Skoda 1.5 TSI ACT

[Berko]

Hi guys. Im looking into buying the new Octavia with the 1.5 tsi engine, i've seen that the earlier model have had some strange noises and vibrations when going into 2 cylinder mode. I wonder if the problems continuous on the new car.

[just music]

None on mine at all. Very smooth. 

 

[vfr]

Same for me, them only way I know that it has is that there is an eco light on the display.

[Berko]

Thanks guys. 

[Skodamias]

Mine is not very smooth. ACT is noticeable when it activates and deactivates and there are vibrations especially on certain RPM / gear. This is a tsi 1.5 with manual gearbox. But i've gotten used to it, so not a big bother. Also i should mention that i am quite sensitive to extra sounds and vibrations while driving, so someone else might not be bothered at all.

[Berko]

5 hours ago, Skodamias said:

Mine is not very smooth. ACT is noticeable when it activates and deactivates and there are vibrations especially on certain RPM / gear. This is a tsi 1.5 with manual gearbox. But i've gotten used to it, so not a big bother. Also i should mention that i am quite sensitive to extra sounds and vibrations while driving, so someone else might not be bothered at all.

Sorry to hear that. Do you feel that it has gone worse by the time or was it like that from the beginning?

 

I've read on other forums that you can somehow turn the ACT off, dont know by going to a tuner or you can do it yourself with a scan tool. Maybe an option for you. Btw do you have any problems with kangarooing with the car?

[OctaviaFirstEdit]

23 hours ago, Berko said:

Hi guys. Im looking into buying the new Octavia with the 1.5 tsi engine, i've seen that the earlier model have had some strange noises and vibrations when going into 2 cylinder mode. I wonder if the problems continuous on the new car.

No problem with the change to two cylinder mode but the car will likely 'kangeroo'. I have had 3 now and a friend has  A3 1.5 Manuel and another a Golf 8. All of them do it. A bit annoying but certainly not the end of the world.

[Skodamias]

13 hours ago, Berko said:

Sorry to hear that. Do you feel that it has gone worse by the time or was it like that from the beginning?

 

I've read on other forums that you can somehow turn the ACT off, dont know by going to a tuner or you can do it yourself with a scan tool. Maybe an option for you. Btw do you have any problems with kangarooing with the car?

 

Hi, it's little better or i've just gotten used to it. It's still very noticeable in some situations, say 4th gear at 1500 rpm. 1st gear is prone to leaping or stalling when launching (if that's the kangarooing). I need to be quite careful to get a smooth launch. I talked to the retailer about it but was told it's a feature of the motor, especially when cold. The 1.4 tsi i had before was smoother and also felt more powerful (might be due to gearing of the new gearbox too). 

[Ootohere]

It is only a feature of faulty cars as not all were delivered to owners / drivers with this.

The person that says it is a feature should be named in communications to Skoda & the VW Group.   They are a muppet.

Edited 15 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[Berko]

6 hours ago, OctaviaFirstEdit said:

No problem with the change to two cylinder mode but the car will likely 'kangeroo'. I have had 3 now and a friend has  A3 1.5 Manuel and another a Golf 8. All of them do it. A bit annoying but certainly not the end of the world.

Do you have the manual? 

[Berko]

5 hours ago, e-Roottoot said:

It is only a feature of faulty cars as not all were delivered to owners / drivers with this.

The person that says it is a feature should be named in communications to Skoda & the VW Group.   They are a muppet.

Agree with you. I really like the Octavia but i often hear the problem with the vibration and really disappointing that the VAG group is yet to fix the problem. They could at least have a on/off button like the start/stop to decide if you want it on or off.

[Ootohere]

Actually they could just have engine management suitable for drivers driving rather than what they have to have cars achieve results under the WLTP .

 

If it was a 'Feature' then all those cars that drive well must be faulty in not getting the 'kangerooing'. 

[Berko]

5 hours ago, Skodamias said:

 

Hi, it's little better or i've just gotten used to it. It's still very noticeable in some situations, say 4th gear at 1500 rpm. 1st gear is prone to leaping or stalling when launching (if that's the kangarooing). I need to be quite careful to get a smooth launch. I talked to the retailer about it but was told it's a feature of the motor, especially when cold. The 1.4 tsi i had before was smoother and also felt more powerful (might be due to gearing of the new gearbox too). 

Thank you for good info. Dont think you should just let it be like that, maybe wanna get it fixed somehow before the warranty ends because when it does they wont be helpful at all those bloodsucking retailers. 

[Skodamias]

While the ACT causes some vibrations, i feel the "jumpy" 1st gear is the bigger problem. I will talk about both again with the retailer next time i contact them, since there are some other smaller issues (mostly infotainment related) still with the car. 

[just music]

The kangarooing is odd. This car is miles better than my Mk3 1.5 which could be a pig to drive smoothly and slowly at times, whether hot or cold. The only time I found my mk4 jerky was on holiday, moving around a carpark after first starting from cold. Otherwise it's been fine. 

[Berko]

21 minutes ago, just music said:

The kangarooing is odd. This car is miles better than my Mk3 1.5 which could be a pig to drive smoothly and slowly at times, whether hot or cold. The only time I found my mk4 jerky was on holiday, moving around a carpark after first starting from cold. Otherwise it's been fine. 

