1 hour ago, roottoot said:

I think with your 1.0 TSI your turbo operates every time you drive the car unless you are never taking it above 20 mph and just bimbling along.

?

Out of warranty now (only 90 days warranty with buying it online). I read elsewhere for the MkI that it starts around 1500rpm and really kicks in around 1900rpm - which is consistent with what you are saying. I presume it is something broadly similar.  It gets lots of country drives, but is driven gently in winter. I didn't even notice something was wrong until 5 miles into my journey I started going up a very steep hill that it usually breezes up, and needed to downshift, and I then noticed the light.  Could still get it up to 80mph.  

 

I guess once a week or so I'll just wait a few seconds longer before shifting up a gear than normal, then maybe once every few weeks give it a proper workout.    Hopefully now it's been lubricated a bit it'll start behaving. 

 

Had an earlier squeaky clutch issue that unbelievably went away by itself over the course of a month, so maybe I'll get a second miracle. 

Edited 27 December, 20214 yr by Brucemagoose511
Additional info

If you accelerate up to 40 mph the turbo is working if not a faulty accuator. 

Brucemagoose511, in the Owners Manual it has -

 

1.0 ltr. / 70 kW TSI engine -

• Output (kW at 1/min) - 70 / 5000-5500 rpm
• Maximum torque (Nm at 1/min) - 160 / 1500-3500 rpm

 

1.0 ltr. / 81 kW TSI engine -

• Output (kW at 1/min) - 81 / 5000-5500 rpm
• Maximum torque (Nm at 1/min) - 200 / 2000-3500rpm

 

To me that would suggest that when and where it's safe to do so after the engine, and more importantly all of the car's other systems (brake, steering and suspension, all three include tyres, window/mirrors (lights)), have all warmed up then you can be less timid with your revs.  For the turbo to be given a workout it needs to be within probably the torque range as above and nearer the top of that range.

 

Before giving the turbo a workout you need the engine and its oil fully warmed which is best checked by setting up the multidot screen to show oil temperature, normal running range is not noted in your Owner's Manual but for my wife's 2015 1.2 TSI (90kw) its 80c-110c.  It shows two dashes (- -) up to 50c and numbers from there on.  This gauge might be useful to you to show actually how long the engine takes to warm up rather than looking at the coolant gauge rock steady on 90c.

 

To give the engine a workout you want to be between 3,000-5,000 rpm for a sustained period of time and/or mileage with certainly  bursts at the higher end of that range, forget any thoughts of economical driving.  Going up a long steep hill is a good time to get the revs up as you will be accelerating rather than lifting off the accelerator pedal.

 

The revs don't have to be about speed, no need to drive too fast and certainly not for any given conditions, I noted your typo of 80 instead of 60 (unless you meant kph).

 

Obviously you still need to keep up with the servicing, in fact lower mileages at lower speeds will need proportionately more rather than less servicing and maintenance in many areas,  As with GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) for computers it's SISO for engines, you want clean air and fuel going in, with all that the air and fuel travels through and passed as clean as reasonable (filters, trunking, pipes, hoses and sensors).  This way what goes through and out of the exhaust system will be better for the sensors and cat which includes the engine oil and sparking.

 

And that's all for one of the less important components and system on the car.

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by nta16
added extract from 2015 Owner's Manual

14 hours ago, nta16 said:

Brucemagoose511, in the Owners Manual it has -

 

1.0 ltr. / 70 kW TSI engine -

• Output (kW at 1/min) - 70 / 5000-5500 rpm
• Maximum torque (Nm at 1/min) - 160 / 1500-3500 rpm

 

1.0 ltr. / 81 kW TSI engine -

• Output (kW at 1/min) - 81 / 5000-5500 rpm
• Maximum torque (Nm at 1/min) - 200 / 2000-3500rpm

 

To me that would suggest that when and where it's safe to do so after the engine, and more importantly all of the car's other systems (brake, steering and suspension, all three include tyres, window/mirrors (lights)), have all warmed up then you can be less timid with your revs.  For the turbo to be given a workout it needs to be within probably the torque range as above and nearer the top of that range.

 

Before giving the turbo a workout you need the engine and its oil fully warmed which is best checked by setting up the multidot screen to show oil temperature, normal running range is not noted in your Owner's Manual but for my wife's 2015 1.2 TSI (90kw) its 80c-110c.  It shows two dashes (- -) up to 50c and numbers from there on.  This gauge might be useful to you to show actually how long the engine takes to warm up rather than looking at the coolant gauge rock steady on 90c.

