A bit of history here to put things in context: I crave your patience as well as your insights folks!

 

Octavia bought a couple of years ago: 3 years old with 7,082 miles on the clock for £9k.

It was flagging up Service ‘Engine Failure: Workshop!’ a few seconds after starting engine, although it ran fine.  At local garage Diagnostic m/c flagged up:

• EMU incorrectly programmed.
• Cannot communicate with TCU
• Cruise control not working (it was)

No action taken but they reset it and all well for 6 months. Delighted at £30 road tax and high mpg!

 

Approx 19,235 miles, 1^st August 2013. Hottest day of the year: 34C and stop-start traffic on M1.  Got moving and engine losing power. No obvious issues (coolant intact). Limped into Trowell (170 miles from home in Whitley Bay) and turned engine off. Restarted after 15 mins, but felt as though running hot (although temp gauge normal - straight up).

 

Heater on and windows open; max 50 mph to start with (78 mpg) , gradually increased speed nearer home as outside temp fell (73.5 mpg overall). Upon return home metal torch in dash cubby hole too hot to hold. Radiator fan not running. Temperature gauge still showing ‘normal’.

 

Booked in to dealers to investigate. Couldn’t find anything wrong with fan. It comes on at 105C which is as it’s supposed to be. Cannot tweak this downwards as it’s a factory pre-set.  Nothing in the EMS to report on previous evening’s problem.

 

No further blatant suspected overheating problems thereafter.

 

11^th December 2013. 24,000 miles  On trip to Manchester noted ‘gasping’ sound when depressing throttle, and lack of power under load.  ‘Limp Mode’, I guess, but no error messages. Garage diagnosed faulty EGR (exhaust gas recirculation valve) and replaced it.  I asked if this was normal at this age, and what I could do to prevent recurrence. They said it was ‘one of those things’

27^th August 2014. 31,500 miles.  After a 400 mile return trip, ‘limp home’ mode kicked in with ‘Engine Fault – Go To Workshop’ error message.  Garage attributed this to supermarket fuel.  Fuel filter replaced (due every 40,000 or 4 years, so a fair cop) and it was given a shot of CT60 to help remove dirt from fuel system. Returned to me with ‘It seems to be running all right, although diagnostic system indicates faulty injector. See how you get on.’ 

 

Next 40L top-up ex Sainsbury, but added shot of ‘Millers Diesel Power Eco Max’ which is supposed to clean injectors etc.  Next top-up ex Esso, no additional additive.

 

15^th Sept. Trip to Blackpool, and I’m getting the impression that once warmed up, the engine is rough when pushed a little. 2100 revs in 5^th seems to be the worst point. Not confident in putting foot down for fear of ‘tripping out’ into limp home mode. Following day ran it in 2^nd gear at 4000+ revs (but cold) and no apparent issues.

 

Some further points that may be relevant:

 

1. Someone told me that ‘limp home’ mode is reset simply by turning off the engine and re-starting.  The two times this has happened to me it has stayed limping until problem has been resolved. I had assumed garage had re-set the electronics.

 

2. Supermarket fuel appears to be the subject of much debate and many opinions. As local Esso is same price as Sainsbury, I’ll probably stick with that.

 

3. I freewheel where possible: I can sometimes coast for miles with engine ticking over at 1000 revs.  I believe it has a positive effect on fuel economy; is it any more detrimental than sucking fuel through to use the engine for braking?

 

4. I’ve seen illustrations of how to clean EGR elsewhere on the site. What is illustrated doesn’t look like what was replaced last year (see photo) which is labelled ‘kuehler’, and certainly looks like a cooler!

 

5. Terraclean has been recommended to me. Local guy says he’ll do a diagnosis and take it from there.

 

Your views would be most appreciated!

the clue might be in the first 3 yrs of its life - 7k miles. Obviously it depends on the journeys but they need to be used, might just be gummed up somewhere.

1. Limp Mode will stay on if the issue is still present, which it has been from what I can gather

2. Yes supermarket fuel isn't great but I've not had any issues with it!

Earlier models can have injector issues

, their was a few software updates but some had to be changed. Golf world know this and finally VW are accepting de issue. I suggest putting good diesel when tank is low and don't drive for mpg.

the turbo needs a occasional thrash to keep the turbo vanes free of carbon deposits otherwise it can cause sticky turbo vanes and limp mode symptoms.

