The Mk3 Octavia TDI water pump thread

[pist0nbr0ke]

Many will be aware there is an issue with earlier Mk3 Octavia TDI water pumps failing earlier than can reasonably be expected. As far as I am aware, it's mostly 2.0 TDI's, but stand to be corrected.

 

As there are already multiple threads on here about the issue, (and even though mine is a later car and hopefully not affected), I thought I'd start another    (@john999boy if you think this is worth a sticky, it may avoid lots more duplicate threads?)

 

The purpose of this thread is to bring all the info together to hopefully avoid the same questions being repeated, and for members to point dealers towards when they inevitably say "Never seen it before". 

 

So - as I understand it, the symptoms are usually a random sudden rise in coolant/water temperature, often followed by a warning on the dash. Switching off and back on again may clear this, but it will very likely return. Ignoring this warning carries the obvious risk of long term damage to the engine.

 

Cars still under warranty will usually be covered, although some choose to pay to have the cam belt done whilst the work is carried out, and pay the difference.

 

Members with cars out of warranty have had varied luck with getting costs covered, so maybe they could share their experience? 

 

So...please post:

 

• Year of registration

 

• Engine

 

• Mileage when fault occurred

 

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other)

 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution?

 

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?)

 

Someone may also be able to confirm when the revised part was introduced, and possibly even part numbers.

 

Hopefully this will help a few people who may have this issue in future. 

 

Edited 27 July, 2018 by pist0nbr0ke

[wyx087]

My waterpump failed slightly different to most people. Instead of owerheating, its bearing shredded itself, water was pouring out of waterpump like a waterfall.

 

 

• Engine

2.0 TDI CR 150 bhp Elegance trim

• Mileage when fault occurred

75k miles

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other):

I didn't buy from dealer network, and took the car to my local dealer out of the blue. Their response "timing belt and water pump needs changing at around 75k anyway."

• Warranty or goodwill contribution?

Big fat ZERO

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?)

Full Skoda service history done by previous owner.

 

 

I got the failed part back, I'll add photo of the failed waterpump later. It came in the new waterpump box, so I'll also give the newly installed part number. Work was done September 2017.

[Gabbo]

Feb 2014, TDI vRS, first noticed at ~95k km, Dealer is AMAG Suisse, diagnosed fault in 5mins, immediately offered 50% contribution to repair costs.

[wyx087]

The code on the new water pump that was installed to my car Sep 2017 is 04L 121 011 L. 

 

I beleive the last letter is the revision number. 

 

Attached is the photo of my old water pump. You can see the shredded insides. 

[metalstock87]

On 27/07/2018 at 06:17, pist0nbr0ke said:

Many will be aware there is an issue with earlier Mk3 Octavia TDI water pumps failing earlier than can reasonably be expected. As far as I am aware, it's mostly 2.0 TDI's, but stand to be corrected.

 

As there are already multiple threads on here about the issue, (and even though mine is a later car and hopefully not affected), I thought I'd start another    (@john999boy if you think this is worth a sticky, it may avoid lots more duplicate threads?)

 

The purpose of this thread is to bring all the info together to hopefully avoid the same questions being repeated, and for members to point dealers towards when they inevitably say "Never seen it before". 

 

So - as I understand it, the symptoms are usually a random sudden rise in coolant/water temperature, often followed by a warning on the dash. Switching off and back on again may clear this, but it will very likely return. Ignoring this warning carries the obvious risk of long term damage to the engine.

 

Cars still under warranty will usually be covered, although some choose to pay to have the cam belt done whilst the work is carried out, and pay the difference.

 

Members with cars out of warranty have had varied luck with getting costs covered, so maybe they could share their experience? 

 

So...please post:

 

• Year of registration

 

• Engine

 

• Mileage when fault occurred

 

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other)

 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution?

 

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?)

 

Someone may also be able to confirm when the revised part was introduced, and possibly even part numbers.

 

Hopefully this will help a few people who may have this issue in future. 

 

This is exactly what has just happened with me and my 64 plate octavia mklll 2.0tdi, everything exactly how you have just explained, from the coolant level rising to temp gague rising and falling to optimum level and staying there and everything inbetween. A very good post and in my recent experience, 100% accurate and very helpful summing it up nicely.

 

meanwhile, i have had the water pump replaced due to a sticking sleeve ( thus being the main cause of the problem) and the cam belt was done at the same time, all paid for by the garage and all genuine parts so im a happy chappy at the minute! hopefully another 40-50,000

 

P.S thanks again for the help to those involved.

[Nickj633]

Do we know at what stage Skoda changed the production process to remove the faulty pump? In other words will my 2015 (June) scout be vulnerable?

[metalstock87]

16 hours ago, Nickj633 said:

Do we know at what stage Skoda changed the production process to remove the faulty pump? In other words will my 2015 (June) scout be vulnerable?

 

I may be wrong in saying this nick, but as ive just gone through the whole water pump (scinario) pretty sure ive read on here, that it was upto and including 2014/64 plate..... not sure on the exact month or date but im guessing you should be alright on a 2015?? almost a 65 plate wich is even later your best bet would probably be to ring your local SKODA HQ

Edited 29 July, 2018 by metalstock87
aditional txt

[jimmyp2]

If the water pump is faulty should this not be a recall for early cars??

[metalstock87]

1 hour ago, jimmyp2 said:

If the water pump is faulty should this not be a recall for early cars??

 

 

I do believe that skoda have recalled all/or most of the water pumps pre and up to these dates?  but I don't mine being corrected.....sure I've read it on here somewhere? 

 

[jimmyp2]

Mine is a may 2014 and not heard anything??

[Gabbo]

There is no recall for the water pump.

It will be changed when in fails. I knew about the issue a couple of years before mine went & asked for it to be changed at every service beforehand & was told they would do it if I paid but Skoda would only contribute if it hadnt failed already.

 

Its difficult to gauge how many people will be affected by this issue as many cars sold might not have reached this mileage yet or had the part changed at a non-OEM garage after warrenty.

From the forum I would say the majority will have a problem but only Skoda know the real number (50%, 75%, 100% etc)

[SWBoy]

11 hours ago, jimmyp2 said:

If the water pump is faulty should this not be a recall for early cars??

Recalls are only for what the manufacturer and VOSA believe are safety related issues, so this would at most be a Service Campaign.

[lway]

• Year of registration:  January 2015
• Engine: 1.6 TDI 
• Mileage when fault occurred: around 53,000km (33k miles)
• Dealer name & response : Galvins in Bandon, Cork, knew the issue immediately and replaced under warranty and replaced the timing belt while they were at it, all free of charge.
• Warranty or goodwill contribution? All done under warranty, I only bought the car the week before it happened.

 

[OctaviaJo]

• Year of registration
• 2014

 

• Engine
• 2.0 Tdi

 

• Mileage when fault occurred
• 46,400 miles - fault occurred on the very day the service was due - I just couldn't shake the feeling that the issue was related to the service LOL!

 

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other)
• Underwoods, Colchester.  Not the original dealer or the one that normally serviced the car - that is usually done when I am the other side of the country at work.  Can't fault them, fitted me in at v.short notice when no other dealer could, Said they had heard of the problem, though they insisted on 'diagnosing' it first.  sorted out the outstanding service and we fitted a new timing belt for good measure at the same time, took about a week.  I cannot sing their praises highly enough.

 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution?
• The car was out of its warranty and apparently the part would have been replaced at my expense as a routine item during a later service.  However, Underwoods did some calling for me and as the fault was known Skoda parts line contributed 70% of the costs of the part and 50% of the costs of the work of replacing the part which, given the fact that it would have been replaced at my expense at a later service anyway, I thought was an entirely fair settlement from Skoda.   Many thanks Underwoods, Colchester

 

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?)
• Full Skoda service history

[Chrismack1980]

• Year of registration
• December 2013 

 

• Engine
• Octavia 2.0 Tdi CR vRS DSG

 

• Mileage when fault occurred
• 42500
• same issue as everyone else.  Sudden overheating, dashboard lights, then back to normal all within 2 minutes. Happened 3 times now.

