My 2016 Skoda rapid 1.4 TDI went into limp mode with coil light flashing and engine management light on. I took it to the local Skoda dealership at Halbeath Dunfermline and they came back with a verdict of fuel contamination.  Initially the dealership blamed our use of poor quality supermarket fuel for the contamination and that this would not be covered by the Skoda warranty.  They advised that, as a consequence of the contamination, the complete fuelling system for the vehicle will need replaced costing roughly £5000. Obviously unhappy at being presented with this distressing news I paid a visit to the dealership to make some further enquiries. The technician told me that the fuel was full of little metal shards. He showed me the drained fuel tank and sure enough it was full of tiny metal shards. I asked where these shards had come from. He told me that the shards are most likely from the cars fuel pump or injectors. My question is that if these metal shards are from the cars fuel pump or injectors then why are these defective parts not covered by warranty? 

Not good.

 

So going to cost Skoda £5,000, not you. http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

 

Roughly is no use, what will be the cost, more like half that or is it a new engine and all the fuel system?

That is what the Manufacturer will be finding out as it is the Warranty they provide,  you are not paying 50% or any amount.

 

So what was the fuel and from where? Who put it in?

Do you have the receipts and what have you done about the fuel,  did the Technician take the samples, for them, you, the Fuel Retailer & your Solicitor?

 

So you have a Manufacturers Warranty, and if the Fuel was correct then Car parts seem to have not been.

Skoda UK will need a Specialist Report from an Expert of their choice, or you will need that.

 

....................

OT, 

but was your car ever in for the 'Coolant' replaced due to a Service Campaign / Recall. or was that not required?

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/426322-recall-on-diesel-cooling-issue

http://master.skoda-auto.com/mini-apps/recall-actions

 

 

Edited 8 October, 20187 yr by Offski

They are covered by warranty. Get Skoda UK involved. Metal shards can only come from something in the car, if they came from a Supermarket pump, which quite frankly is a ludicrous suggestion, there is a fine inline fuel filter that would stop it reaching the injection system.

 

So its likely its the high pressure fuel pump is breaking up (yes it happens) and the shards sent back to the tank in the return to tank line.

 

The dealership technician himself has said this. So its a warranty job plain and simple.

Hold on a moment, it's a diesel, it has a fuel filter, you don't say what mileage the car has covered, or what servicing the car has had.  I've owned and driven diesels for over 30 years, worked on canal boat diesels for several years too, and am struggling to visualise how metal shards have arrived in the tank, yes there's a leak-off from the engine, which returns fuel to the fuel tank via an underside-mounted cooler, unsure how the fuel system has generated any metal shards, other than perhaps through a manufacturing defect.

 

Just supposing fuel has been purchased which, heaven forbid, was contaminated with metal shards, the supply-side is protected by the fuel filter, which (assuming a filter element is in place) should intercept any debris that's drawn up from the tank.

 

At 2016, is this engine type Pumpe Duse injection or Common Rail?  Is there a submersible lift-pump fitted in the tank? Could that be internally faulty such that it has sent metal fragments through to the high-pressure pump?? Again, fuel filter should catch this.  So a faulty high-pressure pump or injector(s)??

Other possibility is it was misfuelled, petrol instead of diesel, running for a time with part petrol part diesel as too much petrol would not run at all. Not sure this would kill the fuel pump as TSi hpf manage ok on petrol.

 

Has it been misfuelled?

 

Skoda UK will probably insist on fuel analysis. If Op can show fuel receipts going back a fair while it will help. Hopefully dealer is honest and will not fiddle with any result.

 

Still, £5000 for a fuel pump and 3 injectors, filter and flush is ridiculous, more than the cost of a complete new engine

 

Edited 8 October, 20187 yr by xman

You want the fuel samples, 

and easy enough to pour some through someones 'stocking' or a filter paper.   & then the coating comes off the tank as well.

 

But the metal shards have been seen, the Technicians has them safe, 'Vorsprung Durch Techik',   

The Technical Department of VW Warranties will know what is what. There are many thousands of those engines / cars.

