Hi everyone, 

 

I have 2016 skoda fabia which has had everything go wrong with it recently. The engine light came on, it keeps thinking my tail light isn't working, needs new tyres all around, and the catalytic converter failed at the last mot at 1 garage. And the scroll wheel on the right side of the steering doesn't work. 

 

It's only done 42k miles 😑 and had regular services and everything. 

 

I had a friend of mine use his obd2 reader to show me the codes but I don't know what they mean. Can you guys explain to me what the problems are and how much they'll cost to fix? And are they even worth fixing? 

 

Thanks in advance 😊

 

Edited 5 July, 20214 yr by Sunny_Kay

Fully charge the car battery with smart charger, connecting it up the correct way.

Clear all the fault codes then drive the car and see what happens.

 

Thanks, AG Falco

All the catalyst/"O2 sensor" faults could be down to one of the 2 lambda sensors being faulty. A competent mechanic can find which one in 5 minutes with a multimeter.

@Sunny_Kay AGFalco has put my first thought - I'd disconnect the battery from the car and give it a long slow and low recharge - not a modern very quick fast and higher recharge, or if you have or can borrow a smart charger set it to 'recondition' (or some such term) but bear in mind this could take hours, or many hours even if disconnected from the car.  On a battery that is very low this could be overnight or more (or on a totally flat battery up to 60 hours, 2.5 days).

 

Having had 'fun' with the Fabia recently I found taking the battery off the car, over overnight plus, for a long slow and low recharging that when I put back in the car the only setting lost was the time of day clock (fault codes were reset by someone else days later, which included intermittent misfires on cylinder 3 & 4).

 

Might be a good time also to check your key fob batteries and then synchronise them, which is very easy for you to do have look at your driver's instruction handbook 'OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS'  - http://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Model/Fabia_NJ

 

Once you are sorted have both fobs, with good quality batteries fitted, then alternate their use, say every 6 months swap which fob is in regular use, that way you know you will get more even wear out of the set of two fobs and will know that the spare fob works (and where to find it) and when the fob batteries are getting low.

 

See the 'Key Fob Failure' thread on here for more details.

 

Batteries and their condition and state of charge has always been important but even more so with modern vehicles with all their onboard computers that need constant regular reliable power.

 

Always remember that no matter how complicated things are you always start with checking the basics first.

 

One of the biggest causes of roadside breakdowns is the car battery, rarely is it actually caused by the battery being at fault but by other causes, look after the battery and the battery will look after you, it is also one of the most oversold car parts often replaced before required, but they do have a finite life use.

 

Tyres, well, they wear out with use (and abuse) but remember they are the only four very small patches of rubber that keeps your car in contact with the road, the tyres affect the braking, steering, suspension, handling and ride comfort and noise so always get good quality tyres.

 

Who ever fits your tyres should tell or give you something written to tell you to take it easy on your new tyres as they need the "grease" run off them for the first about 100 miles or 200 if wet weather - and to have the wheel nuts/studs checked for tightness (torque) after the first 30-50 miles.

 

Sorry I seem to have gone on a bit.

 

HTH, Nigel

  

 

Edited 6 July, 20214 yr by nta16
amend cut and paste sections

So I got new tyres fitted at Costco, Michelin CrossClimates all round. But with the battery recharge, it's difficult for me because I live in flats on a busy road, so I would have to take the battery out of the car to recharge it. But if the battery is disconnected, the car won't lock. Is it worth buying an extra battery and new charger then alternating between the two batteries? My car has start / stop - would this make it more difficult to recharge? 

7 hours ago, Sunny_Kay said:

So I got new tyres fitted at Costco, Michelin CrossClimates all round. But with the battery recharge, it's difficult for me because I live in flats on a busy road, so I would have to take the battery out of the car to recharge it. But if the battery is disconnected, the car won't lock. Is it worth buying an extra battery and new charger then alternating between the two batteries? My car has start / stop - would this make it more difficult to recharge? 

 

You should be able to fully lock up any car that has remote or even only central locking when no battery is fitted.

 

At least on Audis, VWs and SEATs, every side door without a key locking barrel, has a small rubber bung on the "rear" face of the door frame, not small rubber bung probably had a padlock outline on it and maybe a rectangular indent.  The plan for when there is no battery power on the car is:- open each side door, remove that bung, fit the end of the ignition key into the manual locking part that gets exposed when you remove the bung, then give it a 1/4 or 1/2 turn one way - it will only go one way, do this gently as very little force is needed, refit the bung and close that door - it should now be locked and can be reopened from the inside in the usual way as dead locking has not been used. Repeat that for the other 2 doors if it a 5 door, then use the key to lock the driver's door.  The rear hatch probably like other cars of this age, can not be opened from the outside so that end is secure and if you need to open it when the battery is out, there is usually a slot on the hatch's inner trim panel to slide a key in and release that opening.

