RE: 2006 vrS OWNERS STUTTER - SKODA UK FIX

[alexst]

I had the 14.5mm fix for a week now, and whilst better still there and really want to sort it out too, so Im another one who would like to hear how you get on. I wouldnt even mind have the engine reverted back to the previous standards if it can be done and solves the problem... good luck...

[backpacker]

Have had mine in for the fi and am very impressed with the result - yes there is very very occasionally a very slight hesitation but it is barley noticable and nothing like it was before. In fact had i not experienced the problem before then Im not sure I would really notice it now.

So to get to the point in my mind it is fixed and perhaps Skoda should have gone about things better but can everyone not just drop it now especially suggesting that the fix is no good - this isnt doing much for the resale values and I think its wrong to suggest there is much of a problem now.

regards

Glad to hear you are impressed with the fix. However, your comments seem to express an "I

[jopo]

I had the fix done on my 100 BHP 1.9 TDI Estate recently and reported that the stutter was a lot better, but still there to a smaller amount. I also reported that the mpg is now up to the Skoda claimed figure for Combined. BUT that was based on the instrumet panel figures. I think that the reading is OPTIMISTIC. So; I wondered if some of you keen guys could carry out the following test :-

When the low fuel light comes on next time ;

Make a note of the mileage;

Put in your normal amount of diesel and make a note of the amount;

Do this several times and record the amount each time; then

At the next low fuel warning note the mileage.

Now simply divide the mileage covered by the amount of fuel put in( convert litres to gallons) - (litres x 0.2199 = gallons)

Hey presto you have the ACCURATE Combined mpg over how many miles you did the test.

I found that the difference compared to the instrument panel figure was about 3 or4 mpg less.

Cheers

[mtb650]

Glad to hear you are impressed with the fix. However, your comments seem to express an "I

[lawry]

ive got the same problem!

[backpacker]

Can I ask exactly what the problem is ? - if it is now after the fix a very minor almost unnoticable stutter and maybe apparently for some a little less mpg than expected is this really such a big issue. Ideally yes the car should be perfect but its not like we are spending £20k+ on a BWM or something.

What I really object to is implication given by many in this thread that all vRS's are affected, that those that are are now somehow impossible to drive - which isnt the case and that the fix has not worked - which in my case it has, had it not it wasnt such a problem to me the way it was before anyway.

Basically you are giving the false impression that all fabias using the 1.9 TDi motor are cr*p and should be sold for scrap ! - this is not the case and I would rather you didnt tar all fabias with the same brush thankyou.

If the problem were as you describe, I certainly would not be wasting my time subscribing to this forum but since you ask "exactly what the problem is" here goes.

After 8 months waiting for the fix it turns out to be a big let down. The stutter or hesitation is still there, some times more apparent than others. The accelerator is not progressive at the bottom of its range with a distinct hesitation when gently opening the throttle or a sharp cut-off when easing off . The stutter is unmistakable when it happens on most journeys, usually several stutters even on short trips, just like an engine misfire in the case of a petrol engine. It occurs at the transition from over-run to light throttle which is exactly the throttle range when maintaining a steady speed whether on a motorway or in a built up area. The stutter is less apparent at high road speeds because of the momentum but at lower speeds it is much more noticeable as a distinct jerk which has caused the engine to stall on one occasion. Despite what the Skoda bulletin says, it is not a "phenomenon" that any driver should have to tolerate.

Also not a characteristics to be expected from any modern car and certainly not a feature of the Fabia 1.9Tdi until the 2006 model. My previous car, the 2001 Fabia 1.9Tdi, gave me 4 years of fault free and enjoyable motoring with superb fuel economy, no stutter no hesitation. So when I decided to change my car in February 2006 a new Fabia was the obvious choice whilst the old Fabia moved on to one of my sons and now with 60,000 miles on the clock continues to perform well. My other son also runs a Skoda, a 2005 Octavia 1.9Tdi and again he is delighted with the car which is fault free, reliable and very economical.

With four years ownership of a Fabia before purchasing my present car and currently three Skodas in the family, all with the 1.9Tdi engine, I think I am speaking from an informed position when I criticize my 2006 model. I don’t need to make comparisons with BMW’s , I just speak from my experiences.

Whilst I do not suggest that all Fabias are the same, it is pretty obvious from the various threads in forum that there are a good number of other owners who are unhappy with the stutter, how many more who haven’t yet found these pages ?

[Trotts]

If the problem were as you describe, I certainly would not be wasting my time subscribing to this forum but since you ask "exactly what the problem is" here goes.

