Bought 1.8 Elegance estate a few days ago: steering noise, condensation, kph and tyre monitor

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

I'm new to the forum having bought a 2011 1.8 TSI Elegance estate a few days' ago.

 

I love plenty of things about the car but am experiencing a few teething issues and can't visit the garage til next week so thought I'd introduce myself on here.

 

• Condensation seems to occur quickly and the rear window takes 20-30 minutes to clear with the air con on, etc, especially in cold weather. I could get used to this but hope it's not a damp/ingress problem?

• The trip computer shows the current speed in km/h and I've explored all the settings and can't find a way to get it displaying in mph - any ideas?

• After turning left into the driveway today and then maneouvering, I can hear a subtle ratchet sound. At first I thought it was leather-on-leather, but it sounds more cyclical and cog-like, like a ratchet screwdriver behind the steering column, but only very quiet. The car was thoroughly checked by the selling dealer, so it's a bit rubbish if it's thrown up a repair issue already!

• The tyre pressure monitoring system warning light came on today. Tyres all look ok. Pumped up at garage machine and then reset it, but not confident I got the pressures right as I'm used to PSI. I put 2,5 bar in the front and 2,2 bar in the back. Only I ever drive the car, with nothing in the boot.

• Oh and my Samsung Galaxy S3 won't connect using rSAP/remote SIM, even after installing the configuration updates on the phone, so I'll report to the other Bluetooth protocol and just have to forego some of the features.

Otherwise I'm loving it and know a new car takes a while to get used to.

[psycholist]

Check the carpets and spare tyre well in the boot for water. Slow demisting usually indicates something is wet inside the car. Hopefully it's just because the car was standing around with humid autumn air in it, which condensed into the car when it got cold a few weeks ago it and is drying out as you use it, but there may be a leak somewhere. The passenger footwell, panoramic roof drains and spare tyre well are the common places for leaks (for the small number of people that have issues).

 

EU law says every car sold there has to have a km/h speed readout, but if plug into the OBD port with VCDS and tell it it's now an Australian car you can get mph instead.

 

A ratcheting noise while turning is usually CV joints. The power steering is electric, so the only noise I've noticed from it is a high pitched electrical whine when it's working hard and I have the window open. If it's happening when you turn the wheel but are not rolling then it's a lot less likely to be CV joints.

 

Those tyre pressures seem a little off what my car recommends, on mine the recommended pressure pretty much equal all around unless the car is loaded where the rear wheels get more than the front - have a look on the table printed inside the fuel filler flap for the recommended pressures.

 

Tyre pressure monitoring uses the ABS sensors to detect slight variations in average speed between tyres. if one is going flat it will spin slightly faster than the other correctly inflated tyres. It won't detect sudden punctures, but has saved me from replacing 2 tyres so far by spotting slow punctures.

 

I can't help on bluetooth, mine just worked when I connected but it never gave any RSAP options as I don't think my phone supports it at all. I'm not sure my car supports the useful RSAP features like displaying text messages on the Columbus screen anyway.

[chimaera]

Owner's manual in case you don't have a copy of it: http://ws.skoda-auto.com/OwnersManualService/Data/en/Superb_3T/05-2011/Manual/Superb/B6_Superb_OwnersManual.pdf

 

On page 24 it discusses the settings menu on the Maxidot display (assuming you have this rather than MFI). You can change the units used in there from km to miles if you wish. If you have MFI I suspect you'll need access to VCDS to change the units displayed here.

 

With the tyre pressure monitoring system, once you've set the pressures, press and hold the button beside the gear selector until you hear a bell sound in the dash. That tells the ABS controller the tyres are now set correctly.

 

You really don't want to use rSAP unless you're living in an area with poor reception. Any calls or texts received while the phone is connected in rSAP mode are retained on the car and not synced back to the handset on removal. IIRC it's possible to manually sync them back but it's a real faff. Use HFP instead.

[silver1011]

I too have the same ratcheting noise from behind the steering wheel. It's done it from when I bought it (14,000 miles) until the present day (113,000 miles), it's so quiet though I only hear it occasionally. Sounds like something catching but it's never got worse over the years/miles.

 

The car by law has to have both MPH and KMPH on display. Unlike most cars which have two scales on the speedo Skoda only show MPH (here in the UK). Therefore the digital display will always show KMPH. As mentioned the only way to change it is to set the car up so that it think it is in Australia, but this requires software changes using VCDS.

