I have searched this site and have not got any real answers to my problem.

My Octavia will not start from cold (or warm) but if I turn the the ignition key and wait about 20 seconds it will start usually on turning the engine over 2/3 times. Does not always work but its a good work around.

What is the fault and why does waiting 20 seconds seem to start the engine?

And also if i try and start the car immediately, the amber glow plug warning light flashes but if I wait the 20 seconds and then start the car the amber glow plug warning light does not come on? Any explanation of the fault and why its not always on/flashing?

Thanks

Best bet is to get it hooked up to a diagnostic machine or someone with vcds. Theirs a thread somewhere which gives the locations of people with it.

Sounds like a glow plug problem to me...

Thanks for info but why does it start after waiting 20 seconds? Just intrigued thats all.

getting money together for full service plus glow plugs - should perform in tip top condition then. I am interested to learn whether from experience Skoda dealers are better or worse for full service than an independent garage.

Try heating the glowplugs twice,

I.e

Ignition on

Ignition off

Ignition on

Then crank

Thats interesting - I did that earlier today because it did not start on 1st crank. Engine then turned over twice on second crank and engine started - just! Surely this shows an underlying problem - is there a fault with the glow plugs or something else? Strange that i waited 20 seconds and seems to start then.

No idea, won't be just the glowplugs though, mine starts instantly this weather i.e. without them.

As suggested above, see if any error codes stored.

I had a problem where mine was a Catch You Next Tuesday to start in cold weather.

Tried glow plugs, coolant temp sensor and battery.

Turned out to be a duff ignition switch.

HTH.

Oh, and don't get someone else to change your glow plugs. It's incredibly easy, all you need is a deep 10mm socket, ratchet and 20 spare minutes.

Car is going in for a full service next week including changing glow plugs. Still very odd that by turning on ignition and waiting 20 seconds is the best way to ensure car starts with less effort - still engine cranks over about 4-5 times before starting.

Get them to check the battery, I had the same problem, but worse when hot, checked the battery amperage and it had dropped by 75 amps, still spun the engine over without any sign of failure, but the cranking speed had dropped a little, but not noticeable.

As I understand the ecm detects the drop in cranking speed and then after 20 seconds it signals the engine to start.

kev

Hi Kev - now thats very interesting - I will take the car for a battery check tomorrow. There is some link perhaps your misfortune and mine. Again today when I turn the key there is no mileage information etc until 20 seconds has elapsed and when it appears, I start the engine on second crank. Very similar.

Doesn't seem strange to me............ dying glow plugs simpy take longer to reach the required temp to start your diesel engine..... so your glow plugs definately seem shot to me, and as such it is taking 20 secs (whereas it should take < 5 secs) for them to reach operating temp, where the car will start. PS. the glow plug gauge is not always a good indication of whether glow plugs are ready in these cars, in my experience (owned 4 x PD130 engined cars).

I'm sure you'll be fine and dandy once you get your new glow plugs.

Thanks for your input Longyear - I will update this thread once I have all the work done.

OK - had car serviced today - full service including change of fuel, pollen and air filter plus new glow plugs. The problem with EM unit coming on was that the pipe came off. I had to do a running repair but now repaired properly. Error message was cleared as was glow plug light flashing.

All but one of the glow plugs were knackered and he had awful problems getting them out. Obviously not been changed for a long time.

Went to start car (warm engine) - would not start. Bear in mind this is my normal garage and he can be trusted 100% - he was gob smacked because he said when engine was cold(ish) he just started engine and it went first time. Leant in window and started key.

Then the glow plug flashing warning light came on and the engine management unit light came on like before. He was astounded.

He wants me to go back Friday to let him know if Ok on cold start and how I got on with warm starts.

I have tried some more warm starts and to be honest it a variety between starting on second crank to not starting or winding engine up until its starts.

Contributor Kblackburn suggests above that it could be battery so will address that on Friday. Mind now with new glowplugs in car it flies! Even the garage owner was well impressed with the car.

Just another oddity, when I was driving back from Peterborough to Plymouth I could not get the MPG to work. Then when back in Plymouth it started to work, but still no average MPG. Now car serviced its stuck on 42.0 which I assume is the average miles per gallon but cant get it to move. I take it that the unit that works out your mpg is knackered?

I am not fussed about it really, so long as it does not affect the starting. Any comment anybody?

The strange saga continues - this morning hard to start but glow plug light went out and so did engine management system light - when I stopped after a drive and then restarted it, the flashing glow light started again but engine management stayed off. No I am confused. It does seem to be that I need to wind up the engine to start it.

Anybody offer any ideas???

I have no idea how changing the glowplugs enables the car to fly! As I said before, they're not even needed at all for starting this weather, and it wasn't your problem.

I'd follow the suggestions above, try a new battery, suspect the ignition switch, possibly temperature sender or a lazy relay, but it sounds like it is going to need a skilled electrical engineer to get to the bottom of it.

You don't need the glowplugs in this weather.

Assuming the battery is OK, I'd be looking at the ECU power relay.

Thanks folks - been given a telephone number of a vw engineer who does work privately. Will let you know.

Battery or temp sensor .........

I once had the wrong (too small) battery fitted (not by me!) in a PD130 engined Golf MkIV and had similar starting issues.

Battery tested and OK - took car to another garage and ran tests and they say its either crankcase sensor or fuel pump - car goes in Monday (specialist garage)

Not been on lately - car been in for rear end repair after car accident and looks like new! :-)

To continue with the saga, I went to see Plantman who kindly checked the error messages and it came up with code 16705 Engine Speed sensor. This sensor was replaced just after I had the car serviced.

Just before the car went in for the rear bumper to be replaced the starting improved alot but was not perfect. When the car was in the garage they tell me the car started well. When i had the car back just over a week ago then it was fine for a couple of days then had two or three days of not starting well when warm. Then suddenly its OK again - even had some starting immediately when ignition key turned.

Its clear now its an intermitent fault. But i think I may take it to a Skoda garage to see how much to check for software updates . i dont think its ever been done.

Does this mean that the crankshaft sensor may be a bit iffy?

I can't suggest anything other than taking it to a good garage with real electrical & mechanical fault finding skills. But a software update isn't going to solve it.

When it's cranking but not starting, does the rev counter show a speed?

If the answer is yes, then the cause is unlikely to be the engine speed sensor and I'd start by replacing the ECU power relay. When it's faulty, the engine will turn over but some of the sensors will not be powered up.