 

Edit:- Stop/Start in itself will not cause any issues when trying to revive that battery, but if you feel the need to buy another battery make sure it is an EFB or AGM version to keep things going as intended.

Edited 8 July, 20214 yr by rum4mo

@Sunny_Kay I'm not sure the manufacturer has allowed for a situation like this - you'd have to ask them - it does raise a very good point considering the stop/start would be about city driving.

 

I'm not sure if the Fabia has the function of locking that @rum4mo mentions and I can't look on my wife's car as it isn't here.

 

If you were to buy a new battery there are things to take into consideration

• you'd want to get one that is the same type (EFB?) and same (number) amp hour xx Ah so that you don't need to change any coding each time you swap the battery
• you'd be best to synchronise your key fob each time, it's very easy to do, instructions in Owner's Manual
• batteries are very heavy to carry around best to use both your hands rather than the one plastic handle it'll probably come with
• the battery would need to be charged in a well ventilated area as charging can give off some fumes
• any standard battery charger will work but one that allows for stop/start batteries, and perhaps for this first charge has a recondition setting, would be useful, you want a long, slow and low recharge that might take a day or two
• batteries do very slowly discharge themselves just sitting outside the car so you'd be best just to check or charge before fitting to the car (including the battery from new), this could be just minutes but worth checking
• you need to consider where you're going to store the spare (heavy) battery and to retain the plastic caps and covers over the posts during storage to prevent anything accidently shorting out the two posts (including spilt liquids that will beat the caps and covers).

If you've not already done so get your friend to clear the codes after you fit a new battery (or you could do it before).

 

For the tyres, if you chose them for wet weather or driving in snow then do bear in mind the tyres can only do so much and they will not overcome the wrong driving technique in these situations.  I'm not a good driver but I'm old so learnt to drive in cars without the modern driver aids (and oversized wheels and tyres that most modern cars have) basically adjust your driving to the prevailing conditions, don't drive the same in wet or snow as you would when warm, very clear and dry, slower and steadier in snow.

 

For the catalytic converter I'm not sure if that's a red herring but if you do a lot of short journeys then the occasional "Italian tune-up" / blow out run can help to "clean the tubes", that is a run where you have sustained higher revs for a reasonable period, doesn't need to be silly speeds or the engine screaming.  A motorway, or similar, run at the legal speed limit in 4th gear (out of 5) for 20-50 miles every now and again, or depending on your availability and road conditions, a spirited run on roads that require gearchanges where you can keep the revs up in 3rd gear for a good deal of the time over a reasonable distance.  After a faster run always allow the engine to settle for 20-30 seconds from parking before turning off to cool the turbo if required and let the engine settle.

 

Or you could perhaps consider using the more expensive fuels that have greater cleaning additive packages, but they are more expensive.  I'd start with two tankfulls one after the other (with an "Italian tune-up" if possible) then use at every 2nd, 3rd or 4th refill but just a couple of gallon top ups wouldn't be effective, the more each fill the better.

 

Wow, another long reply. 

 

Edited 8 July, 20214 yr by nta16
speeling and stuff

2 hours ago, nta16 said:

batteries are very heavy to carry around best to use both your hands rather than the one plastic handle it'll probably come with

 

A Bosch 60Ah EFB battery (the closest specification I could find to the 59Ah "Moll" EFB originally fitted battery) weighs about 18Kg - as the saying goes, other makes are available.

 

It's really quite heavy, and an awkward thing to maul about - it's not something you want to be doing regularly.

 

Also note that if there is spillage from the battery onto clothing, the clothing will get holes in it.

 

 

Take care,

 

 

JohnH

John makes good points, though you shouldn't have to worry about spillage as the batteries are sealed types.

 

Tayna lists plenty of EFB batteries all but one are 60Ah (with different starting powers, CCA) but I'm not sure (but I don't know so do check) that in reality the car's computers would have any problems with a stated 1Ah difference.

 

With batteries, and much else, a bigger given figure doesn't necessarily mean it's better but if you were using two batteries in rotation and recharging them when required before they go too low then you don't need worry about getting the most powerful starter anyway but only as a general rule I'd always go with a battery than has more years warranty, 4 is better than 3 generally. 

 

I was told on here that the Bosch battery I bought was made by Vatra anyway, the couple of batteries I've checked seem to be just below 17kg so heavy to carry a distance.

 

Tayna, as John says, other suppliers are available 027 EFB battery list. - https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/types/027-efb/

 

HTH. 

On 08/07/2021 at 09:29, rum4mo said:

 

At least on Audis, VWs and SEATs, every side door without a key locking barrel, has a small rubber bung on the "rear" face of the door frame, not small rubber bung probably had a padlock outline on it and maybe a rectangular indent. 

 

I had never noticed this before, but had a look this morning and sure enough:

Me neither, every day is a learning day, thanks to Rum40 for that, it will be very useful in the future.

I forgot to look, must try to remember to look tonight.

