Bare with me here:

Purchased 2007 (57) vRS in October last year. 33,000 miles, full Skoda history (fixed intervals), just had major service inc. cambet before I bought it.

Had the injectors and wiring loom replaced in November (Skoda recall, work completed FOC).

Ever since then:

1) It has been reluctant to start. The colder it gets the worse it becomes.

- Plus 5 degree's, barely noticeable

- Close to or below freezing - clearly a problem

- Sat on the drive over a weekend in sub zero temperatures = 5 seconds of cranking , half starting , lumpy idle - even the wife notices

2) It also now has a tendency to cut out at the first complete stop after a prolonged motorway run.

3) The turbo started to whistle.

So booked it back in for them to check out all three issues.

They removed the turbo; found excessive play on the impellor bearing and noticed that is was leaking oil. Replaced under warranty. They told me that 'back pressure' from the dodgy turbo may be the cause of the cold starting.

Picked the car up, whistled straight off the forecourt. Still reluctant to start. Stalled again.

Back in, another turbo ordered under Skoda's parts warranty. Get a phone call, the engine oil level has increased and is 'slightly gritty', this may be the cause of the premature turbo failure, we think that one of the injectors might have been leaking fuel, we need to change the oil and filter.

This was on Saturday; I'm now in a loan car and haven't slept much this weekend.

I'm no expert but gritty oil isn't good.

This car needs to last; I run them until they die but now I'm worried this one is already passed its best.

Of course I need to wait and hear back from the dealer but I'm fairly sure it won't be good news. I'm losing confidence in the car, should I bail out now!?

Don't jump until you have a considered response from the dealer, (hopefully the master tech) and if needs be an inspection from Skoda technical. A 57 plate with 33k is hardly run in, so should not have even got to "it's best"!

I would see how it is after this visit to the garage,if its all ok just give it another oil change in another 5k & keep a eye on the level,you do seem to be having a bit of bad luck with this car though,hope it gets sorted for you,im glad my vrs is a petrol

Gritty oil isn't good no, but if they are flushing it all out, cleaning everything, putting a new turbo and feed pipes and the like on, you can't really say that it's going to die early.

The best thing you can do IMHO, is let them check the car over, clean it up and repair it (If they think it'll repair as good as new) and then keep an eye on the oil and get the garage to do an oil change after 5 or 6k miles. Get them to do an oil analysis on it and see how it's looking compared to oil from another TDI that's running fine.

Got the call this evening, 'it's ready for collection sir'

Great, I said, 'you've fixed the cold start issue then?'

Erm, no.

So what cuased the oil level to increase and the gritty oil?

Erm, not sure.

So what have you done?

We've changed the oil and filter, that's £130 please. We recommend you monitor the situation and bring it back in a few thousand miles for another look.

Can you save me a sample of the oil?

Erm, I'll have to check which bowser they used and get back to you.

This was their third and final chance to at least diagnose the problem.

I'll be on the phone to Skoda UK in the morning.

Got the call this evening, 'it's ready for collection sir'

Great, I said, 'you've fixed the cold start issue then?'

Erm, no.

So what cuased the oil level to increase and the gritty oil?

Erm, not sure.

So what have you done?

We've changed the oil and filter, that's £130 please. We recommend you monitor the situation and bring it back in a few thousand miles for another look.

Can you save me a sample of the oil?

Erm, I'll have to check which bowser they used and get back to you.

This was their third and final chance to at least diagnose the problem.

I'll be on the phone to Skoda UK in the morning.

Sounds a bit like there at a loss and don't know what to do next. Oil and fuel filter + oil £130 sounds a bit much.

It does indeed doesn't it!

I take it you are leaving the car with them?

£130 is for oil and oil filter, no fuel filter!

I agreed to pick it up on my way home from work tomorrow night. It wasn't until after the call I decided that I wasn't happy.

I already have a case open with Skoda UK so I'll ring them tomorrow and tell them I aren't collecting the car until they diagnose the faults:

1) Poor cold starting

2) Cutting out

3) Increasing oil level

4) Gritty oil

Cheers for the advice chaps.

