Hi all, I have now owned my Sportline 190 for just over a week and love it, My only little niggle at the moment is the last 2 mornings it taken 2 - 3 seconds to start on the button, normally it starts up as soon as the button has been pressed, I'm working nights so the car has stood in the carpark for over 12 hours and both mornings it's been damp, on both nights I have been out to the car trying to get to grips with all the toys but can't imagine that would make a difference, is it a sign of a possible problem to come or is it a bit of paranoia and to be expected especially as it's a button start so no glow plug time at this time of year but the chambers might be a bit cold in this damp weather? Cheers All

Mostly that sounds like a battery on its last legs. Does it do it if you don't play with the (electrical) toys first? I'd avoid any of the high-current items (power seats, air con, interior ventilation, lights, windows, windscreen wipers) as much as you can, until the car has started and see how that goes.

 

Do you know how old the battery is?

 

It probably wouldn't do any harm to research battery prices.

 

(You are saying, indirectly, it is a Diesel, they do tend to need more 'umph' from the battery to start; it might be worth saying which engine and whether it is stop-start as those might make a difference to the advice...and if it is stop-start, is that still working normally.)

 

Halfords have been known to do a free check up of obvious things like the battery, which could be worthwhile. I'm not sure if this is winter only, but it might be worth asking. How you'd feel about doing this if you had already decided that if the battery needs changing you'd go to, eg, Tayna, is entirely up to you.

1 hour ago, Axle_of_weasels said:

...and if it is stop-start, is that still working normally.

 

My 3yr old battery was "fine", but I noticed in the past few weeks that start-stop wouldn't actually kick in to turn off the engine while stopped.

Didn't think of it much.

When my car was in for a service last week, I asked them to check the battery as these Skoda start-stop batteries r notorious to start failing after 2.5 to 3 yrs.

Turns out the battery was on its way out, so they replaced with a new battery for free, being under warranty.

 

Win win.

 

Turns out the start-stop not behaving was an early sign of the battery starting to die.

 

Edited 19 June, 20205 yr by JR RS

Is it a cold start characteristic. My Roomster does not start immediately from cold and requires a few engine revolutions to fire. Unlike my sons Fiesta and my previous Fiat which started more instantly. 

4 hours ago, Axle_of_weasels said:

Mostly that sounds like a battery on its last legs. Does it do it if you don't play with the (electrical) toys first? I'd avoid any of the high-current items (power seats, air con, interior ventilation, lights, windows, windscreen wipers) as much as you can, until the car has started and see how that goes.

 

Do you know how old the battery is?

 

It probably wouldn't do any harm to research battery prices.

 

(You are saying, indirectly, it is a Diesel, they do tend to need more 'umph' from the battery to start; it might be worth saying which engine and whether it is stop-start as those might make a difference to the advice...and if it is stop-start, is that still working normally.)

 

Halfords have been known to do a free check up of obvious things like the battery, which could be worthwhile. I'm not sure if this is winter only, but it might be worth asking. How you'd feel about doing this if you had already decided that if the battery needs changing you'd go to, eg, Tayna, is entirely up to you.

It's a 190 Diesel, like I said only had it a week and to me the start/stop has been working how I'd expect, on a hot day last week it didn't kick in at all but put that down to the air-con and other stuff being used, Also the carpark has a barrier I have to stop at and swipe in and the start/stop always kicks in, this is literally just before I park up so not sure if that might makes a difference too! Never noticed any issue when it's been parked up at night at home but then it's never been damp mornings, Suppose I'll be a bit more wiser when it gets colder and the system will need more power! I have a year warranty on the car but you can guarantee they will fight the battery as a consumable!! Cheers

Edited 19 June, 20205 yr by yesman

The Battery is a consumable, but the car has to be fit for purpose.

Press the switch and put Stop / Start off when it could be a nuisance like at a Car Park barrier.

On 19/06/2020 at 09:26, JR RS said:

 

My 3yr old battery was "fine", but I noticed in the past few weeks that start-stop wouldn't actually kick in to turn off the engine while stopped.

Didn't think of it much.

When my car was in for a service last week, I asked them to check the battery as these Skoda start-stop batteries r notorious to start failing after 2.5 to 3 yrs.

Turns out the battery was on its way out, so they replaced with a new battery for free, being under warranty.

 

Win win.

 

Turns out the start-stop not behaving was an early sign of the battery starting to die.

 

You have me wondering about my battery now. The stop start on my 2016 280 has not been working for the last 4-5 weeks (yes it is switched on). I put this down to it being idle for long periods & only short journeys during the lockdown period. In fact the battery actually went flat at on point because I forgot to switch off the dash cam. New batteries after 3-4 years appears to be a re-occurring thing.  My previous S2 Superb needed one almost straight after I bought it at 3yrs old. No SS on that one though. Seems they don't like being left idle for long periods of time. Think I'll keep the SS switched off from now on.

12 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

 Think I'll keep the SS switched off from now on.

 

I always turn off the start-stop when I start my car as I hate it's behaviour.

But I turn it on when I know I'm going to b stopped at a set of lights for a while.

As soon as I drive off, I turn it off again.

Turns out this style didn't make any difference to the battery life.

Edited 21 June, 20205 yr by JR RS

9 hours ago, JR RS said:

 

I always turn off the start-stop when I start my car as I hate it's behaviour.

But I turn it on when I know I'm going to b stopped at a set of lights for a while.

As soon as I drive off, I turn it off again.

Turns out this style didn't make any difference to the battery life.

To avoid all the button pressing can SS be coded out altogether?

