Picking up a 2008 Fabia on Monday so just wanting a little heads up what to look out for in the way of common faults or things most people have had problems with. 

 

Its the 1.9 PD engine 105BHP so happy days with that, i know them like the back of my hand, Ive had tones of Fabias now but all Mk1, still got my 2007 Special edition, might keep it or sell if it i love the Mk2 more

 

Its a Fabia 3 spec if that helps, not sure what spec it commes with but digital climate control and cruise look about right from the pictures.

Zero issues or faults, good start then

Picking it up in a few hours then. Still nothing common to check for?

Mk1 has wishbone bushes that knock for fun, rear door seals that leak year round, powers steering faults and a few other things...

So looking for similar on the mk2 to give me a heads up.

Check the air freshener still works!

How many miles has it covered, and is there any service records, invoices etc?

 

It is an 8 year old car and you are a mechanic so its rather simple check everything & see how it goes.

If well maintained and serviced all should be done, and maybe a couple of times.

Full service yeah, 70,000 miles.

Was more for common faults than anything.

I guess it really is good news if people arnt saying much then.

Generally speaking Skoda did seem to manage to resolve the issue of the sieve-like rear doors with the MKII - from my own experience of owning both anyway, although I have seen it raised very occasionally on this forum (I think...). Funnily enough, in typical SUK fashion they of course denied that there was even an issue...

Edited 6 June, 201610 yr by Brian69

Generally speaking Skoda did seem to manage to resolve the issue of the sieve-like rear doors with the MKII - from my own experience of owning both anyway, although I have seen it raised very occasionally on this forum (I think...). Funnily enough, in typical SUK fashion they of course denied that there was even an issue...

Thanks for clearing that up!

What do you think going from a mk1 to mk2?

Thanks for clearing that up!

What do you think going from a mk1 to mk2?

I went from a manual diesel to an auto petrol, so it's not really possible to compare. I liked the MKI (lovely 6-speed gearbox and the slugs of torque as you moved through it) but the condensation wore me down eventually - I know plenty of people managed to fix the door carriers but that would have been beyond my capabilities - a couple of garages managed short-term fixes but the water ingress eventually returned.

Rear drum brakes sticking on after washing your car seems to be a common issue. Yours may have discs however.

Rear drum brakes sticking on after washing your car seems to be a common issue. Yours may have discs however.

 

I had forgotten about that until I picked up my daughter's 2009 Ibiza with rear drum brakes, car had been handed in spotlessly clean, as I went to drive off "BANG" - that meant that it had been washed again!

Despite it being a 1.9 TDI 105bhp, it does have drums on the rear!

Yet my 1.9 tdi 100bhp mk1 has discs

Electric Windows don't work.

Cruise control doesn't work.

Will find more when I look around it I'm sure!

Common issues for that age off the top of my head (sorry didn't see this earlier).

Rear washer pipe leaking from behind dashboard (split pipe, dash out and overlay pipe)

Instrument cluster display vanishing (software issue)

Electric Windows inoperable (wiring breaks in a pillar)

Aerial bases (same as MK1, used to change a fair few)

Heater resistor for non Climatronic models)

Console bushes (as per MK1)

Awful headlamps (standard candles)

Door water leaks are very rare as it doesn't have ancillary carriers like the MK1. They ain't a bad car by any means.

Thank you for the detailed reply, I'll check everything you listed and might have a fix for the electric windows then

Cruise control speed working on our Fabia petrol. Checked it with vcds and found an implausible signal. Took the stalk apart (lever from the end of the stalk gently and the top pops off)

The grease they used to ensure operation had gathered a load of dust and dirt. This was then dragged across the contacts and giving the car CAN-HIGH and CAN-LOW at the same time. Quick clean up and worked again without issue.

Is the MK2 subject to the same central locking, door locks and window operation gremlins as the MK1 ? 

 

Pleased to see it apparently does not have the same door card water leak problems.

Sort of.

They don't let water in but replaced that with poor wiring so they tend to break in the door harness and gives similar symptoms