Is this a branch of DM Keith by any chance?

You might be worth while getting a second opinion elsewhere if you are not happy with your local dealer.

The Master Tech at Rainworths, Mansfield knows his stuff and occasionally pops up on here as well.

I am sure there are others, but he was the top Master Technician in the UK a year ago (assuming he is still with them)

If you PM me I will let you know his username.

£130 for oil and filter is taking the mick - last time I bought the oil from TPS it was only about £30 IIRC.

PM sent silver.

Is this a branch of DM Keith by any chance?

Yes it is, the York branch.

In terms of politeness of the staff then I've no complaints (until today), I still get the impression they want to help but they just don't know what to do.

I bought my first Octy from Rainworth in Mansfield, very good all round, just too far from me for servicing.

I'll certainly be making myself heard tomorrow!

PM sent silver.

Thanks Ferret

So hows it going then?

Interesting that Rainworth have responded to my online inquiry for a service quote within a working hour and as for DMK - Well I emailed them what another national service agent have quoted me for a major service and "Its all gone quiet over there" as they sing on the terraces.

So hows it going then?

Interesting that Rainworth have responded to my online inquiry for a service quote within a working hour and as for DMK - Well I emailed them what another national service agent have quoted me for a major service and "Its all gone quiet over there" as they sing on the terraces.

I rang DMK Bradford twice for a first variable service quote, both times the service desk was busy and was told they would ring me back - never heard a beep. Crazy, they must have too much business they don't need any more.

Rang DMK York, They quoted £220! Rang Denis Horton in Lincoln - £110 for the same service! Found my new dealer.

Not an expert but when they changed the injectors it sounds like the o rings were not seated properly and the "o-ring" seals are leaking. When the engine is cold the "o-rings" do not leak due to the oil being much thicker. Once warm the viscosity of the oil drops and they leak.This could also explain the different oil levels . This could explain the reluctance to start after the motorway run, cold starting, have they checked the glow plugs, changed mine on my tipo years ago and started instantly :yes:

Not an expert but when they changed the injectors it sounds like the o rings were not seated properly and the "o-ring" seals are leaking. When the engine is cold the "o-rings" do not leak due to the oil being much thicker. Once warm the viscosity of the oil drops and they leak.This could also explain the different oil levels . This could explain the reluctance to start after the motorway run, cold starting, have they checked the glow plugs, changed mine on my tipo years ago and started instantly :yes:

I think the o-ring theory could well be right. Bad injector seals on PD engines can cause both oil & fuel mixing problems and poor cold starting.

Good tip guys, thank you. The car is still at the dealers, we reached a bit of a deadlock on Monday.

They tell me the car is ready to be collected, I'm saying until they fix the faults I'm not prepared to risk doing more damage by driving it.

Skoda UK has finally put them in touch with Technical Support who also suggested glow plugs or the injectors.

Skoda UK has also agreed to pay for the next round of diagnostics too which is a relief, so the saga continues.

I am seriously tempted to tell them your suggestions offered on here or just direct them to this thread but I'd really rather not as 1) I shouldn't have to and 2) I don't want to get their backs up by pretending to know more than them.

I'd certainly agree that a dodgy injector could be responsible for most of my issues.

Poor cold starting - check.

Increasing oil level - check

The gritty oil could be as a result of the failed turbo and the engine cutting out could be as a result of an interrupted DPF regen.

There are an awful lot of 'injector recall' related complaints cropping up on here, I wonder if these latest injectors aren't actually as good as we'd hoped?

Interesting that Rainworth have responded to my online inquiry for a service quote within a working hour and as for DMK - Well I emailed them what another national service agent have quoted me for a major service and "Its all gone quiet over there" as they sing on the terraces.

Just noticed that DM Keith have a 5 mile radius price guarantee on their website.

Just spoke to a very nice lady at JCT600 VW around the corner from DM Keith and they have provided a written quote for an oil and filter change and a 100 point inspection using genuine parts for £99.00 inc. VAT.

