Has 1.5 TSI engine now been fixed?

[Yellowduck]

Hi

I am looking to buy a 19 or 69 reg Karoq. Originally looking at the 1.5 tsi petrol engine, but have read loads of reviews of this engine fitted across Skoda/ VW / Seat range that has suffered lots of issues when cold resulting in ‘kangarooing’.

 

I understand VW have issued a software fix, but is this effective, and if not,  how widespread is this issuse...

 

If the odds of getting a dodgy petrol 1.5 are high, then I might plump for a diesel, but would rather petrol as now only do about 5000 miles a year.

 

Cheers

[shyVRS245]

The software fix seems to have worked for some like my wife's Jan 2018 manual 1.5TSi SEL Karoq but others have been less than impressed. Most think the fuel consumption is worse but after 7,000 miles ours is back where it was before and tonight I managed 59.2mpg on my 27 mile commute. Last week got my best of 63.6mpg on the same journey and our car is still on the original Michelin tyres after 25,000 miles and wife is very happy with it. It replaced a 1.2TSi Rapid SE Sport which was also excellent after 28,000 miles with us from new in April 2015.☺️

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Yellowduck said:

I am looking to buy a 19 or 69 reg Karoq.

 

Yes it's been fixed. A simple test drive of the car will show if it suffers problems.

 

 

[Gerrycan]

Be aware the reported issues were more apparent on manual transmission models than with DSG auto fitted.

Edited 27 May, 2020 by Gerrycan

[Ootohere]

^^^ Which means nothing to those that had a 1.5TSI with a DSG and had issues and still are or had had enough and got rid of it.

 

So VW Group are not stupid and they are also going to drop 1.5 TSI with DSG's as they were and it will be 1.5 TSI-e's with DSG, 

So light hybrids, and the same with 1.0TSI's with DSG,  if you want a DSG they will be with Light Hybrid.

 

Test driving is certainly the way to go.

Test driving alone so under Social Distancing rules, no salesperson with you, lots of miles driven from cold, and different road types.

Edited 27 May, 2020 by Roottootemblowinootsoot

[Smokeyjoe]

Don't be too quick to dismiss the 1.0TSI engine. I was going for a 1.5TSI originally, but after a test drive which showed up the 'no power entering a roundabout' issue and the salesman denying there were any issues with the 1.5TSI that he knew of (this was back in September last year when there was plenty of stories around from disgruntled owners) I decided reluctantly to go for a 1.0TSI.

 

After 3 months of waiting for the car to arrive and worrying if I had made a bad decision, I was more than pleasantly surprised when the car arrived. The engine is quiet, pulls well and drives like you would expect of a much larger engine. Worth a test drive definately before you decide.

[Rsrob]

My dad get a SE L 1.5 TSI DSG 2020 model year got it new back in september 2019 got 5000 miles on it i've had a go in it and it drives fine no problems at all to be fair its very nice to drive to be honest.

So i'll say the issue is fixed with the 1.5 TSI but he may have got a good one out of a bad bunch who knows 🤔 

[Guest]

Root has added a 'confused' icon to my reply above.  All I can say is if you read replies of the fix at face value then yes you'll be confused. Delve in to the replies, look at what's being said and you'll find there are very few issues after the fix. People do love a good moan tho.

 

You don't get a good engine out of a bad bunch, that simply goes against all logic. Very easy to say but how is it possible if it's a software issue?

 

To quote the Skoda mechanic when I spoke to him about issues I'd read about he said  "Some owners notice it others don't. We've had cars in the garage which have no issue at all yet the customer complains, but then we've had cars in where there's definitely an issue and the customer hasn't noticed.

 

Anyway that's all on older cars, the problem simply doesn't exist on newer engines. Perhaps folk should be less of an armchair expert trying to be smart by quoting ( and often mis-quoting ) others and find out for themselves. We have a 1.5DSG - no issue whatsoever.  If there was a problem, then you'd detect it on test drive. All perfectly simple, only confusing to those who want it to be confusing.

Edited 27 May, 2020 by Guest

[shyVRS245]

Exactly if George had done 25,013 miles with this engine he may appreciate it's many good qualities.