After 8 months waiting for the fix it turns out to be a big let down. The stutter or hesitation is still there, some times more apparent than others. The accelerator is not progressive at the bottom of its range with a distinct hesitation when gently opening the throttle or a sharp cut-off when easing off . The stutter is unmistakable when it happens on most journeys, usually several stutters even on short trips, just like an engine misfire in the case of a petrol engine. It occurs at the transition from over-run to light throttle which is exactly the throttle range when maintaining a steady speed whether on a motorway or in a built up area. The stutter is less apparent at high road speeds because of the momentum but at lower speeds it is much more noticeable as a distinct jerk which has caused the engine to stall on one occasion. Despite what the Skoda bulletin says, it is not a "phenomenon" that any driver should have to tolerate.

Also not a characteristics to be expected from any modern car and certainly not a feature of the Fabia 1.9Tdi until the 2006 model. My previous car, the 2001 Fabia 1.9Tdi, gave me 4 years of fault free and enjoyable motoring with superb fuel economy, no stutter no hesitation. So when I decided to change my car in February 2006 a new Fabia was the obvious choice whilst the old Fabia moved on to one of my sons and now with 60,000 miles on the clock continues to perform well. My other son also runs a Skoda, a 2005 Octavia 1.9Tdi and again he is delighted with the car which is fault free, reliable and very economical.

With four years ownership of a Fabia before purchasing my present car and currently three Skodas in the family, all with the 1.9Tdi engine, I think I am speaking from an informed position when I criticize my 2006 model. I don

[BrOwS]

Backpacker: Your car is an Elegance?

I remember when I visited my dealership to read the service bulletins because I wasn't sure if there was an ECU modification for the vRS, there was a seperate bulletin for the Elegance TDI 100 to have the gasket and ECU update. So prehaps your issues are more linked with the ECU update rather than the gasket.

Personally I've had my gasket now for two weeks on my vRS and have only had one very minor stutter. Yes it's disappointing that the fix isn't an ultimate final solution but for the time being I'm pleased it's reduced the hesitation dramatically. My only concern is long term durability of the gasket and whether over time it will weaken and the stutter returns.

[Mouse]

If the problem were as you describe, I certainly would not be wasting my time subscribing to this forum but since you ask "exactly what the problem is" here goes.

After 8 months waiting for the fix it turns out to be a big let down. The stutter or hesitation is still there, some times more apparent than others. The accelerator is not progressive at the bottom of its range with a distinct hesitation when gently opening the throttle or a sharp cut-off when easing off . The stutter is unmistakable when it happens on most journeys, usually several stutters even on short trips, just like an engine misfire in the case of a petrol engine. It occurs at the transition from over-run to light throttle which is exactly the throttle range when maintaining a steady speed whether on a motorway or in a built up area. The stutter is less apparent at high road speeds because of the momentum but at lower speeds it is much more noticeable as a distinct jerk which has caused the engine to stall on one occasion. Despite what the Skoda bulletin says, it is not a "phenomenon" that any driver should have to tolerate.

Also not a characteristics to be expected from any modern car and certainly not a feature of the Fabia 1.9Tdi until the 2006 model. My previous car, the 2001 Fabia 1.9Tdi, gave me 4 years of fault free and enjoyable motoring with superb fuel economy, no stutter no hesitation. So when I decided to change my car in February 2006 a new Fabia was the obvious choice whilst the old Fabia moved on to one of my sons and now with 60,000 miles on the clock continues to perform well. My other son also runs a Skoda, a 2005 Octavia 1.9Tdi and again he is delighted with the car which is fault free, reliable and very economical.

With four years ownership of a Fabia before purchasing my present car and currently three Skodas in the family, all with the 1.9Tdi engine, I think I am speaking from an informed position when I criticize my 2006 model. I don

[Kerry]

If the problem were as you describe, I certainly would not be wasting my time subscribing to this forum but since you ask "exactly what the problem is" here goes.

After 8 months waiting for the fix it turns out to be a big let down. The stutter or hesitation is still there, some times more apparent than others. The accelerator is not progressive at the bottom of its range with a distinct hesitation when gently opening the throttle or a sharp cut-off when easing off . The stutter is unmistakable when it happens on most journeys, usually several stutters even on short trips, just like an engine misfire in the case of a petrol engine. It occurs at the transition from over-run to light throttle which is exactly the throttle range when maintaining a steady speed whether on a motorway or in a built up area. The stutter is less apparent at high road speeds because of the momentum but at lower speeds it is much more noticeable as a distinct jerk which has caused the engine to stall on one occasion. Despite what the Skoda bulletin says, it is not a "phenomenon" that any driver should have to tolerate.

Also not a characteristics to be expected from any modern car and certainly not a feature of the Fabia 1.9Tdi until the 2006 model. My previous car, the 2001 Fabia 1.9Tdi, gave me 4 years of fault free and enjoyable motoring with superb fuel economy, no stutter no hesitation. So when I decided to change my car in February 2006 a new Fabia was the obvious choice whilst the old Fabia moved on to one of my sons and now with 60,000 miles on the clock continues to perform well. My other son also runs a Skoda, a 2005 Octavia 1.9Tdi and again he is delighted with the car which is fault free, reliable and very economical.

