn it off. The video also shows the Central locking/Door unlocking setting on the display. I THINK the factory setting on a brand-new Fabia is likely to be Driver's door only, which can be disconcerting when you unlock the car and the passengers find they can't get in!

Where in the infotainment system, please?

If Davytee68 knows what the dealership did to address the boot unlocking issue, it would be worth having that information. LOCKING of the boot lid can be delayed To do this would require Skoda dealership action (or use of a diagnostic tool like OBDeleven as shown here) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_dAkgxvl9M so it MIGHT be possible similarly to vice-versa and delay boot-lid opening (though the justification for having that option is less obvious). However, if faiiure-to-open only happens now and again, the lock itself is more likely to be the culprit.

So what would be Skoda's recommendation for the viscosity of an oil suitable for a Fabia Mk3 built in 2015?

On my Fabia Mk4 there are three clock-style choices - two analogue and one digital. As has been advised swiping left or right on the touchscreen (as on one's favourite smartphone dating app) will swap between the styles.

This is an extract from my 2024 Fabia Mk4's Owner's Manual It will be seen that (as Ootohere advised earlier) oil to VW 504 00 standard is only acceptable for interim topping-up (maximum quantity 0.5 litres) when the prescribed specification of oil (VW 580 00/VW 590 00 for my Fabia Mk 4) is unavailable. This link lists some 0W-20 oils said to meet the VW 508 00/VW 509 00 specification standard. https://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-3555-vw-50800-50900-engine-oil.aspx?srsltid=AfmBOor11DCdQQ-hpdKlkGNe2YGCnedc9Qbcb59K3XFkysU0WWRv47uW Each product has a downloadable Technical sheet and, provided that this confirms that the oil meets the VW 508 00/VW 509 00 standard, it should be suitable for fabia1960's Fabia Mk4 car. The Owner's Manual for a 2015 Fabia Mk 3 includes the following oil-related guidance. Unlike my Fabia Mk4 car, my 2009 Skoda Roomster does not have an oil-label in the engine compartment, with oil information being provided in its Owner's Manual. As the Manual for a Fabia Mk 3 does not mention an engine compartment oil-label, I assume there isn't one.

The Millers Oils website has a link to this VOLKSWAGEN OEM APPROVAL LETTER confirming that the XF Premium Engine Oil C5 V 0w20 oil meets the VW 508 00/VW 509 00 VW standard. https://www.millersoils.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/VW-508-00-509-00-0w20-OEM-Approval-Millers-Oils-XF-Premium-C-V-0w20-8049.pdf and there's a TECHNICAL DATA SHEET here https://www.millersoils.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/8049-XF-Premium-C5-V-0w20.pdf This doesn't automatically make the Millers Oils product superior (or inferior) to the other oils I mentioned in my last posting and it may be less widely available off-the-shelf than the Castrol Edge equivalent. (A Millers Oils product with a slightly different name Millers Oils XF Premium C5/C6 0w-20 (note the "C5/C6" instead of "C5 V") is advertised on-line, often more cheaply priced. This oil does NOT have the VW 508 00/VW 509 00 approval.)

This 2024 forum thread discussed unlocking a Fabia Mk4's tailgate using the car's central-locking key-fob's middle button. I did wonder whether, when a Fabia Mk4 has 'full' KESSY (Keyless Entry, Start and exit System), there might be some special action needed to open the tailgate with the car's ignition off. However, 'full' KESSY would not have been standard on a 2023 Colour Edition model, there's nothing in the Owner's Manuals to suggest special action might be necessary and, in any case, I can't see why - if all the car's doors are unlocked and openable when the ignition is off - the tailgate should remain locked and cannot be opened until the ignition is turned on. If all my Fabia's doors have been unlocked (and the car's ignition is off) the tailgate is also unlocked and can be opened immediately in the usual way My 2024 Fabia has door- and window-related settings in its infotainment display-unit menus, but there are no settings specifically for the car's tailgate. If you cannot pin down the cause of this strange behaviour, as your car should still be under a warranty, I suggest you ask a Skoda dealership to investigate.

The Skoda dealership's invoice for my 2024 Fabia's oil+filter service last March charges for 4 litres of engine oil at £13.14 per litre (VAT inc.) - that's £52.56 overall. The oil used is described as "0W-20 LONGLIFE 1V". No manufacturer's name is given, but as a Part No (OIL3) is stated, it's reasonable to assume it was the 'genuine' VW oil shown in this advert. https://cmgoilsdirect.co.uk/product/genuine-vw-longlife-engine-oil-0w-20-5l-fully-synthetic-iv-fe-vw508-00-509-00/#:~:text=00/509%2000-,Genuine%20Vw%20Longlife%20Engine%20Oil%200W%2D20%205L%20Fully%20Synthetic,Fe%20Vw508%2000/509%2000 These four other 0W-20 oils are also said to meet the VW 508 00/VW 508 00 specification (I've checked the manufacturer's websites!!) Castrol EDGE 0W-20 LL IV Motul Specific 508 00 509 00 0W-20 Liqui Moly Top Tec 6200 0W-20 Millers Oils XF Premium Engine Oil C5 V 0w20 If you shop wisely on-line, a 5-litres container should be around £42-50 (VAT and delivery included). Just make 100% sure that what you order and what you get is correct.

fabia1960 Under your car's bonnet will be a label indicating the recommended engine oil specification. The position of the label is marked 3 in the drawing below. and - for my 2024 Fabia 1.0litre TSI motor with DCT - the information on that label is (as Ootohere has said) VW 508 00 VW 509 00 SAE 0W-20 This long 2024 forum thread discussed the 'best' engine oil for a Fabia

Photo of Octavia VRS wheel here. (The plastic 'infill' trims are larger than I thought!)

I visited my local Skoda dealership yesterday and spotted in their showroom a brand-new Fabia wearing the much-loved (!!) perforated plastic "Aero Trim" covers on its alloy wheels. I mentioned this to a salesman saying that I thought Skoda had stopped fitting those covers to Fabias and he said they are, once again, standard fit on most Fabia models. (I also noticed that a brand-new Octavia VRS Estate had smaller 'infill' perforated plastic trims on its wheels.) The salesman warned me that they had found the Fabia's plastic aero trims to be 'brittle' and that the workshop kept a few in stock just in case a trim broke if it needed to be removed to carry out a servicing/repair task.

Turning off Lane Assist using the steering-wheel controls is described here As the Owner's Manual advises "The system is designed primarily for driving on the motorway", but its interference is infuriating on twisty rural roads. Even if a Fabia Mk4 does not have the Virtual Cockpit (VC) instrument cluster, the central display of the analogue cluster can change spontaneously. I drive with the car's speed shown digitally (as shown on the video) and, if I select navigation, the speed readout changes to show 'pictorial' navigation instructions instead and I need to take action to get the central speed readout back. If your car's VC is changing itself, there's probably a logical reason for this, not just the system being bloody-minded, but that won't help your wife. Like offthewall I use air-con a lot - otherwise the car's windscreen will rapidly mist up. And I have no difficulty controlling the windows.

I believe you'll find that a 2023 Fabia Mk4 Colour Edition has (as standard) a (fairly user-friendly) infotainment touchscreen+2-knobs display-unit WITHOUT built-in sat-nav, a configurable "Virtual Cockpit" digital instrument cluster and a straightforward air-con system controlled via three well-positioned rotary knobs. (There are several current online adverts for 2023 Colour Edition models and their photos all show the above configuration.)