Hi the Collective !

I have a 2008 Octavia 2.0 TDi 4x4 Wagon (estate,shooting brake etc)in QLD Australia.

Around 3 months ago i had the Glow Plug Warning Lamp come on, this came on and off a few times but now seems to be getting progressively worse.

Starting at the top, had to take the car to the mainland ( car resides on a small island 35km from Brisbane and is 8km barge ride to mainland ) as windscreen cracked in the heat while washing it. While on the mainland on way to Autoglass car started to loose power. The fuel filter was clogged so i dropped in a new one (as you do!) and continued with no problem.

Windscreen replaced and car shipped back to island, a few days after , the glow plug light came on and car looses power, after about 60 seconds the light goes back out and power returns. I have an U280 Memo Scanner, but it cant read any codes (just comes up error) though can reset car so warning lamp goes out whilst driving.

More recently when the car really spits the dummy the engine management light comes on and stays on (until reset with U280), having said that after it has this type of hissy fit the car seems to behave itself for a while.

Being 4 years old and traveled 41,000kms (revised back from 51k due to fat finger syndrome), over Christmas and January have replaced Glow Plugs and Mass Air Flow Sensor, but to no avail .

I've noticed (maybe coincidence) that the car tends to behave itself during long spells of dry weather and craps out during or several days after a good downpour.

Since the car is in exile on the island getting the car to the mainland is few and far between, i'd like to know what scanner is available (possibly on ebay) that can read the error codes and also any advice on as to where to investigate the issue the car has. I have read a few post on forums , the car was chipped but i have since removed this and all vacuum lines appear to be attached and ok.

Any info would be greatly received and appreciated.

Nick

Edited 30 March, 201214 yr by Nick Octavia TDi 4x4

Further update to all this, i got a http://obdtool.co.uk...k-can-plus.html as i had to do something to try and get this issue resolved.

Its brought up a few things, one of which is kind of hard to believe (i didnt know that diesel engines had knock sensors). The codes below:

03G906021SS

R4 2.0L EDC G000SG

1302

01027- rear warm air fan (V47)

12295- no data

00579- knock sensor regulation cylinder 3

01152- gear monitoring switch (f209)

05269- no data

12544- no data

05654- no data

05776- no data

05677- no data

12291- no data

12293- no data

06911- no data

I'm assuming the no data things are not necessarily faults i'd also doubt the gear monitoring switch. But the Knock Sensor Regulation fault and the rear warm air fan fault are constantly coming back after resetting everything and going for a drive till the fault reappears (which is now constantly coming back after around 4 mins of driving).

Just to add some further info, the coolant level light has been coming on this week when starting from cold (ambient air temp here is around 20 to 31deg). Its happened a few times over the last few months (from cold) but is happening almost every day now. The car appears to start ok and definitely has no starting problems when warm, though i have read that coolant level issues with other skodas have created major problems, i also understand that it can create different issues for different models and or model years.

I hope someone can help with this before serious damage is done. The car is also now a bit hesitant on the turbo (sometimes) with a slight shudder with acceleration and can hear it in the turbo.

I have since changed the fuel filter again, but to no avail.

Nick

Edited 10 March, 201214 yr by Nick Octavia TDi 4x4

Hi,

You've got a really odd collection of fault codes there, they don't make any sense to me at all. You're right there is no knock sensor, and I've never heard of a "rear warm air fan". I wonder if there is some fundamental fault with the wiring loom, perhaps triggered by damp weather as you suggest.

As to the coolant light problem, is the car actually using any coolant? If not its probably just the sensor prongs in the coolant tank getting corroded, quite a common problem. Try scraping them with a screwdriver to clean them up a bit and see if that helps.

Hi Nick, (cool name:)

Thanks for the reply.

The car is'nt using coolant even though the coolant low light comes on sometimes (though often during the last week), the terminals appear ok though i will check them again. The car didnt play up at all this morning, though its still only 9am here atm and have the rest of the day to get through.

Last weekend i pulled off the wipers etc and pulled the ecu out (battery disconnected) to check on water ingress anywhere in that area and all the wiring and plugs and sockets were dry and clean. In fact there doesn't seem to be many areas that water can get into the cabin, so internally i think the car is dry (and also if wet inside the inside windows would fog up).

I am going to check the wiring to the towbar to make sure all is ok, and as i'm no auto electrician i might just isolate that wiring all together for now to eliminate that area as a problem electrically.

Also over the next few days will put the car up on stands and remove the cover under the engine and check exhaust and turbo visually from underneath as others have commented on the turbo whine while in the car . It sounds fine but just different (i agree) and could warrant a visual check to make sure of no cracks or damaged/disconnected hoses etc .

One other thought is where the tuning chip was originally plugged in, the wiring was taught going into the chip box. If anyone has a wiring diagram or can tell me what pins to check at the ecu (am assuming it will go back to there) i'll be able to check out for a break in that part of the loom,would a break or partial break in this area cause a problem like i have ?.

Thanks for your advice, if you or anyone else has any further thoughts am willing to take it all on board.

Nick

Ok, i fixed the wagon.

Turned out that the EGR Valve was completely choked up with deposits. I pulled it all off and stripped it all. After reassembly EGR valve wasnt working at all (though wasnt surprised considering the crap in it), anyways. Today i had a quick fiddle and threatened it with some more tools and now it all works as it should

It seems the issue is that living on an island 6km x 4km (with no bridge) is NOT the ideal place to run a TDi as the car doesnt get a good enough run to purge the system, so from now on will have to check the valve a bit more regularly.

Is there a bypass kit available for the 03G131501N EGR Valve for a 2ltr ? or will fitting a blanking plate suffice ? No vacuum hose to it like early cars its all electronic.

Regards

Nick