 

• Dealer name and response
• Skoda, Park's of Hamilton
• This is not the dealer I bought the car from, but is the closest Skoda dealership to me!  The car came with 1 year extended warranty which expired start of July. The car has had a minor and major service here as well as a wheel bearing replaced under warranty and has full dealership service history.  Phoned them the day it happened (the day i was leaving to go on holiday) was told it would need to be checked by them to confirm it was a water pump failure. Well the car was in yesterday 03/08/2018. They confirmed water pump failure and also advised me to change cam belt.  Total cost £650.  . 

 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution
• My car was out of warranty by a few weeks  Told them this was a common fault and Skoda should be covering the parts and labour for the water pump. They asked Skoda for goodwill and were told no!!! The service manager Mick said he could discount the £650 as well as the £90 fee for confirming the problem.  .  True to his word the service manager discounted the £90 by 50% + VAT £54 in total and advised me to contact Skoda myself.  I now need to wait until Monday to phone customer service and see what Skoda UK have to say.  I have no problem paying for the cam belt kit as there is no point replacing one without the other however there is no way i'm paying £650 for a known fault.  Went on to Skoda UK Facebook page and sent them a message explaining how angry and disappointed  I was with Skoda over this issue.  They replied quickly asking if i had raised my concerns with the management team at the retailer?  I replied with: OF COURSE I HAVE! and asked them to contact me. Their response was to phone Skoda customer service on Monday as they could not phone ME until Tuesday.

 

• Any other info
• I will post my results with Skoda as and when I get them.  Fingers crossed 

 

[DavidY]

I wish I'd seen this thread (and I guess other mentions on here) before I had my water pump changed!

• Year of registration: 2013
• Engine: 2.0 CR TDI
• Mileage when fault occurred: between 49K-50K
• Symptom: I'd not seen any overheating until one morning when I'd only driven a very short distance and the red warning for Low Coolant came on, with beep from dashboard.
  The previous drive the day before had been one of those 'Engine must be running' journeys when the DPF was regenerating (was on fast roads and I believe it completed OK) and on one of the recent hot days we've been having in the UK so I guess temps would have been on the high side and presumably boiled away some water.
  I put some water in and the dealer were helpfully able to fit me in the day after.  They spent some (chargeable) time diagnosing the water pump as failing, and recommended replacing cambelt at the same time (cambelt was almost due in any case, I believe, so obvious decision to replace).
• Dealer name & response: As I wasn't aware I didn't know to ask them. :(  However the car was less than 2 months short of being 5 years old, so as I understand it, the cambelt change was pretty much due, so I'd have needed to pay for that very soon anyway. And I'd probably have gone for the water pump change too. So I wasn't wildly out of pocket.
• Warranty or goodwill contribution?: Out of warranty, didn't ask for goodwill contribution as above.
• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?): Full Skoda Service History

 

[mk4gtiturbo]

Year of registration:  March 2014

• Engine: 2.0 TDI 184
• Mileage when fault occurred: 48k miles (Owned from new)
• Dealer name & response : Sparshatts (Botley) video evidence submitted, car never actually overheated and I didn't get any messages or codes, they took the car in and kept car for three weeks while part was ordered and fitted (part was on backorder at the time), no problems, no questions.  Always serviced by them from new.
• Warranty or goodwill contribution? Car was three months out of Warranty, Skoda goodwill plus dealer goodwill, I think I ended up paying 25%.

[citembe]

• Year of registration: January 2014
• Engine: 2.0 CR TDI
• Mileage when fault occurred: 101,000 km / 62,750 miles
• Symptom: Same as everyone else, warning about low cooleant level, sudden rise in temperature, eventually visibly leaking.
• Dealer name & response: Skoda Amager, Copenhagen, didn't mention anything about that it should be a known issue, and I didn't knew too.
• Warranty or goodwill contribution?: Out of factory warranty, so at first the dealer wanted to charge me. I had bought optionally warranty for 5 years / 150,000 kms, so it was changed free of charge to me.
• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?): Full Skoda Service History

[Rodge]

It's a bit late now, but it would be helpful if the age of the car and/or the date of the failure could be included too.

[pist0nbr0ke]

Well...I can't quite believe this but I've just had the water temp needle go into the red, the audible and visible dashboard warning and then all back to normal in about 30 seconds...coolant is absolutely fine and no lights on the dash at all.

