Hello.

I’m a newcomer to this site and to Skoda. Last year I bought a 2015 Fabia 1.2 TSI SE. with 7372 miles on the clock.

I traded in my 20 year old Volvo estate for it and you can imagine how much I enjoyed the turbo on the Fabia. I now need some advice.

The Fabia developed a weird habit of now and then freezing up completely. Doors locked, steering wheel unmoveable, but windows openable The first time this happened I called the AA. The guy put his hand through the window and jerked the steering wheel from side to side, telling me to put in the ignition key, take it out, put it in again. Finally back to normal. The AA guy said he didn’t know what might be causing this but had seen it once before on a top of the range Audi. I took the car to my Skoda concesssionaire, they tried to figure out what was the problem, and finally said they didn’t know what was causing it and if it happened again call the AA. It did happen several times again and I went through the AA guy’s routine, which usually worked. Until two weeks ago when the driver’s door wouldn’t open. Back to Skoda, they said the lock must need replacing. I asked if somebody could take me home. Sorry, nobody available. I asked if they could lend me a car. Sorry none available, all booked up. There were 53 cars out on the front lot but ‘none are prepped’. I had to ferry some old folks about over the next few days, so I scrambled over the gear and brake levers into the front seat, and drove off until they had received the lock. Frequently getting from the passenger door to the driver’s seat is a lot of fun. When the lock arrived a few days later, Skoda sent somebody to drive me home and pick me up. Door fixed and so far O.K. I had bought an Automotion gold cover warranty with the car. But the garage insisted on billing me for ‘diagnosis’. £99 for diagnosing that a door that wouldn’t open needed a new lock.

Does anybody know what causes the seizures? Do you think Skoda treated me right? Advice will be much appreciated.

Johnpro.

The trouble is, it looks like you bought that car after the Skoda new car warranty had expired, so as with most consumer goods, you are in the hands of the "good will" of the manufacturer I'd think.

 

Are you sure that your car is a Mk2 and not a Mk3 Fabia?

 

Diagnosis charging, well it seems that that is how garages do things, you might have expected that once a fault had been found, the warranty company would have paid for diag work, parts and labour - no?

I would almost certainly think the diagnosis was part of the work! As its almost industry "Norm" Now to diagnose via computer, etc. This in itself is meant to save a mechanic having to find the fault, often running in to many hours of what is, aft all, a fault and if under warranty, should be covered!

 

I thin k you need to look at the small print of the warranty. Was it provided by the seller, at the same time, does it cover diagnosis, what is and is not covered, etc will be most important. You might even find you have to pay and claim back the money.

By the sound of the name of the warranty, it is a high spec cover. I would be scrutinising it and also, even without it, if you had the car from a dealer, it should still be "Fit for purpose". A door you cannot access will not be for for purpose, will it?

Never mind the small print of the warranty, I cant even read the small print of the posting especially as its one great block of text 😞

 

I know that I am recovering from eye surgery but even with my closest reading glasses its too difficult to read on a 15.6" computer monitor at 11% magnification, a real shame because I would like to help.

7 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Never mind the small print of the warranty, I cant even read the small print of the posting especially as its one great block of text 😞

 

I know that I am recovering from eye surgery but even with my closest reading glasses its too difficult to read on a 15.6" computer monitor at 11% magnification, a real shame because I would like to help.

Here you are J.R.

Hello.

 

I’m a newcomer to this site and to Skoda. Last year I bought a 2015 Fabia 1.2 TSI SE. with 7372 miles on the clock.

 

I traded in my 20 year old Volvo estate for it and you can imagine how much I enjoyed the turbo on the Fabia. I now need some advice.

 

The Fabia developed a weird habit of now and then freezing up completely. Doors locked, steering wheel unmoveable, but windows openable The first time this happened I called the AA. The guy put his hand through the window and jerked the steering wheel from side to side, telling me to put in the ignition key, take it out, put it in again. Finally back to normal. The AA guy said he didn’t know what might be causing this but had seen it once before on a top of the range Audi. I took the car to my Skoda concesssionaire, they tried to figure out what was the problem, and finally said they didn’t know what was causing it and if it happened again call the AA.

It did happen several times again and I went through the AA guy’s routine, which usually worked. Until two weeks ago when the driver’s door wouldn’t open. Back to Skoda, they said the lock must need replacing. I asked if somebody could take me home. Sorry, nobody available. I asked if they could lend me a car. Sorry none available, all booked up. There were 53 cars out on the front lot but ‘none are prepped’. I had to ferry some old folks about over the next few days, so I scrambled over the gear and brake levers into the front seat, and drove off until they had received the lock. Frequently getting from the passenger door to the driver’s seat is a lot of fun. When the lock arrived a few days later, Skoda sent somebody to drive me home and pick me up. Door fixed and so far O.K. I had bought an Automotion gold cover warranty with the car. But the garage insisted on billing me for ‘diagnosis’. £99 for diagnosing that a door that wouldn’t open needed a new lock.

 

Does anybody know what causes the seizures? Do you think Skoda treated me right? Advice will be much appreciated.

 

Johnpro.

@johnpro  Welcome to the forum.

They certainly did not treat you well if you bought a Skoda Approved Used car with a 12 month warranty.

?

Is it a Mk2 Fabia you have or a Mk3?

Thanks for responding. I bought it at a Skoda concessionaire. It came with a three month warranty.  I bought a three year warranty from them. On the paperwork there is no mention of whethter it's a Mk2 or Mk3.

It'sdescribed as 1.2 TSI SE 5dr DSG. Registered March 2015.

@johnpro

How soon after you collected the car has this happened, is it within the 3 months?

No, about 8 months later. Have been all over the web trying to find if this seizure stuff is a big issue. Nothing!

Thanks to all for advice.  I guess I've been ripped. The sales literature for the Automotion Warranty is very convincing. It's only after the garage told me that diagnosis is not covered that I read their policy in detail. Hidden away on page 18 under the heading 'How to make a request for re-imbursement' is the phrase 'please note that diagnostic time is not covered.' The sole reference to this point in 36 pages. Nice, huh?   When I bought the Fabia, I also took out GAP insurance. Ah well. Suckered. I should have read this forum before the purchase! Anybody got any ideas about the seizing up?