Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy a TDi octavia or fabia estate however i'd like one that's drive-by-wire so i can easily fit cruise-control.

So, i was wondering if anyone can carry out the following Drive-by-Wire test (i was given by Stu of VRS-OCTAVIA.com) on their TDi fabias and then post back in here whether it worked or not and the year and model (e.g. GLXi, Elegance, Ambient, Classic, etc). Anyway, the procedure:

- Rev the engine to around 2500RPM (with no gear selected) and press the brake pedal (whilst still accellerating i assume) and the engine should drop to idle RPM.

I'd be very greatful to anyone who can help.

Thanks,

Ross

I might be wrong, but I believe ALL fabias are drive by wire, and not sure how far back you need to go in the octavia range before that system was introduced.

I also think that just because a car is drive by wire does not mean it is able to have cruise retrofitted.

Thanks for the reply.

I checked parkers and they said CC was available as standard from 2004 but i'm not sure how much i trust that website.

I was under the impression that fitting CC on DBW models was straight forward and just required a new stalk/loom and activation in the ECU?!

Ross

I might be wrong, but I believe ALL fabias are drive by wire, and not sure how far back you need to go in the octavia range before that system was introduced.

I also think that just because a car is drive by wire does not mean it is able to have cruise retrofitted.

Aren't all TDI engines drive-by-wire? Even my Mk2 Ibiza was. Having the brake on won't limit it to idle- it holds it around 1500ish IIRC

I was under the impression that fitting CC on DBW models was straight forward and just required a new stalk/loom and activation in the ECU?!

Pretty much how it works yes. I know I had cruise "fitted" in to my 2001 fabia TDI and the car simply would not take it. It wasn't until I fitted all the running gear from a 2004 fabia vRS into the car that it all worked...

Oh dear, i was hoping it wouldn't be that tricky to get working. Would you say CC is worth it though? I'm planning on doing alot of motorway driving so i thought it'd come in handy because my ankle always aches!

Pretty much how it works yes. I know I had cruise "fitted" in to my 2001 fabia TDI and the car simply would not take it. It wasn't until I fitted all the running gear from a 2004 fabia vRS into the car that it all worked...

Oh dear, i was hoping it wouldn't be that tricky to get working. Would you say CC is worth it though? I'm planning on doing alot of motorway driving so i thought it'd come in handy because my ankle always aches!

CC is bloody marvellous on the m'way and also around town if there's not much traffic/lights but a lot of speed cameras.

Oh dear, i was hoping it wouldn't be that tricky to get working. Would you say CC is worth it though? I'm planning on doing alot of motorway driving so i thought it'd come in handy because my ankle always aches!

Getting it working depends on the controllers fitted to your car IIRC. You might want to PM VRStu, he will know, or look at his website http://www.fabia-vrs.com.

As to CC itself and is it worth it? It depends. I rarely use mine as the heavy traffic on my commute makes it useless. If you drive on clearer roads it can be very nice- I used it a lot in Scotland. It's handy in speed-restricted roadworks too.

I only use mine for Mway cruising.... Which is not all that often to be honest. However, it is a great feature on a long journey - I have a slightly dodgy right ankle (from an injury whilst out on the lash ) and it gets quiet achey in the throttle position for more than an hour or so.

A couple more threads that might make interesting reading...

http://briskoda.net/fabia-i/cruise-control-retrofitting-reasonable-quote/142286/

http://briskoda.net/fabia-i/cruise-control-question-brain-inop/119325/

I was reading on here somewhere that in can be fitted to the TDi if the car has eletric windows/ mirrors or central locking etc. Anything which gave it the 'Comfort ECU'. Will see if I can find the thread which said this.

Might be why it didn't work on Jasons car before as I remeber from somewhere that used to be a Classic presumably without those features.

http://briskoda.net/fabia-i/cruise-control-retrofitting-reasonable-quote/142286/

Found it.

Just found out Andy beat me anyway

Edited 7 April, 200917 yr by TriggerFish
Beaten To It

Mine was a comfort spec, with central locking - but for some reason it just would not take it, much to the befuddlement of the techie doing it at the time.

Mine was a comfort spec, with central locking - but for some reason it just would not take it, much to the befuddlement of the techie doing it at the time.

Ah my apogolies.

Mine is a 2005 Classic spec TDi. Interestingly, I did the test recently and it did nothiing (though I only revved to 2krpm).

However, my car is in the process of having cruise fitted (tech ran out of time, so have the control stalk tempting me but nothing works!). The kit is apparently excellent (according to the tech fitting mine) though one control wire has to run up to the control box under the scuttle, which proved tricky for him to connect hence the delay.

Hewesy

Just a quick update to this, my car now has cruise fitted.

Interesting point though, the tech told me that the wiring diagram was wrong for one wire. It showed a pin that was already in use. They had to trace the wire to find the correct pin. Odd.

Worth considering if/when you have it fitted.

Hewesy