 

To give the engine a workout you want to be between 3,000-5,000 rpm for a sustained period of time and/or mileage with certainly  bursts at the higher end of that range, forget any thoughts of economical driving.  Going up a long steep hill is a good time to get the revs up as you will be accelerating rather than lifting off the accelerator pedal.

 

The revs don't have to be about speed, no need to drive too fast and certainly not for any given conditions, I noted your typo of 80 instead of 60 (unless you meant kph).

 

Obviously you still need to keep up with the servicing, in fact lower mileages at lower speeds will need proportionately more rather than less servicing and maintenance in many areas,  As with GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) for computers it's SISO for engines, you want clean air and fuel going in, with all that the air and fuel travels through and passed as clean as reasonable (filters, trunking, pipes, hoses and sensors).  This way what goes through and out of the exhaust system will be better for the sensors and cat which includes the engine oil and sparking.

 

And that's all for one of the less important components and system on the car.

 

Thanks, that's all very helpful and allays my concerns about damaging the engine.  My usual driving these past two years is two return journeys of around 50miles each per week on very fast country A & B roads (roads I avoid when it is icey as they are less likely to be gritted). I have plenty of steep hill options to get the revs going on and should have the engine nicely warmed up before hitting the hills.

 

If I add a couple of miles to my typical journey I'll take in a more hilly route to the same destination and the journey won't take me any more time. So I think I've plenty options to give the turbo a regular outing as part of my normal activity.  

 

I do wonder if my garage experiencing an up-tick of actuator issues is a result of less commuting (home working) and more 20mph limits being rolled out in both urban and rural areas. If these variables are impacting on a driver they'd probably want to consider the implications for their turbo.

Same problem here with the EPC light coming on and eventually the engine light. Been to the local Skoda garage twice when only the EPC light stayed on. They found nothing. The engine light came on about 2 weeks ago. My code reader found P2309 "ignition coil D Primary control Circuit Low" I took it to my go to garage who Checked and replaced the coil on Cylinder 4. Ok for a couple of days. Thought it too good to be true. Wife at work starts the car and the engine light comes on. Nothing she can do so she turns the engine off and then on again and the engine light stays off. She gets home I put the reader on and nothing, no codes historical or otherwise. Today I was driving and the EPC light came on and the car started to vibrate. Not far from home so I  managed to get home and look at vehicle status which says No Entries Available, so I press the Info button and it says "STOP START SYSTEM STATUS". ERROR START - STOP SYSTEM. Connect my reader no error codes showing so I press the clear codes button to see if anything happens and low and behold  the EPC light goes out. I have disconnected the cable that goes to my Battery turning off the start stop system, took it for a drive, No problems. Will have to contact Skoda again tomorrow. Any advice would be welcomed.

Mike

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by Mikerp

I'm not sure that you know that disconnecting that battery monitor lead will definitely inhibit the auto Stop/Start, but it will also log a fault in that the battery management system - although not force any warning lights on. The fault logged will be battery monitor disconnected - if I remember correctly.

So maybe reconnect that lead and clear any logged faults before handing it in for them to check.

Brucemagoose511, if your journey is 25 miles, say it takes about 5-7 miles to get the engine fully warmed, depending on weather conditions that leaves 18 miles, take of say 3 miles for cool down, 15 miles to exercise the turbo and engine.

 

These turbo engines, especially with the direct injections, and possibly cat, are not best suited to short journey and town driving, same as the diesels now with DPF the race for ever lower fuel consumption and emissions tested on new cars under certain conditions hasn't gone so well with longer term real world use.  Throw in VW's very invasive start/stop computer program and more care and attention is needed with running and maintaining these cars than a number of years back, whether buyers are made aware or know this is a different matter.

 

Really the turbos are pushing these small engines in what formerly wouldn't have been considered small and light cars so you're right in not hammering the engine and turbo if you want either to last a reasonable time. However as you've found the engine and turbo are designed for use and despite the dash gear selection advice they do want and need higher revs, on occasions at least.  3,000 revs in any gear is a good power point but not for fuel economy in many instances.  The occasional pushes from 3,000 to 5,000 rpm gives the engine a bit of a blowout but does wear the engine so best not always done.

 

Never skimp on servicing as previously the low mileage and town use would have been classed as serve conditions with more frequent servicing, good quality engine oil and filter changed in a timely fashion is even more important.  The lack of more regular air filter changing surprises me but as always that can depend on where the car is parked and what types of journeys it makes, I think the filter should at least be inspected each year but unless you have a new clean filter to compare against it can be difficult to see how dirty the existing filter might actually be.

