My Octavia is displaying a rather un-nerving characteristic - sometimes in second gear, the engine surges and the car moves forwards with no foot on the accelerator pedal. A tap on the brakes solves the problem but, in this weather, that is not really what I want to be doing. It happens only at low speed as far as I can make out, and I have had the issue since day one.

I called the service department at Parkview, and was told that there is an anti-stall feature in the engine management configuration.

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?

Yes, mine does it, it happens in first too but as the gearing is lower you don't feel it as much.

You soon get used to it, makes crawling along in traffic very easy as you can trundle along in second with no feet on the pedals.

If you don't like it just dip the clutch a little earlier before the revs drop low enough for it to kick in.

I've heard this described before and can't understand what people are upset about. My car simply maintains the normal idle speed feet off ,in say 2nd gear, which is at a low speed and therefore is not a problem and not disconcerting.If the revs went up to 5000, feet off, then I would be very upset.

Are you complainers basically trying to force the engine to run below normal idle speed in gear???

Don't do it!

Merry Christmas and an Octavia New Year

I've heard this described before and can't understand what people are upset about. My car simply maintains the normal idle speed feet off ,in say 2nd gear, which is at a low speed and therefore is not a problem and not disconcerting.If the revs went up to 5000, feet off, then I would be very upset.

Are you complainers basically trying to force the engine to run below normal idle speed in gear???

Don't do it!

Merry Christmas and an Octavia New Year

Well..... I did some experimenting this morning, in first gear the anti-stall (if that is what it is) cuts in to hold the revs at 1000, and I think that is acceptable. In second gear, at 1000 revs, if I take my foot off the accelerator, the engine management pushes up the revs to 1450ish when I take my foot off the accelerator, and that really is not acceptable - especially in icy conditions.

I will be going back to my dealer when they get back from holiday, and we will see what they have to say - I will post the results of the discussion.

I checked again, mine only does ~10mph in second gear ,feet off, at normal idle speed. But I rarely wish to go that slowly!

I checked again, mine only does ~10mph in second gear ,feet off, at normal idle speed. But I rarely wish to go that slowly!

Those are the symptoms I have - exactly. Normally it is all OK, but coming up to a T junction with ice around is a different story!

I am taking the car in for a check Tuesday next, so we will see what the folks say then.

I still can't understand the problem.

When approaching the junction just dip your clutch before the tickover tries to increase your speed...

Well..... I did some experimenting this morning, in first gear the anti-stall (if that is what it is) cuts in to hold the revs at 1000, and I think that is acceptable. In second gear, at 1000 revs, if I take my foot off the accelerator, the engine management pushes up the revs to 1450ish when I take my foot off the accelerator, and that really is not acceptable - especially in icy conditions.

I will be going back to my dealer when they get back from holiday, and we will see what they have to say - I will post the results of the discussion.

The 'anti-stall' is merely the ECU keeping the engine from stalling by keeping it at the regular tickover speed of around 750 - 900rpm. This is quite a useful feature if you are in, for example, a traffic queue/jam that allows you to move forward slowly by engaging/disengaging the clutch without actually pressing the throttle.

However, if your revs are coming up to 1,450rpm then I would suggest you have a problem.

There is/was a fairly well reported/documented problem on Fabia II/Roomster a year or so ago with IIRC the 'fly by wire' throttle actuator in the pedal having a glitch, exacerbated by cold weather. My wife's Roomster briefly had the problem but it cleared when the weather warmed up so we didn't bother to do anything about it. Others had it occurring more often and had, again IIRC, their throttle pedal replaced under warranty.

Have a search on the Fabia II part of the forum and I'm sure you will find more info.

I'd suggest you ask your dealer to check it out for you! Good luck.

The 'anti-stall' is merely the ECU keeping the engine from stalling by keeping it at the regular tickover speed of around 750 - 900rpm. This is quite a useful feature if you are in, for example, a traffic queue/jam that allows you to move forward slowly by engaging/disengaging the clutch without actually pressing the throttle.

However, if your revs are coming up to 1,450rpm then I would suggest you have a problem.

There is/was a fairly well reported/documented problem on Fabia II/Roomster a year or so ago with IIRC the 'fly by wire' throttle actuator in the pedal having a glitch, exacerbated by cold weather. My wife's Roomster briefly had the problem but it cleared when the weather warmed up so we didn't bother to do anything about it. Others had it occurring more often and had, again IIRC, their throttle pedal replaced under warranty.

Have a search on the Fabia II part of the forum and I'm sure you will find more info.

I'd suggest you ask your dealer to check it out for you! Good luck.

Many thanks for that information, much appreciated.

After a good run this morning, I could not repeat the problem and the revs stayed at 1000, but from cold this afternoon, it was there again - I am trying to gather as much information as possible for the service manager.

I put my car into the dealer for investigation, and the service folks have installed new software into the engine management system.

I did a fair amount of testing over a ten day period, and it transpired that the problem was very evident when the temperature was below freezing, and the car just started, and much less evident when the car was warmed up and the temperature above freezing.

No fault was evident with the test system, but the service people had a consultation with Skoda and the new software was advised.

doh....

Of course anti stall is going to have to rev higher when the engine is cold....

Did you ever have a car with a manual choke?

Andy

Oh and before anyone says it, I know diesels dont have choke but I do beleive when gold they advance the injection to compensate....

Edited 6 January, 201115 yr by bandrew465

doh....

Of course anti stall is going to have to rev higher when the engine is cold....

Did you ever have a car with a manual choke?

Andy

Well....... perhaps I have not explained the whole issue well enough, so I will have a go.

I live in a cul-de-sac which, luckily, is off another cul-de-sac. I have plenty of room to get into second gear before I reach the T junction with the other cul-de-sac. Coming up to the junction, I take my foot off the accelerator and the revs drop towards 1000, as expected - then the car suddenly accelerates, with the revs rising to 1450. There is only one option, and that is to de-clutch and brake, and that is absolutely not what you want to be doing on an ice covered, non gritted, road. At the time in question, I skated across the junction - luckily there was nothing coming. The next day, I did a 10 mile journey, so the car was not cold, but the outside temperature was minus 4.5C, and repeated the exercise 4 times - every time a coconut.

I am told that the software change is to alter this behaviour, but time will tell. My explanation clearly rang some kind of bell, somewhere.

I did do some other experiments, which I informed the garage about - as the outside temperature rises, the behaviour changes (eg) at +1C, in identical circumstances, the revs rise to 1200, and then immediately drop back to 1000.

I hope that goes some way to helping your understanding.

Edited 6 January, 201115 yr by bellandbottle

I still don't see what the problem is....

Your basically saying your approaching the juntion too fast for the road conditions! 2nd is not going to stop you so if a car is passing then you would have to de clutch and brake anyway....

Reality check maybe!

I still don't see what the problem is....

Your basically saying your approaching the juntion too fast for the road conditions! 2nd is not going to stop you so if a car is passing then you would have to de clutch and brake anyway....

Reality check maybe!

You are clearly not focussing on the key point, so I will sign off now. I was trying with this thread to inform, rather than lecture.

By the way, I used to live in Sweden, and have a Swedish driving license in addition to a British one. I think even you can work out what that means.

That your arrogant?

All the cars I have owned for the last 10 years have done what you describe......

Maybe you should get a push bike...