Hi all, can someone please help.

I own an 54 plate Octavia 1.9 TDI PD, it has been into the MAIN SKODA DEALER for a warm starting problem.

Cold morning starts 1st time every time no probs, but at running temperature It takes 6/7 turns before it fires then runs fine.

This has not always been the case, used to start 1st time when warm.

Second time out the workshop still the same.

Info given: Changed 3 x glow plugs, on 1st visit, came out yesterday second visit changed some earthing straps?

No improvement at all.

Full main dealer history , 80,000 miles.

Please any ideas to help the main dealer as its appears to be a mystery.

Kind regards

There have been quite a few cases on the Octy2 of this hot-start issue being battery related.

With your car's age and mileage it's possible its still on the original battery. It would be a good test to fit a fresh battery and see if the symptoms continue.

Mine used to take a bit longer to fire up if it was a warm start, but not to the extent you mention. As I fitted a fresh battery this week, I'm going to watch with interest to see if that goes away.

I have a similar issue, probably closer to yours Wardy than the the OP, I liken my issue to the car behaving in the reverse to what I would expect.

To clarify going by older diesels I have had when cold they take a few cranks (e.g I have to hold the key on start cranking the starter motor for a few seconds) before firering into life when warm the fire as soon as I turn the key.

My Octy does the opposite when cold it almost feels like it fires before i have fully turned the key, once its warm it takes a few cranks.

I have a 2.0TDI with 73,000 on the clock and I believe it still has the original battery, I might follow suit Wardy and replace the battery, let us know if you get any results.

Yep, it's a strange one for sure and I don't think the behaviour's been fully explained

With mine, it didn't bother me enough to try and address, until the battery started acting up this week and not holding charge.

Hi there,

My mate had exactly the same problem. He changed the battery, tempratire sensors and glowplugs bu had no luck.

In the end changed starter motor and this problem was fixed.

Regards

Had the same problem some time back. It would start at the very first crank like a charm when the Engine was cold. After a few miles, when the Engine heated up, would take 3-5 attempts to re-start. The Technician said it was a problem with the Flywheel, so got I changed it to an SMF. The Problem has been fixed to a great extent, however, the Crank is still "HARD" (heavy judder) when the Engine is hot. So I guess the actual Problem is most likely the Starter Motor and/or the Battery. By the way, my Battery is almost 6 Years old, so it could very well be the Battery too as this was the remedy documented to the problem on many sites.

Had the same problem some time back. It would start at the very first crank like a charm when the Engine was cold. After a few miles, when the Engine heated up, would take 3-5 attempts to re-start. The Technician said it was a problem with the Flywheel, so got I changed it to an SMF. The Problem has been fixed to a great extent, however, the Crank is still "HARD" (heavy judder) when the Engine is hot. So I guess the actual Problem is most likely the Starter Motor and/or the Battery. By the way, my Battery is almost 6 Years old, so it could very well be the Battery too as this was the remedy documented to the problem on many sites.

I too own a 1.9 diesel on a 56 plate. Earlier this year, I had the same problem. The car would start first time when cold, however when hot, it too experienced the heavy judder and a thump before cutting out. I had the car scanned & it showed up a problem with the glow plugs. These were changed but made no difference to the hot starting issue.

I searched this forum and there were plenty of posts regarding hot starting problems relating to the battery or starter motor. I changed the battery and its been fine ever since.

There are plenty of examples of the Octavia throwing up all sorts of weird and wonderful faults due to a tired battery.

If its still on its original battery, it may well be worth replacing it with a new one and seeing how it goes.

Good luck.

I'd put money on the battery or the starter motor, so many related threads on here over the years.

Poor service from the dealers, they should spend some time on here!

Replace the battery first, if it isn' the battery then it doesn't matter as you know you'll be good for years to come.

Then try the starter motor.

Very tempting it is to change the Battery and see the result. As a matter fact, have done a Battery Test and found the Battery to not hold the Charge for long, so I guess it really needs to be changed. Hopefully this should sort it out.

Hi

If I jumped the Octavia fro another running vehicle surely this would make or break the issue, any ideas.

