Hi,
This is a long story short about my recent purchase of a 2011 Skoda Fabia 1.6 tdi. (first time purchase of a Skoda VAG car!)
It ends up all positive, and I would like to share my experiences (+/-) and "fixes" along the way for anyone who also needs help.

Purchased the car at auction. Reasonably clean, 89,000 miles on the clock, ran okay, everything worked, glow plug light was flashing, thought, "thats probably just a glow plug, I can fix that".
Car was in "limp mode" on drive home, assumed it was something to do with glow plug/filter light.
Researched on Internet and this forum (about DPF functionality, issues with VAG cars etc), and realised it was a much bigger deal.
Needed an OBD tool, purchased Autoaid form Germany. 1ST MISTAKE !
The Autoaid OBD informed me with "P2463 DPF Filter Soot Accumulation and P2458 DPF Regeneration Duration". Assumed that it was a blocked DPF and it was prevented from doing a "regeneration".
Autoaid had issues reading the ECU or resetting anything and wouldn't do a regeneration.
More investigation on the forums and Internet and came to conclusion that I needed to remove/clean out the DPF.
Purchased Haynes Manual. 2ND MISTAKE! (Better free information on Internet)
Researched Internet on DPF removal, bit the bullet, got the car up on jack stands, and followed the instructions on You tube, removed the exhaust pipe from the turbo, lowered the front end etc., and physically removed the whole assembly without too much cursing.
Used a gas torch to heat up the Lambda Sensor housing, and temperature sensor housings an removed them successfully on the shed bench.
The flexible exhaust coupling had looked liked it had been replaced, and the welds around it were very poor.
The date stamps on the DPF and catalytic converter coincided with the date of the vehicle, so assumed they were original.
Hung the assembly from the roof of my shed and soaked the DPF in a bucket of caustic soda and water. Used a commercial vacuum cleaner to suck the liquid into the DPF and then release, to let it flow back, Did this many times. Ended up with about an cm of sludge in the bottom of the bucket after it all settled. Did the same process with fresh water as a final clean. Heated the assembly with gas torch to completely dry it out.
Cleaned up the welds around the flexible coupling as good as I could and checked for leaks by blocking the pipe, and using the vacuum cleaner on blow again and foam spray.

Refiited the sensors and tested resitance to ensure okay.
The re-assembly onto the vehicle resulted in a bit more cursing, and more lowering of the front end. Stripped a chassis bolt and also snapped a ceased lower ball joint bolt!!
Re Attached everything, same fault codes on Autoaid as well as a "16856-Exhaust Pressure Sensor 1- Circuit Low/Short open Circuit.(G450)"
Removed the G450 pressure sensor, measured 30 ohm between the +5 connection and ground. (Seemed way to low) More research on Internet and the forum.
Purchased new, measured 1.8k ohms between +5 and ground. Original definitely faulty.
Still couldn't clear this fault with Autoaid. Purchased VCDS and lead from Total Diagnostics.
VCDS allowed me to clear G450 fault as well as reset the DPF Soot accumulation and clear all the fault codes. Happy Days.
Installed a thread insert into the stripped chassis bolt. Purchased new chassis fixing bolts all round from local Skoda dealer.(10.9 grade, fine metric thread stretch bolts)
Purchased new suspension lower ball joint from Autodoc. Fitted that, all okay.
Took the vehicle for 100km run. Original soot values (Codes 259 Calculated and Code 260 Measured in the engine management Advanced Measuring Values) were 50.18g and 9.19g. After the reset and run the soot values are  12.2g and 1.8g.
The car is running and driving like a charm, except for the windows not working...!
VCDS was giving "01331 - Door Control Module; Driver Side (J386) 004 - No Signal/Communication"
More time and help from the forum, found the standard issue with wires broken at the door hinge pillar.
Obvious that the 1.0mm thicker wires in the loom suffer more. More likely a cheaper supplier at the manufacturing stage for the thicker wire. The insulation has gone "hard" over time and doesn't allow the wire to flex.
Removed the loom, and replaced 10" of the thicker wires. Re assembled and all working okay. Passenger side the same.
Air/Oil filter, oil change, a good wash and polish, and I have a good solid vehicle, thats very nice to drive!
Cross my fingers that it stays that way.
Will provide a list of links that I used for research on the whole process soon.
Thanks for all the help from others on this forum!

