Long list of Fabia VRS problems

[Godbomb2908]

Hello all 

 

This is my first post - unfortunately it's going to be a negative one. I was just hoping for maybe some advise/input regarding my situation. 

From what i've read on this website you all seem a solid, decent & helpful bunch so hopefully i can become a part of it. 

If for any reason i've posted in the wrong area then i can only apologise. . . 

 

I bought my 60 plate Fabia VRS from Claybank Skoda in Manchester as a used approved. I was aware of the issues regarding the CAVE engines but thought i'd be well covered with the used approved warranty in place for a year. . . 

I can't say i thought much to the sellers attitude at the place but seemed decent enough and the car looked in very good shape and condition when i bought it. 

 

Since driving it away however. . . within 5 mins after leaving the dealership with my new prize possession the tyre sensor light came on the dash. I found the nearest fuel station and checked the tyre pressures - about 15psi all round. (For those that can't remember off the top of there heads they should be 35psi). 

So not a good start. 

Since then:

• The air conditioning doesn't appear to be working (no change in temp when i activate it) 
• The boot seems to open from the boot button very intermittently (although it's not been a problem as late). 
• The windows seem to stutter occasionally when i use the one touch function, it's only happened a couple of times but something i'm wary off. 
• Since having the car i have had to top the oil up twice (more on this later). 
• Occasionally when i drop the car down a few gears i've noticed smoke (gray & blue) coming from the exhaust. This only happens once in a blue moon, but something i've noticed and is impossible to replicate. 

 

I have called this through to Skoda Warranty to try and get this sorted -  i have opened a case with them as i'm not happy with how Claybank have sold the car to me and i have to question what exactly, if anything, that they checked under their "multi-point vehicle check"

I have since taken the car to Robert Eardley Newcastle/Talke, who as at this point of writing, i am equally unimpressed with. 

 

I took the car in for diagnostics and an oil consumption test. This was to check the boot, the smoking, the oil consumption (naturally) and i did ask if they could look at the air conditioning but they said they wouldn't do anything with that unless i booked it in for an air conditionning service for them to look at it - Pay attention to that bit as it becomes important. 

Nothing showed up on the diagnotics, the boot worked fine for them so they couldn't find a fault and they got the ball rolling with the oil consumption test. I was told to come back after covering 600 miles. 

 

After covering about 800 i finally got the car back into Robert Eardleys. I was told it would be a half day thing for them to weigh the oil and establish if it was within limits or not. 

I took the car in for 9.30am, by 3pm i still hadn't heard anything, so i called them and was told it still could be another hour or two. 

I ended up going to the garage for about 5 anticipating there call and i waited for about 30 mins outside. By which point my patience had worn thin, so i walked into the dealership to find out what was going on and how long they were going to be (i had made it clear many times i needed my car back as i was on night shifts). 

When i got in i was approached by a salesman who asked if he could help, when i said i was here to pick my car up i was told the service department had all gone home! 

Fortunately one of the mechanics was still on hand who talked me through the results and gave me the keys to my car back. Even then it was lucky he was there as he was due to finish at 5, and if he wasn't there i can imagine i'd of had a harder job getting my car back. 

The results of the oil consumption test were that it is using 0.18litres per 600 miles. Well within limits. 

So i'm having to question if Claybank even topped the oil up before selling me the car as well. (Although i'm still sceptical to the result as i have absolutely no trust in Skoda right now and the fact i've had to top up a couple of times since ownership - unless i'm doing something wrong?). 

 

I have since been liasing with the warranty people further to sort the air conditioning out. They apparently got in touch with Robert Eardleys and according to them they have refilled my air conditioning and were awaiting an update from me?! Which is news to me and quite frankly i don't believe them. 

I have double checked the air con since and nope, still no cold air. 

So i'm now having to take the car in again so they can look at the air conditioning unit to see if it is broken, for a fee again, apparently Skoda are going to pay for half the diagnostics if nothing comes back and the diagnosis will be covered if the unit does need work as it will be covered under the warranty - this is booked in for November 2nd. 

 

Anyway, apologies for the long read, i have condensed it as best as possible. 

I appreciate the problems listed aren't the worst and the car for the most part works, and brilliantly so. 

It's the best car i've ever owned, it's just a shame i'm having these little niggles with it. 

I genuinely expected better from the likes of Skoda. 

 

Anyway sorry for the rant, and hopefully some of you are still awake. 

If anyone has any experience or guidance then that would be brilliant and most welcome, otherwise, i look forward to speaking to you all and hopefully it will be in a more positive light in the future! 

 

 

[Ootohere]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Sorry to hear of the issues.

The pinned post at the top of the page might help some.