Frogster

Worth a go. Looking at your oriinal post I don't understand why they changed the glow plugs which are used for cold starts, though I'm no mechanaic!

Another alternative is get it nice and warm and go to your local battery and exhaust place and get them to test your battery, swap it over if it;'s showing it's on it's way out and try it to see if it cures the problem on the previso that you'll buy the battery if it does. if it starts straight away odds on it's the battery, if it still struggles to start, swap your old one back on and say thanks for trying?

Thoughts?

Ade

This is what I learned when I had the exact same problem. At cold the fuel is immediately available so you get instant start.Even with a knackered battery usually.

When the engine is hot the fuel is not immediately available because somehow it is withdrawn from "immediately available" for safety reasons.

The engine will not start when hot (or even warm it seems) until it senses that the starter is or will or can spin at a speed of at least 200 RPM. When it senses this spin rate the fuel is made "immediately available". Somehow.

If it senses that the spin rate is below this it will not start until you stop trying ,release the starter key, and on next try the fuel will be "immediately available" and it usually starts.

Cure ---- almost always new or recon starter or less likely new battery.

Ain't modern cars wonderful?

Edited 10 December, 201213 yr by HopeImRight

Darn it. I forgot to say I tried the new battery route and, because it was knackered, I changed it. Did not cure the problem. Garage said probably the excessive grinding away with a worn out starter shortened the life of the battery.

I love it when parts of my car gang up on me !!

Thanks great response, tried jumping slight improvement it's now on charge will try again tomorrow also will,have the battery tested.

Local garage mechanic mentioned the engine temp. sensor not giving the correct info to the ECU, but its back to the main dealer later in the week under the warranty.

The rate the dealers charge you would expect being sorted no probs it's time. ,!!!!

Hi. I had exactly the same issue a couple of months ago with a MK5 Golf 2.0 TDi, turned out to be a worn starter motor which was replaced under warranty.

Very interesting post this. I have noticed a starting prob when engine is warm so will monitor that now as warranty is up in January. Have also been getting a "Fault ESP" light coming up when the engine is started before he car is moving. Dealer cant find any error codes so I wonder if its one of these spurious battery errors.

Cheers

Dave

I know it's a different car and slightly different engine but still a 1.9 PD.

Mine has this same problem. The other week I went to Tescos to pick up the shopping then when I went to start it again I thought it wasn't going to. Cranked for ages before starting.

I am putting it down to the battery as we also get the PAS warning light on a morning and the lights dim a lot when steering or using other electric items in the car.

Will replace my battery from ECP with the discount and report back if it seems better.

Phil

Hi all Happy New Year

Collecting the car from the main dealer today after the 4 th visit, engine temperature sensor has been replaced and I am told all should be ok. If this does not cure the problem I will have the battery fully test although this should have been done by the dealer.

I will try the turn off suggested by Hopeimright.

Kind regards

Frogs tear

Hi,I know this is a very old thread but i have the same problem,2009 skoda octavia 1.9.The car fires first turn when cold,runs fine but when warm it will not start :( I have changed fuel pump,coolant temp sensor,Crank shaft sensor,and checked the battery,have people found it is the starter motor?there are no faults coming up on diagnostic and im throwing money at this problem and still at square one :(

Starter has to reach a higher speed before the car will be allowed to start when hot. This is bypassed when the engine is cold.

Can you borrow another starter motor as a test?    Sounds like the likely cause.

Hi

14 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

Starter has to reach a higher speed before the car will be allowed to start when hot. This is bypassed when the engine is cold.

Can you borrow another starter motor as a test?    Sounds like the likely cause.

Hi,i went into a garage and he reconditions starters,he said it was unlikely the starter to be causing it and said injector seals could be worn well he was very confident lol,after so much research about the starter issue i said id go ahead and put re-conditioned one in it and after him saying the problem will still be there he went ahead and done it,soooooooooooo i have got good improvement with re-conditioned starter,it will start when hot whereas before i had to ,labour the starter,after a good 2 hrs back and forward driving though it would not start,i think i the starter was weak and in glad i changed but worn seals on injectors seem to be the rest of the problem probably the main problem so i will get the seals done,