Edited 8 October, 20187 yr by Offski

44 minutes ago, RichardatWakefield said:

Hold on a moment, it's a diesel, it has a fuel filter, you don't say what mileage the car has covered, or what servicing the car has had.  I've owned and driven diesels for over 30 years, worked on canal boat diesels for several years too, and am struggling to visualise how metal shards have arrived in the tank, yes there's a leak-off from the engine, which returns fuel to the fuel tank via an underside-mounted cooler, unsure how the fuel system has generated any metal shards, other than perhaps through a manufacturing defect.

 

Just supposing fuel has been purchased which, heaven forbid, was contaminated with metal shards, the supply-side is protected by the fuel filter, which (assuming a filter element is in place) should intercept any debris that's drawn up from the tank.

 

At 2016, is this engine type Pumpe Duse injection or Common Rail?  Is there a submersible lift-pump fitted in the tank? Could that be internally faulty such that it has sent metal fragments through to the high-pressure pump?? Again, fuel filter should catch this.  So a faulty high-pressure pump or injector(s)??

The car has run has as a taxi for the last 8 months and is serviced at the proper intervals with genuine parts etc.  All the relevant invoices and paper work are to hand. There are 80000 miles on the clock. The car has 2 drivers and we can provide every fuel receipt going back to the time of purchase. All I know so far is the technician at Skoda stated there are metal shards in the fuel system that have probably come from the cars fuel pump or the injectors.  The last time the car was filled with diesel it was at asda. The limp mode occurred about 2 hours after this fill. 

Hundreds of other diesels have been filled at that Asda that day from the same tanks, and there will be at the same pump, and likely other Taxis.

So at least speak to Asda so that is logged about your car and on record.

 

But your Local Skoda Dealership & their Master Tech knows the story and if a mis-fuel or not and can deal accordingly.

 

?

How old is the car?

 

EDIT,   sorry i see it is a 2016.     Are you sure your Driver never gets hooky fuel?  Sounds unlikely though. 

 

Talk with the Warranty Provider yourself if the Dealership is not supporting 'Part Failure' leading to requirement to replace the engine.

Edited 8 October, 20187 yr by Offski

18 minutes ago, GoRa108 said:

The car has run has as a taxi for the last 8 months and is serviced at the proper intervals with genuine parts etc.  All the relevant invoices and paper work are to hand. There are 80000 miles on the clock. The car has 2 drivers and we can provide every fuel receipt going back to the time of purchase. All I know so far is the technician at Skoda stated there are metal shards in the fuel system that have probably come from the cars fuel pump or the injectors.  The last time the car was filled with diesel it was at asda. The limp mode occurred about 2 hours after this fill. 

 

So report to Asda see their response. If their fuel pump had been dispensing metal or contaminated fuel, they would surely know and they would probably check it.

 

Good you have fuel receipts, Skoda can't argue.

 

 

 

 

Just realised, at 80,000 miles and used as a taxi, the warranty may have expired. Check the terms and conditions re taxi/private hire use.

Edited 9 October, 20187 yr by xman

I missed that bit as well on the miles done. 

Skoda warranty 2 years unlimited mileage. Runs out in December. 

Is that a Used Car Warranty with Skoda?

Any exclusions on Commercial Use, Deliveries, Courtesy car, Hire, Courier, Private Hire / Taxi etc?

That's skoda's own warranty with new cars. And no exclusions for taxi. 

Good.

 

When i had a 'Skoda Approved Extended Warranty with Car Care Limited it did have the exclusions, 

on the one below i do not see the same.

25039_SKODA_Approved_used_warranty_doc_v11.pdf

 

EDIT, my bad,  they are there on an Extended Warranty,

see Page 11  & 17,   Warranty Cancellations.

Edited 9 October, 20187 yr by Offski

?

any update?

On 09/10/2018 at 17:45, GoRa108 said:

That's skoda's own warranty with new cars. And no exclusions for taxi. 

Make sure you have a copy of the warranty to hand as when skoda uk find it's being used as "working" vehicle i.e a taxi, they may use this to try and wriggle of doing as a warranty repair.