Karoq software update. Progress report.

[StEdmund]

54 minutes ago, TheRealExile said:

MY18 Karoq has the issue cold or Warm, at least they seem to have 'fixed' the stalling issue for the newer vehicles although time will tell on that of course! mine only ever stalled maybe half a dozen times but always at the most inconvenient moment of course, usually with a HGV or lorry driver bearing down upon it!

 

The car has only covered 5,000 miles from new as it's been back at the dealer for what must be 5 months now!  I wanted to wait for a fix but considering I reported the issue in week 1 of owning the car it's gone on too long and it's sadly time to reject.

 

I complained again to Lex who had clung on to the 'characteristic' lie right up until last week, I cc'd the Lex MD in my e-mail...... I'm not expecting much as all I have had back thus far is we are awaiting Skoda's response, I'm stuck as unless Lex reject it there is little I can do other than wait on Skoda for a fix, you would have thought that as Lex probably purchase a lot of Skoda's they would have much more joy rejecting a vehicle than I. 

 

 

 

It sounds to me as though Lex simply can't be bothered. It is now absolutely undeniable that the 1.5 engine has problems and, faced with those (now) two articles from Honest John, only a complete fool would try to deny the problems in a court of law. Mine is a MY19 1.5 and both my dealer and Skoda are aware that unless the second software update stops the kangarooing, then the car will be rejected. It is important, in all of this, to have kept a diary of conversations and emails; my records are also backed by recordings of telephone conversations. I guess that those of us who have continued to give Skoda the opportunity to put things right are doing so because, in every other respect, the car is a real pleasure to drive.

Edited 16 July, 2019 by StEdmund
grammar

[Sad555]

Is this the 2ND QUARTER 2019 fix that owners have waited so long for to resolve the kangaroo issues??????

[PhilTheBass]

My Karoq was built around July 2019.  It’s a 1.5tsi manual and so far I don’t appear to have suffered the same ‘kangarooing’ issues.  Any theories why? 

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

 

Hopefully the issues are resolved finally, not that all 1.5TSI Manuals had or have issues.

I would think your car was more likely built around May / June since it is just the 3rd week of July 2019.

[fidelio]

How do you derive the fact that the issues are finally solved? MY18 are not touched yet. Its been more than a a year. Great after sales support by VW group. It seems it is rather a "shop" than a group.

 

 

Edited 17 July, 2019 by fidelio

[Ootohere]

@fidelio

If you mean me i never derived anything. 

I just posted to the owner on a recent build that 'hopefully issues are resolved finally.  That meant on the builds leaving the factory now.

 I know that they are not resolved as people are still collecting cars over the past couple of months that are not behaving well.

  

 

?

What is the story you are being told by Skoda Employees & not just Dealership Staff about the chance of some action to resolve your issues on a car not built in the 2nd quarter of 2019 and one of the earliest vehicles to be reported as having problems?

 

[TheRealExile]

1 hour ago, Roottootemoot said:

@fidelio

If you mean me i never derived anything. 

I just posted to the owner on a recent build that 'hopefully issues are resolved finally.  That meant on the builds leaving the factory now.

 I know that they are not resolved as people are still collecting cars over the past couple of months that are not behaving well.

  

 

?

What is the story you are being told by Skoda Employees & not just Dealership Staff about the chance of some action to resolve your issues on a car not built in the 2nd quarter of 2019 and one of the earliest vehicles to be reported as having problems?

 

Nothing other than they are working on a fix, still paying for a a hire car for me 5 months on.

[Ootohere]

@TheRealExile  Is it not time to have them give you a new car & let them have their lemon to put back into the trade or even get an upgrade from them and no extra cost to you?

Really VW Group take the Pith out of customers / owners.

[TheRealExile]

I am trying but my issue is it's a company vehicle via Lex, unless Lex reject the car nothing will happen.

 

Lex had previously stated the 'Characteristic' line and even went to the trouble of getting an 'independent' company to check the car, the mechanic noticed the Kangaroo and it even cut out once and he was making all the right noises, the report to Lex stated the issues were noticed but that on consulting Skoda they were informed it is simply a characteristic of the engine and not dangerous (they neglected to mention the cutout)

 

Lex clung on to this theory with grim determination until recently I escalated the case by CC'ing the MD in to the e-mail chain pointing out that if the car was indeed so safe why have a number been successfully rejected and why would Skoda at their own cost be putting me in a car that will probably be costing them well over £500 a month for the last 5 months if there was indeed no cause for concern.

 

Lex have said they will try and reject the car but this was over a week ago and they are still awaiting Skoda's response, I'd suggest Lex need to  be tougher and state we buy x Skoda from you, pull your finger out or we will not market your vehicles......however to me it stinks of 2 large corporate's who are reluctant to upset each other and Lex reluctant more so as they would not get a piece of the VAG pie, 

Edited 17 July, 2019 by TheRealExile
can't spell

[Ootohere]

LEX Autolease are not the kind of people that would want to upset the Golden Goose. 