 

george

[nbramwel]

This isn't good service at all from either of the main dealers - you simply can't trust people to do what they should when they should.  Make sure you make full use of your warranty even if you have to argue your corner forcibly.  Stick to your guns and make sure Skoda UK do the right thing by you.  Please keep us all informed and good luck.

[Godbomb2908]

Thanks guys i really appreciate it, i've made sure all grievances have been recorded with customer services up to this point. But no i won't lie down and just take it from what i've seen on here they do like to see what they can get away with. Shame really i did expect so much more from such a reputable company. 

Nevertheless hopefully i'll get sorted at some point soon and i can properly start to enjoy the car, as it is superb. 

I'll get some pictures uploaded at some point, i just need the time & weather to try and get some decent snaps. 

 

I'll keep updating this as it progresses anyway. 

[Ootohere]

The blowing of smoke out the exhaust is not necessarily a fault or caused by excessive oil use.

The Twinchargers can run rich as they are running cold and on short journeys, then blast out or puff soot out the tail pipe occasionally.

(there are several threads on that in this section if you do a search.)

 

As to the Oil, if you check it cold, and keep records of miles covered and oil used,

you know if it uses excessive oil for your type of use.

vxh26 has the Pinned Post up the page that covers all that.

 

http://revotechnik.com/support/technical/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues

This covers most of the issues that affected the CAVE Engines 2009-12, and some later ones.

 

............................

??

Are the Service Campaign items all done on your car if any were required.

DSG, Heated Seat elements or anything else. 

http://master.skoda-auto.com/mini-apps/recall-actions

[Godbomb2908]

That's a relief with the smoke, i did wonder if that would be the case but don't have the technical knowhow to back up the thoughts so it was slightly concerning. 

Thank you for the advice and i'll make sure to do that. I never did understand the checking the oil while the engines hot part anyway! 

[Wakey]

Was it the blue hatch with the aftermarket front and rear PDC fitted?

[vxh26]

Just a few comments / queries:

 

Air conditioning seems in general on all cars to reduce in performance over time. Nobody in the UK seems to be able to service car A/C systems properly - strange, they manage it in the USA and the Middle East.

 

Have you changed the battery in the key fob?  That may help the boot opening problem.

 

Windows stuttering - dirty/sticky glass, rubbish at the seal? Has a window been broken and replaced?

 

The oil - you need to establish a CONSISTENT regime to check it VERY regularly and ideally to record your readings - just in case. You will ALWAYS use most oil if the majority of your journeys are short (i.e. less than five miles), not allowing the engine to get above 50°C.

 

Dropping the car down a few gears? It is an automatic, with an incredibly good gearbox, why do you feel compelled to use it as a manual?

 

Good luck

 

ps - "I can't say i thought much to the seller's attitude" - sadly all too common a feeling. Second hand car sales staff, along with Estate Agents and the Legal profession entirely warrant their poor reputation :(

Edited 7 October, 2015 by vxh26

[Godbomb2908]

Was it the blue hatch with the aftermarket front and rear PDC fitted?

 

Apologies Wakey not sure if it's an aftermarket front and what is a PDC? 

If it helps it has a white roof and gunmetal grey (almost black) alloys. 

I will get some pics uploaded at some point soon. 

 

 

Just a few comments / queries:

 

Air conditioning seems in general on all cars to reduce in performance over time. Nobody in the UK seems to be able to service car A/C systems properly - strange, they manage it in the USA and the Middle East.

 

Have you changed the battery in the key fob?  That may help the boot opening problem.

 

Windows stuttering - dirty/sticky glass, rubbish at the seal? Has a window been broken and replaced?

 

The oil - you need to establish a CONSISTENT regime to check it VERY regularly and ideally to record your readings - just in case. You will ALWAYS use most oil if the majority of your journeys are short (i.e. less than five miles), not allowing the engine to get above 50°C.

 

Dropping the car down a few gears? It is an automatic, with an incredibly good gearbox, why do you feel compelled to use it as a manual?

 

Good luck

 

ps - "I can't say i thought much to the seller's attitude" - sadly all too common a feeling. Second hand car sales staff, along with Estate Agents and the Legal profession entirely warrant their poor reputation :(

 

Thanks for all the feedback, I'll see how they get on with the A/C as there is absolutely nothing coming from it whatsoever. But what you said is probably right. 

 

The boot opening was fine from the key but would sometimes not open when using the button on the boot itself. . . It hasn't reared its head since and wasn't a major issue anyway so i will wait and see. The same applies with the windows as well, they have been opening just fine recently so maybe it was just a bit of dirt. Once again, watch this space. 

 

I do need to get consistent with the oil checks most definitely so i will sort that. My journeys are very rarely short, most of my driving is to work and back (Congleton to Stafford and then back again, roughly 40 mins travelling each way). But i'll keep an eye on the oil as previously said. 

