Skoda Kodiaq Scout

[linni]

They are so easy to fit. Any garage can do it.

 

Yes, only problem could be warranty.

 

But do not believe what their website says - they are definitely representeted in Finland and Estonia.

Edited 2 February, 2019 by linni

[silver1011]

I see there are three elements...

 

1) Engine heater

2) Interior / cabin heater

3) Battery charger

 

I'm assuming the engine heater is free standing, it just warms up the engine bay, close to the oil sump?

[SuperbTWM]

19 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

I see there are three elements...

 

1) Engine heater

2) Interior / cabin heater

3) Battery charger

 

I'm assuming the engine heater is free standing, it just warms up the engine bay, close to the oil sump?

 

The most effective way to heat the engine is surely to heat the coolant. 

 

If you select most of the type of engine heater they are all mainly coolant heaters with a few exceptions which require a heater in the block or in the sump, neither would be compatible with any VAG car as I don't see where you could fit it

Edited 2 February, 2019 by SuperbTWM

[linni]

The most basic and most popular one is just a heating element installed into the bottom of engine, which heats engine oil. Just stick an extension cable from your house to the socket and that`s it. Cost around 40 euros.

 

Check out here, there are several options:

http://old.defa.com/en/automotive/warmup/

 

 

[BGB]

Defa makes systems that fit almost every production car there is. Most common is a block-warmer or a hose-warmer. Both warm up the coolant to 30 degrees Celsius above outside temperature (0C and you get 30C and -10 gets you 20C and so on)

 

Had Defa on several cars from both Audi, VW and Skoda, and I love it. Its not as powerful as a Webasto and require to be plugged in, but if you choose the complete system you also get a batterycharger. I had the complete system on my Octavia Scout II and controlled it with an app - very comfortable.

 

If you just want the engine heater or the cabin heater it doesn't get that expensive.

[SuperbTWM]

For us in the warmer part of the world IMO your better off with a coolant heater solution. This will give you instant hot air from the vents and a toasty cabin in no time.

 

If a block heater can heat 4.5 litres of oil up to 90C, its going to go round the engine a few times and be flat cold again as everything else will be cold including the coolant. 

 

 

[Ootohere]

& Lets be honest unless you are in AB, IV,PH or DD & a few other postcode areas in the UK you might only have a few days or weeks where the 'Very Low Ambient' Air or Grass temps are an issue.

Edited 2 February, 2019 by Skoffski

[silver1011]

Any idea on cost?

 

For me the two most appealing benefits are:

 

- Warm oil for reduced engine wear during cold starts (where almost all engine wear occurs). The car is owned and will be run until it dies.

- Warm / frost free cabin for when the wife and kids get in.

 

I always leave for work before the wife, and invariably she never gives the car a second thought, until she's sat in it, at which point she's late for work, the kids are playing up, it's dark and the car gets started and driven off, usually with reduced visibility and cold, whiny kids. No doubt her already limited mechanical sympathy is left behind on the drive too.

 

Plugging  the car in at night, then setting the heating to come on via the phone app as I leave would make me happier. Just as long as she remembers to unplug it before driving off  

 

If we're talking a few hundred quid it sounds appealing, anything more than £500 and I'm out. If Skoda offered the Webasto as a factory option here in the UK I'd have probably specced it. It doesn't need to be frosty, or snowy to reap the benefits. I'd imagine anytime between October and March it's going to be beneficial most mornings.

 

[SuperbTWM]

You can get cheaper options which are basically an inbuilt heater/pump which you plumb into the coolant circuit. Just plug it into a timer for it to come on in a morning.

 

I looked at these before but they are made for the US so they are obviously 110V which isn't so much a problem, but not sure how much the 50hz instead of 60 would effect it.

 

http://www.frostheater.com/frostheater.htm

 

If they made something in the UK that was better supported I would have one.

[Shevtheblue]

Evening All. I've noticed recently that my Scout starts slower than it used to, it was doing this in the warmer weather as well. The engine starting sign comes up and it takes a couple seconds at least to fire up, nothing major but not as fast as it used to. Is this normal or do i need to top something up?

[silver1011]

There is a large batch of duff batteries across the Kodiaq. A well documented issue that Skoda UK are well aware of.

 

Pop the bonnet and take a picture of the battery. If it's got MOLL written on it, then it needs changing under warranty. Ring Skoda Assist, telling them your car won't start. They'll send someone out to fix it on your drive within a few hours, no messing about by having to book it into the dealer. The vans usually have stocks of batteries onboard, although expectedly there has been a shortage recently.

 

Luckily, mines a Banner...

 

 

This is (similar) to what the defective MOLL battery looks like...

 

 

Edited 2 February, 2019 by silver1011

[Shevtheblue]

8 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

There is a large batch of duff batteries across the Kodiaq. A well documented issue that Skoda UK are well aware of.

 

Pop the bonnet and take a picture of the battery. If it's got MOLL written on it, then it needs changing under warranty. Ring Skoda Assist, telling them your car won't start. They'll send someone out to fix it on your drive within a few hours, no messing about by having to book it into the dealer. The vans usually have stocks of batteries onboard, although expectedly there has been a shortage recently.

 

Luckily, mines a Banner...

 

 

 

This is (similar) to what the defective MOLL battery looks like...

 

 

Ah i see, will have a look in the morning. So if it is a MOLL, i just call Skoda Assist (AA?) and tell them it won't start, even though it does? 

[silver1011]

Yep!

 

Otherwise they'll tell you to wait until it fails, at which point you'll be left stranded somewhere.

