Please read and give me some advice on my short but total nightmare of a vRS ownership!

[chopper-lew]

OK, to cut a long story slightly shorter...

I sold a high powered mk 2 Focus RS to fund a house deposit, and bought what I thought would be a reasonably reliable, cheap and pokey small hatchback with the funds I had left over.

Well after 2 weeks of ownership of my 54 plate vRS, I was quite pleased. It was pokey, and I was getting well over 50 mpg on my daily commute. All good.

Then I noticed the rear brakes were binding, so I fixed them and put springs on the rear calipers. Sorted.

Then the drivers side front coil spring exploded when I was coming off a roundabout. So I replaced both front coil springs with genuine sachs items. All was good.

I then did a full and thorough service of the car, and gave the interior a full shampoo and the exterior a full polish and wax.

I also changed the front mats for new OEM ones, put a nice vRS tax disc holder in, and some uprated bulbs/side lamps in.

After all this, I had a nice wee car.

Then.....

I decided on a re-map.

I took my car to a mapper (I'd prefer not to mention any names at this stage)

They had problems uplading a stage 1 map, so they took the ecu out to 'bench map' it.

They couldnt bench map it because it wasn't comunicating with their software correctly.

They told me it would need to be sent away to their mapping HQ to be 'reset' so I said I would bring the fabia back when I was on leave and they could have it for a few days to get it done.

They then put the ecu back in.

The car started and I drove off. Then, after about 10 seconds, the car stalled, and wouldn't re-start. The engine was turning over but was not firing at all.

After a check with the tuners software, it appears the ecu had 'locked itself out', and I was told they had no choice but to send the ECU away to be unlocked to their HQ immedietly. This was Thursday 26th of July and from this date I have been without a car.

Their HQ received the ECU the following monday and after investigation, deduced the ecu was buggered, the reason being it had probably previously been mapped and (incorrectly) been put back to standard. Then probably traded in to a dealer, where I bought it from.

The annoying thing was, the car drove absoltely 100% fine untill I took it to the tuners.

Anyway, the tuners ordered a new ECU for the car, and said they would replace the ecu and re-map it.

That turned up last thursday (2nd August) but the tuner was having trouble getting it to 'talk' to the car.

So this morning, they took my vRS to a Skoda main dealer to get them to make the ECU work with the car, but so far, no luck. The Skoda dealer are having the same problem getting their software to communicate with the car.

So at the moment, im gubbed. I NEED a car by wednesday. Nobody seems to know WTF is up with my car. All I know is that it was absolutly fine before the tuners attempted to re-map it. I even went out for a 10 min test drive before the remap with the tuner to see what the car was like 'before' (so we could compare it to an 'after' drive) and also VAG COM was plugged in and did a diagnostic check with no fault codes found.

At the moment, I just want my bloody wheels back and am getting really ****ed off.

1. Has anyone heard of this sort of situation before or got any idead what could be causing it?

2. WTF would you do if you were in my situation? I feel I have already been very paitient. I understand things take time, but I need a car!!!

Arrrrghhh!!!

[AGENT 47]

feel for you pal dont know whats wrong with your car not a tech just put it down to one of those things nothing is perfect all of the time and when things go wrong for me i just think that there are people in a worse state than me sorry if that dont help didnt mean to sound patronizing

[TimVRS12]

It was fine before they touched it - end of story.

They're fault, they're fix.

Or take it to a reputable place for diagnostics. Shark and unit 18 both highly recommended on here. Euro performance gets my vote also if you're in the south west.

[nath17t]

sounds like they have dameged something els when they have been mapping it

[chopper-lew]

It was fine before they touched it - end of story.

They're fault, they're fix.

Take it to a reputable place for diagnostics. Shark and unit 18 both highly recommended on here. Euro performance gets my vote also if you're in the south west.

To be fair, they have been very good. They ran me home (30 mile round trip) when the problem first occoured, and then came to my house to collect the spare key for re-coding when they changed the ECU. The problem is, they are relying on the main dealer to sort the problem now and the main dealer dosen't seem to be having much luck.

I have a bad feeling the skoda dealer may 'turn their back' on them when they realise they are a mapping company and it was their tinkering that caused the problem.

Thing is though, I cant 'take it anywhere' for more diagnostics as it wont drive! Back of a flat bed only at the moment, and that can get expensive.

I understand I need to give them a chance to rectify the problem, but its coming up for 2 weeks now ive been without a car and I really need some transport for my work.

Either way, im without a car, and dont know where I stand!

Edited 6 August, 2012 by chopper-lew

[TimVRS12]

Ask them for a courtesy car? Or what about breakdown cover, do you have cover which includes a courtesy car?

[faboka vrs]

Seems strange.

So what happened to the old ecu? Do you have it? If you have it can see if I can fix it for you.

