2001 1.6L Ambient Octavia

I have a warning light comming on about 20 seconds after the vehicle moves, it stays on until engine is switched off. Its best described as a yellow exclamation mark within a triangle which is inside a circle with an arrow at its bottom. The car is driving sluggisly at speeds below 50 km. Labouring noise and slight shaking when reved at low speed. The car feels down on power on hills, but driving over 60km on flat feel perfectly normal.

This light has come on a few times previously, but it hasnt reappeared after restaring.

Unfortunatly I dont have an owners manual and this symbol appears to be absent from the newer models manuals (as available on Skoda website).

6 weeks ago, I passed the NCT (MOT) with perfect emmisions result however shortly afterward the ECU came on.Its been on now for about 4 weeks, Fault code reading showed it to be related to oxygen sensor bank 1 but until now that hasnt effected performance.(have lost the fault code number)

Can anyone identify my mysterious yellow symbol? And what it might be related to ?

Will try to get the car fault codes tomorrow.

Edited 20 May, 201115 yr by irldon

Sounds like the esp light. Mine comes on every now and then and stays on till i restart the car. Possibly once every 2 weeks. Don't know why it comes on though

Could well be the MAF sensor.... Try unplugging it. If the car runs better with it unplugged then it is the likely culprit.

Thank you both for the suggestions so far, will out unplging the sensor and resetting the ECU later this morning.

I think you'll find its the ASR warning light which comes on when the ASR is deactivated either by you or by a fault in the system. Usual cause is the failure of an ABS sensor, however you usually get another warning light at the same time in this case.

My ASR light came on when I had a boost leak on the turbo intake - and it also caused my MAF to fail.

Thank you both for the suggestions so far, will out unplging the sensor and resetting the ECU later this morning.

Where do you live? Probably best to try and find someone near you with Vag-Com to scan it. If you are anywhere near Portsmouth, I am happy to have a look for you!

i am having the same problem but i am certain i have a boost leak as sometimes the car doesnt seem to have a turbo and the dump valve makes very or little noise but other times it pulls like a train and dumps really loud.

where would i be looking for a suspect leak????

Thanks to everyone for their comment and suggestion.

I live in Cork City in Ireland.

I had a colleague at work scan it this morning come up with fault code P0304 cylinder 4 misfire detected. I am associating this with a need to replace the sparkplugs as last time the car was serviced the plugs were not replaced.(Due to the difficult job that Skoda have made it!).

So I was in good mood, with what I thought was the source of my problem found and set off for home, which is a 7 mile trip. On the way noticed that the fuel efficiency was about 2/3 of what it usually is. About a mile from home the coolant temperature light cane on along with a beeping sound, as I was so close to home I continued on slowly and parked up. I poped the bonnet to investigate, felt the round plastic expansion bottle and realised it was quite hot. then I noticed some steam and a hissing noise, I looked down to see liquid running from under the engine bay and the expansion bottle emptying.

I left the car for 3 hours then I filled the expansion bottle and discoved that the water I added was slowly dripping from the base of the engine. The drip is at the side right next to where the black tooted belt can be seen running. I havnt tried running the engine as I dont want to cause any more damage.

Has anyone experienced a similar event?

My regular mechanic is away for the weekend, so it will be monday before I can chat with him.

Presently I fear for the worst, I see expensive repairs ahead.

Where do you live? Probably best to try and find someone near you with Vag-Com to scan it. If you are anywhere near Portsmouth, I am happy to have a look for you!

Thank you for your offer, I live in Cork City Ireland. |I have a Coleague at work who has an OBD2 scanner so I will see what the codes are.

Thanks to everyone for their comment and suggestion.

I live in Cork City in Ireland.

I had a colleague at work scan it this morning come up with fault code P0304 cylinder 4 misfire detected. I am associating this with a need to replace the sparkplugs as last time the car was serviced the plugs were not replaced.(Due to the difficult job that Skoda have made it!).

So I was in good mood, with what I thought was the source of my problem found and set off for home, which is a 7 mile trip. On the way noticed that the fuel efficiency was about 2/3 of what it usually is. About a mile from home the coolant temperature light cane on along with a beeping sound, as I was so close to home I continued on slowly and parked up. I poped the bonnet to investigate, felt the round plastic expansion bottle and realised it was quite hot. then I noticed some steam and a hissing noise, I looked down to see liquid running from under the engine bay and the expansion bottle emptying.

I left the car for 3 hours then I filled the expansion bottle and discoved that the water I added was slowly dripping from the base of the engine. The drip is at the side right next to where the black tooted belt can be seen running. I havnt tried running the engine as I dont want to cause any more damage.

Has anyone experienced a similar event?

My regular mechanic is away for the weekend, so it will be monday before I can chat with him.

Presently I fear for the worst, I see expensive repairs ahead.

Crikey! Thats outside of my personal mechanical limits i'm afraid. I'm sure that someone will be along soon to help you out and advise. Hopefully things aren't too bad and you can sort them soon. The misfire wasn't an ignition coil issue was it? They are VERY common and VERY easy and cheap to sort!

Last night I got a chance to look at the car. I found that if I filled up the coolant resevoir bottle to the max mark, the liguid would hold for a minute and then suddenly it would all drain out from the baase of the engine.

From looking under the vehicle the liquid is spilling out from behind the largest of the 3 wheels with a belt on them, that is to the right of the coolant bottle.

I checked the oil, it is clear and there is no water in it.

The engine itself is clean with no fluids leaking out apart from the water mentioned above.

My personal view (which could be completly wrong) is that the water pump has failed. when I bought the car 3 years ago I was told the timing belt had been done, however I dont know if the water pump was done along with it.

Is my diagnosis correct?

Last night I got a chance to look at the car. I found that if I filled up the coolant resevoir bottle to the max mark, the liguid would hold for a minute and then suddenly it would all drain out from the baase of the engine.

From looking under the vehicle the liquid is spilling out from behind the largest of the 3 wheels with a belt on them, that is to the right of the coolant bottle.

I checked the oil, it is clear and there is no water in it.

The engine itself is clean with no fluids leaking out apart from the water mentioned above.

My personal view (which could be completly wrong) is that the water pump has failed. when I bought the car 3 years ago I was told the timing belt had been done, however I dont know if the water pump was done along with it.

Is my diagnosis correct?

Sounds very much like it to me, my water pump failed as i was driving it, temperature gauge didn't move but the warning buzzer came on for low water level.

Got towed home and sent it to the garage (now i'm older i don't do my own repairs) and they confirmed water pump collapsed, they changed pump, cam belt, tensioners and also re-timed it but since then i've had the orange asr light on my dashboard.

Its also down on power, well i say its down on power but it isn't really it just won't boost now till 2000 rpm whereas it used to boost from about 1200 rpm.

I sent it back to the garage but its not showing a fault code up for anything according to them. I asked them to check the timing and the abs sensors but they said all was fine.

This fault has been there for about 8 months now, the abs still works but the traction doesn't and i have learnt to drive it knowing the boost won't come in until 2000 rpm so if i want to overtake i drop a gear.

Still gives good mpg though, its the 1.9 110 bhp tdi and returned 61 off the last tank so i'm perfectly happy with that but would still like to fix the light on the dash and possible turbo range problem.

Im all the water pump and belt cost me about £250 i think including labour so could have been worse.

Keep us informed if you find out any more.

Regards Dave

if it is the water pump get it replaced ASAP, if its leaking now its only a matter of time before the bearing collapses and the cambelt slips then its bye bye engine.