March 2012 reg Fabia VRS, just ticked over 40k, had it since 2.7k as a dealer ex=demo.

 

Fully aware of all the issues, just wondering if the symptoms below are any cause for concern.

 

Since the last service under 4k miles ago it has burnt a whole dipstick measurement of oil causing the low oil warning to flash, it took well over a litre to top-up. It has done this once before, however for the first year or so it was very good and barely used any oil.

 

It had new plugs at the last service, but a few weeks ago I had what i presume to be a misfire/limp mode incident on the motorway. Gave it a little welly up a motorway incline to zip past some slower traffic and the emissions warning light started flashing and it started running very rough with very low power. I slowed, came off at the next exit, stopped the car and turned the ignition off then on again. It started fine and drove absolutely fine afterwards too.

 

It has done this once before when really booting it in sport mode, that was before the plug change and well over a year ago. The car is good as gold in general, a fairly consistent 40-42mpg return.

 

Few comments, if I'm honest I don't drive it like a 180bhp hot hatch, pretty relaxed and left in D 95% of the time.

 

ALWAYS filled with Shell V-Power, has literally only ever had a tank of 95ron once in 30k miles.

 

So, warning signs? It's been 2-3 weeks since the motorway misfire so guessing fault codes will have cleared. Should I try some more enthusiastic driving to see if higher revs trigger more misfires? Then book in with dealers asap?

It will take a good many Misfires to trigger a Fault Code on Misfires & if bad enough you risk going into Limp Mode.

Full Bore Super Over to Turbo 3.000 - 3,500 RPM under load.

 

Has the car had a ECU Update done while in at a Service.?

I would check closely all 4 spark plugs, see if they are oiling and 1 is getting cooked.

Do not try forcing misfires, maybe there is a bad spark plug among the 4.

Yes, this would have been around 3-3.5k under some load due to the incline. The first time it happened was a proper heavy throttle standing start.

 

The dealer has never mentioned an ECU update at any service, and not meaning to sound too cynical I didn't witness the state of the old plugs if you get my drift...

 

I'm going in next week anyway, I think I will mention it to them. End of warranty is quite near on the horizon!

Best question Oil Consumption and request a Oil Consumption Test Approved by Skoda UK while the car is in the Original Warranty.

Take the Breather Mod & ECU Update and any actions will have been started.

Do not take a Good Will Gesture Oil Check just ok'd ny the DEalership,

You want a Case Number it really is required and the Proper Job Authorised by Skoda UK CS's.

 

All the best with it.

Good advice.

personally I find the oil used makes a difference (CTHE ) ...

 

my 30k service was done with the usual castrol edge 5W30 .... now I think this oil burns. each time I get it serviced it blows the dipstick of oil in 3,000 miles.... then I put a litre of this in ,,,

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triple-QX-5w40-Fully-Synthetic-Car-Engine-Oil-1L-ACEA-A3-B3-Spec-1-Litre-/291136003434?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43c90edd6a

 

and it seems to stop using oil. its had this characteristic since the first 10k service.....

 

when I had my (non oil burning CAVE) they always serviced it with this....

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petronas-Syntium-5000-XS-5w30-Fully-Synthetic-Car-Engine-Oil-4L-BMW-4-Litre-/400721930148?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d4ce367a4

 

which is BMW's oil of choice for its diesels.....

Same here, had it serviced Nov last year, burned 2 litres of oil so far... before it was barely using any. I bought 2x1l 5w40 Castrol Edge Titanium FST @ £8 from TESCO, I wonder if it helps? This castrol has very high viscosity Index so perhaps it will prove decent. 

When I was using Motul ( http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-68893-motul-sport-5w-50-engine-oil.aspx ) last year it was very good indeed,

I would suggest where anyone has a Twincharger in Warranty that uses oil when it has the correct grade of oil and 3.6 litres of it,

that they do not experiment with different oils to reduce oil use.

 

If it has used oil and it may foul plugs, then get Skoda, VW, Audi, Seat looking correctly at the issue.

There are only 1,800 CAVE Skoda & Under 1,200 CTHE in the UK.

They know the failure rate of the CAVE & the Reasons why,

They must now know why some CTHE have failed.

 

So really the Warranty is the saver, and get your car properly repaired at their Expense.

Lots of Cars have Engines & even Replacement Engines failing out of the Original 3 Year Warranty.

