1.5 SEL first gear issue.

[Sean191]

Booked mine in for investigation with Skoda Birmingham for Friday. Just spoke to a technician on the phone and he had not heard of any others yet. It is intermittent  so I just hope that it happens when they have the car. 

[silver1011]

1 hour ago, StEdmund said:

As others have reported on here, I too have been informed by Skoda UK that they hope to have a fix for the faulty 1.5L which will be released in the second quarter of 2019. I have now learned from Trading Standards that I have 6 months in which to return faulty goods - the dilemma is that if I wait until the second quarter for the fix - and the fix doesn't work - then I would be out of the 6 month rejection period. The law states that the dealer should be allowed one chance to repair the faulty goods - but, as we all know, there is no 'repair' available at this time. 

 

So, the dilemma is: should I reject the car now, or gamble on a possible fix (software?) becoming available in the future?

 

Only you can make that decision.

 

How bad is the fault for you? Could you live with it?

 

You should assume worst case scenario, that Skoda do not resolve the solution to your satisfaction.

 

What we do know is that Skoda UK, nor any of the other VAG brands have publicly admitted that the issue exists. This means that the information being shared both on here and via Skoda UK customer services or their dealer network on the arrival of "the fix" should not be taken at face value. Skoda UK have a long history of reneging on similar issues before.

 

Whilst I haven't rejected a car myself, I know a colleague at work who has. You might be very surprised how much more communicative Skoda UK become when you initiate the rejection process. It is as much of a hassle to them than it is to you.

 

Good luck with whichever direction you choose.

 

Edited 2 January, 2019 by silver1011

[R1200R]

I will be very surprised if Skoda UK will accept rejection of the car. They will state that it is a "characteristic" of the engine. I know it isn't, it's a fault, but if you want to reject you must be willing to take the car back to the dealers, leave it with them and hand back the keys demanding a refund by letter. You may then have to make a claim in court (small claims) if the dealer doesn't accept rejection. There are plenty of guidelines on the net for the process.

If you have taken your car in already and have been given the fob off of "awaiting a fix", then in reallity you have given them the opportunity to repair it and they have failed.

 

I am sure there are a few on this forum who have tried to reject. I know of only one successful claimant and he was in Ireland. If it was an easy process of just asking for the car to be taken back there would be a big queue at the dealers and I would be in it.

A more successful approach could be a group claim from all owners.

 

I am not trying to put people off, just make sure you're prepared for all the hassle and loss of transport etc.

 

Sean 191

I am absolutely amazed that a Skoda dealer that covers an area like Birmingham has never heard of the problem. It's ike the other dealer who had never heard of it but offered a suggestion on how to reduce the problem. How much longer are dealers going to give out this ****

[StEdmund]

"I will be very surprised if Skoda UK will accept rejection of the car."

 

According to Trading Standards, the sales transaction was between the dealer and me - it isn't up to Skoda UK whether or not to accept the rejection .......... though I daresay that words will pass between Skoda UK and the dealer. The dealer has certainly, on the face of it, been very decent about the whole affair; they had the car for 2 days and the senior technician confirmed that it was, indeed, possessed by the kangarooing devil. They probably didn't drive it enough to encounter the 'dying at junctions' phenomenon. The tests that they carried out showed no 'system' faults.

[Berisford]

I'm 99% confident that if you reject the vehicle, and back it up with legal assistance, then they (the dealer) will take it back but we'll not hear a peep about it on here because they (the dealer and or Skoda UK) will insist on a 'gagging clause' before they proceed...…...

[JeremyGi]

Skoda UK's Facebook page has another new years resolution number 9, I've made a suggestion under comments for number ten.

 

[Xtra2]

We tried to reject the car to no avail after owning it for three weeks. Škoda UK officially does not recognise the kangarooing as fault so the dealer can't accept the rejection. We ended up trading it in for non-VAG car and losing nearly three grand! They both hoping you will put up with it and go away. Škoda UK has shocking attitude. 

[xman]

27 minutes ago, Xtra2 said:

We tried to reject the car to no avail after owning it for three weeks. Škoda UK officially does not recognise the kangarooing as fault so the dealer can't accept the rejection. We ended up trading it in for non-VAG car and losing nearly three grand! 

 

Heartfelt sympathies. I'm sure there are a few people who will do the same.