Yeah i also heard that the jerking is when its cold, do you have the 1.5 tsi with ACT? Manual or auto?

[Mark Hiscock]

I've just been away on holiday fully loaded with roof box, luggage and family and the 1.5 manual has performed well, switching into eco mode seamlessly and then back again when the power is needed.

 

It does kangaroo in 1st gear when cold though. By the time I change to second gear it stops and never returns. I'm not looking forward to winter though as I'm wondering if the kangaroo will persist for longer as the engine is slower to warm up. 

 

We shall see!

[Berko]

13 minutes ago, Mark Hiscock said:

I've just been away on holiday fully loaded with roof box, luggage and family and the 1.5 manual has performed well, switching into eco mode seamlessly and then back again when the power is needed.

 

It does kangaroo in 1st gear when cold though. By the time I change to second gear it stops and never returns. I'm not looking forward to winter though as I'm wondering if the kangaroo will persist for longer as the engine is slower to warm up. 

 

We shall see!

I see. Have you been to the skoda service to ask them about the problem?

[WhiskyJamJar]

Car has been very smooth engine wise since I bought it, I read similar stories when I was waiting on delivery and got a bit worried that I'd bought a lemon with a dodgy engine.  Only time I've ever had any trouble with the "Kangarooing" was deep into WInter and it had been sitting outside in zero and below for a full day and night.  Car started perfectly fine but was a little jumpy in first gear for around 200m before settling down.  Kinda felt like you changed up a gear too soon at slow speeds.  Responded perfectly fine if I put the foot down a little to increase the revs and the car responded as expected when pulling out at a junction so never felt it was unsafe or a danger.

 

 

[Berko]

41 minutes ago, WhiskyJamJar said:

Car has been very smooth engine wise since I bought it, I read similar stories when I was waiting on delivery and got a bit worried that I'd bought a lemon with a dodgy engine.  Only time I've ever had any trouble with the "Kangarooing" was deep into WInter and it had been sitting outside in zero and below for a full day and night.  Car started perfectly fine but was a little jumpy in first gear for around 200m before settling down.  Kinda felt like you changed up a gear too soon at slow speeds.  Responded perfectly fine if I put the foot down a little to increase the revs and the car responded as expected when pulling out at a junction so never felt it was unsafe or a danger.

 

 

Thank you good info. I live in a very cold place, around -15 in the winters so i wonder if its gonna be even more "kangarooing" the colder it is? Have you been to the service and asked them about it and dou you have the manual transmission?

[WhiskyJamJar]

I have the manual Gearbox, I did mention it when it was in the dealer for other issues but just got the standard line of "We're not aware of any engine problems" or words to that effect.  I didn't push it as I didn't( and still don't from my experience) really consider it an issue, Winter got to around -8/-10 in the early mornings for periods last winter around here so you may get affected more with your weather.

 

 

[Berko]

5 minutes ago, WhiskyJamJar said:

I have the manual Gearbox, I did mention it when it was in the dealer for other issues but just got the standard line of "We're not aware of any engine problems" or words to that effect.  I didn't push it as I didn't( and still don't from my experience) really consider it an issue, Winter got to around -8/-10 in the early mornings for periods last winter around here so you may get affected more with your weather.

 

 

Yeah the usual "we've never heard of that" by the mechanics. Disappointed at Skoda for not taking the problems to seriously on a otherwise very good engine imo. Thank you for the answers.

[timster]

Ive had MY16 1.2TSI, MY18 1.5TSI and driven O4 1.0 e-tec and 1.5 e-tec. All of them had zero issues with ACT. All of them were with DSG.

 

Sometimes i do notice when it goes off, but usually its not noticeable at all. Greatly improves fuel efficiency imho.

[Berko]

6 minutes ago, timster said:

Ive had MY16 1.2TSI, MY18 1.5TSI and driven O4 1.0 e-tec and 1.5 e-tec. All of them had zero issues with ACT. All of them were with DSG.

 

Sometimes i do notice when it goes off, but usually its not noticeable at all. Greatly improves fuel efficiency imho.

Great to hear that. I wonder the problem is if some cars get it and some dont. Sounds like a fixable problem. For how many miles did you use the 1.5 tsi and 1.5 e-tec?

[Ootohere]

The 1.2 TSI (or the 1.0) did not have ACT & the 1.0 e-Tec & 1.5 e-Tec are a whole new kettle of fish with mild hybrid and VW have the e-DQ200 DSG for them.

So really apples and pears comparing how a 1.5 TSI Manual  is with a 1.5 TSI with DSG. 

Then the e-Tec are a Red Herring.

 

All have different software for engines and DSG's.

 

On the early 1.5 TSI with the bad Engine Management / Mapping it a took long enough time for VW to admit issues and many said their ones with a DSG had no issues, 

obviously the ones that did have issues eventually had VW accept the issue was not only with manuals.

The VW Group default mode is deny deny and deny again.

 

 

 

 

Skoda / VW Group should pay attention to Bob or Thomas when they give them notice of issues.

They drive like real customers will and not like the Factory Test Drivers.  Or a WLTP being carried out.

 

 

Edited 16 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot