I’m confused by the service indicator on my 1.4 TSI Superb S, 64k miles on the clock - any advice gratefully received.

 

October last year it had a ‘variable’ service at about 54k miles. Normally I’d be doing 15-16k miles a year; less this year.

 

I’m now getting alerts that an Inspection is due in 10 days / 10200 miles; while the Service is due in 375 days / 8800 miles.

 

Why the disparity in days/miles and what’s the significance of Inspection vs. Service?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

With variable servicing there are different variable intervals for oil change and inspection servicing - yours must be variable.

With fixed servicing it's one service at one year or 9500 miles.

 

Myself with your direct injection cam chain engine I wouldn't recommend variable servicing. They are very oil sensitive and the direct injection hammers the oil.  I also have this engine in mine and have had the servicing changed to fixed intervals (only one shows up on the servicing display then). The EA111 1.4tsi has had issues in earlier versions but the one fitted to the Facelift Superb is about the last revision of this engine, but the cam chain still needs looking after with clean oil and the correct oil filter(very important!).

 

If it was me as 10k miles have been done I'd have a full (Oil + inspection) service and get the service interval changed to fixed.  

 

It's not all bad, the upside of the direct injection and cam chain is surprising economy and no cam belt to change, the chain needs looking after though with good servicing.

 

 

Edited 2 October, 20205 yr by bigjohn

Thanks bigjohn; very useful info about oil sensitivity and service choices. I’ll work though that as I normally do about 16k miles a year - not sure I fancy paying for [nearly] two services a year. It’s just that lockdown scuppered a lot of mileage it this year, and who knows about the next 12-18 months!? I trust you and yours are keeping well and avoiding this thing.

 

You’re right about the surprising economy out of this 1.4 engine. The average over my last three tankful was 50.9mpg. To say I was gob-smacked is an understatement! It was mostly fairly gentle long distance journeys with several trips through lengthy motorway roadworks with a 50 limit - which shows the benefit of moderating speed (boring as anything though...).

 

Thanks again.

If you stick on variable servicing there is nothing to stop you having an interim oil and filter change every 12 months. If you do quite a few miles of gentle motorway driving - and with all the roadworks and cameras who doesn't - 9500 miles isn't a lot really, but I wouldn't be leaving the oil 2 years. The oil filter location on the Octavia is the easiest one I've ever changed. 

I think the spark plugs should be changed at this device too (every 60k miles).

On my 1.4tsi after 9500 miles the oil is somewhat darker, always has gone like this since I bought it at 14 months old.

 

The oil filter is indeed easy to get at but you have to make sure the old seal has been removed and the new correct filter is not overtightened. There is an internal valve that releases oil back to the sump as it is unscrewed. It's also the same valve that can be damaged if overtightened when being fitted. As a precaution it's worth covering the alternator when releasing the oil filter, just in case this valve doesn't work which then releases oil over the alternator.

Edited 3 October, 20205 yr by bigjohn