 

Only for the 2nd owners to end up having to live with the "characteristic".

 

Scandalous.

[VAGCF]

On a T-Roc forum there's been a couple of successful rejections, so if it's good enough for VW it's good enough for Skoda!

 

https://www.trocforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=266&start=110

 

Now with the introduction of the 1.5 Kodiaq with some having the same issues the VWG are really storing up a **** load of troubles for themselves. They can only carry on with their attitude of not officially accepting that there is a fault for so long.

 

Oh, to be a fly on the wall at VWG headquarters when this is being discussed!

Edited 2 January, 2019 by VAGCF

[VAGCF]

8 hours ago, Xtra2 said:

I hope the solution will be the software.... somehow from what I've read somewhere else on internet will not be as easy. Apparently, within the next two years all of the engines VAG has will be scrapped and replaced by either hybrid or electric. So what they have now is intermediary  - they are really not bothered if couple of thousand people around Europe will get dissappointed. 

That's not quite true! What I read is that VW isn't bringing out/developing any new internal combustion engines after 2020 which means they could still be producing them for another 10 years which is hardly scrapping them!

 

Seems like a mad statement to me given that many markets, including ours, won't be ready or suitable for that swing to hybrid or electric.

 

I bet VWG can't wait for the move away from internal combustion though given their track record.

Edited 2 January, 2019 by VAGCF

[Berisford]

1 hour ago, Xtra2 said:

We tried to reject the car to no avail after owning it for three weeks. Škoda UK officially does not recognise the kangarooing as fault so the dealer can't accept the rejection. We ended up trading it in for non-VAG car and losing nearly three grand! They both hoping you will put up with it and go away. Škoda UK has shocking attitude. 

I've been down the new vehicle rejection road twice, firstly an unsuccessful* one with BMW and then, armed with better consumer law knowledge, a successful claim with Ford.....on both occasions the manufacturers washed their hands of any involvement and passed all blame to the dealer......I lost big money on the BM but got a full refund on the Ford.   

 

* Despite returning to the dealer the day I took delivery I foolishly allowed the dealer and BMW the opportunity to try and fix it (the so called characteristic!) several times, the weeks turned into months and the whole thing was getting me down so I got rid.

Edited 2 January, 2019 by Berisford

[Arkaig]

1 hour ago, VAGCF said:

That's not quite true! What I read is that VW isn't bringing out/developing any new internal combustion engines after 2020 which means they could still be producing them for another 10 years which is hardly scrapping them!

 

Seems like a mad statement to me given that many markets, including ours, won't be ready or suitable for that swing to hybrid or electric.

 

I bet VWG can't wait for the move away from internal combustion though given their track record.

 

EU emissions rules are due to change further in 2021, reducing CO2 from current 130 to 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer - the effect of this will result in VAG requiring to introduce an entirely new range of engines probably in 2020, based initially on new plug-in hybrids and eventually purely electric drives.

Edited 2 January, 2019 by Arkaig

[StEdmund]

"EU emissions rules are due to change further in 2021,...........   "

 

My late great uncle Sam, of the Royal Horse Artillery (WW1) always said that one day, the horse would make a come-back! Don't ask me how much CO2 a pair of Suffolks would emit ............... and don't mention the methane.

[Richard46]

4 minutes ago, StEdmund said:

"EU emissions rules are due to change further in 2021,...........   "

 

My late great uncle Sam, of the Royal Horse Artillery (WW1) always said that one day, the horse would make a come-back! Don't ask me how much CO2 a pair of Suffolks would emit ............... and don't mention the methane.

I remember it well

 

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/

[Gaz1985]

I received a follow up email from my salesman around a week after picking my 1.5Tsi manual Edition up in August. This was my reply:

 

"Hi ***** thank you for the follow up email

 

I'm made up with the car , loving it more and more each day. 

 

There is just one niggle I have which is pulling away smoothly in first gear. The car's rev's seem to just drop and rise even though equal gas / pressure is applied to the accelerator. This results in what I can only describe as like a bunny hop or kangerooing effect where the nose of the car dips then pitches as if you where flooring the accelerator. The only way to overcome this is by using around 2000 rpm to and to let the clutch out slowly which when nothing in front is fine, but in slow moving traffic it is not practical or safe. Its hard to explain really without experiencing it. Maybe I can pop in some time when I'm in the area and one of the technicians can replicate it. Has anyone else reported this that you are aware of?