 

I thought it was only earlier cars that were affected?! Mine was new in May 2016 and has just 34,000 miles on it.

 

Sod's Law, got a week's driving holiday coming up, and the car was booked for a service at Mitchells in Chester two days after I get back...  I'll be letting them know it has happened as soon as possible on Monday, and will see what they say.

 

Ironically, just been driving a relative's Disco Sport today too, and the aircon decided not to work on that...! I was thinking 'what a POS', then this happens to the Octavia 

[DavidY]

One thing which happened to me and is perhaps worth mentioning for others.

It's seemingly much harder to judge the level from the plastic coolant reservoir on mine. The apparent coolant level was higher than the *actual* level.
Not sure if it's a consequence of when it "boiled over" (probably not the right term) but there is an apparent level line which isn't actual fluid.

[Ethanfoster]

• Year of registration

2014 april

• Engine

2.0 tdi cr dsg vrs

• Mileage when fault occurred

39200

 

So I have had the same problem twice last week where it happened 2 days apart. Temp gauge went into red, audible warning, pulled over on motorway and turned car off for 1minute then back on and it went back to 90 and I continued the 15miles. Then drove back after it sat for around 3 hours with no problems. The next day it started to go up again after about 5miles of motorway driving and so I pulled over, turned off for 1min again and then continued the next 200miles with no problem including underneath load as I navigated the lake district and the steepest road in the Britain. Drove another 250miles home day later and problems. Until today where it did the same and has behaved since and again that was around 30-40miles ago. 

 

I spoke to the dealer where I got the car from, main dealer. 1month left of 12month approved used warranty and then 2 years of extended full parts full electrical warranty after that. 

 

They would not except that the issue was likely the water pump despite telling them about all the others on here, claimed it required a diagnostic and if it does not come under the warranty as not water pump then will be charged the 79£ .. I also told them about my very intermittent selector in park whilst driving but it only happened once but is still showing on the fault reader and I will be telling them about my noisy wheel bearing also which I'm sure comes under my warranty also. 

They fitting me in on Tuesday and givin me a loan car thankfully and I guess we will see what happens. 

 

I'll update when I hear anything. 

 

Also...should I get them to change the belt at same time? And what's that cost people to do? 

 

Thanks! 

Ethan 

[Aulay_m]

• Year of registration  2013

 

• Engine 2.0ltr TDi

 

• Mileage when fault occurred 82400  August 2017

 

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other) Arnold Clark Aberdeen Service Centre, no response from them just an apology as I had only picked up the car that day when the water pump decided to dump all my coolant all over the A90.

 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution? Covered under their initial purchase warranty.

 

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?) Full Skoda history up until the service before I purchased the car. The car is still losing coolant at a very slow rate and Arnold Clark is being difficult with respect to dealing with it. Its been in twice once for a service and once for MOT have had them check for a leak twice and they can't find anything wrong. Maybe it will be third time lucky.

[Ethanfoster]

• Year of registration

2014

• Engine

2.0 tdi cr vrs

• Mileage when fault occurred

39500

• Dealer name & response (i.e. "don't want to know"/"yep, they all do that"/other)

 Lancaster skoda milton Keynes- requires diagnostic and investigation. Water pump stripped and found to be faulty so replaced. Cam belt completed at same time as due in 6-9 months anyway. 

• Warranty or goodwill contribution?

12 month approved Used car Warranty paid except for cam belt which was extra. 

• Any other info. (Full Skoda service history/independent?)

Full skoda service history. 

[JohnnyType2]

OK, so replaced mine along with the belt kit, my pump is the electronic one. I have CUPA engine at 65K i believe the recommendation is to change between 60-80K.

I had a squeak/chirp when the car was warming up which was most likely a tensioner and made me a bit nervous. so did the whole thing including labour was £360, this is exactly the same price as Audi charge for the water pump replacement at a dealer but i have the belt kit done as well. It takes about an hour to recharge the system and need software which a lot of independents don't have so would likely need done at a dealer. Anyone in/near Belfast i can recommend a good independent garage for this type of work.