[MDVLA]

Ref: Karoq 1.5 TSI Manual

Hi folks, Its been 11 months of driving the worst engine I have ever driven in 43 years and very poor support from Skoda UK.

However, I am very pleased to announce that after writing an official letter of complaint to my dealership that was forwarded to Skoda UK ( yes I realise i've been slow there, but that's because I had been lead down the garden path so to speak about updates coming soon etc..) I received the software update last Thursday and the engine is performing superbly as it should. In fact all the issues of power fade at low revs, misfiring, engine surging both at warm and cold starts have been eradicated.  Hope this helps those who are still suffering.

Edited 10 August, 2019 by MDVLA

[fidelio]

Could u be kind enough to specify if it is MY19 or MY18?

[MDVLA]

Hi the car was registered 29th September 2018.

[RichardKE]

Good news for MDVLA. I only had the software update applied to my Karoq after I sent an email to Bristol Street Skoda Derby stating the car was faulty and using advice given in previous posts in this topic thread. Low and behold, the car was quickly taken in  for 2 days of diagnostics and the software update. Too early to tell if its fixed the issue, I've still had some kangarooing when first setting off, but engine more responsive at least. However, won't ever be buying a Volkswagen Group car again after 20years of driving VW and now Skoda.

[driventodevon]

1 hour ago, RichardKE said:

Too early to tell if its fixed the issue, I've still had some kangarooing when first setting off ...

 

Sadly, I think I can tell from what you've written here ...

[Eddie-NL]

On 17/07/2019 at 12:05, PhilTheBass said:

My Karoq was built around July 2019.  It’s a 1.5tsi manual and so far I don’t appear to have suffered the same ‘kangarooing’ issues.  Any theories why? 

Either you have been lucky or the so called characteristic hasn't had the right weather to present itself to you

[edbostan]

For heavens sake. This has put me off VAG cars for ever. Can't they build a decent powertrain without issues. Not as if VAG group is a fledgling manufacturer. Skoda is one of the oldest car brands. This issue makes my blood boil: but then look at Boeing!!! At least Skodas don't fall out of the sky!!

[fidelio]

17 minutes ago, Eddie-NL said:

Has anyone with MY18 (pre wltp) had the update?

[Peachysheff]

I had my karoq 1.5 sel in at the dealers on the 05/08/2019 for warranty work to the front suspension which had a slight knock when going around left or right corners. They checked for software updates for the 2nd gear flat spot but told they me none are available at present, they also told me Skoda have been made aware of my problem and the dealer will contact me as soon as the update is available if ever, I think a lot of us owners of MY2018 cars do not believe VAG have any intention of sorting out pre WLTP cars.

[TheRealExile]

Agree, otherwise they wouldn't be taking them back if there was a fix anytime soon, now mine has been rejected  I'm taking an Octavia Estate out of the company pool 2.0TDi SE Tech Estate which will do for now while I decide what to do next, the company are changing the car options over the next few months so there may be some Hybrids on offer, failing that I may just opt out and buy something I like. 

Edited 10 August, 2019 by TheRealExile
Can't type.

[RichardKE]

5 hours ago, driventodevon said:

 

Sadly, I think I can tell from what you've written here ...

Its a sad indictment of how bad the engine problem was that, whatever they applied has made a big improvement, even if its not totally fixed the issue.

[RichardKE]

5 hours ago, edbostan said:

For heavens sake. This has put me off VAG cars for ever. Can't they build a decent powertrain without issues. Not as if VAG group is a fledgling manufacturer. Skoda is one of the oldest car brands. This issue makes my blood boil: but then look at Boeing!!! At least Skodas don't fall out of the sky!!

They might not fall out the sky, but when your engine dies on a roundabout or across a junction and you're a sitting duck until the engine software has sorted itself out and you can restart, it feels pretty scary. Luckily both those things happened to me when the traffic was light / low speed, but that was sheer luck...

[RichardKE]

5 hours ago, Eddie-NL said:

Either you have been lucky or the so called characteristic hasn't had the right weather to present itself to you

Agree with Eddie-NL. My MY18 Karoq engine issues were worse in the cooler weather before June. Even now when we have a slightly cooler day it wobbles a bit, which makes me think when the cold weather returns so will the issue.

[Apprentice]

Just done over 1400 miles since the SUK "hesitation" update was put on my Karoq MY19 and the last 62 miles driven yesterday were issue free with reasonably good fuel consumption of 51.8 mpg, no motorway driving just A and B roads and some single track as well.

For the first time topped up the petrol engine with 100ml of VW Skoda 0W-20 engine oil (508 spec).

[Rankaclank]

Having had 2 updates on my Feb 2019 SEL and the problems not fixed... along with Skoda UK advising they did not know when it was likely to be fixed  (as of 12 August) I decided to reject the car.  It was coming up to 6 month old with 3000 miles on clock, so I negotiated a deal with my local dealership.    I have no problem with the Karoq itself (just the engine) so ended up in a new diesel Karoq that was in stock.