 

I can't remember seeing that in the Owner's Manual but then I can't remember much.

 

When I went to show my wife how to use the key blade in the hidden driver's door lock I first checked by myself that the cover came off with the key easily and then cleaned the cover and around the lock and gave the clip part a little squirt of GT85 to ease its removal.  Sod's Law I start my demonstration to show how easy it is to do and I struggle to get the cover off and then struggled to get the cover back on correctly.  I got a 'look' and a rather sarcastic "Oh, it's that easy is it.".     

 

quote:- batteries are very heavy to carry around best to use both your hands rather than the one plastic handle it'll probably come with.

 

I agree, but, when I bought a new 95AHr Bosch from Costco, the clown in the tyre bay just grabbed one with one hand and swung it up onto the pay desk, then swung it again with one hand and one handle into my trolley - what an ar*e! 

 

Edit:- as for finding out how to secure a car that you have removed the battery from, yes everyone should get to know about that - I only blundered across it in the interwebnet thing, and put it to use a few months later when I removed the battery form my daughter's 2009 Ibiza I was babysitting.

 

 

Edited 9 July, 20214 yr by rum4mo

5 hours ago, nta16 said:

I forgot to look, must try to remember to look tonight.

 

I can't remember seeing that in the Owner's Manual but then I can't remember much.

 

When I went to show my wife how to use the key blade in the hidden driver's door lock I first checked by myself that the cover came off with the key easily and then cleaned the cover and around the lock and gave the clip part a little squirt of GT85 to ease its removal.  Sod's Law I start my demonstration to show how easy it is to do and I struggle to get the cover off and then struggled to get the cover back on correctly.  I got a 'look' and a rather sarcastic "Oh, it's that easy is it.".     

 

 

Owner's manuals are boring or badly written normally, I think that after finding that I re-read that car's owner's manual and it was in it, same for 2002 VW Polo and my car.

 

For some reason 2015 VW Polo have an exposed driver's door lock barrel, as does my 2011 Audi S4 - okay the S4 is old enough for that change not to have been included on it, but I bought a new cover - N/S and O/S covers front and rear are all the item, just that the driver's one is different as it from factory has the hole for the key and looks like something is missing, so over two years on I still have to cut a slot in that new cap and spray it in car's body colour.  Did same for 2015 VW Polo and that looks to have been a waste of money because 2015 VW Polo have a very low profile handle, so no option to cover that lock barrel.  My younger daughter's boyfriend's father has just bought a VW ID3 - that car has an exposed driver's key barrel, I don't quite get that, I thought covering them up but having a slot to remove them was progress!

51 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

Edit:- as for finding out how to secure a car that you have removed the battery from, yes everyone should get to know about that - I only blundered across it in the interwebnet thing, and put it to use a few months later when I removed the battery form my daughter's 2009 Ibiza I was babysitting.

 

I have another tip, one where I failed to observe my own advice recently

 

If you are working on the car with the battery disconnected and are have the removed parts, tools etc in the rear luggage compartment, if you are in a secure area, your garage/drive etc and dont want to be accidentally locked out by yourself or someone else closing the rear hatch then either manually close the latch while it is open or use something plastic to stop the tailgate from latching, I have a plastic SWA cable clip which does the job perfectly and stays in place but forgot to use it when I was replacing my clutch, my friend whose garage I used had good intentions when he closed my open tailgate to stop his cat from bedding down in there but it gave me no end of grief to get it open again.

Driver's Handbook is a joke against me that I play up to elsewhere.  And reading the Driver's Handbook is a bit of a joke with my wife too as the salesman of her previous car said she have to read it and she replied she already does.  I didn't disagree until we'd left the place and just laughed when she insisted she had previously, and read it in bed.  I think she got through about ten pages with that car and not at all with the Fabia, apparently that's my job despite rarely driving the car.

 

Really annoying for me with the Fabia the 'Owners Manual' is for "the stereo".  The 'Operating Instructions' for the car I must admit I find difficult to read, looks to me a German Engineering student was forced to do it as he knew a bit of English.

 

I remember in 1999 reading the Driver's Handbook for a new Japanese car then and about a third of almost every page was a safety warning about something, not far short of don't put your head under the front wheel and let the handbrake off when on a hill.  Thinking about it, it might have been something like don't shut the bonnet on your head.  A version of the model was a big seller in USA and possibly the manufacturer was concerned about mad litigation.

 

I'm sure you'll be delighted to know, after checking, I demonstrated my new found knowledge to my wife, first door I open and I can't get the grommet out (I bite my nails) but success with second door.  My wife asks about the hatch and I said I thought not but we could have a look, at this point she lost interest and walked off! 

 

@J.R. good tip, thanks.  I'm not used to worrying about such things but I do have to make sure I put the Fabia keys in my pocket before I open the hatch as I'm sure one day I will put the keys down, as I do in home and then not remember where.

 

Edited 9 July, 20214 yr by nta16
speeling and stuff