 

Another very important item to take care of, particularly because of the very invasive and intertwined VW computer programs is the car battery, if it's allowed to go too low the computers don't like it and will play up in all sorts of ways.  Even if the car still starts, the lights seem bright enough and there are no warnings on the dash the battery might still be too low for the computers.  A suitable battery trickle charger would be a good idea for longer periods of non-use or all short journeys.

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by nta16
spelling

Mikerp, I'm going against rum4mo's advice and here's why, the car has been to Skoda and another garage and the garage took the easy route of swapping out coil at No.4 as that was the error code, I can't remember if they swapped the coil round to confirm if the fault showed at that point.  If it requires the start/stop to be disconnected to make the car drivable then the garage has to accept that.  IF(?) they use a decent scan tool and know what they're doing it should make no/little odds to them or their diagnostics as they can record the errors and info and interrogate before, if required wiping, and reconnecting start/stop.

 

I'd love to see what scan tool and technicians are used in these cases as seeing some of the posts on here I wonder if some Dealerships/garages perhaps have only one appropriate scan tool and trained Technician and perhaps either or both aren't available when theses cars go in.

 

The cheap scan tools that many owners seem to have seem to be no more than lower level error code readers which is fair enough for the price but the codes given, or not seen, can lead to confusion or over simplification, which perhaps some Dealerships/garages take advantage of.

 

With a proper scan tool, which you'd hope a dealership should have, the fault(s) should zoned in on and diagnostics made easier.  I'd have thought something like say a bad plug connection should show up by checking or testing the points before and after the error code point and with bi-lateral you can sometimes/often test items at point or before and and after.

 

If you was nearer we could put my neighbour's scan tool on and list all the codes, perhaps run live and look at freeze frames if only to prewarn you of what is actually showing before the garage says there isn't anything.

 

Edited 30 December, 20214 yr by nta16
updated

41 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

auto Stop/Start, but it will also log a fault in that the battery management system - although not force any warning lights on.

IIRC which is usually in doubt, you get the A crossed through symbol on the dash showing the start/stop is unavailable - and who knows with the newer models connected to the intrawebthigy a message is recorded on VW's computer so that in the future if the gearbox fails they can blame it on this disconnection of the start/stop system, whilst they go through your music lists and photos. 😄

 

The coil was changed by the garage I usually use not Skoda as they told me to take it back when the engine light came on and stayed on. You can imagine the Choice words I had with the after sales manager on the phone, he said it was cross communication. Anyway the garage I usually use picked up the exact same error that my reader found on the day I took it to them. They said my Sparkplug was OK and the wiring looked OK. I put down that my wife said the engine light came on, I think she probably saw the engine light stay on a bit longer when the engine was switched on. I checked for a code but there wasn't one. If the engine light had come on signalling a fault it would be stored. I have reconnected the cable to the battery and will use the on/off A button each time we drive it. Some people on the thread are talking about Carbon build up in the turbo and also actuator rod getting stuck and something about westgate or wastegate not working properly

You can have error codes that don't light up a display and codes that lower level machines might not see live or recorded, depends on the machine but things can get very complicated or distracted because of the over-complicated computer programs VW wanted employed for whatever reasons so that without a high level scanner it can be a very scattered approach.

 

But the basics remain, better fuelling, servicing, maintenance and use will help prevent some things or at least prolong better running.  And with the correct level scan tool diagnostics should be easier if only that you can test items in isolation, unless the fault only occurs with a combination of items in a chain or particular circumstances.  With labour rates as they are it can sometimes be less expensive and convenient for garage and customer to fire off the parts cannon and if required repeated garage visits than to take the time or tools to really diagnosis some problems.  And to be fair IIRC you didn't want to leave the car with the Dealership to see if the problem could be replicated, which would depend on how they were going to charge on this.

 

My concern when I see particularly problems with 5 and 6 year old 1.2 TSI is that my wife's car does lots of very short journeys regularly and gets not much more than the annual services, the very few times I'm able I will try to give the engine and turbo at least a bit of a blow out as my wife is not one for much use of the manual gears.

 

My car is Automatic. I will give it a good run on Sunday. The point I made about the turbo and carbon build up any observations?

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by Mikerp

51 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

My car is Automatic. I will give it a good run on Sunday. The point I made about the turbo and carbon build up any observations?

Well the DSG is just another level of computer control and distancing the driver from actually taking charge of the car but if after the car is fully warmed, as in my posts 22 and 3 hours ago to Bruce, and you get your foot right down if the computers are in a good mood they will get the message and go for it.  Obviously don't drive hard if you have any warning lights showing unless really you're sure it won't cause harm.

