Another Breakdown - Advice needed please.

[PGuk]

Hi,

I have searched the forum and can't find the answer, so here's a quick summary of the problem and maybe someone might know the answer.

My Car has broken down 3 times every 3 weeks, at 200 mile intervals. Always between 80 and 90 miles into a motorway journey and without warning.

The first time I got an Emission light (engine management light?) the car went into safe mode and when I stopped it idled roughly so I called Skoda assist. The RAC arrived but the fault seemed to have fixed itself. I thought it might be an ignition coil or possible cold sensor in exhaust (after reading the forum). The key point is this, the diagnostic computer the RAC had couldn't see my car. So there was nothing the guy could do,

Three weeks later, same problem. RAC computer connected this time, Ignition coil 1 was faulty and was replaced. Next day i took it to dealer for a genuine part under warranty. Car seemed to run fine but I only travelled 10 miles or so at a time.

Three weeks and into the first trip of more than 10 miles, car looses all power and engine stops on the Motorway at 70. Engine light then Oil light flashed (but had checked oil earlier). RAC arrive, RAC man suspects Crank sensor and says its "definitely not ignition coils". He towed me home off the motorway. He then spent 1 hour trying to get his laptop and also a seperate VW branded Engine Diagnostic computer to connect without success. He said that it ALWAYS connects using the code in the handbook.

Next morning, RAC tow me to a dealers. I've just found out today (a week later) that they've changed all 3 ignition coils and a small length of wiring to one of them (one of coils is only 6 weeks old!) . I asked why all 3 and was told that they couldn't get there computer to connect to the car so just changed all 3 and it seemed to run fine.

Now, is this an acceptable repair whilst under warranty or shouldn't they have tried to fix the computer ? I've now asked them to fix the computer connection problem, they said they'd get back to me but didn't. I phoned them again this afternoon and was told the car was ready for collection. I asked what was wrong with the connection and was told "a fuse".

So 2 questions.

1) Is it likely that its just the ignition coils? Or is the crank sensor more likely? How often should coils need changing - ever 6 weeks???

2) Is it likely that a single fuse could have cause the connection problem, or are they being economical with the truth and still haven't fixed it?

I'm picking the car up in the morning so any advice would be most welcome. I suspect that in another 90 miles I'll be losing power in the outside lane of the motorway again and having a near heart attack.

The car (a 1.2) drove fine between breakdowns as the garage claim it is driving now. Is there some other fault that causes the out of the blue engine cut outs when I've driven about 90 miles? The car has done under 20k miles on an 06 plate (so only just still under warranty).

Thanks a lot.

[thebeats19]

is it the 1.2 3 cylinder petrol?, a common problem was the timing chan jumping a tooth!!

Edited 4 March, 2009 by DGW
Pointless to quote original post.

[PGuk]

Follow up:

I've just collected the car. Neither the dealer or RAC could connect the computer to the car. After perisistant asking, the dealer now claims to have fixed this by replacing a Fuse. I have no way of verifying this, but does this sound likely???? Judging by one of their other repairs (involving double sided tape no less - I don't trust them).

Can anyone answer the above please????

The repairs they carried out (without being able to use the diagniostic system) seem to have left the car worse than before. When car idles at ca. 800 rpm which is the same as before (1.2 petrol 3 cylinder). However if you gently rev the car and release, instead of the revs falling back to idle like before, they now drop really low and the car almost stalls before recovering. I had a Megane that did this and it turned out to be an alternator fault. My car just had a new starter motor and battery about 3 months ago.

The dealer replaced 3 coils (one was replaced the last time it broke down 3 weeks earlier), but the RAC reckoned it was the cam shaft sensor. Any ideas?

[WW_VRS]

I'd take it back again sorry - I would insist on seeing the scan taking place so you can verify it. Alternatively if you have someone near you with VAGCOM perhaps (s)he can do a scan for you. If the person with VAGCOM cannot connect either, there will be another issue to figure out first, as it should work.