 

After checking the advice posted earlier you need to find the source of your water ingress. After you've found and fixed it get the car out on a long run and crank up the heating to max, open the window slightly (to stop you passing out) and to let the warm, moist air escape.

 

If the car has been sat on a forecourt for several weeks it may be just that the interior is cold and damp. The dealer may also have shampooed / washed the seats?

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

Thanks for all the advice so far, guys - appreciated.

 

I'm happy about the reason why km/h is displayed on the trip computer, I will see if the condensation clears up after a few weeks and have successfully paired my Samsung Galaxy S3 via HFP as I'm not bothered about SMS being read out.

 

@silver1011, very interesting to hear that you get the same noise and it's happened for tens of thousands of miles but is still only very quiet and hasn't worsened. Like my noise, does yours seem to come from immediately behind the steering wheel and almost sound like leather on leather, or a sort of leather rubbing noise, but cyclical like a very quiet clicking? The selling dealer offered to have a look but they're not exactly local and I can't be doing with the hassle at the moment so wonder whether to just leave it and see if it develops?

 

After inflating the front tyres to 2,5 bar and the rears to 2,2 bar and resetting the TPMS, the light hasn't come back on, so I'm content.

 

One thing I forgot to mention in my original post is that I often see vapour/steam coming out of the tailpipes when I look in the rear view mirror. Still happens even if it's a long journey. I take it this is nothing of concern.

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

PS - the noise is very quiet but might best be described as sounding like the wheel of an upturned bicycle being spun by hand when the spokes can be heard turning.

[silver1011]

Yes, the noise you describe is identical to the noise I have. It sounds to me as though something is catching immediately behind the steering wheel. It really is quiet though, I rarely hear it, usually when manoeuvring at slow speed (no road noise) and with the radio turned off.

 

Condensation out of the exhaust on the petrol is common. A regular topic of discussion on the MkII Octavia forum (same engine) and the MkIII Octavia forum (different petrol engine but same principle), nothing to worry about and certainly more noticeable on the estates as the condensation licks up the vertical rear profile and is therefore in easy view through the rear view mirror.

Edited 10 December, 2016 by silver1011

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

We definitely have the same noise, only detectable with the radio off and at slower speeds. Sounds like you've not felt the need to get a garage to investigate?

 

Thanks for the advice on the vapour. All is good and I'm looking forward to growing in confidence with the Superb. I kept my previous car 12 years so it takes a while to adjust to the characteristics of a different one.

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

PS - came across another thread about a ratcheting noise and people immediately said CV joints. Doubtful in our cases though, eh.

[silver1011]

Yeah, definitely not the CV joints, this noise is inside the car, not the outside. It is somewhere close to the steering wheel but it doesn't worry me in the slightest. I appreciate on a new car that's just been purchased why'd you'd want it investigating and fixing. Might be something worth mentioning when it's in for a service assuming it is still under warranty.

 

My Superb is 5 years old now and has covered 113,000 miles, the clicking behind the steering wheel is drowned out by a plethora of other rattles and squeaks 

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

Hi Silver1011 and others. Thought you might be interested to know that the dealer I bought my Superb II Combi from identified the ratchet-like noise from behind the steering wheel as a broken air bag slip ring, which they replaced for me and the noise has now gone.

[Jigger72]

 

After inflating the front tyres to 2,5 bar and the rears to 2,2 bar and resetting the TPMS, the light hasn't come back on, so I'm content.

 

 

Why have you got the fronts pumped up 0.3 bar more than the rears? If it's a diesel lump then the fronts are usually a higher pressure to compensate for the extra weight. Yours is the TSI so same all round – 2.2

[HopefullyJOllyRoger]

I filled up in a rush/flap as I was late for work and the TPMS had flashed up on my very first commute to work. I figured that, like my previous car, the front tyres' temperatures would naturally and gradually drop a little over the coming days and a bit of extra pressure up front might help combat the horrible potholes around (something I read on another thread).

[chimaera]

Why have you got the fronts pumped up 0.3 bar more than the rears? If it's a diesel lump then the fronts are usually a higher pressure to compensate for the extra weight. Yours is the TSI so same all round – 2.2

Even the petrol model has a frontward weight bias, especially if it's only a driver on board.