Power loss accelerating

[Andy P]

Hi guys. Would you believe it. I'm a day or 2 out of my extended warranty and my 1.4 tsi is acting up. When accelerating with mid to full throttle in 3rd and 4th gear,  my car starts sort of jumping like it's going on and off throttle. We're not even talking high revs here. I'd say from about 2 to 4k rpm. I'm getting the feeling it's about to conk out on me. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I'm worried it's going to be one of those costly, ongoing issues that are hard to pin point. 

[Rooted]

So how old is the car and what mileage and what Servicing has been done.

 

Has the 'For Life' Fuel filter been changed because some need that.

Spark Plugs, when checked or changed,  Air Filter, checked or replaced?

 

You need the fault codes read if any.

Mis-fires might not be showing though if not enough in a cycle.

[Andy P]

My car is MY13. It's done 38k miles. It has been main dealer serviced each year. It had its 4th service a month ago which included plugs and air filter plus whatever else they do on a major service. It was carried out at the main dealer, as was the MOT less than 2 weeks ago. On a test drive I'm sure it would be noticeable but it's whether any faults are logged or not, as no warning lights come on when it plays up. 

[MoggyTech]

My moneys on a coil pack. It takes massive force to remove those things, and they damage quite easily. 

[Andy P]

That's what I was thinking after reading the forums. I noticed driving to work this morning, I'm getting the power loss in 3rd, 4th and 5th from 2 to 4k rpm from mid to full throttle. So it does seem to do it just under load. Sedate driving causes no problems and I rarely ever go above 3500 rpm. Don't usually need to. So I take it an auto technician would be able to find out which one would be at fault. 

[Andy P]

I've just come off the phone with my dealership. I explained my problem and that my warranty expired yesterday. They said they can take a look at it for £97 for an hour then if they find anything, pass the results on to skoda UK to see if they offer anything as a gesture of goodwill. I don't hold much hope for any goodwill gesture so I've booked in at a v.a.g, audi specialist near work on Monday instead. The chap there didn't fill me with confidence saying the 1.4 tsi engines are very problematic. 

[SC03OTT]

Didn't realise the newer 1.4 had issues. The old one, yes. 

[Rooted]

Maybe suggest that they take a look because they were just paid to do a service and they need to check the plugs that their workshop fitted and the coils, 

and if that is not the issue then other things can be looked at.

The Fuel filter is a fit for life and some Dealerships change them at a major / 40,000 mile service.

 

Ask that guy if he knows his 1.4TSI Turbo from his 1.4TSI Twincharger,

and what the spark plugs are required on your 1.4TSI and what the plug gap is to check for not just assuming that out the pack all are gaped correctly.

Ask what his mechanical engineering qualifications are, or is he a Service Desk Jockey with keyboard skills & a crap telephone manor?

Edited 11 July, 2017 by Awayoffski

[MoggyTech]

1.4 twin charger problematic yes, 1.4TSi no.

[Andy P]

I didn't think the tsi was problematic. I'll get some info on Monday when I take it to this vag specialist. Fingers crossed with it being hesitant under load,it will be a sensor or something. I noticed last night it doesn't do it when I'm stationary and rev the car. 

[Orville]

Certainly sounds like a faulty coil-pack or poorly gapped spark plug. If so, then fault was extremely likely to have been caused during the recent full-service, so Skoda/Dealer should cover all costs.

[Andy P]

I think the issue actually started weeks before my service but it was so slight and only noticed in 3rd gear that I thought it was wheel slip on damp roads.

 

[Andy P]

Further to my problem. The car went in for a diagnostic yesterday. The mechanic said he found an intermittent misfire on number 2 cylinder. Suspected spark plug or coil pack fault. I explained that my car had new plugs fitted just a month ago with its service. So he ordered a coil pack, and is fitting it today. Fingers crossed it will be fixed today. 

[MrkSkoda]

Hi Andy

 

What happened in the end?  Did the spark coil fix it?  Did the dealer charge for the work? 

 

Samething has just happened with my  1.4 TSI Octavia.  It's just 3 years & 1 week old.  Had major service 3 weeks ago and has done 34K miles. Very similar symptoms, and of course as luck would have it just out of waranty. 

[Andy P]

I didn't go to the dealer in the end. There was no guarantee they'd help towards the cost of repair plus the 90 odd quid it would cost to look at it for an hour. I found a vag specialist in bulwell where I work. Turned out it was a coil pack. There was a misfire on number 2 cylinder. The total cost was £160. I'm due to trade my car in tomorrow for a Fabia Monte Carlo. All in all the Octavia has been ok. Problems have been, possessed touchscreen in winter when cold, never fixed even after a touchscreen replacement. Wastegate actuator failure, replaced under warranty. Creaky drivers seat. Part replaced but started doing it again, and a bad gearbox rattle in neutral which took some fault finding but also sorted under warranty. 

[MrkSkoda]

Update on my 1.4 TSI.  It's had one of the spark coils replaced and the problem seems to have gone.  Costs were covered by "Goodwill", which I am very pleased about as I suspect it would otherwise been several hundred pounds. 

 

Hope you are pleased with your new Fabia.

[Andy P]

Glad you got it sorted. I was told the coil pack is only about £35 but it's the labour charge that bumps the price up of course.