Hi,

My brother has recommended I join this forum as my Dad has a problem with his car. He was towing a caravan today when the car went into limp mode. The AA came out plugged in their computer and it came out with an Overboost pressure condition according to the receipt from the AA. The guy said this sometimes happens and it should happen again as he reset the fault codes. After about another 25 miles still towing the caravan it went into limp mode again.

Long story short he's now 100 miles from home and staying at my house after the AA dropping him here. I've taken the car out after reading problems with the turbo vains etc, accelerated very hard upto 4000rpm up a steep hill and all seems fine.

Has anyone got any ideas, he's taking it to a Skoda specialist tomorrow but just wanted an idea of what to expect.

Thanks,

Andy

is it a mkI or a mkII Octavia. The sticky turbo problem can be intermittant though.

It's a 2005 car, not sure whether thats a MkI or II? I'm preparing Dad for the worst but am hoping it may be something a little cheaper than the turbo

I've not heard of the sticky vanes problem on a PD engine but on an 05 plate it could be either a mkI or mkII though more likely to be a mkII.

It could be a sensor problem rather than a problem with the turbo. If it is the sticky vanes problem then you can get it stripped down and cleaned you don't need to replace it.

Does the car broadly look like the one in this thread.

Or this one?

Edited 2 March, 201016 yr by trundlenut

Hi Andy

A bit of a coincidence - I have the same problem (though no caravan involved!) and posted this on the forum at the weekend. You may have already seen the responses.

http://briskoda.net/forums/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_posts&mid=54312

I've also had the fault code cleared and the car seems ok now - at least for the mooment, but its pretty disconcerting reading about the possible consequences of a turbo failure, so I'll also be getting the car checked out before long. I'll report back on the forum and will be interested in your own feedback too!

Kind regards

Tim

I've not heard of the sticky vanes problem on a PD engine but on an 05 plate it could be either a mkI or mkII though more likely to be a mkII.

It could be a sensor problem rather than a problem with the turbo. If it is the sticky vanes problem then you can get it stripped down and cleaned you don't need to replace it.

Does the car broadly look like the one in this thread.

Or this one?

It's like the one in the second picture. Good to know about not many problems with the sticky vanes on the PD although what else does it sound like?

Hi Andy

A bit of a coincidence - I have the same problem (though no caravan involved!) and posted this on the forum at the weekend. You may have already seen the responses.

http://briskoda.net/forums/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_posts&mid=54312

I've also had the fault code cleared and the car seems ok now - at least for the mooment, but its pretty disconcerting reading about the possible consequences of a turbo failure, so I'll also be getting the car checked out before long. I'll report back on the forum and will be interested in your own feedback too!

Kind regards

Tim

I'll update this thread as soon as I know, the garage he's going to seem to have a good reputation so with any luck he won't be lead up the garden path!!

you got a mkII then!

I suppose it could be something like the MAP sensor or N75 (N something or other) valve that's not operating correctly rather than the turbo.

Well Dad took the car in this morning and it was 'sorted' by this afternoon. It came up with an Overboost - accelerator out of calibration fault so they recalibrated the accelerator, took it out for a test drive and nothing else came up in the fault history. He said to try the car with the caravan and go from there as he didn't want to start replacing parts if there was no need to.

Dad is picking up the caravan tomorrow so will report back as to whether there are any faults on the return journey!

Quick update on this. The car has since been going into limp mode but only when the caravan has been in tow. He took the car for a diagnostics check with the guy measuring the turbo boost pressure and a fair few othere parameters in real time (without caravan)....everything well within spec.

Yesterday he was towing the caravan again and it kept going into limp mode again. I took the car out today and gave it a right leathering - couldn't get it to go into limp moode until Dad explained exactly what he was doing when it went into limp mode. Turns out he's always overtaking and changing lane so I indicated, accelerated and the car went into limp mode.

Anyone got any ideas? You can drive it hard and it's fine, indicate and accelerate (only when doing above 50ish) and it goes into limp mode. Havent tried it with the caravan yet though.

Quick update on this. The car has since been going into limp mode but only when the caravan has been in tow. He took the car for a diagnostics check with the guy measuring the turbo boost pressure and a fair few othere parameters in real time (without caravan)....everything well within spec.

Yesterday he was towing the caravan again and it kept going into limp mode again. I took the car out today and gave it a right leathering - couldn't get it to go into limp moode until Dad explained exactly what he was doing when it went into limp mode. Turns out he's always overtaking and changing lane so I indicated, accelerated and the car went into limp mode.

Anyone got any ideas? You can drive it hard and it's fine, indicate and accelerate (only when doing above 50ish) and it goes into limp mode. Havent tried it with the caravan yet though.

So hard accelerate its fine, but accelerate hard with indicator on it goes into limp?

Electrical fault?

Edited 3 April, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb

So hard accelerate its fine, but accelerate hard with indicator on it goes into limp?

Electrical fault?

Exactly. Looks like an electrical fault but any ideas where/what? Two different Skoda garages can't fix it, going to the third on Tuesday!!!

Exactly. Looks like an electrical fault but any ideas where/what? Two different Skoda garages can't fix it, going to the third on Tuesday!!!

I take it the obvious stuff, blown fuses and bulbs, etc has been checked and everything works OK when not pushing it. You really need to narrow it down, does it do it with just one indicator or either? does it do it if you activate the hazards? What about with lights (side lights, main and full beam) and fogs on or off? Does it do it with indicator on while hard accelerating in a straight line, or without indicating and pulling out hard? i.e could it be the power steering causing problems as you 'pull out' to overtake? Does it do it under gentle accelerating with indicator on and pulling out?