 

Regarding dropping the car down a few gears, please don't mistake me for keeping it in manual, i completely agree the auto function is superb and i still marvel at how smooth it is. (7 gears and not one judder!). But occasionally i will have a play, the last occasion when it smoked i overrode the drive function just to get some engine braking on a steep(ish) downhill slope and thats when i noticed the smoke. . . the smoke issue as a result would fit in with what GoneoffSKion1 has said and the forum that he linked to. 

 

Once again, thank you all for the help, it's nice to be part of such a helpful community! Be prepared to see me lingering around here a lot more often! 

[Godbomb2908]

Wakey i've just found another of your threads. 

 

Yes it's got front and rear parking sensors. . . . 

 

Do i perhaps own the car you used to? Reg ending in VOJ? 

 

If so, i genuinely thought they came from the manufacturer, you've done a cracking job fitting them! 

[Wakey]

godbomb2908

 

Thanks for the compliment but alas the its not my car - I saw it on their forecourt a couple of months ago and having retrofitted rear pdc i could tell they were aftermarket - a great job though.

 

I do hope you get the issues sorted though and remeber that with these type of things, those who shout loudest get listened to. Contact customer services and complain.

 

Depending on when yo bought it you now have 30 days to return it as the laws have recently changed

[TeebsVRS]

Aircon can be a faulty sensor if regassed and still no joy. My main dealer changed it for free!

I get the feeling Skoda dealers are trying to wash their hands clean of VRS' as they know how major some issues can be.

[Godbomb2908]

I appreciate it Wakey, i've recorded any and all faults/issues/problems with the car & skoda to the customer services already. 

It's still on going and i'll endeavour to shout very loud - I'll try to channel the rage of everyone on this forum which seems to of been screwed over by this company and their questionable ways! 

 

On a seperate note after doing a bit of searching (sorry going to seem creepy but curiosity got the better of me) i realised my car probably wasn't in your ownership beforehand. 

Your white estate VRS is lovely though! 

 

Teebs - Thanks for the input, if Robert Eardleys try messing me about (any more anyway) then i'll be sure to make sure they checked that as part of the air con check. 

 

 

I'll keep you all posted anyway and once again, thank you to everyone for the support. 

I do need to get some pics uploaded, and hopefully if i get some time, i'll show up at some car meets. 

[Godbomb2908]

So just as an update. 

It appears i've been lied to again and the car IS actually an oil drinker. . . sods law it would appear as i'm having one of them weeks! 

The oil consumption test was completed approx 2 months ago - no more than that anyway. 

Robert Eardleys somehow surmised it was going through 0.18litres of oil for every 600 miles i was covering. So that was the end of that and they'd very kindly topped the oil to the brim again for me. . . 

2000 miles on and my oil light has come on today. (Just before setting off for work no less and i was already running later than i wanted to be). 

So that's kind of messed up the whole 0.18 litres for every 600 miles! 

 

Now before anyone says i should of been keeping an eye on the oil, correct i should of been, and whilst being negligent as of recently i was intent on checking it tomorrow when i'm off work. . . 

Nevertheless, i should not of gone through 3.6litres of oil in 2000 miles! 

 

Naturally i'll be back in touch with Skoda tomorrow to get this absolute joke of a car/situation rectified, if they can actually be bothered to display one shred of honesty or integrity.... probably not though. 

 

I'll keep you all posted regarding the matter as and when i get further updates for those that are interested.

[Avengeruk]

Can't say I was surprised seeing Robert Eardleys mentioned... my car left them (after buying it) with damaged front disc brakes and damaged side walls 

 

Good luck in getting it sorted...

Edited 13 October, 2015 by Avengeruk

[Godbomb2908]

That's terrifying. . . 

I thought they were ok initially, but it didn't take them long for me to change my opinion. 

I'd take the car elsewhere, but i genuinely don't trust anywhere at this time (Connected to Skoda anyway). 

So i'll just have to remain at the most convenient option which is Robert Eardleys 

[vxh26]

<SNIP>

2000 miles on and my oil light has come on today.

<SNIP>

 

I should not have gone through 3.6litres of oil in 2000 miles!

<SNIP>

 

 

Whatever else may be the case, you haven't got through 3.6 litres of oil in 2000 miles. The oil light doesn't wait until your sump is dry before coming on.

 

As you say, you should have been keeping an eye on your oil level - every day. That way you would know how much oil your engine really is consuming.

[Ootohere]

If you know for sure you had 3.6 litres in the Low Oil Light might have come in when you were between 1.5 and 2 litres low.

Or sometimes a 'Low Oil Pressure' light or warning message comes on before the 'Low Oil' light or warning.

