I just bought my first skoda, it's a fabia 6y 1.4 16v 100hp comfort edition. It drives very well, but i got some problems i cant solve and it would be great if someone in here could help me out!  

First of all, the central locking doesn't work all the time, it works sometimes, but it will only unlock the driver door (it's a left hand drive).

Second. the electric windows doesn't work at all. 

I was thinking that it might be because the comfort module may be broken? 

 

And the worst thing, the engine is making a ticking noise, it's worst when the engine is idling, maybe i cant hear it at high rps because of road noise,

but i'm sure that it is not supposed to do that (i really hope i dont need a new engine, they are pretty expensive where i live). 

would it might help to change the oil and filter, maybe new ignition module? I have already changed the spark plug, without any changes in the noise. 

 

And just a side topic, do any of you know if it is possible to change the manuel sidemirros to electric ones, and if it is possible to install remote central locking?

 

Hope you guys can help, i have waited so long to get a fabia 1.4 that i could afford, so i hope it's easy to fix those problems!  

Electric windows will probably be the switch, try opening them by unlocking the car and holding the key in that position, both windows should open and close when you re-lock and hold the other way.

 

Does the central locking work properly from the button inside the car? If yes, then the door lock microswitch is failing.

 

Ticking noise is probably a blocked hydraulic lifter, use a flushing compound and change the oil and filter afterwards.

 

Anything is possible, however the mirrors and remote locking are more trouble than they're worth, stick with manual.

Thanks for the reply! The door lock switch inside the doesn't work, i will try to find a replacement for it tomorrow. 

I will also try using a flushing compound tomorrow, hope it works! 

 

I got some issues with the gear stick too.. It doesn't move as smooth as i would like it to, do you know if it might just be because i have to lube the mechanism, or maybe it is the gear changer on the gearbox, or maybe just the cables? 

 

Again, thanks a lot for the help! 

Reset the linkage if there's issues with the gearchange, it should be smooth. Use search on here for how to reset it correctly.

As for the hydro-lifter. Does your engine have a cover with a little (dirt/water) hole next/below the oilcap (like on the pic below)?

 

Flushing a dirty engine -may- make things even worse (dislodging a lot of dirt fast and sticking it into the smallest places and may cause some leakages around oil seals).

 

You''d better try to change the oilfilter and oil for full-synthetic 5w30/5w40 (esp. if you now use half-synt 10w40). This will clean you engine too, but slowly without (too much) risk of damaging your engine.

 

 

Edited 16 August, 20178 yr by Palatinux
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Flushing helped quieten the lifters on my 1.4 16V 100 PS which is why I suggested it. Do you really have any evidence that this process can actually cause damage or are you just repeating an old wives tale?

@sepulchrave - You may have read this before, but I once had an oil pressure switch fail just after an oil change, because some loose sediment got into the transducer capillary. I don't know that I've ever heard of things getting blocked by a flush, but I'd have to say it's not impossible.

10 hours ago, KenONeill said:

@sepulchrave I don't know that I've ever heard of 'things' getting blocked by a flush, but I'd have to say it's not impossible.

 

What 'things'?

 

He has a partial blockage in a hydraulic lifter, what is the probability that flushing will actually make it worse?

well, those motor cleaners have a dissolving ingredient in them to remove varnish and tar in the engine.  It will make the oil as thin as water and it will increase wear during the cleaning progress since the oil will loose almost all it's viscosity and friction capabilities around the pistonrings and crackshaft bearrings (and maybe even after replacing the oil after). Some of them will even make valve-seals and other oil-seals so soft that they tear or leak eventually.  And if you'll pour it into old oil, the oil cannot carry away the amount of deposits before entering the oil-filter. Just check how soft and weak the filtering fibers are in the oil filter after flushing the engine.

 

This doesn't say it will actually will harm your specific engine, but it's not a 80 quid vacuum cleaner you are talking about. If the new full synthetic oil doesn't clean the lifters within a few months, you can always try to flush. You'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

I have the same noisy lifters in my MPI, changed to full synthetic and I haven't heard them since. Below is my 16 year old engine valve-head that was never flushed before with 11 months old synthetic oil in it.

 

 

 

 

And for the door lock switch/windows switches. It's a little box that can be opened by removing the screws and clips. Inside there is a silcone sheet that sweats silicone-grease over the electronic contact plate below. Just clean the plate and sheet with alcohol and it should be working again. You can buy a new one for 20, but I'm not sure if they have the same issue in a few years.

 

And again about the engine oil/flush subject. My MPI also had the well-known AQW headgasket issue in from 2009 to 2012 which leaked small amounts of cooling fluid into the engine oil. And together with the noisy lifters, it was all cleaned and fixed by just switching to from half-synt. to good quality full synthetic oil. The holes in the hydro-lifters are so small, that even a flush may not clean them in such a short time.

 

Edited 17 August, 20178 yr by Palatinux