With four years ownership of a Fabia before purchasing my present car and currently three Skodas in the family, all with the 1.9Tdi engine, I think I am speaking from an informed position when I criticize my 2006 model. I don’t need to make comparisons with BMW’s , I just speak from my experiences.

Whilst I do not suggest that all Fabias are the same, it is pretty obvious from the various threads in forum that there are a good number of other owners who are unhappy with the stutter, how many more who haven’t yet found these pages ?

i've sent you a private message

[backpacker]

Backpacker: Your car is an Elegance?

I remember when I visited my dealership to read the service bulletins because I wasn't sure if there was an ECU modification for the vRS, there was a seperate bulletin for the Elegance TDI 100 to have the gasket and ECU update. So prehaps your issues are more linked with the ECU update rather than the gasket.

Personally I've had my gasket now for two weeks on my vRS and have only had one very minor stutter. Yes it's disappointing that the fix isn't an ultimate final solution but for the time being I'm pleased it's reduced the hesitation dramatically. My only concern is long term durability of the gasket and whether over time it will weaken and the stutter returns.

Thanks for your interest and comments and sorry for delay in responding.

You're correct, my car is the Fabia Elegance Estate 1.9TDI 100PD. I've never been offered the chance to see my dealer's copies of the Skoda service bulletins but they have been very cagey and secretive about the problem from the very beginning and seem to work on the mushroom principle, perhaps I should ask.

The fix was carried out on 24 October according to Skoda instructions which I was assured were specific to my car involving the modified gasket and the ECU "adaption". Initially, no apparent benefit apart from a marginal improvement in fuel consumption. However, during the last 3 days the stutter has been less frequent although the hesitation remains. The occurence of the stutter has always been patchy so I'm not getting excited.

[Stuart_J]

Your contract is always with the selling dealer should you wish to take any legal action therefore a Dealer will be hard pushed to admit any problems as it lays him open to potential legal action. It might appear like the mushroom principle but hes probably covering his butt.

[AMG]

At the risk of being shot down because I don't have time to read the thread in work, I have fixed my hesitation on my 2004 Fabia myself. I don't know if it's the same problem as your 06 Fabias, but I'll explain it anyway!!

It didn't happen constantly, but when it did, it was almost like the fuel supply being cut off, it was a very sudden and sharp hesitation. I had left my car down with Skoda 4 times to see what the problem was, but they just kept telling me it was the EGR valve, and replaced it or cleaned it each time. After it reoccured again, I took it to a local mechanic with a diagnostic computer, and it flagged a code with the anti-stutter valve, which stops the car running on a bit after it is switched off. 2 minutes and the valve was disconnected, and it's like a new car!!

I'm sorry if this is something totally unrelated to the topic, but if it helps anyone else it'll be worth it!

[VRStu]

I've never heard of an anti stutter valve to be honest. Your car would have had a different problem as this thread relates to the engine with the BLT engine code. I would be curious to know what has been disconnected and hope that it's not the change over valve for the intake manifold flap.

[Trotts]

I read all these threads and am awaiting to collect my 06 in the next few days. What really surprises me is the response from the dealers. Where I am getting mine from they have sold 12 vRS fabias this year. They state that they have not had a single unhappy customer. I have known the sales man for 25 years plus. friend of the family outside of 'work'. I checked with other dealers in the locality who also claim to have nothing but happy customers. I also took out an 06 and found it fine. While I do not doubt there is a problem with some vRS, it do's not seem to afflick all, and within this forum there are happy chappies with 06 Fabia's. I hope I am one, or unlucky 13 ?? However, I have a 3 year warranty, and fix it they will if it stutters !!

well 300 miles into my Sprint yellow.... and..... yes.. I have the 'stutter' :P However, I have to put it into my perspective. I had to drive the car to 'make it happen' and it simply, for me, is not an issue, which indicates my car is fine and dandy. I half expected to go leaping away like a kangaroo. Not the case. In fact I would not call it a stutter. On mine it is a very slight hesitation at the well reported rev area. Normal driving simply do's not happen. For the record I am aware my car was made early November and reached these shores mid November. Good luck to those who seem to have a bigger problem than mine.

[wja96]

well 300 miles into my Sprint yellow.... and..... yes.. I have the 'stutter' :P However, I have to put it into my perspective. I had to drive the car to 'make it happen' and it simply, for me, is not an issue, which indicates my car is fine and dandy. I half expected to go leaping away like a kangaroo. Not the case. In fact I would not call it a stutter. On mine it is a very slight hesitation at the well reported rev area. Normal driving simply do's not happen. For the record I am aware my car was made early November and reached these shores mid November. Good luck to those who seem to have a bigger problem than mine.