 

Quite a lot less oil in than is really sensible before any warning appears, and sometimes over half the capacity of oil that should be getting run in your engine.

All a bit hit or miss and difference for the different versions of the Twinchargers they built from 2010-14.

[Godbomb2908]

Ok fair enough, apologies if i've rustled anyones jimmies here - not the intention. 

I don't have a great deal with car knowledge, i knew the capacity is 3.6 litres of oil, low oil light comes on and the oil was just below the min line on the dipstick. 

I added 2+2 and got 36 obviously. . . 

Still, surely if i'm going through 0.18 litres of oil for every 600 miles. 

I should of gone through approx 0.6/0.7 after 2000 miles? 

If the oil had been filled to the top like i was told then the oil light shouldn't of still come on? Even if the warning light comes on at approx 1.5 litres or whatever it should be? 

 

If i'm wrong then please tell me and point me in the right direction - i am after all more than happy to learn and if it saves me any future problems/hassle then all the better. 

[Godbomb2908]

Goneoffskion1 - All the light read was Check oil and it was approx the min line. (From cold). 

 

And VXH26 just as an add on - you're entirely right and maybe a daily check - when driven at least - will clear the matter up for me a bit more. 

[Wakey]

It's really shocking to read this. It really is indeed.

 

How VAG can produce such a flawed engine in the first palce is beyond me. It's not like its high mile engines failing, some of them have very little miles indeed.

 

Although mine was a late CTHE if I'm honest, it was always a niggle in the back of my mind. 

[Godbomb2908]

It's a surprise to me, VAG have such a reputation for reliability and being solid cars but under the surface it doesn't seem so much the case. 

Although for the most part mine has been reliable so far - just a few niggles really - the biggest problem being how Skoda have handled it all/Or not as the case may be. 

 

I think people could deal with some of the issues/characteristics if VAG had dealt with it all in an open and honest fashion and worked with their customers, not against them as appears to be the case for so many. From what i've read on here anyway. 

 

As i've said before (although maybe not on here?), i'm not looking for trouble with this car. . . 

I don't want to be picking fault with it, but obviously there are some issues that need resolving. 

I really would like to just enjoy the car and not be back and forth with Skoda constantly. 

I want to be proud of the damn thing because as far as i'm concerned - problems aside - the car is a complete masterpiece of engineering. 

It's superb and serves my purposes well. 

So lets just see what happens, and i'll keep wailing and screaming at Skoda until the car is sorted. 

[vxh26]

It's really shocking to read this. It really is indeed.

<SNIP>

 

Why?

 

There have been no end of threads and posts on here and probably on VW, SEAT and Audi forums as well complaining that the CAVE engine suffered a high oil consumption problem. VAG have come up with a series of "fixes" for the problem, including producing a modified engine in the CTHE. This appears to have suffered from fewer high oil consumption problems. VAG now appear to have settled on modified squirters - time will tell whether this is effective.

 

<SNIP>

How VAG can produce such a flawed engine in the first place is beyond me. It's not like its high mile engines failing, some of them have very little miles indeed.

 

Although mine was a late CTHE if I'm honest, it was always a niggle in the back of my mind. 

 

As you say, there doesn't appear to be any particular pattern to explain why a number of engines have failed. I'm sure that if VAG knew the precise cause they would have resolved the problem.

 

You have a CTHE and seem to have experienced no problems - just enjoy your car and stop fretting needlessly

[Wakey]

Why?

 

There have been no end of threads and posts on here and probably on VW, SEAT and Audi forums as well complaining that the CAVE engine suffered a high oil consumption problem. VAG have come up with a series of "fixes" for the problem, including producing a modified engine in the CTHE. This appears to have suffered from fewer high oil consumption problems. VAG now appear to have settled on modified squirters - time will tell whether this is effective.

 

 

As you say, there doesn't appear to be any particular pattern to explain why a number of engines have failed. I'm sure that if VAG knew the precise cause they would have resolved the problem.

 

You have a CTHE and seem to have experienced no problems - just enjoy your car and stop fretting needlessly

 

 

I've sold mine but not for the reasons of il consumption.

 

Why is it shocking you ask? Well when a manufacturer designs and manufactures products, they go through very strict testing criteria covering hundreds of thousands of miles both on the bench and in every climatic condition imaginable.

 

I'm surprised that in this day and age that a large multi national car manufacturer equipped with all the very best engineers can sign off an engine with so many fundamental design flaws. 

 

What engine is in yours? CAVE or CTHE?

[Godbomb2908]

If you're speaking to me at the end of that Wakey - mine is a CAVE engine. So the trouble was more likely to rear it's head for me, but it still would of been nice if it hadn't, or had even been fixed before hand, after all - it's 5 years old and i only got it 6 months ago.