 

From what I have read it seems to be quite a common thing on the 1.5Tsi manual as others have reported on it also.

 

Hopefully there maybe some kind of software update for the ECU that may come along at some point.

 

If you could let me know if one does get released please let me know, as it is the only thing that really spoils what is the perfect car.

 

Thanks again for all your help."

 

Reply from salesman:

 

"Hi *****, I have spoken to service and they haven't herd of that issue as yet, all they said was to book in with us and they can take you on a road test to see if the issue comes up and they could look into it for you."

 

My reply:

 

"Thanks ***** I will be in touch to book in at some point. Unfortunately I don't have time at present but will do so when convenient.

I have found that letting the clutch out slowly without use of the accelerator allows the car into first gear without stalling as the engine revs increase by themselves which prevents this. This method is a lot smoother and safer so I will contine with this method."

 

 

So I will be booking in next week to have the fault/ 'characteristic' acknowledged before my 6 months option to reject period runs out and go from there.

Edited 2 January, 2019 by Gaz1985

[AMC150]

20 minutes ago, Gaz1985 said:

I received a follow up email from my salesman around a week after picking my 1.5Tsi manual Edition up in August. This was my reply:

 

"Hi ***** thank you for the follow up email

 

I'm made up with the car , loving it more and more each day. 

 

There is just one niggle I have which is pulling away smoothly in first gear. The car's rev's seem to just drop and rise even though equal gas / pressure is applied to the accelerator. This results in what I can only describe as like a bunny hop or kangerooing effect where the nose of the car dips then pitches as if you where flooring the accelerator. The only way to overcome this is by using around 2000 rpm to and to let the clutch out slowly which when nothing in front is fine, but in slow moving traffic it is not practical or safe. Its hard to explain really without experiencing it. Maybe I can pop in some time when I'm in the area and one of the technicians can replicate it. Has anyone else reported this that you are aware of?

 

From what I have read it seems to be quite a common thing on the 1.5Tsi manual as others have reported on it also.

 

Hopefully there maybe some kind of software update for the ECU that may come along at some point.

 

If you could let me know if one does get released please let me know, as it is the only thing that really spoils what is the perfect car.

 

Thanks again for all your help."

 

Reply from salesman:

 

"Hi *****, I have spoken to service and they haven't herd of that issue as yet, all they said was to book in with us and they can take you on a road test to see if the issue comes up and they could look into it for you."

 

My reply:

 

"Thanks ***** I will be in touch to book in at some point. Unfortunately I don't have time at present but will do so when convenient.

I have found that letting the clutch out slowly without use of the accelerator allows the car into first gear without stalling as the engine revs increase by themselves which prevents this. This method is a lot smoother and safer so I will contine with this method."

 

 

So I will be booking in next week to have the fault/ 'characteristic' acknowledged before my 6 months option to reject period runs out and go from there.

Your description and soloution exactly matches my experience although I use the 2K revs method. There usually isn’t time to use the no revs method if you need to move off briskly.

What REALLY bugs me is that dealers are still saying they have no knowledge of this known fault (or whatever Skoda like to call it) when owners are reporting that like me they’ve been advised a fix is under development.

Somebody somewhere is telling porkies or at least not being entirely truthful. I’ll belive the fix if and when it surfaces. If Skoda ARE aware and ARE developing a fix, why haven’t they contacted every owner to inform us and apologise for the aggravation this fault creates in what as you say, is otherwise a nice car.

Mine’s booked in tomorrow due to KESSY fault and will be asking for an update on the Karoqeroo issue. I first told them on 27th July.

[StEdmund]

"I have found that letting the clutch out slowly without use of the accelerator allows the car into first gear without stalling as the engine revs increase by themselves which prevents this. This method is a lot smoother and safer so I will contine with this method.""

 

Yes, I have found that works when, for example, I'm setting off from the drive to leave home ......... it doesn't work, though, when you are coming out of a junction onto a busy main road.

[Gaz1985]

It's strange to say the least, the car has never stalled on me once using this method, even when pulling out of a juntion on an incline.