 

Turbo I'm not sure, car's not that old but carbon generally may be.  As with computer GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) think of SISO (not as bad as with diesel but still) clean in and cleaner out will mean cleaner in between, the engine, air filter, engine oil and filter, spark plugs, perhaps clean the MAF and even perhaps throttle body, CICO.

 

And here's one many don't like or agree with, put in a couple of tankfuls of cleaner petrol (the 97, 98. and 99 octane) and do the Italian tune-ups with them.  Even if it doesn't shift the carbon or other muck already there at least it should add less to the accumulation.

 

Of course this may not overcome any stroppy computers in a mood and won't deal with any poor wiring or wiring  connections but done properly it won't do any harm and might do some good.

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by nta16

You may have a point about the Petrol. I always used to use Tesco Momentum but since the grades have changed and Momentum is E5 I use regular E10. Think I will return to Momentum. What are Italian tune up's?

17 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

What are Italian tune up's?

A term and generalisation - driving like 'the Italians' do, as detailed in those posts, get your foot down hold the gears (well the computers will do that for you if they're in a good mood) revs up, not necessarily high speed.  Slow at the bottom of a long steep hill and where safe to do so floor it, if you gain too much speed and the gear changes and revs drop lift off the accelerator even brake a little if safe to do so and floor it again, get it breathing heavy, sucking as much clean air and cleaner fuel through as possible.

 

Before it opened at the M1 end I used to do carb setting test runs on the A14, I once went 5 miles before seeing another vehicle in either direction.

 

Unless you're worried about cost and MPG you don't need worry about E5 (up to 5%) or E10 (up to 10%) or E5 (0%) the computers sort all that (and possibly the VW computer sorts MPG anyway). 😉

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by nta16

Is that the case for an automatic? Would it be the same if I was stationary, in Neutral and rev it ?

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by Mikerp

2 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

Is that the case for an automatic?

DSG is a type of automatic, just a VAG type, different, more complicated more computer involved than say a traditional British/American automatic, those would have a kickdown setting anyway.

 

Try it, get it warmed by oil temperature, keep the oil temperature setting on display and you can then see how long it takes to register and get to the normal band say 80-95 this time of year.  If I'm doing an oil change I like to see treble digits.

   

10 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

Is that the case for an automatic?

 

As a previous DSG Fabia owner, I loved it but I wouldn't be revving it heavy in automatic anywhere near 1st gear. My DSG was faultless other than it seemed to sometimes get confused and drop down to 1st with crazy revs if I was driving on the threshold of 1st and 2nd (or downshifted from 3rd approaching a roundabout), and would then get stuck in 1st for a few worryingly high revving seconds. I'd suggest putting the DSG in manual shift, in 2nd gear, around 15mph before flooring it. OR have it in automatic in third gear around 20mph before flooring it. In either of those scenarios my old DSG car would have behaved.  

 

I don't know if Sports mode in a DSG overcomes those issues as I never used it!

 

 

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by Brucemagoose511

I check my oil temp every time I drive and it is always on 90c. So when it get to 90 put it in neutral and rev it up to between 3000-5000rpm

I'll put it in 2nd ion manual shift and go from there. I've also never used sports

How long do I need to floor it for? between 3000-5000 RPM?

You do not need to floor it.  

Get the car sorted and don't mess about this way. 

2 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

So when it get to 90 put it in neutral and rev it up to between 3000-5000rpm

No, drive it in gear do not put it in neutral.

 

The higher revs need to be sustained to blow the crap out, not a few seconds busts.

 

As Bruce has put use any sports setting you have on the gearbox - but I was never suggesting racing off in first, sorry I should have made that clear, the tyres and traction and ABS and computers wouldn't like it anyway.

 

I wasn't suggesting driving like a hooligan and destroying your gearbox but using what is available and giving a little extra work where safe to do so, that includes for the vehicle too.

    

OK, I'll try to get it between 3000-5000 RPM. Is there an additive that can help?

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by Mikerp

29 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

I'll put it in 2nd ion manual shift and go from there. I've also never used sports

 

25 minutes ago, Mikerp said:

How long do I need to floor it for? between 3000-5000 RPM?

 

There's no set time, might be best if you're not used to this this just put it in sport and drive as normal and following what rootoot has put, though done properly with all else I've put including the caveats I deliberately put it's not messing about.  Though I was thinking of drag race starts in first and forgot there might be sports settings on the box.

 

Edited 28 December, 20214 yr by nta16
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