Let's see if DM Keith honour their claim and knock £30.00 off the bill

Bet you they claim that JCT aren't a Skoda dealer! I've seen that crop up in a thread about another dealer. Apparently they excluded a Seat dealer's quote because it wasn't Skoda!

Hmm, not sure, I'll have to ask. These are their terms and conditions:

We are so confident about our prices that if you have any ‘It’s Fixed!’ job done

with us and then find within seven days and five miles that you could have had it done cheaper, we will refund the difference.

Terms and conditions

All we ask is that you obtain a written quote on a like-for-like basis (Skoda or SEAT approved parts and approved repair methods) from a Motor Industry Code of Practice approved garage. In addition, for tyres, the promise is against single tyre prices and excludes budget tyre brands and online offers. The comparable price must include valves, fitting, balancing and environmental disposal of old tyres.

For the poor starting/stalling I would first look at the fuel pump relay (below the dash) followed by the lift pump itself.

Would you say the car is stalling or cutting out dead?

If it's cutting out, I would check the E-box relays R1 and R2.

Poor quality non-VAG oil can lead to 'plasticky/rubbery' grit in the oil. This would be the cause of the turbo failure.

Make sure absolutely sure they replace the oil feed pipe to the turbo if they replace it under warranty.

HTH

Hmm, not sure, I'll have to ask. These are their terms and conditions:

We are so confident about our prices that if you have any ‘It’s Fixed!’ job done

with us and then find within seven days and five miles that you could have had it done cheaper, we will refund the difference.

Terms and conditions

All we ask is that you obtain a written quote on a like-for-like basis (Skoda or SEAT approved parts and approved repair methods) from a Motor Industry Code of Practice approved garage. In addition, for tyres, the promise is against single tyre prices and excludes budget tyre brands and online offers. The comparable price must include valves, fitting, balancing and environmental disposal of old tyres.

Still no response from DMK - Will call them tomorrow as Rainworth have given me a good price for the 4th service but thats a trek from here and a waste of a Saturday.

For the poor starting/stalling I would first look at the fuel pump relay (below the dash) followed by the lift pump itself.

Would you say the car is stalling or cutting out dead?

If it's cutting out, I would check the E-box relays R1 and R2.

Poor quality non-VAG oil can lead to 'plasticky/rubbery' grit in the oil. This would be the cause of the turbo failure.

Make sure absolutely sure they replace the oil feed pipe to the turbo if they replace it under warranty.

HTH

Thanks RWB,

I'll add these possibilities to the list. DM Keiths 'Master Tech' is on the phone tomorrow with 'Skoda Technical Support' so we'll see what they report back.

It's only cut out twice, both times at the exact same point of my daily commute, down changing as I slow down after a long but steady 70mph run. I don't even know its doing it until the battery light comes on and the steering goes heavy.

Only ever serviced by Skoda so I can only assume/hope that they used the correct oil.

Another helpful member also told me to ensure the oil feed pipe was changed so the first thing I did was check the invoice, thankful it was listed at £22!

Fingers crossed things take a turn for the better tomorrow

Good luck and keep the pressure on!

I don't think the problem is with the injectors, it is with the technicians fitting them properly and doing the adjustments afterwards.

When I did my cambelt change it turned out that the previous change had been cocked up and the belt was on full tension and had stretched slightly. Done by a main dealer somewhere around the East Midlands area ...................

On a previous car I had a cambelt and water pump change at a main dealer and the car didn't make it 100 yards down the road before it dumped all of the coolant because the water pump seal wasn't seated correctly. Hardly inspires confidence does it?

Not all dealers are the same though, there are some good mechanics out there at main dealers as well - I know from experience having spent 10 years working at main dealers and with a cousin who has run his own small garage for decades.

Was there ever any analysis of this gritty oil, to find out what the 'grit' was?? Oil analysis is a huge part of condition based monitoring and gives a HUGE amount of info!

If diesel was leaking into the sump, the oil would be thinned...SURELY a tech would notice this when draining????

Good luck anyway!!