 

I'm just hoping the Skoda Technician acknowledges it when I take it in. If the first one doesn't I'll politely request another to come along for the 'ride'. 

 

It will be strange allowing it to 'kangeroo' as my driving style has adapted to overcome it. I'll be going alone too save dragging the family along as I feel I may have some convincing to do (hopefully not). Plus I don't fancy cleaning up 2 kids worth of fetched up breakfast from the backs of the front seats 

[TheRealExile]

They have refused my rejection based on it being a characteristic of the engine sadly mine is also via Lex who will only reject if the 'independent' German owned Dekra report says it's a fault.

 

The Dekra technician drove it and agreed it had the Kangaroo fault, when I got the report it seems they had been to Skoda to ask for a fix as they then repeat the Skoda official characteristic line word for word 

 

Are they afraid of upsetting VAG perhaps? 

 

No rejection for me 

 

Tempted to park it somewhere 'special' and hope for the best 

Edited 3 January, 2019 by TheRealExile
Addition

[R1200R]

16 hours ago, StEdmund said:

"I will be very surprised if Skoda UK will accept rejection of the car."

 

According to Trading Standards, the sales transaction was between the dealer and me - it isn't up to Skoda UK whether or not to accept the rejection .......... though I daresay that words will pass between Skoda UK and the dealer. The dealer has certainly, on the face of it, been very decent about the whole affair; they had the car for 2 days and the senior technician confirmed that it was, indeed, possessed by the kangarooing devil. They probably didn't drive it enough to encounter the 'dying at junctions' phenomenon. The tests that they carried out showed no 'system' faults.

 

No doubt you will have been given the standard service report i.e.

Tests showed no reported system faults, road test did show juddering, TPI from Skoda is that they are aware of this issue and are working on a solution. When fix is available Skoda will inform the customer.

or words to that effect.

 

14 hours ago, Xtra2 said:

We tried to reject the car to no avail after owning it for three weeks. Škoda UK officially does not recognise the kangarooing as fault so the dealer can't accept the rejection.  Škoda UK has shocking attitude. 

 

+1 same result

 

Skoda's attitude to this problem is absolutely appalling. From the word go they have stated that it is a characteristic. They have never yet put in writing that it is not a safety issue despite requests from numerous owners.

Regarding the dealers, I would not trust any who have said that they were not aware of this problem, after mid October, as Skoda made dealers aware of it with a TPI on the 19th ? October. The dealers are hardly going to say " yes Mr _____ we are fully aware of the problem with your car that we sold to you, as other owners have already complained. Sorry we didn't pick up this fault during the PDI.

[AMC150]

Just taken mine in for a KESSY fault and whilst there I asked for an update on the "Karoqeroo" issue. The words of the service guy were

 

"We've heard that there will be a fix available in the FIRST quarter of 2019 and we will call you as soon as it's available"

 

Strange isn't it??? Some dealers admit they have heard of the fault (sorry characteristic) others haven't. Some say they have and a fix will/may become available  in the 2nd quarter of 2019, My dealer says 1st quarter!!   Skoda must have a policy of telling different dealers different things and some, nothing at all it seems. Odd that,  unless of course its pure fiction?

In the absence of any written confirmation from Skoda, who ARE we to believe, if anyone at all??  Why has there not been any formal communication IN WRITING with an explanation at least??? I suppose  that  though would be admission of another mess up.  All very unsatisfactory and totally product/brand  confidence undermining.

I fear this is a classic example of the "mushroom" method of managing us!!!     Keep us all in the dark and **** on us!!!

 

 

[JeremyGi]

Skoda UK customer services have rung me back as promised following my Facebook message to them, the young lady acknowledged that they were aware of the issue and that its being investigated and has promised to ring me again in one week with the latest update.

[Ootohere]

Communication managers / call handlers working to a script. 

The VW Group way.

String people along as long as is possible. 

 

Treat like 'Mushrooms' = keep in the dark as with Dealerships and shovel with sh!t!

[silver1011]

2 hours ago, JeremyGi said:

Skoda UK customer services have rung me back as promised following my Facebook message to them, the young lady acknowledged that they were aware of the issue and that its being investigated and has promised to ring me again in one week with the latest update.

 

You should have asked her to put it in writing. It would spread like wildfire if you then posted it online.

[Xtra2]