A bit of quiet open road needed I think..

To also confirm, it doesnt just do it with the caravan on the back?

Im just not sure how related the indicators (if it turns out to be them) would be to a limp mode condition.

Could it be causing a short or fault knocking out the engine management, transmission or the turbo?

Limp mode: What is it, what are the causes, and how to fix it for the Audi and VW TDI diesel turbo

This might help diagnose your faults a bit more, or at least provide yourself with a bit of ammo when you visit the dealers

Edited 4 April, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb

Do you think maybe when you pull out to overtake you are labouring the engine heavily by accelerating from low revs in a high gear, this puts the turbo under the most stress because it is trying to produce the engines maximum torque to pull through the gear. Try the same overtaking manouvers without your indicator (on a closed road of course) because I find it hard to believe that the indicator has anything to do with limp home mode.

Thanks for the ideas, to clear a few things up.

• It does it with and without the caravan although at first it seemed this was the case.
  
• When we tried the indicator thing we didn't pull out; just indicated and accelerated hard.
  
• We accelerated hard with no indicator and everything was fine
  

Going to go out tomorrow and try hazzards, other indicator etc. It may have just been coincidence that we tried the indicator and it did it although Dad said it only happens when he pulls out to overtake which made me think of trying it with the indicator. He said if he just goes up a hill without overtaking anyhing it's fine.

I'm finding it hard to believe the indicator is causing it though. Trouble is he's visiting me 'on holiday' for a few days so doesn't want to push it too hard and get stranded up here.

Thanks for the ideas, to clear a few things up.

• It does it with and without the caravan although at first it seemed this was the case.
  
• When we tried the indicator thing we didn't pull out; just indicated and accelerated hard.
  
• We accelerated hard with no indicator and everything was fine
  

Going to go out tomorrow and try hazzards, other indicator etc. It may have just been coincidence that we tried the indicator and it did it although Dad said it only happens when he pulls out to overtake which made me think of trying it with the indicator. He said if he just goes up a hill without overtaking anyhing it's fine.

I'm finding it hard to believe the indicator is causing it though. Trouble is he's visiting me 'on holiday' for a few days so doesn't want to push it too hard and get stranded up here.

Good luck, hope you narrow it down, I must admit though, I find it hard to believe the indicator would knock it out, but in the end it is all linked to the 1 battery, which puts another thought in my mind, has the battery been checked and is it powerful enough along with the alternator?

Also has any other electrical work been done on the car.

Could be all wrong and might not be electrical, but its worth eliminating as many possibilities.

Edited 4 April, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb

We do a lot of towing, have they checked the tow bar electrics there could be a wiring problem there, that is making the limp mode show up

Hello there!

First time poster here...

I've had a similar problem to this today (although without towing a caravan). I got on the motorway, zoomed up the sliproad up to 60mph (in fourth) got into the first lane and then proceeded to change into fifth gear climing up and above 70mph (only just lol). I then continued to change lanes (2nd then 3rd) and flicked it into 6th gear, then the car went into limp mode. I was going over the flyover on the M60 (incline) and began to lose speed and power.

No ECU warnings, smoke - nothing. I moved back into the first lane and continued until I could come off the motorway. I got to the lights, shut the ignition off / back on again and the car was back to normal.

30,000 miles on the clock and I'm having problems. I spoke to Skoda because it's still under warranty, and they said it can happen at times. Keep an eye on it and if it happens again call Skoda Assistance out to run diagnostic. Given that I reset the car this morning, do you think it would be wise to call them out now and run diagnostic or will I have reset the log (by restarting) or would it have logged at all (since no light came on - during the fault)

Also, what was the outcome to the OP's problem? Quite interested.

Thanks in advance..

Turbo issue.

Had the same on mine and had the turbo replaced by the dealer as I had only just got the car.

It is sticking vanes that cause it, and it is common on the PD engines.

Giving it a good thrashing can help free the vanes up again, but it will happen again. Turning the engine on and off clears it, but the fault code stays logged.

Take it to a VAG turbo specialist and see what they say, but my money is on the turbo on its way out.

Turbo issue.

Had the same on mine and had the turbo replaced by the dealer as I had only just got the car.

It is sticking vanes that cause it, and it is common on the PD engines.

Giving it a good thrashing can help free the vanes up again, but it will happen again. Turning the engine on and off clears it, but the fault code stays logged.

Take it to a VAG turbo specialist and see what they say, but my money is on the turbo on its way out.

Cheers for the reply.. This may be a silly question, when the car is stationary are the Revs limited at 3000rpm. I have heard this one some modern cars but only noticed it today on mine. To be honest I have never had reason before to try.

I think the revs are limited to 3K when the car is stationary.

Best thing is to give the car a good hard drive and see if it frees the vanes up a bit. Make sure you are up to temperature first.

You might have a long time left in the turbo yet - is it making any whining noises on spin down?

I think the revs are limited to 3K when the car is stationary.

Best thing is to give the car a good hard drive and see if it frees the vanes up a bit. Make sure you are up to temperature first.

You might have a long time left in the turbo yet - is it making any whining noises on spin down?

Ah thats good to know..

I have given it a blast on the way home from work and all appeared fine. Got to 100mph (with ease) on the sliproad at Carrington Spur (naughty). I haven't noticed any whining to be honest. Just the usual turbish whistle!

You might be OK and it is just a one off then.

If you normally drive quite gently you might want to alter your driving style for a little while