Octavia 2.0L 4x4 - ASR

[aj_cheesy]

Hello all,

 

Complete Newbie here and first post, so please be gentle.

 

So factors in my life dictated that I had to grow up... I had to sell my Nissan 350z 313ps and my Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Monster Truck.  I needed something economical, efficient, practical and roomy and decided on the Octavia Estate.  Wasn't a huge fan of the Scout, so decided to get the 4x4 in the Octavia.

 

Since having it, I really have started to think that there are some problems with it and wanted to know if anyone could shed some light. 

 

First issue is the ASR. I've owned German cars with ESP and ASR before and like they should, they either kill power or compensate for lost traction with braking.  Once the traction is regained, they go back to sleep and you can drive normally again.  My current Octavia acts a little differently, even when I could be 99.999% certain I haven't lost any traction, certain corner combinations like chicanes, S shapes in the road or exiting roundabouts, the ASR start flashing at me, and as it should I loose most power.  To add to this though, the light remains flashing at me until I have completely removed my foot from the accelerator for a few seconds and wait for the light to stop flashing.  So simplistically, I could navigate a left and right at 20mph in the dry without losing any traction, the ASR comes on, and even on the straight road after the bends where I can only continue at 20mph due to the power loss the light would keep flashing for an eternity with no traction loss until I have removed my foot from the accelerator and then placed the power back on.

 

I really don't want people to think this is me even pushing the car, I usually have my little girl in the back and I'm driving as if I'm driving Miss Daisy.

 

Then second problem is when I start the car up and navigate out of a parking spot or perform a slow speed manoeuvre with both reverse and forward gears.  When I do this, with steering lock on or even in a straight line, the car seems as if there is some sort of differential lock up taking place, as the wheels will skip.  This is usually more prevalent when the car is first started.

 

To add to this, I used to have a 1.6d MK2 Octavia and used to get phenomenal miles out of a tank, like, over 600 miles.  This is the 2.0L (148bhp), so maybe not quite as economical but I can't get any more that 400 miles out of a tank.  I haven't yet worked out the mph sorry, but it just doesn't seem quite right.

 

So, I'm starting to wonder if these may all be correlated... Is the differential / 4x4 system causing the wheels to be fighting each other?  Not only would this have an impact upon economy and manoeuvring in tight spaces, but also tricking the ASR into thinking I'm losing traction when I'm actually not?

 

Any help on this matter would be much appreciated.  I fear that it's one of those problems that Skoda themselves could or would never want to diagnose and put right.

 

If you've made it this far, then I commend you.  Sorry for rambling.

 

Kind Regards, Alex.

[andreii]

Hello Alex,

I drive a 4x4 vrs and i can confirm two things:

1. Mileage is below average if you don''t drive like complete granny.

2. Sometimes (i've felt it 2-3 times) the differentials act up on full lock in parking manouvers.

 

I've had my car for 3 months and i have about 10000 miles on the clock but i haven't seen the issue with asr and esp.

I drive the car very hard sometimes, be it snow or rain, and, from what i have experienced, the esp and asr only intervened in no grip situations and only for brief moments.

 

In my opinion, you have a differential problem or an electrical one (sensor, software, both).

When optimal driving conditions are reached, every traction guvernor should stop limiting your torque... no need for you to lift off.

[xpower]

Fuel economy is really dependant on your driving / route etc - however I can get 400 miles from my 300+HP vRS TSI so that doesn't sound right.

The 4x4 will add weight, and a larger drag on the drive train but then again you (should) have loads more grip.

[nidza]

Maybe the car behaves as it should, according the drive mode which is set?

 

4x4 versions should have different driving modes, similar to RS (vRS in UK), and it changes ASR, ESC and 4x4 differentials behavior (plus other non relevant systems for this matter). It is also possible to relax all this electronic helps in special ESC off-road mode, but I think it switches off after 50km/h or something.

 

For a fuel economy, I don't know if you own a saloon or estate, but estate has quite small reservoir. Don't look into the range as a parameter, but what is your mpg (l/100km). Maybe everything is fine, just a reservoir is small. I get about 600km (380miles) with my TSI between fueling.

 

Check this topic on 4x4 and ESC modes:

 

[andreii]

There's no driving mode that requires the driver to lift off the accelerator in order to regain full torque...

My 4x4 VRS diesel is a combi and has the same small fuel tank. I never get below 8l/100km. Never managed to squeze more than 600km out of a refill.

[aj_cheesy]

Thanks for the responses so far.  The car is an estate, 2.0L TDI (148).  I think the 4wd system adds just over 100kg, and with some additional drag, which would have an impact upon fuel efficiency, just wouldn't have thought that much.  I just worked it out, It's doing approximately 34.5mpg (8.18L/100km).  This is the non VRS and I am driving it sensibly on decent non-motorway runs, still doesn't seem quite right, considering the Average mpg is quoted at 57.6mpg for this vehicle.  I know these figures are Unicorn numbers that all manufacturers magic up from traffic free, glass surface motorways in the vacuum of space...  I'd still be expecting to get at least 45mpg when driving sensibly.

 

Also, I know I can turn off the ASR (mine doesn't have any ESP, ESR or additional control over 4x4 or differentials).  I don't want to have to do this every time I sit in the car though, my mentality on things like that has changed a lot over recent years.  Suppose I've bought myself a newish second hand car and want it to be right.

 

And from my experience, I've never had to lift off the accelerator to regain normal driving mode in any other car... I just didn't know if Skoda had taken a step backwards with ASR and put a system in place that forced the driver to remove all power before proceeding, after the car thought it had lost even the smallest amount of traction.

 

So, would the general consensus be that Skoda probably need to have a look at it?

[Whistley]

I've had my 2.0 4x4 estate for 18 months and 24k miles and never had an issue with ASR. I would get Skoda to take a look.

 

With regards to fuel consumption the tank is only 50 litres but when full my maxidot shows around 525 miles range and my current long term average is over 49mpg. That's on a mix of country road & motorway/dual carriageway driving.

 

 

[nidza]

I have a remark, every Octavia III has ESP and many other advanced system, _especially_ 4x4 which is far more complicated transmission even then my RS with VAQ on front wheels. It should be possible to change modes.

 

Anyway, as earlier mentioned, no special way of driving is needed for this car. Maybe something is really wrong with it, probably related to throttle potentiometer or some of the sensors.

[Orville]

ASR and ESP lights should be very rare occurrences on 4x4 models. Unless driving on snow, ice or loose surfaces the 2.0 TDi's should have far more traction than power. It could be that the diff is faulty - I remember reading a post from another member who lost drive to the rear wheels, making his 4x4 front-wheel drive only.

[Gabbo]

In my vRS (manual FWD) I can get around 900km from a tank which is more than 500miles, although I do seem to be on the higher side in terms of average mpg for the diesel.

 

If you have a goPro or can get someone to film the ASR light when you enable it & then take it to the dealer.

It definately sounds like a problem to me.

There was another thread recently where the 4x4 system wasnt working at all but there were no warnings visible to the driver.

Perhaps you have something similar where it is locked in a specific mode?

[fabdavrav]

ALL MQB platform cars  have ASR, ESP, etc....4x4 is a 2wd front wheel drive car & power is shifted to the rear as & when required, buy activating the Haldex clutch packs. All the fancy ESP, ASR systems use the same ABS sensors, just have different algorithms built in.

 

I did a few very old posts to help explain WTF is ABS, ASR, ESP etc, here:-

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/256897-wtf-is-abs-edl-asr-hhc-etc/