Hi

Bought a new 2012 Superb Greenline II Elegance 2 weeks ago.

Yesterday when out on a run the Stop/Start was working intermittently then when I got home (Very short run - 5 Miles "ish") there was an electrical burning smell and smoke coming from under the bonnet.

Called Skoda assist this morning after speaking to the showroom I bought it from - The RAC Man advised it was OK to drive to the garage (approx. 2 miles from my house)

Stop/Start was working OK this morning but the auto lights had the Headlights on full all the way there - On a Sunny morning?

Left it with them to investigate - Just wondering if anybody else has experienced anything like this? What the cause/outcome?

Thanks Paul

Wonder if it was doing an active DPF regeneration. Temperatures in the engine bay do get very hot and can create some odd burning smells. Did the fan continue when you switched off? I don't have start-stop but was just reading the manual and there's a million different conditions to satisfy for it to work every time...one of them is that the DPF isn't regenerating at the time which makes perfect sense.

As for the lights, my car does exactly the same and especially between now and spring time. Don't forget the sun is much lower in the sky and a white cloud day is actually brighter (for the sensor) than a sunny blue sky day even if you have direct sun on the windscreen. Mine will usually switch off eventually but the lights always come on when started as the car's parked infront of the house.

I had a nasty smell like this on an Audi some years ago. One of the heated washer jets had failed. The dealer couldn't find it but I spotted a small pinhole in the jet

Sounds like an active DPF regeneration. My Fiat currently does this if I do a few days of short journeys etc. It is offputting the first time if happens but once you know what it is then no problem. Had trouble convincing SWMBO that it wasn't about to catch fire though. On a new car it will be a lot more dramatic on than on a car thats done a few miles.

Edited 20 October, 201213 yr by Pesmog

Many Thanks for the Replies Folks

smf1007 Fan didn't continue (as far as I recall) - Would that be significant?

Just had a read up on DPF regeneration - Sounds quite possible that that was it :-) (Feeling a little better).

Would it really kick so soon? - The cars only done 638 miles - 494 miles of this was motorway (Warrington -> Poole -> Bournemouth -> Warmister -> Warrington.

(Pesmog) Is this more prevalent on short journeys?

Many Thanks

Paul

What speed were you doing on the motor way?

Hi Danny

I guess about 55 as an average - On and off between 30 - 70

Speed has very little to do with DPF regen, ideally engine needs to be doing 2,200 rpm can be in any gear.

My car that does long journeys never seems to need to do an active regen, whereas the other car that only does short journies often does a regen.

Edited 20 October, 201213 yr by Pesmog

Many Thanks for the comments here folks

It's prompted me to read up on this stuff - What clever things cars are these days!

Feel much better and more certain that DPF Regeneration is what I experienced - I'll have a restful sleep tonight :-)

If it turns out to be something other than that ( I doubt it will), I'll let you know - I should should know on Monday.

Many Thanks again - Great forum!

Paul (Off for a restful sleep now)

I have a Greenline that crossed 10,000 miles yesterday and I have yet to be aware of a regen.

I never noticed a smell but have seen the mpg tumble for about 10 minutes while cruising on the motorway doing about 60mph, which is about 1500rpm.

The only time you can smell mine is when you have stopped the car and are getting out the door while the regen is taking place.

The only time you can smell mine is when you have stopped the car and are getting out the door while the regen is taking place.

Spot on!

From my experience this may be the only time you notice an active regen...when you actually stop, switch off and interupt it. It happened to me when the car was fairly new but can't say how many miles. I just remember getting out the car and I could sense a lot of heat with a smell and those metallic expansion/contraction sounds and a fan somewhere was whizzing around.

In my old Vectra I was eventually able to recognise when an active regen was happening through the instant mpg especially at idle, but the Superb doesn't register an mpg (or gallons per hour) when the car is stopped. As previous poster stated you mat be able to tell from mpg when on the move but you'd have to be pretty used to a usual mpg for the road you're on. If a passive regen when at speed and exhaust temps high enough you'd probably never know it was happening.

Morning Folks

Happy to report that I have my Superb back now, no faults have been found and the consensus is that this was indeed, an active regeneration. (Regeneration also prevents Stop/Start from functioning)

As I said above, Many thanks for the posts, you guys are very knowledgeable and certainly put my mind at rest.

thanks and great forum!

Paul

I had the same thing from my CR170 when new, a few wisps of smoke came out from under the bonnet, I just put it down to possibly sealant or lubricant residue you sometimes find on stamped metal parts getting nice and hot with the regen. A similar thing happens with new exhausts but it is usually the poor soul behind who gets the benefit!