 

Or, they'll tell you to book it in at the dealers so they can perform a battery health check. If it's a MOLL then it is very likely it's faulty and they'll swap it out there and then.

[SuperbTWM]

You can always just leave the ignition on for an hour or so with the fan blower on full blast, that will probably get it to a none start situation

[linni]

Yes, but with dead battery you will not be able to contact Skoda Assist?

[Shevtheblue]

8 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

Yep!

 

Otherwise they'll tell you to wait until it fails, at which point you'll be left stranded somewhere.

 

Or, they'll tell you to book it in at the dealers so they can perform a battery health check. If it's a MOLL then it is very likely it's faulty and they'll swap it out there and then.

Assume they do a battery check on it then, i'll just say "ooooh look its starting now just like magic! Could you test it anyway?" 

Also topped up the oil the other day, what is the point of the two pieces of plastic wedging down the dipstick? There seemed to be something to line them up with but as much as i pulled it wouldn't come out easy. So i crouched over and rested my elbows on the front of the car and preacher curled the git, boom one of the pieces of plastic went flying into my face and the dipstick came out. It's hard to seat the dipstick back in which should be the easiest thing in the world so you can check the level once you've cleaned it, but it had to push down hard to reseat it. All seems completely pointless, the dipstick is well and truly lodged into the whole, it wouldn't come out on its own!

[silver1011]

The issue is often intermittent with the duff batteries. Sometimes the car won't start, on a different day it'll start as usual. You've nothing to lose by calling them out.

 

Just make sure you're going to be home for a few hours, depending on their response time.

 

The little lugs on the top of the dipstick help to secure it in place. As long as you lift it directly up and not at an angle it should come out with some force.

 

No lugs on my 1.4 TSI Scout though...

 

 

 

I think the diesel one looks more like this...

 

 

Edited 2 February, 2019 by silver1011

[Shevtheblue]

Yes that looks like all the other dispticks i've ever seen, but there's no way in hell this dipstick would go out of place without those plastic lugs. Anyway one's gone now so i should be able to get into it easier now  

Mine's a diesel so doesn't apply to most, but ive had the particulate filter light come up twice now and had to give it a decent run on the motorway for it to clear. I do mostly motorway miles at the weekend on the way to work and a dual carriageway run back at 50-60mph on the way back, obviously more local drives at the weekends with the kids, but wouldn't have thought i'd be getting these lights so much tbh.

[silver1011]

The DPF light is worrying. Seeing it repeatedly suggests that your driving style / journey type isn't enough for the DPF to clear itself, or it is faulty.

 

Another reason to get Skoda Assist out, they'll check for fault codes whilst testing the battery.

[MrTrilby]

2 hours ago, Shevtheblue said:

Evening All. I've noticed recently that my Scout starts slower than it used to, it was doing this in the warmer weather as well. The engine starting sign comes up and it takes a couple seconds at least to fire up, nothing major but not as fast as it used to. Is this normal or do i need to top something up?

 

Do you mean it takes a couple of seconds cranking before it fires up, or a couple of seconds saying “engine starting” but doing nothing before cranking and starting quite quickly? If it’s the latter, it’s normal for a Diesel engine. When it’s cold, the glow plugs have to warm up before the engine can try to start. 

 

Some cars hide that by preheating the glow plugs when you open the driver door, but the Kodiaq seems to leave it until you hit the “engine start” button. 

[elsinga]

As a scout leader I was looking into having the Scout as a company car... But it was so much more expensive than a Style Business here that I will have to do with the Scout logo in the info display at startup... :(

[Shevtheblue]

On 02/02/2019 at 19:10, silver1011 said:

There is a large batch of duff batteries across the Kodiaq. A well documented issue that Skoda UK are well aware of.

 

Pop the bonnet and take a picture of the battery. If it's got MOLL written on it, then it needs changing under warranty. Ring Skoda Assist, telling them your car won't start. They'll send someone out to fix it on your drive within a few hours, no messing about by having to book it into the dealer. The vans usually have stocks of batteries onboard, although expectedly there has been a shortage recently.

 

Luckily, mines a Banner...

 

 

 

This is (similar) to what the defective MOLL battery looks like...

 

 

 

Checked my battery yesterday, its not a MOLL (can't remember what it was but it was def not a MOLL.

[silver1011]

Probably either Varta, or Banner.

[Shevtheblue]

On 02/02/2019 at 21:34, MrTrilby said:

 

Do you mean it takes a couple of seconds cranking before it fires up, or a couple of seconds saying “engine starting” but doing nothing before cranking and starting quite quickly? If it’s the latter, it’s normal for a Diesel engine. When it’s cold, the glow plugs have to warm up before the engine can try to start. 

 

Some cars hide that by preheating the glow plugs when you open the driver door, but the Kodiaq seems to leave it until you hit the “engine start” button. 

Second one. It might be as design as this is the first stop/start i've had.

[silver1011]

Trying to look forward to the summer months already, I need some warmth!

 

Can't wait to get back out with the family on the bikes, now we have some new bikes I thought I'd better check the tow bar vertical weight limitations. All good.

 

The tow bar rating, according to the manual is 75Kg...

 

 

The carrier weighs 20Kg leaving 55Kg for the bikes themselves.

 

Voodoo Bizango -  12.7Kg

Cube Access - 13.4Kg

Pendleton Junier Hanberry - 10Kg

Apollo Claw - 9Kg

Total 45.1Kg

 

So I have around 10Kg spare which should be enough to allow for the two kids bikes to grow in size and weight as they get older.

 

Can't believe our youngest's steel bike weighs two thirds of the weight of my adult aluminium bike!