Hi Skoda experts ,

My steppenwolf with 210k wont start, since roughly 2 weeks. Day before it gave up, it ran and started normal, as far as I could tell. Maybe with the possibility it had slightly high consumption ~15% up.(I'm not sure here.)

Temperature was below freezing when it happened but there was no significant drop, because it was equally cold days before.

When I use OBD, I get the infamous P0172, P0480 and P1103. No dates so these could be older.

 

Ignition is not totally dead. I sounds like it gives ignition less than a second, but after that no cranking in world seems to do it.

 

Anyone seen anything similar? When temperature gets more pleasant, I'll check the spark plugs and MAF+airfilter.
But if someone recognizes the issue I would appreciate some help.

 

Could be the MAF, you can test it with a voltmeter. 

 

Plenty of guides on Internet.

you checked your battery.. 

if it starts then cuts out could be the immobiliser kicking in and not recognising the key 

Thanks for the answers.

-MAF, return after weekend, supposed to be around 0 then.

-Yes, tried with new battery 12.8 V. No change.

-Immobilizer. I've thought about that. How do I verify?

I've dug into the issues a bit.

1. If it is the MAF, shouldn't it be possible to start then? Albeit with poor performance.

2. Is it possible to test the healthiness of the MAF without engine running?

3. If it is Immobilizer, shouldn't OBD give an immobílizer specific code like p1570? I turned the key without start and Immobilizer lamp goes out after a second or two, so it seems to work.

 

 

I've now checked the fundamentals on cylinder one. Since the engine died from one day to another, I can expect that the issue is not related to a single cylinder.

1. Fuel, there is fuel in the cylinder. When unscrewing the plug, it is wet and a strong smell of gasoline.

2. Spark, there is spark. Checked with spark lamp.

3. Compession. Tested with compression tester. Got 7 bar, while spec says 10. Its on cold engine and and with possibly not perfect fit, so the lower range may be ok.
 

Cam belt shift seems unlikely, as the tension looks ok. Opened and looked at the tension roller.

Blocked throttle?
Blocked exhaust?

Any other ideas?

Compare compression with other cylinders.

You need to do a vacuum test. Could be timing also, have you checked timing/cam belts?

Have you checked for a clogged air filter?

 

Running a modern petrol engined car for less than a minute from cold e.g. to move on driveway, can cause an excessively rich condition upon subsequent attempts at starting with prolonged cranking required to clear the engine before it will run.

 

If you have a clogged air filter this will make matters worse.

 

In any case it may be worth checking the filter and trying to start with the filter removed as you stated a strong smell of gasoline.  Extended cranking may be required to clear the flooded condition.

I'd like to to summerize what I finally found.

 

I managed to get the engine running with startgas. As long as the car ran really warm, there was no issues starting it up afterwards(even long time). But if it only ran for 5-10 mins it was difficult to start it up after it got cold.

 

Error codes like P0171, P0172, p0138, p1103, p2251 appeared now and then, which I continuously erased. Also engine lamp a few times, which I erased as well. Fuel consumption was varying for the first 10 mins of running, afterwards it normally reached standard.

 

Removed the 5pin broadband o2 sensor(lambdasensor, regulator, pre-cat) and measured with ohm meter. Compared to a new o2 sensor, I measured no difference, but I replaced it anyway, and since then, I haven't detected any error codes nor have had difficulties starting the engine. 

 

I suspect the sensor heating element to be broken so sensor had a long time before getting to the 600 degrees required to work.

 

Thanks for the help,

Robert