Hello, I've just joined here as I recently bought a 1.6cr estate. Nice car.

 

Unfortunately the previous owner had cut the rear seatbelt off. As I couldn't get anyone else to fit another one, and with the MOT looming, I was forced to visit the main dealer. Whilst there they asked permission to upgrade the software. I said no and didn't sign the form. On the way to the dealers the car was doing 54mpg on a three mile run through town. On the way back it did 26. I've never seen it do 26 for anything longer than a few seconds after setting off. Immediately suspecting they'd done what I told them not to do I went on the gov website and checked the recall thing. It says that my car was not due in for a recall. Am I correct in assuming that without the update it would show as being recalled? The site also said that the details had been updated on 12.10.17. I'm going to check again tomorrow to see if it still gives the same date or if it's just something that changes each time you visit the site. 

 

I called the dealers who of course denied having performed the update. 

 

My questions are: if they have performed the update without my permission a) is it easy to prove and b what can I do about it? Can I do anything legally? The car is in for it's MOT right now, but I'm going to take it for a longer drive tomorrow to be doubly sure about the mpg. 

 

Also am I right in thinking that the website would show it was due for the update if it hadn't been performed?

 

Won't be able to reply for a bit as I have to go out. Thanks in advance. Great site btw.

Is your car on this as part of the Voluntary VW Group Recall.

http://skoda.co.uk/owners/dieselinfo 

 

If a vehicle is, and has the fix done it takes a while until it is on the system.

 

Ask the Dealer Principal in writing if their employees carried out a Software Update or 'The Defeat Device Removal and engine management / The Fix' on your vehicle, 

if tomorrow your car is different than you will have to contact Skoda UK to have them approve an investigation of your cars ECU,. 

see if the Dealership acted illegally doing work on your car. Other than they were permitted by you to do.

It's an easy check for anyone with VCDS, they just need to look at the software version of the ECU.

 

Where in the country are you?

Thanks a lot for the replies, I'm in north Lancashire. I'm going to see how it seems tomorrow after a decent drive. Seems pretty weird for it to suddenly drop its mpg so drastically after being left at the dealers for a couple of days to get a seatbelt fitted. 

 

According to the above site my car is part of the voluntary group recall yes, but it says on the .gov site that nothing needs doing ... so, as it also says the info for the vehicle was updated on the 12.10.17 it seems to me highly likely that they've done a sneaky update in order to get the cash from VAG. I'm really not happy if so. I sat there with the dealer and said in no uncertain terms that no I did not want the update. I refused to sign the form. It's a high mileage diesel which, from the little I know, is the last sort of vehicle you want to be applying those fixes to. I didn't for a moment suspect that this might happen when I left it there, it was only once back and it was running so badly that I began to google. 

Edited 12 October, 20178 yr by pavlf

Check it here, mine had 2 recalls ABS and Emissions, after I had the ABS done I checked after a couple of days and it showed that the emissions still needed doing http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/dieselinfo/check-your-vehicle

 

Edit just realised it's the same site, if it doesn't show the emissions recall needs doing it has been done, I'll get a screen grab of what mine says when I punch the VIN number in

 

Another option is phone a different Skoda dealer and say you have had a letter about emissions recall and you have just bought the car and want to check if its been done or not.

Edited 12 October, 20178 yr by T2000

Thanks again for the helpful posts. Checked back at the yougov site and the details now say updated on the 13th, so that's not a clue. The skoda site says it is due for the emissions update. So for now I'll see what happens with the car over some miles. If it's definitely different then taking it to another dealer might be an option, but I bet they'd charge me for that. The other option is to find someone who has VDS. Let's see what happens. Thanks again for the help. Appreciated.

If they have done the "fix" you should find a sticker label in the boot near the spare wheel with the code (can't remember what the code is at the moment but a search on here should find it).

As yours is a 1.6 L, you should also have had a plastic honeycomb flow straightener placed in the air outlet pipe of the air filter.

I will try to find the YouTube video that shows exact location. 

 

Edit

Here it is. Look at 2:16

 

 

Edited 13 October, 20178 yr by pikpilot
Video added

It matters if the MPG is different from usual and not just the Range / Average showing on the dash, 

maybe the battery was disconnected, or boosted when at a Dealership.

ie Reset.New readings, needing to get back to the usual that shows where you drive.

 

Recall / Service Campaign stickers go next to VIN sticker in spare tyre well.

Not always obvious, but DSG on DQ200 '34F7', (not DQ200 '34H5' funnily.

 & Defeat Device, VW Lying cheating barsteward lottery car gets messed up Recall Action ones.

Edited 13 October, 20178 yr by Headinawayoffski

Thanks all. After doing some serious miles I think it's OK. Guess I was just being paranoid - easy to be once it's clear that stitching people up is what motor companies do! I'm getting @52mpg at 80-85 which I think is non-too shabby. Driving on A roads it's up to 58-60. So thankfully no drama to come for me. Cheers for all the helpful and useful comments. 

That looks good, especially as the mpg is about that of my unfixed similar car and engine.

 

Please come back and update us if things change or if there no change after many miles.

39 minutes ago, pavlf said:

Thanks all. After doing some serious miles I think it's OK. Guess I was just being paranoid - easy to be once it's clear that stitching people up is what motor companies do! I'm getting @52mpg at 80-85 which I think is non-too shabby. Driving on A roads it's up to 58-60. So thankfully no drama to come for me. Cheers for all the helpful and useful comments. 

that was 80-85 kph and not mph 

Haha, yeah right! Surely that's quite good???? ;-)