Hi, I've had a 1.2tsi rapid for nearly 12 months and it's a cracking car, but one thing I've noticed is sometimes the car will idle at 1000rpm and it seems to have been worse over winter. It does stop and go back to normal idle but just wondered if I have a problem or it is somehow programmed to run at a higher idle when more power is taken from the battery? Could anyone shed any light on this please. My 12 month warranty expires end of the month so if I do have a problem I would like to take it in for inspection etc. Thanks in advance. 

Last time we did this topic it quickly went beyond my technical understanding. I do recall occasionally high idle on startup from my 1.2 for no obvious reason - and it also idled faster when moving than when stopped. I think also faster with AC on.

I think that it is a bit like the stop start system which is active or not active dependant on a lot of things like A/C on, engine temperature , ambient temperature, battery charge etc. I have the 1.0 TSI engine which for several months idled at 1350 rpm under , what seemed, all conditions. I was beginning to think that this was so that you entered the peak torque range sooner when pulling away. However about a month ago the engine started idling at a more reasonable 950 rpm. I understand that without altering the software in the ECU you cannot adjust the idle speed anyway.

It is programmed to idle a bit faster (and 1000 rpm sounds about right from memory) when engine is below a certain temperature

Should drop back when warmed up 

 

It will also idle faster if high electrical load (heated mirrors, heat rear windscreen, heated seats etc) are on

So much more likely to notice this in winter

 

I think a lot of people forget about heated mirrors 

 

Thanks for your advice on this guys. I think I just wanted some idea of whether or not I needed to take it back to the garage for a warranty inspection before my warranty expired. I've got a bit more piece of mind now, knowing it's more of a normal operating act than anything else. Cheers.