Edited 27 May, 2020 by shyVRS245
missing word

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Exactly if George had done 25,013 miles with this engine he appreciate it's many good qualities.

 

You're simply going to go on and on and on about it.    I haven't a clue who you're referring to but George is ONE person.  ONE bloody person out of hundreds of thousands if not millions of fixes throughout the VW Group.

 

Problem fixed.  As I say, it's only confusing to those who want it to be confusing.

Edited 27 May, 2020 by Guest

[shyVRS245]

1 minute ago, Scot5 said:

 

You're simply going to go on and on and on about it.    I haven't a clue who you're referring to but George is ONE person.  ONE bloody person out of hundreds of thousands if not millions of fixes throughout the VW Group.

 

Problem fixed.  As I say, it's only confusing to those who want it to be confusing.

Root is called George.

[Ootohere]

@Scot5  'Very few issues after the fix', 

now that is not confusing,  that is accurate.    Your post is "Yes it's been fixed."   hence what i put. 

You are saying one thing then then another later.

?

Which is it, the issues is completely gone or almost?,

fingers crossed and nobody should have need to talk about this anymore!

 

The issues are pretty well fixed, but some have still issues and worse still have them dismissed now by Skoda UK / VW Group.

So the point is not 'fixed' if you have one with issues.

If those that had a late 69 or 20 plate have had the chance to drive theirs much and no issues showing then great.

 

@shyVRS245

Obviously the 1.5TSI EVO (ACT) was produced to have good qualities and get the lower emissions that the 1.4TSI or 1.4 TSI ACT / 1.4TFSI COD 

could not produce under testing.  When testing was not going to easily be cheated.

 

Then the WLTP / RDE stuffed that up and there had to be Engine Management / Software changes, and that co-cked up some at some point.

Hence issues with some produced, and then software updayes so that the cars could run better, but no new WLRP Certification required.

 

Latest is that to get Average C02 g/km figures for the manufacturers the 1.5 & 1.0 TSI with a DSG will be Light Hybrids, 

and with a Manual Box you will not get this.

 

If more of the cars had issues or not able to perform as intended to the outcry might have been greater.

Just because someone has a good car there is no point poo pooing others that do not.

 

Then not every person having issues gets to talk with a Master Tech or Technician like @Scot5 has.

Many get panned off by Receptionists / Service Desk Staff or Managers with not a NVQ in Mechanical Engineering between them.

 

PS

When there are batches of cars produced where there are hardwear or software issues then the Manufacturers know which vehicles were in that run and ultimately which might have issues. 

Than as to what @Scot5 saying you 'don't get a good engine out of a bad bunch' 

You actually can has been proved over the years, especially with 1.4 TSI / TFSI 132-136kW Twinchargers April 2010-Oct 2010, then to 2012.

Good ones out of the first 50 into the UK and some stinkers that were rebuilt before eventuall Skoda started getting in Short Units to fix people engines, then later getting Base Engines.

There were 100's of cars requiring warranty work, yet you could have a Skoda Dealership Technician saying they had never seen an example with the issues.   That says it all really.   Lucky them, or were they just hopeless and dismissing issues and saying 'They all do that'. 

That is normal etc etc. 

Or Never heard of that before, it is overblown on forums as Skoda UK Customer Services Call Handlers and Communications Managers said.

Edited 28 May, 2020 by Roottootemblowinootsoot

[shyVRS245]

This must be the maximum an owner of a 148bhp  SUV can expect with a petrol engine.

[Breezy_Pete]

No; I'm very confident that an average speed in excess of 40mph is achievable.

[shyVRS245]

1 minute ago, Wino said:

No; I'm very confident that an average speed in excess of 40mph is achievable.

Wino I think you have swallowed too much sand paper.

[Breezy_Pete]

Off topic dude. Whatever you might mean.

[Yellowduck]

Thanks everyone.

 

Two different cars I appreciate, but have narrowed it down to Karoq and new shape Volvo V60. Good selection of Karoqs and a handful of V60s in my 23k price range.