21 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

You have me wondering about my battery now. The stop start on my 2016 280 has not been working for the last 4-5 weeks (yes it is switched on). I put this down to it being idle for long periods & only short journeys during the lockdown period. In fact the battery actually went flat at on point because I forgot to switch off the dash cam. New batteries after 3-4 years appears to be a re-occurring thing.  My previous S2 Superb needed one almost straight after I bought it at 3yrs old. No SS on that one though. Seems they don't like being left idle for long periods of time. Think I'll keep the SS switched off from now on.

 

Assuming this wasn't a 'trade sale', you should have a warranty on everything, so it is worth complaining, even if only to set down a marker if things subsequently get worse.

 

Batteries do not like being left idle for an extended period; there is a self discharge rate, and even if unconnected will go flat over a period. Usually, even a fully disconnected Lead Acid battery should be re-charged quarterly, and that's obviously more frequent if there is the idle drain of a car to contend with as well. (I'm nervous of mine if it stands for more than a couple of days, but that's a battery of inadequate capacity, getting towards the end of its life. I haven't had a problem, but I'm always a little concerned.)

 

These days, a battery should re-charge fairly quickly, so you probably shouldn't need a really extended run to re-charge it. That said, really short journeys won't do the trick.

 

I find it worthwhile to buy batteries with as long a warranty as I can (not if you know that you are selling the car on, soon). 5 year warranty is available, although long warranties are more difficult to find in stop-start batteries (EFB, AGM).  

18 minutes ago, Colin170CR said:

To avoid all the button pressing can SS be coded out altogether?

 

Yes, u can get it coded out permanently using VCDS or OBDEleven, by changing the voltage required.

 

I'm not interested in doing that as there r times I want the start-stop to kick in, and hence activate it as required.

I've ordered myself one of these devices.  It plugs between the start-stop switch n the car wiring.  It essentially always remember the last selected state of the start-stop, even after turning off the car, n back on.

 

#Aliexpress AU $38.26 | Automatic start / stop of start / stop treasure default closermemory mode for Skoda Superb Octavia
https://a.aliexpress.com/_dU9riDs

 

4 minutes ago, Axle_of_weasels said:

 

Assuming this wasn't a 'trade sale', you should have a warranty on everything, so it is worth complaining, even if only to set down a marker if things subsequently get worse.

 

Batteries do not like being left idle for an extended period; there is a self discharge rate, and even if unconnected will go flat over a period. Usually, even a fully disconnected Lead Acid battery should be re-charged quarterly, and that's obviously more frequent if there is the idle drain of a car to contend with as well. (I'm nervous of mine if it stands for more than a couple of days, but that's a battery of inadequate capacity, getting towards the end of its life. I haven't had a problem, but I'm always a little concerned.)

 

These days, a battery should re-charge fairly quickly, so you probably shouldn't need a really extended run to re-charge it. That said, really short journeys won't do the trick.

 

I find it worthwhile to buy batteries with as long a warranty as I can (not if you know that you are selling the car on, soon). 5 year warranty is available, although long warranties are more difficult to find in stop-start batteries (EFB, AGM).  

My car was registered was 1st registered in Dec 2016. I bought it used in Feb last year from a Skoda dealer in Bournemouth. The Skoda 3 year OEM warranty ran out Dec 2019 & the dealer used car 12 month warranty ran out in Feb this year. I'll see how it goes & see it the SS starts working again if I can take it for a long run - not easy at the moment. Alternatively I'll stick the battery on charge for a couple of days then check the SS. Past experience tells me that depending on use after 3-4 years the battery on most VAG models are getting past it & a replacement is due. Had the same issue with a previous Audi A6 (not SS) -2 batteries in a 9 year period & 140k miles + a clutch, 2 cam belts etc etc. Halfords AGM battery has a 5 year warranty. The joys or running 2nd hand cars bought with hard earned cash. This will probably be the last car I buy so I'm prepared to make it last🤑  

Coincidentally, in my secondhand  Octy is a Halfords (absolute boggo, nothing special, lowest cost); when it does go, I'll be looking online, probably for a Varta, because I've always had good luck with them or Bosch, and Varta seem to be the same batteries, but cheaper.

My previous 2003 Superb mk I 1.9pd under new ownership still has its original Varta battery - mileage well through the 200's now.

22 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

My car was registered was 1st registered in Dec 2016. I bought it used in Feb last year from a Skoda dealer in Bournemouth. The Skoda 3 year OEM warranty ran out Dec 2019 & the dealer used car 12 month warranty ran out in Feb this year. I'll see how it goes & see it the SS starts working again if I can take it for a long run - not easy at the moment. Alternatively I'll stick the battery on charge for a couple of days then check the SS. Past experience tells me that depending on use after 3-4 years the battery on most VAG models are getting past it & a replacement is due. Had the same issue with a previous Audi A6 (not SS) -2 batteries in a 9 year period & 140k miles + a clutch, 2 cam belts etc etc. Halfords AGM battery has a 5 year warranty. The joys or running 2nd hand cars bought with hard earned cash. This will probably be the last car I buy so I'm prepared to make it last🤑  

 

I must be missing something here, because earlier you say you've only had the car 1 week, and here you say you bought it in Feb last year. Has it been loaned to someone else, or something, because this seems confusing.

I think the alarm is a slow drain and the car just needs to be driven. I use and maintain about 30 car batteries on clay pigeon traps at a shooting club.  They’re all 3-5 years old and barely lost any charge in 3 months of inactivity. My 19 reg car’s battery needed several Optimate save/charges procedures during lockdown. 

1 hour ago, Axle_of_weasels said:

 

I must be missing something here, because earlier you say you've only had the car 1 week, and here you say you bought it in Feb last year. Has it been loaned to someone else, or something, because this seems confusing.

 

1 week? Not me. Original post by Yesman mentioned having his Sportline 1 week.  

Sorry, missed the name change.