 

use branded diesel or supermarket fuel + additives to keep the engine clean, you could also try some turbo cleaner addictive such as archoil

 

http://www.powerenhancer.co.uk/product.php/839/archoil-ar6600-professional-diesel-turbo-cleaner

Thanks for your comments - a couple of months on and I regret I'm no further forward.

24^th Sept. Terraclean suggested. Revline did diagnosis and said only low manifold pressure showed, briefly, otherwise no issues. Clean not needed but would probably show some benefit, so had that at 32,425 miles. It possibly felt a little smoother.

 

28^th October.  Trip to Surrey via Cambridge. On return leg, went into limp home mode on M25 at c.32,900 miles, so travelled 250 miles home at 1600~1700 revs (slowly!).  Stalled 12 miles from home; immediately re-started it and DPF light came on with message ‘Particulate Filter – see manual’. However, limp mode was gone, and no apparent problems through inclines around Tyne Tunnel.

 

29^th Oct. Ran car on drive at 2500 revs in expectation of clearing DPF warning light. No change. Continued for 30 mins: light still on; no other warning on.  ‘Engine Fault – Workshop’ warning still cleared; glowplug warning light not lit. 2500 revs appears to be the max. Called Steve @ N.E.Garages who said vehicle had to be in motion for the DPF regeneration / burn off to work.

 

30^th Oct. Drove to Halfords (4 miles) to buy bottle of Wynns DPF Cleaner, and had a conversation there with a taxi driver who said he’d had 350k miles out of an Octavia; recommended SMC Autos in Shiremoor.  Into car …to find DPF light had gone off! Told story to SMC who attributed problems to fuel: suggested I return the Wynns and use Shell Vpower – although more expensive, it gives better mpg and long terms reliability.

 

A few ‘local’ runs inc. Alnwick & down coast – no problems; to Durham and there’s a slight roughness.  Occasional ‘pinging’ from car when it’s sat on drive.  One evening neighbour knocked on door to sat lights were flashing: unlocked and locked it again with remote.

 

11^th Nov. To Skipton, Cleethorpes & home again with 20 min stops at each. After 277 miles of the trip fault recurs (total 33,773 miles) without warning. Limped the last 103 miles home ave. 45mph.  

 

I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to get rid.  Since retiring I don't do the miles I did, and it seems that (mainly) local journeys and a yearning for fuel economy are not right for this car.  I'm a 'do as you would be done by' guy though, so would still like to get this issue resolved before moving back to a petrol engine car. ....all ideas still welcome!

Following on from the above, at 33.733 miles the #2 injector was replaced, with advice to stick to 'proper fuel'.  A year on and I've been mainly burning Shell V Power.  Not noticed any improved mpg.  Sometimes topped up with Sainsbury's (not all Shell garages have V Power) but using additive if I have to fill tank from supermarket.  At 45,250 miles it's failed again ...this time #4 injector needed replacement. £470 this time - a lot more expensive than the last garage; but then they also said this time that the #2 injector 'hadn't been programmed in'. 

So as well as an unreliable car, there is unreliability in the garages.....

Steve, only just noticed this post am I right in thinking the egr in the pic' is the one I now have?  looks like the same dents in the motor end cap,  anyway a pre-lim' on the P:M:   which I haven't finished yet,  I guess the hot glove box syndrome was due to the movable flap (driven by vac) back bearing being missing and leaking hot gas (it's blind bush like a small cup)   hence the soot on the underside of the cooler (don't think it went AWOL when binned) it was straked in at manufacture,  this in turn made the whole flap assembly rough to operate,  the kooler was coked down to approx 1/3 of it's  capacity,  strangely the actual (hot) gas valve was nice and moved freely however it's other end has a roller which runs in a snail cam  which was severely short of lube' the motor which drives it hasn't been looked at (yet)  hope this is of some interest/help to some one

part 2/   I wonder if at some time the car has had a new windscreen?  the diaphragm in the actuator had glass inside which had punctured the rubber which would also not help the general vac for the other systems