Mine didn't start to stutter until about 3000 miles. It's in for it's first service tomorrow and it definitely staggers at about 2000rpm. It's like you haven't let the clutch out, or the clutch is sticking and the car definitely staggers then it makes it's mind up and revs away. It's pretty annoying now so I'm going to ask the dealer to fix it.

[pagh]

Damnit, just picked up a brand new Fabia Combi 1.9 TDI 100 yesterday.

It also has the stutter, not much, but it hessitates sometimes, like there is a gap in the power. I have written to Skoda Denmark to hear what they have to say about the problem. So awaiting an answer.

Regarding it not being a BMW - i paid ~ £20.000 for this car here in Denmark, so i expect it to be working (almost) flawlessly.

Have just spoken to the mechanic where i bought the car, he didn`t know anything about it, but he would investigate.

[djthompson]

Hi All,

I'd be grateful if a kind so could confirm that the engine stutter fix is covered under the Skoda Warranty?

Many thanks, Dave

[pixi]

If your car is within warranty then yes as they are saying it's meant to be only 06's that are affected. You need to go and get a vagcom readout from your dealer and register your details. This should then be sent by your dealer to skoda UK who will then in decide what you need doing and instruct your dealer to carry out said fix.

[BrOwS]

Providing the engine code is a BLT, you don't need to have the vagcom readout done. The bulletin instructs all dealers to fit the gasket if a customer turns up reporting the stutter.

[wja96]

I have just read the bulletin and it looks like the 'fix' is a 'bodge' in that the dealer has to take an existing gasket and drill it out to 14.5mm.

I wonder if someone could answer the following questions please?

What is the original sized hole in the gasket?

What happens if this gasket is blocked off altogether?

Where do the dealers get a 14.5mm drill bit from?

What happens if the dealers bodge the fix and hole is bigger that 14.5mm?

Thanks.

WA

[djthompson]

ok, thanks, it's coming up to 20k (06 BLT vRS).

The dealer wasn't sure if it was covered under warranty - and TBH - that bulletin could have stated this!

EGR valve "what is this new devilry"?

Dave

[The The]

I have just read the bulletin and it looks like the 'fix' is a 'bodge' in that the dealer has to take an existing gasket and drill it out to 14.5mm.

I wonder if someone could answer the following questions please?

What is the original sized hole in the gasket?

What happens if this gasket is blocked off altogether?

Where do the dealers get a 14.5mm drill bit from?

What happens if the dealers bodge the fix and hole is bigger that 14.5mm?

Thanks.

WA

I am no expert but I would expect the smaller the hole the better but I would expect a warning light or two to come on if the hole was blocked completely.

I would like to know how large the hole was on 04 and 05 models; certainly it was smaller than 9mm so in theory you could just buy a new gasket for a 04 vRS! It

[backpacker]

Providing the engine code is a BLT, you don't need to have the vagcom readout done. The bulletin instructs all dealers to fit the gasket if a customer turns up reporting the stutter.

Although this thread concentrates on the VRS model with the BLT engine designation, the stutter also affects the 2006 Fabia 1.9TDI, in my case with the engine number in the form AXR******ATD .

The more I read about the experiences of forum members and see the attempts by Skoda to claim the stutter is a "phenomenon" rather than a fault, I wonder when Trading Standards Department will require Skoda dealers to make a declaration of the feature to all prospective customers. Better still, should they not include the stutter as part of the specification in the sales brochure.

I can

[Kerry]

I have just read the bulletin and it looks like the 'fix' is a 'bodge' in that the dealer has to take an existing gasket and drill it out to 14.5mm.

I wonder if someone could answer the following questions please?

What is the original sized hole in the gasket?

What happens if this gasket is blocked off altogether?

Where do the dealers get a 14.5mm drill bit from?

What happens if the dealers bodge the fix and hole is bigger that 14.5mm?

Thanks.

WA

Original hole is the full size of the orifice of the EGR valve; probably 20 to 25mm i.e. no restricion to flow at all.

Block it off altogether and there will be no EGR and probably the car will be fine apart from high NOx emissions. There may be some sensor for monitoring EGR which could record a fault and put the engine warning light on, but I don't know.

The gasket I was shown was a complete bodge job; I could see teeth marks from where it had been held in a vice; there were folds in the metal where it had clearly been bent over 90 degrees with some idiot pushing a Black & Decker against it for all he was worth before trying to bend it back straight again. It wasn't de-burred and was about as dimensionally accurate as a dog's ar5ehole.

Third largest car manufacturer in the world - you'd get better engineering in a third-world scrap yard!