Hi

I've got an 09 Fabia GreenLine (I) with about 45k and full Skoda service history. We rarely use it for journeys less than a 10 miles (2x5); normally it's a longer distance or otherwise a part motorway trip (say once a month). When I'm driving I usually do the "optimising economy" bit for amusement really (coasting, not high revving etc) and comfortably get 75-80 MPG(!) on a long run.

Anyway, a couple of days ago the yellow "Control system for exhaust" light (the little engine pic) came on (steadily, not flashing), but nothing else unusual, and has stayed lit since. The manual suggests that the engine managment system selects an emergency programme but I've done around 70 miles and can't say I've noticed a difference (in fuel consumption anyway).

Note the "Glow plug system" light or "Diesel particle filter" light has not come on (my dash has the LCD display).

I'll give my Skoda garage a call in the morning (my Skoda Assist ran out and I already have AA) but would anyone like to hazard a guess as to whether this is a DPF regen issue (I found good DPF summary for VAG engines here: http://club.triumph.org.uk/cgi-bin/forum10/Blah.pl?m-1293102672/), an exhaust sensor issue (e.g. http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/246172-coil-lamp-came-on-now-orange-engine-light-is-staying-on/), or something else?

Thanks!

Simon

Would have thought more likely an egr fault or a ****y sensor. If it was your DPF sensor then would expect to see the DPF light come on. I have a GL 1 and its obvious to me when it regens, were the DPF sensor faulty the car wouldnt regen when needed and put the DPF light on. Whether the exhaust control light would light for a failed DPF differential pressure I dont know. If it was the sensor they are I think about 45 quid and easy to fit.

If you drive for best economy then maybe its a gummed up egr valve. My GL1 is near 60K and spends its life blasting along motorways and A roads. I still easily get 65mpg (shows as 70mpg) and regens every 110-120 miles.

Let us know what the fault was, might be useful to me in the future!

Quite possibly inlet manifold flap, code 19559 teeth on plastic cogs go, also well known throughout VW / Audi range. Might have made the fuse pop (on top of batter) or you might be looking for new flap. How is the car when you turn it off, any overrun?

Have this problem with mine for last 3 months, light on but runs fine and mpg still well up there. 160,000 miles on mine but not unknown at your mileage for this to happen.

I read the codes and then stripped the flap down to confirm diagnosis. New part from VW or Audi is Euro560 + vat. OEM part still made by VDO can be got from Germany for Euro 230 incl. shipping...(when DHL GET THERE ACT TOGETHER!)

Expected my EGR valve to be gunked up as well so also got a new one figuring it might as well be swapped at same time but was only a film of oil on it? Save doing it later on anyway.

Hopefully cluster will have returned to normality by this time next week as long as DHL get thier asses into gear!

I had the same warning light come on on my GL2 and it turned out to be the exhaust heat sensor.

This happened to us a couple of months ago with our Skoda Fabia Greenline (I) estate. For us the DPF light came on first. The DPF wouldn't regenerate, despite driving at 2500 revs for 15 mins a couple of times. Then the Exhaust Control System light came on. So we took it in to the local garage, and it turned out to be one of the exhaust heat sensors.

Quite possibly inlet manifold flap, code 19559 teeth on plastic cogs go, also well known throughout VW / Audi range. Might have made the fuse pop (on top of batter) or you might be looking for new flap. How is the car when you turn it off, any overrun?

Have this problem with mine for last 3 months, light on but runs fine and mpg still well up there. 160,000 miles on mine but not unknown at your mileage for this to happen.

I read the codes and then stripped the flap down to confirm diagnosis. New part from VW or Audi is Euro560 + vat. OEM part still made by VDO can be got from Germany for Euro 230 incl. shipping...(when DHL GET THERE ACT TOGETHER!)

Expected my EGR valve to be gunked up as well so also got a new one figuring it might as well be swapped at same time but was only a film of oil on it? Save doing it later on anyway.

Hopefully cluster will have returned to normality by this time next week as long as DHL get thier asses into gear!

Gunked up egr chuck a can of BG244 in it clear it straight away

Quick update in case others get the same dash light: The garage (Heritage, fka Loders, Yeovil) connected the car to the diagnositcs computer today. Apparently that light can relate to one of 3 sensors; in this case there was a static fault on the "exhaust pressure sensor". Without fixing they said it won't regenerate properly so they didn't recommend long journeys. Car is 5 months out of warranty and they have quoted £57 inc VAT for new sensor and fitted price is £102 - it takes about 1.5h the service manager said because, whilst fitting the sensor is pretty quick, they then take the car for a run on a local trunk road with the computer connected and get it to regenerate.

Whilst it's a £100 bill out of the blue I suppose it could have been worse (e.g. compared to alternative above) and probably not worth getting my local independent garage to do instead given the cost of the part.

PS. no engine overrun when switched off - car seems perfectly normal except for the light (if there hadn't been risk to DPF I might have been tempted not to get it fixed for a while... )

Thanks for the update, it's always handy to see how problems were sorted. Glad to hear you'll be getting fixed up without too much pain in the pocket.

Also got sorted myself, new flap came yesterday, swapped an all in about 15 minutes this afternoon, code cleared on OBD tool and light gone. Didn't change the EGR in the end as it didn't stop raining all day and it is a bit of a fiddly job for big hands and little fingers like mine!

I am having a wild guess here, but you mentioned coasting... Cars are not designed to be coasted and this will allow the exhaust system to "Cool" momentarily whislt you are non using power...I think this may, if not caused the problem, certainly it would have helped it worsen!

The dpf, etc, is meant to get hot to burn off excess soot and carbon through the exhaust by driving the car on longer runs, a little harder then town runs. If you coast regularly, you prevent this from happening, lowering the heat build up.

I would recomend you really dont bother to do this as the saving in fuel is minimum, plus you loose a small amount of driving control anyway as the wheels are not in contact with the drive system. If you just depress the clutch, this is quite simple to raise again but if you are popping it in neutral, in the unlikely event of having to move a bit quick, ou will have to clutch, re-gear and de-clutch, to get drive, losing at least a second or two, which could mean you had an accident or near miss, purely by not driving correctly. (It would be up to you to admit that to your insurer)! An emergancy stop would also be affected as you would lose engine braking and take a longer distance to stop!

Put like this, in the case of even a minor accident, any claim, wait for assistance etc would probably negate a lifetimes saved fuel made by coasting.

In the extreme event of a driver dying in an accident, the car on examination was seen to be in neutral, driver error would be attributed to the deceased, despite it possibly being someone elses fault!

Had the sensor replaced so here's a quick update for others.

Apparently the sensor failure is just something that happens - nothing to do with driving style. Heritage did just over 40 miles in the car to get it to fully regenerate - this branch doesn't have a regeneration unit of their own - they just put 2 bods in the car, hooked up to the computer and drive on an A-road until it has sufficiently regenerated (an indicated trip 62 MPG). Apparently it started off at about 40-45%, though I have been driving it for 3 weeks with the sensor broken which stops it regenerating, and is now down to about 5%. They suggest that A-road trips at 2000-3000 revs will cause it to regenerate if necessary so I think I'll be OK. £102 seems reasonable for the work, though I think I might look at Skoda Assist again.

Actually I'm quite enjoying being a Skoda customer - Heritage seem pretty friendly and laid back, unlike some of my previous experiences of VW and Ford main dealers (where they think it is your privilege to give them your money :wonder: ).

Thanks for the helpful replies.