 

Great info, thanks!

How hard was it to drop the subframe etc to get the exhaust out? I chickened out and cut the exhaust into three pieces, then bought a bolt-on flexi to join it back together again.

https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk2/power_unit/1.6/55;_66;_77_kw_tdi_cr_engine/exhaust_system/removing_and_installing_parts_of_the_exhaust_system/removing_and_installing_pre-exhaust_pipe_with_diesel_particle_filter_vehicles_with_right-hand_drive/

 

https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk2/chassis/front_suspension_drive_shafts/repairing_the_front_axle_on_vehicles_manufactured_up_to_cw_11_2008/release_the_assembly_carrier_and_align_in_the_service_position_(up_to_cw_11_2008)/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXrU-IuXSBo

 

at around 4:22 in the youtube video he scans the bolts to lower the subframe. Around 12 bolts to take out and it will drop down by about 10cm. Enough to get the DPF out as one assembly.

You arent taking the assembly fully out, just lowering it. All of the steering stuff stays connected. You will need a jack and some timbers to support its as its comes down. Its reasonably heavy.

The bolts should be replaced as they are called stretch bolts, and are meant to used once. (deisgned to fail in a head on  accident so that the engine goes under and not into the cabin)

Theres another youtube video out there from germany with a professional shop showing how to to do a complete DPF replacement, cant find it now, but had all the details on lowering the subframe, music with subtitles, somehing like the Autodoc videos. I think its was on a VW Golf, but it looked the same as the Fabia.

If i find it , i will post it here

Regards

T

 

 

 

 

Some other good info here....

https://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/diesel-particulate-filter-dpf-faq-repair-cleaning-and-pictures-tdi/

Very informative post. But a very brave effort on the DPF clean T Lee! I had the exact same issues and codes on mine (1.2 tdi) 2012 model. But mine appeared at 120k. I was lucky and used my VCDS system and iniated a service regeneration from the drop down menu using info from the net. My other half drove the vehicle while I kept an eye on the soot values and sequences from the display. Being done when we had the hot spell in the summer helped this as I was astonished how hot the engine and exhaust systems were getting!  Since then I have not had any issues with the DPF. I avoid supermarket diesel and occasionally put some additive (cata clean or forte DPF cleaner).  I also leave the vehicle to idle if it's in the middle of regen until the fan cuts down and the revs lower. I feel this stops interruption and the ecu can calculate what's needed to clear down on the next driving cycle. Yes I do give her a hammering just to keep the tubes clear every now and then but still no issues after 20k. Regens every 400 miles approx and takes about 7 minutes to complete 4 minutes if you give it some beans! 

 

With regard to your door loom problems I had to replace both left and right door ones due to the electric windows stopped working. Also the alarm kept going off for no reason at sporodic hours in the night. I found 5 wires broken on the drivers door loom and 3 on the passenger side. Yes I agree bad design on where the door opens and closes. But the job changing them is very time consuming I could not  guarantee a solder / crimp repair by myself on the loom itself due to the possibility of any new breaks occurring after or before the repair. But it's individual choice. 

 

Mine is approaching 140k which still has original battery, turbo, DPF and exhaust system. EGR changed at 90k due to some fault before this apparent 'fix' and oil cooler unit replaced due to coolant leak due to cracked water jacket casing plus cambelt and water pump at 130k. That's all. 

Thanks A.

Have added some photos of cleaning the DPF in this thread:

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/471100-replacing-mid-section-of-exhaust-16-tdi/

 

Regards

T

Re electric window wires, I repaired mine at the door hinge four years ago, no problems since - and I'll know where to look if it fails again.