Hi all,

My wife has the above car, bought last November from a main dealer with one year extended warranty thrown in. Since then, it's been back seven times to have the speakers changed (passenger side door made popping noise), the air con has had to be replaced (had leak), electric window switch had to be replaced as was not working, the same parking sensor has had to be replaced 3 times, the rear window has been replaced (heating elements did not work), the engine management unit software was upgraded, then the whole unit was replaced, etc etc.

However, and this is the reason for writing the post, in May the engine management light (the orange one that looks like a kind of pump) came on while we were driving along merrily at 30mph in 3rd gear. After turning the ignition off and back on again it had gone; this was reported to the Skoda dealer who said they could not diagnose it unless the light was on at the time the car is brought in, because the warranty doesn't cover fault diagnosis, only fixing problems. Lovely.

This happened for about a month, then when turning the ignition back on, the light would stay on, sometimes for up to 5 days at a time. However, it's not possible to get an appointment at the Skoda garage within 5 days, so they were never able to find the problem. After about a month (late June), the engine (usually when braking to a halt with foot on clutch) then began to cut out, as if the limiter that maintains the idle at 700ish rpm was not working. The EPC light then came on with the engine management light. Ignition off and on, carries on stalling/failing to idle, restart 3 or 4 times, EPC light goes out, management light remains on. Stays on for varying lengths of time; the light never goes out with engine on, just doesn't appear after starting engine. (Occasionally the traction control light also comes on with the EPC and management lights and goes out with the EPC light when re-started.)

This problem still occurs once every 10 days or so; whilst the problem has been occurring, the engine management software was upgraded, and then the whole unit replaced, but it has made no difference to the problem. Is anyone aware of issues like this happening before, what the problem is and what the solution is?

It's very likely the car will be ditched before the warranty expires!

Very grateful in advance,

Chris

Edited 27 August, 201015 yr by chris_f

Hmmmm.. I've heard of similar problems caused by the fuel pump relay and or the coolant temperature sensor...

But, To be honest.. this sounds a bit different to those normal problems. And the model year of your car means it should be one of the better 1.4 16v engines (the earlier revisions are known to be, lets say characterful)

Use of the clutch causing symptoms makes me suspect the simple clutch pedal switch, but quite how this would give these results I'm not sure..

All I can really tell you is, if once on diagnostics the coolant temp read out is a bit sporadic then it's the sensor.. or, if the cars reporting things like implausible signal from fuel pump and injectors faults it could be the pump relay..

I know you say that Skoda wont diagnose under warranty unless lights are on at the time.. but all they do is plug in a computer to read out fault codes so it maybe in your interest to pay for a diagnostic session with the understanding that if a fault code is found to be logged (which, it sounds like it's a certainty) they fix it under warranty and any further investigation into these problems are covered as the evidence has been found.

I wonder if you could reach an agreement when if not codes are found to have been logged you pay.. but if they find something logged it's covered?

...Or you could see if there's a member near to you with VAG-COM who'll take a look in return for beer?

With my chemical engineer's hat on, the light that looks most like a pump is the power steering one. Is the steering heavy if you try to manoeuvre with the engine at idle? It may just be that the battery's a bit tired, and can't supply the amps required for the PAS without a bit of help from the alternator...

We serviced a 16V, moved it out of the workshop, the engine cut out and wouldn't idle. The customer was due back to collect his car in about an hour. We plugged into it and got a pressure sensor fault, cleaned the throttle body, erased the learned values, reset the throttle body, had the pressure sensor out, cleaned it and checked the wiring, it made not a difference, it still wouldn't idle. We were getting a bit desparate after doing all of this, so my colleague got out his hammer and started to gently tap the EGR valve with the wooden handle, we then started the car and it idled perfectly.

The EGR valve had stuck open and was affecting the manifold vacuum.

hammers are the way forward, thats how i had to start my dads old 406 estate

Percussive adjustment, you mean?!?

Hi

to the orginal poster, did you resolve this as I have exactly the same problem.

Would appreciate what you replaced to fix the car?

Thanks

Shaun