I've had my Skoda Octavia vRS TDi since March 2014 and have covered 11,000 happy miles in this time, however it no longer wishes to start. The car has given a couple of clues to an underlying issue with the battery charging over the last couple of weeks, such as being slow to start and cutting the stop start despite being at the end of a long journey. I initially put this down to over-zealous use of the heated seats, until the car refused to start altogether yesterday.

A visit from the AA got the car started, but the car refused to charge the battery under it's own steam. The Aa were unable to diagnose the problem, but did confirm the alternator was trying to put charge into the battery.

Has anyone had any similar problems on here? I am slightly concerned that the battery is knackered after just five months, particularly as the car typically does long runs (40 mile commute). To compound my misery, the dealer refused to take the car in until next week until I threw my toys out the pram - not the service I would have expected, especially having just given the dealer in question an excellent review for a recent service (which may or may not have sparked the issue!).

This incident aside, the car has been fantastic. I can't think anything I've done would have caused this, but three out of four new cars that I have owned have had battery-related issues within first few months! I don't use AC usually, and never have ignition on without the engine, so perhaps I'm just cursed?!

Edited 27 October, 201411 yr by fiisch

Sounds like your car came out the factory with a duff battery.

They might say not covered under Warranty,

But they say lots.

 

If the Earths are OK and Alternator you need to talk to Skoda  / Dealership about talking to a Warranty Manager.

 

New Battery time by the sound of it, before the colder weather.

 

george

should be covered, it is not the normal car battery. and they are more expensive too

There is a battery charge management system. It might be worth hooking up a battery charger to the battery positive and the earth on the bulkhead and see if you can manually charge the battery to tide you over for a few days until the dealer can look at it. Most batteries nowadays have at least a 5 year warranty as an aftermarket component.

If it has recently been serviced one of the service items is a battery charge test. You should get a little receipt type print out from the VAS machine that indicates the health of the battery. If you didn't, ask your dealer why you haven't got it.

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Sounds concerning. When the AA came had you called 'Skoda Emergency Services' or just plain old AA? My understanding is that whilst the car is in warranty, a quick call to Skoda Emergency Services would have a Skoda trained tech on their way to you with a fix. If they're unable to fix the car at the roadside, they arrange a recovery truck to collect the car and arrange to get you to a hire car spot or have a hie car brought to you.

This may be incorrect but it is the BMW way and the service provider Mondial/Allianz is the same as BMW.

Judging by the picture all the acid has drained from the battery  

 

 

 

sorry couldn't resist, hope you get it sorted and love the plate

Thanks guys - will ask re.: battery health print out! May put them on the spot somewhat....

Poverty_spec - strange you use that example - I work for Allianz... You only get a Skoda Trained Service Tech if one is available. As it was a Sunday evening when Kermit decided to croak, I had to make do with plain old AA.

Ah ok. Perhaps I mis-understood the cover provided then.

Have you managed to get anything sorted yet?

I've had my Skoda Octavia vRS TDi since March 2014 and have covered 11,000 happy miles in this time, however it no longer wishes to start. The car has given a couple of clues to an underlying issue with the battery charging over the last couple of weeks, such as being slow to start and cutting the stop start despite being at the end of a long journey. I initially put this down to over-zealous use of the heated seats, until the car refused to start altogether yesterday.

A visit from the AA got the car started, but the car refused to charge the battery under it's own steam. The Aa were unable to diagnose the problem, but did confirm the alternator was trying to put charge into the battery.

Has anyone had any similar problems on here? I am slightly concerned that the battery is knackered after just five months, particularly as the car typically does long runs (40 mile commute). To compound my misery, the dealer refused to take the car in until next week until I threw my toys out the pram - not the service I would have expected, especially having just given the dealer in question an excellent review for a recent service (which may or may not have sparked the issue!).

This incident aside, the car has been fantastic. I can't think anything I've done would have caused this, but three out of four new cars that I have owned have had battery-related issues within first few months! I don't use AC usually, and never have ignition on without the engine, so perhaps I'm just cursed?!

So the AA found that the alternator was trying to charge the battery....  If the battery voltage was ~ 14.5v with the engine running and it's <12v when the engine is stopped or the voltage drops significantly with the engine stopped and lights/heaters etc on then your battery is goosed.

 

The battery could be classed as consumable but due to the age it would be very hard for the dealer to successfully argue that.  Replacement ones come with a 5 year warranty.

 

I had the exact same issue with a petrol Mondeo, 40 miles motorway each day commute (theoretically perfect for a battery) but after 4 months I got to work ok.  When it was time to go home battery was dead, nothing was draining it - just expired.  Had to get a new one which lasted years!

Strange - three differing opinions so far!

 

AA - Battery has had it.

Skoda Tech (jump start to get to garage) - Ultra engines require software update as batteries draining overnight (this has been done for Audi, VW, Seat, but not Skoda)

Dealer Servicing Dept - Battery has been discharged below a level it is supposed to go.

 

Dealer have put the car on 24 hour trickle charge to see if battery will charge and then will rediagnose the problem.  In the meantime, I have a surprisingly lovely Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSi Monte Carlo, with black rims, grill and tints.  Surprisingly quick for a non-vRS model!

 

Hoping to get my car back for the weekend, but hopeful it's not something more sinister like the alternator.

Edited 29 October, 201411 yr by fiisch

It is further complicated nowadays with the regenerative charging and start stop systems. The battery could be perfectly fine but the charge management system at fault. Only one way of finding out, get it to the dealer.

I would have had the AA recover the vehicle to the dealer as a breakdown and excercised the right to a loan car under Skoda Assist.

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It is further complicated nowadays with the regenerative charging and start stop systems. The battery could be perfectly fine but the charge management system at fault. Only one way of finding out, get it to the dealer.

 +1

With so many electronic modules on the vehicles these days it could quite easily be an unrelated module that needs a software update or replacement because it doesn't switch-off when its supposed to.

She's back - apparently a fault with the battery, so this has now been replaced.

 

Drove to work this morning with no issues using start/stop.  Garage did a good job of cleaning my car, removing some bugs the usual hand car wash place doesn't.

 

Very happy to have the car back - weirdly, I feel a slight sentimental attachment to the car, more so than my previous Alfa Romeo!  I must be getting old....

Very happy to have the car back - weirdly, I feel a slight sentimental attachment to the car, more so than my previous Alfa Romeo!  I must be getting old....

Glad it's sorted.

 

Odd about the sentimental bit...  You buy a Skoda with your head and an Alfa with your heart. Must be age, as you say