 

Skoda, VW. Seat & Audi should have a 'Service Campaign' or 'FREE MINOR SERVICE on 1.4 TSI CAVE / CTHE 132-136 kw Minimum

to Change OIl & Filters, Change Spark Plugs, do a ECU Update & Monitor oil use until the Next Service where the owner 

wants this.

After all it is only on less than 3,000 Skodas in the UK and on around 4,500 Seat, VW & Audi's

Fair point George. I however have 5 years manufacturer warranty, so 3 years left at the moment and I am not in a hurry to get the engine replaced now, better do it close to the end of the warranty period

'Love it when a Plan comes together'.

 

Imagine the lovely engines VW will have all built up in 2016 ready for being put into the various Twinchargers that the owners 

were far sighted enough to Extend the Warranty on at Original Delivery.

 

All the Knowledge they have gathered since 2009-2012 & 2012- 2015.

They really will be a wonderful creation with matching ECU, and some with a new DSG to go with them.

He, he, he, I would not mind if they put in the 2.0l Turbo in instead when they run out of 1.4 twinchargers

personally I find the oil used makes a difference (CTHE ) ...

 

my 30k service was done with the usual castrol edge 5W30 .... now I think this oil burns. each time I get it serviced it blows the dipstick of oil in 3,000 miles.... then I put a litre of this in ,,,

<snip>

I was rather under the impression that mixing lubricating oils was generally considered to be a bad idea?

 

Did you carry out the 30k service or was it done by a dealer? If the former, why not use one of your suggested alternative oils; if the latter, would the dealer not use an oil supplied by you?

 

Do you run your car on track? Is this likely to have  any bearing on your oil burning?

mixing doesn't matter at all as long as they meet minimum spec....

 

dealer did the service, never thought of supplying my own oil, I could ask

 

yes, i track allot..... (which is why I top up with 5W40 , 40 giving more stability at higher temps) and it never uses oil on the track.... the ring trip last year (3,000 miles and two days on the ring) it never used a drop....

 

I find (as most poeple do) when driven hard its happiest.... only ever uses any oil when pootling about..... never had to top up after a track day or event.

 

my car averages about a litre every 5,000 miles, which i am perfectly happy with, i consider this an acceptable ammount.

Ok so another incident on the motorway - gave it some gas to slip into a space on the motorway around 65mph to 75mph, quite hard throttle and lo and behold, I get the flashing engine light then the EPC light stays on and I have lower power and a terrible juddery engine, almost as much vibration as poorly balanced wheels. I had to pull on to the hard shoulder, turn ignition off then on again, then it was back to normal.

 

Starting to get worried about this car now, especially with the accelerated oil use recently. I'm going to get it booked in, the morning and might clarify what the terms are with returning the car once 50% of the borrowed figure is paid, as it has been now. Need to make a decision as warranty is up in March and the extension I need to cover to the end of my finance plan is the £600 2 year one.

It's bad timing as well, because by rights my job deserves a company car, and my company are being extremely slow at giving me an answer on this and it would be a big factor in my decision of keeping the car or not.

Get a new engine under warranty, all the indications are that your is a classic case - high oil usage and terminal misfire with most probably low to no compression on cylinder(s). Describe all the oil usage and your problems with dashboard x-mas tree on the motorway in writing to your Skoda dealer and request to get it sorted. They will do the tests and most probably replace the engine for you.

George can guide you through the process.

All booked in for the dealer to look at. It seems that almost every time you hard throttle or kickdown it will trigger the misfire and EPC light, I just never drive the car this way embarrassingly! I tried it again yesterday, a hard acceleration from about 20mph and it caused the same issue. Definitely something not right, so will see how the dealership want to play it.

After they put it on VAS, even if there is no Misfire codes logged, all 4 spark plugs need taken out and checked, 

and almost certainly replaced if it is no.3 cylinder with a plug failing.

Coils checked as well.

 

? When were the spark plugs changed?

^^^^ make 'em take out all the plugs, I'm willing to bet one is about to die.... (and it will be cylinder 4)

After they put it on VAS, even if there is no Misfire codes logged, all 4 spark plugs need taken out and checked, 

and almost certainly replaced if it is no.3 cylinder with a plug failing.

Coils checked as well.

 

? When were the spark plugs changed?

 

Plugs claimed to have been changed at last service, at 36k about 4 months ago. Now on 41k. I will specifically ask them to check the plugs and compression test too.