Have lurked here on occasion but not needed to post.

Until now.

 

Car has been running fine since bought s/h 4 years ago. '10 plate, c. 55k miles. Some town driving, country miles and occasional journeys of 400 mile round trips.

Running fine in September, not much use, thence October (and start of cold snap)..

really slow to start / fire. Turns starter fine. Slow to engage. Never been like this that I can recall.

 

Eventually got quite bad, exhaust warning light comes on heading out of town.

Garage (indy) have checked it over, a low charge fault that has then been cleared.

Still like this now, will turn over but not engage -- then on second or third try, finally kicks in.

The garage have changed the temperature sensors, and I think the spark plugs as well.

 

One thing I have noted is that it is possible to turn starter over with no foot on clutch -- most bizarre. Certainly makes me feel a little edgy.

 

Garage are good lads, but are reluctant to take it in again as they've checked over the obvious - battery, fault codes.

 

Thoughts welcome!

Welcome.

 

You need to know that the spark plugs were changed, and the correct gap, and then the ignition coils are OK if a failing plug had a coil failing.

?

Do you have on the invoice, 4 x spark plugs and the part number and the price they charged you?

 

Was there any logged fault codes for misfires?

 

?

Has the Fuel Filter been changed, ever changed.  Is the Air Filter clean and new?

 

What servicing has it had, because Full Main Dealer Service History might show not very much ever gets done.

Edited 27 November, 20187 yr by Offski

How old is the battery? Batteries tend to need replacing at around the 5 year mark. A failing battery can cause unrelated warning lights to come up on the dash. 

ah, thanks guys!

 

1/ will check invoice for spark plugs. I'm sure they were but happy to double check.

Don't think the fault codes were anything other than low voltage.

Popped in and they will check on filters in upcoming annual service (early January).

Servicing has been dealer for first 3 years from memory, then non-dealer since then in Central Belt.

We bought it 4 years ago, since then it's been with local garage, not Skoda specialists by any means but not a fancy setup - what you see is what you get.

 

2/ battery IIRC was replaced earlier this year - March I think. Haven't noted anything untoward until autumn time.

The battery & charging system I take it has been checked over & is not at fault?

Any codes present after they cleared them?

Makes you wonder what sort of a garage they are if they are unable to repair vehicle faults.

 

 

Car going in for a service anyway.

Problems still present -- doesn't feel like battery  - the warning lights that remain on are typically the Exhaust light and now the Traction light. Sometimes see the EPC light as well.

Will start (reluctantly) with a heavy foot assist, exhaust light remains on, the others usually go away.

 

Awaiting further fault codes.

 

Is there a list of the light warning sequence -- I understand the exhaust light on, but concerned that the one that shows up until start is the traction - may indicate a problem elsewhere.

 

 

Quote

Makes you wonder what sort of a garage they are if they are unable to repair vehicle faults.

 

Some problems aren't immediately obvious. I don't get all the problems sorted in my occupation straight away.

 

Anyway, coil pack (on plug #2) was the front runner for the cause. Running much better now, a couple of cold morning starts and touch wood seems all OK.