[Recarouk]

What a mare dude, i'd probably speak with the map company and ask them if they have a vehicle you can use while they sort your's out, as said above.

i hope you get it sorted bud as you seemed to be enjoying the car.

[robk1]

It sounds like the lids been prized off the proverbial can of worms. My lads suffered to a lesser degree by different degrees of engine tinkering. That's why I drive/run an old Felly and don't fix it if it isn't broke. Sounds like you've had a rough ride & sincerely hope you can resolve the issue/s soon

[ricardo_smooth]

doesn't a new ECU need the matching clocks etc to get it to work properly? I'm sure they won't have bought you another brand new ECU from the dealers to match everything else, so they've probably got one from another fabia and now it won't 'talk' to the car. Without being a smart arse, or trying to poke fun at you. It seems that you've found a re-map cheap with company (or franchise of said company) who are non VAG specialists and they are now stuck on what to do as they are just making stuff up as they go along!

[Jamie24_vrs]

I think the garage is having you on, Why would someone map the car back to standard? Thats beyond me as a mapped car has many advantages and i doubt the last owner would have shelled out money to change it back :S can the mapping company not let you a car?

[chopper-lew]

doesn't a new ECU need the matching clocks etc to get it to work properly? I'm sure they won't have bought you another brand new ECU from the dealers to match everything else, so they've probably got one from another fabia and now it won't 'talk' to the car. Without being a smart arse, or trying to poke fun at you. It seems that you've found a re-map cheap with company (or franchise of said company) who are non VAG specialists and they are now stuck on what to do as they are just making stuff up as they go along!

10 points for this man!

Well the good news is the car apears to be fixed. It looks like it was a problem between the ecu and clocks as stated. I get to pick it up tomorrow with the fresh map installed.

The company i chose for the map is generally regarded as one of best and well known vag tuners/specialists around. Although i have had problems, i must say that they have been trying their upmost to get it fixed asap and the costs of the replacement ecu and skoda main dealer diagnostic costs have been met by them, so although i have personally had a crap experience, i would still reccomnd them purely on their customer service.

[faboka vrs]

I'm shocked they didn't know how to match it. A £10 cable could have sorted it.

I'd put money on it that your old ecu is recoverable.

[chopper-lew]

I'm shocked they didn't know how to match it. A £10 cable could have sorted it.

I'd put money on it that your old ecu is recoverable.

This may be true, but it was with the main dealers for 2 days as well and they couldnt sort it either. It took a live diagnostic tele-link to the skoda factory for them to diagnose it.

Very strange.

You may be right on the ECU, but as I have not paid for the replacement, I dont feel like I have any right to ask for any parts back that I havent paid for.

Either way, im just looking forward to getting it back tomorrow. Even more so now it has a stage 1 map loaded!

Edited 9 August, 2012 by chopper-lew

[VWD]

It was fine before they touched it - end of story.

They're fault, they're fix.

Or take it to a reputable place for diagnostics. Shark and unit 18 both highly recommended on here. Euro performance gets my vote also if you're in the south west.

Not being funny, but have you looked at poster's home town on a map. It's just down the coast from Glasgow, and sits on the Clyde. :wonder:

[Adamweal]

good to hear its fixed and although you have had problems they have given a good customer service! thats hard to find these days most people would have turned their back on it as soon as it stopped working!

[D15VRS]

At least the car is fixed and with the new map you can start enjoying the car.

[ricardo_smooth]

Well, even if I do sound smug, it's always nice to be right :lol: However the most important thing is that the car is back up and running. Additionally that all costs were met by the company responsible without any fuss/quibble! Rarely this happens in this day and age without some kind of fight!

[Adamweal]

all costs were met by the company responsible without any fuss/quibble! Rarely this happens in this day and age without some kind of fight!

as you say that never happens! they actually sound a really good company imo they recognise they may have been in the wrong and have sorted it without a fight

[chopper-lew]

as you say that never happens! they actually sound a really good company imo they recognise they may have been in the wrong and have sorted it without a fight

Yes folks, im back in business.

Picked it up this afternoon.

Man alive! it's bloody good fun to drive now haha!

I am very impressed indeed with the stage 1 map I have had loaded and the car is driving perfect. I just in from tinkering with it for the last few hours.

So I would just like to thank Fas at Revo Glasgow who, dispite my car being the bain of his life for the last 2 weeks, has bent over backwards to do his best to get it back to me ASAP.

He even came out our house to upload a free updated stage 2 map on our Leon Cupra K1 (which is also a very impressive map).

So overall, two thumbs up! :rock:

[grr666]

Great result!

[Adamweal]

would just like to thank Fas at Revo Glasgow

Had a feeling it would be revo! haha leon cupra K1 you say i wouldnt mind one myself! haha