 

Karoq I love the height of the ride and DSG box, but when you take out the variflex seats, the floor seems to be at different levels which is a pain. Also really want full leather (we have dogs, and dog hair on cloth is a nightmare)  as I don’t like the suade infill, and there are not many specced to this.

 

Volvo has full leather and all toys, and a flat level floor, but much lower ride height. Trouble is test drives are going to be a pain over the next few weeks, and don’t get me started on the fact that I think used prices will plummet in the next few months.

 

Cheers

[bigjohn]

57 minutes ago, Yellowduck said:

and don’t get me started on the fact that I think used prices will plummet in the next few months.

 

 

 

 

Actually they may actually go up as the car market starts up again - manufacturers haven't been making many new cars!

Edited 28 May, 2020 by bigjohn

[CreamBun]

To return to the OP's issue; I took delivery of my 1.5 petrol SEL in early February. I have never had any issue with the cold performance.

[StEdmund]

I bought my Karoq (1.5 manual) at the end of September 2018 - and it took me about 3 months to realise that the kangarooing and, worse, the dying at junctions, was because of the car and not me. The dying at junction, roundabouts etc was really quite terrifying. The car was brilliant in every other respect, otherwise, I would have rejected it outright - but I continued with the promise of 'updates' and the acceptance of rejection if the updates weren't effective.

 

Those updates were applied over the ensuing months and the improvement is massive - I believe that it is now fine. I suspect there might have been a ~3-4mpg penalty; my average mpg now is about 43mpg in mixed journeys, which I consider pretty good for a car with the aerodynamics of a wardrobe. As an aside - early last Sunday, after dropping my key-worker daughter off, I was travelling on the (almost deserted) A14 and slowly catching an HGV. I gradually dropped the speed on the cc until I was doing the same as him - about 57mph. I suddenly noticed the pull of his slipstream, and I was astonished by the rapidly increasing mpg. 42, 43, 44, 45, but then I had to leave the road, otherwise goodness knows where the mpg would have got to!

 

I realise that some owners are still not happy with their 1.5 engined Karoqs - for some, I genuinely believe that it was not possible to successfully sort the engine software, and I sympathise. For others, however, I might guess that the initial terrifying properties of the 1.5 have left scars on the drivers that can't be healed. It's like looking round and noticing that your wife is sneaking up on you from behind with a carving knife ............your marriage is unlikely to ever be quite the same!

 

Edited 29 May, 2020 by StEdmund
grammar

[Sanqhar]

I understand the kangarooing is more a problem for manual cars and a cold start.  If it is there the starting might not show on a test drive in these warm days.  Don't know about the dying at junctions.

I haven't had a problem but then I have a DSG so it doesn't show.

 

tom

[CreamBun]

22 hours ago, CreamBun said:

To return to the OP's issue; I took delivery of my 1.5 petrol SEL in early February. I have never had any issue with the cold performance.

I should have clarified that my Karoq is manual transmission.

[markpipa]

Hi all, I bought a 19 plate Superb and eventually due to help from the finance company managed to reject it due to the issues I experienced with the 1.5 TSI engine (manual). I am looking at the new model Octavia and had read that the new DPCA version of the 1.5 TSI engines no longer has any issues.

Has anyone heard the same thing or is it still a gamble getting the 1.5 TSI as to whether you get issues or not, I would be looking at the manual again.

[Anders74]

On 22/06/2020 at 22:55, markpipa said:

Hi all, I bought a 19 plate Superb and eventually due to help from the finance company managed to reject it due to the issues I experienced with the 1.5 TSI engine (manual). I am looking at the new model Octavia and had read that the new DPCA version of the 1.5 TSI engines no longer has any issues.

Has anyone heard the same thing or is it still a gamble getting the 1.5 TSI as to whether you get issues or not, I would be looking at the manual again.

 

I've had the new Octavia (mk4) 1.5 TSI for a couple of weeks now, and no hesitation or kangarooing  problems as of yet - it's great fun to drive.

[markpipa]

Thanks for that Anders, I am feeling better about giving the 1.5 TSI another chance, just have to convince the wife now.