I guess it depends what they mean by usability! Does this mean that all future Skoda's will come equipped with a stutter too?

Chris

I gather from other sources that the fix has gone as far as SUK can go so the reduced stutter is now I guess a standard feature, its a bit like the DPF on the Superbs, you are expected to live with it until the warranty runs out then get the car tuned to get rid of it, not really a very satisfactory approach by Skoda.

They can blame it on the new emission laws but Im guessing they have known about those for a few years & with R&D facilities that the VAG group have surely they should have done better, Interesting how the Europeans have been developing diesels for years yet the Japanese who are fairly new to Diesels seem not to be having the same problems !!

Its about time Skoda woke up to the fact that they are loosing customers, something they can little afford to do. Its only decent to warn other people of a cars shortfalls to stop them being caught in the same trap as we have been.

I guess it looks like it. It doesn't bother me that much as I don't think mine was as bad and it has improved but I couldn't help thinking about replying to the email and saying it's a shame but as you feel you can no longer help I will not be recommending a Fabia vrs to any of the people that have been in my car and love it, and I wont be buying another Skoda

I share your view. The stutter is a factory fitted fault which Skoda prefer to refer to as a "phenomenon", this apparently helps their corporate conscience but leaves many Fabia owners with a faulty car and no hope of a solution to their problem.

As a three Skoda family we will be looking elsewhere when replacing cars in the future. Once bitten.............

I share your view. The stutter is a factory fitted fault which Skoda prefer to refer to as a "phenomenon", this apparently helps their corporate conscience but leaves many Fabia owners with a faulty car and no hope of a solution to their problem.

As a three Skoda family we will be looking elsewhere when replacing cars in the future. Once bitten.............

Like you we are currently running 3 Skodas, its such a shame they seem to act the way they do and yes we will be looking elsewhere next year when we start renewing the fleet, Im afraid it might be Japan again for the work hacks, characterless but they do everything expected of them.

To add with all the faults, its not a phenomenon, its a design error !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & could be designed out, its probably not cost effective & with the new Fabia & Superb on the way they are hoping to tease us through to the end of the warranty period & then hope we go quietly, I WONT BE !!!!

They will be loosing me as a customer too... not because I have the stutter, but I do have a fault that they refuse to fix under warranty.... ANOTHER custome lost Skoda.... bloody listen!

And one more lost customer - I was on the point of ordering a Fabia vRS when I came across this thread which I have followed for the past couple of months. Skoda's response in dealing with this problem is clearly unacceptable, so I am now Toyota or Mazda bound.

What I cannot understand is if the remappers can do away with the stutter, why can't Skoda? OK - so they are probably turning off the EGR valve, but I cannot believe that Skoda technical staff can't do something similar. Either that or they should allow us to have remaps and keep the warranty.

Because remappers don't care about Euro IV compliance?? :confused:

Chris

Because remappers don't care about Euro IV compliance?? :confused:

Chris

Perhaps they do !!

Aparently if you remove the DPF from the Superb & remap it you will get better mpg & you can also use enviromentally friendly Bio Diesel.

The new generation diesels which meet the latest Eurocrats codes with the addition of a DPF cant run on Bio Diesel as it clogs the filter so we have to stick to good old heavily poluting Diesel !!

Now I wonder how many millions some think tank of failed civil servants were paid to come up with that gem of legislation !!

Now our esteemed chancellor is promising tax incentives to use cleaner fuel, its a shame his bungling burocrats have made that impossible for many people buying new diesels

This could be the first time people have been trying to make their car look older than it actually is come resale time as I cannot believe that an informed buyer is going to pick an 06 or 56 car over an 05 or 55 car now.

Mines booked in for the new year for it's st.. stutter. Dealer says there's no guarentee it will work, but will have no detrimental effects if it doesn't work

all in all if you drivr it over 2k revs which is where the power is anyway you will never get the stutter, mine has got better as the car has losened up and overall you still cant beat value for money anywhere, + other things like a larger windscreen washer reservoir has been sorted out on the newer models which is good, colour coded door handles etc, plus the stutter isnt dangerous and having owned an 04, 54 and now 56 plate car I still think out of the 8 or so cars Ive owned (More recently a Clio 172, smart roadster and 307) its definately the best and suits its purpose and a reliable cheap but relatively fast and fun car to drive I dont know why people are put off so badly, try driving a 172 with a loud knocking noise coming from the engine bay everytime you accellerate relatively hard and being told thats a feature...!!! bye bye 172!!!

I think this stutter is being blown way out of proportion, if id paid 20K for the car on the other hand i may be a bit more annoyed, but for aroun 12-14k its great.... Don't want to start an argument its just my humble opinion, id definately buy another vRS, and just get it remaped... rant over... LOL!

all in all if you drive it over 2k revs which is where the power is anyway you will never get the stutter, mine has got better as the car has losened up

So to avoid dropping under 2000rpm you must shift at something like 4000rpm? I think you would have to accept that you have a very unusual driving style.

and overall you still cant beat value for money anywhere, + other things like a larger windscreen washer reservoir has been sorted out on the newer models which is good, colour coded door handles etc,

I don't want to be negative, but these points are irrelevant.

plus the stutter isnt dangerous

I'm not so sure. A car that isn't guaranteed to pull without significant hesitation sounds a bit dodgy to me. I can only think you have not actually experienced the stutter because dangerous or not, it is extremely annoying and why should I drive a car that annoys me?

and having owned an 04, 54 and now 56 plate car I still think out of the 8 or so cars Ive owned (More recently a Clio 172, smart roadster and 307) its definately the best and suits its purpose and a reliable cheap but relatively fast and fun car to drive I dont know why people are put off so badly, try driving a 172 with a loud knocking noise coming from the engine bay everytime you accellerate relatively hard and being told thats a feature...!!! bye bye 172!!!

That's a lot of cars in a very short time by my estimation. Do you work in the motor trade?

I think this stutter is being blown way out of proportion, if id paid 20K for the car on the other hand i may be a bit more annoyed, but for aroun 12-14k its great....

I disagree. I think most of the problem lies in Skoda UK's attitude to the problem. The car's are not honestly sold at the moment by the dealers. They have a known issue/phenomenon and the dealers should be required to give all prospective owners a copy of the technical brief.

Don't want to start an argument its just my humble opinion, id definately buy another vRS, and just get it remaped... rant over... LOL!

I would love to have my car remapped, but if I do that Skoda UK will void my warranty, not that it's worth a great deal anyway. SEAT dealers are allowed to offer a remap - so why not Skoda dealers? If Skoda UK offered an aftermarket remap that didn't void your warranty, but cured the stutter, I reckon they would get a lot of takers.

So to avoid dropping under 2000rpm you must shift at something like 4000rpm? I think you would have to accept that you have a very unusual driving style.

Why unusual? For safety reasons I like to be in the power band when I am engaging a gear for obvious reasons, and about 3.5K revs will do it, just change gear more quickly... LOL!

I don't want to be negative, but these points are irrelevant.

Of course they are, in my opinion the amandments made by skoda to the fabia far outweigh the stutter issues.

I'm not so sure. A car that isn't guaranteed to pull without significant hesitation sounds a bit dodgy to me. I can only think you have not actually experienced the stutter because dangerous or not, it is extremely annoying and why should I drive a car that annoys me?

The hesitation is tiny and not in the power band, so I dont know what the problem is, you aren't expecting to get any power anyway at those revs (approx 1.8K)when trying to accelerate... are you?!

That's a lot of cars in a very short time by my estimation. Do you work in the motor trade?

No, Im a 'Chartered Surveyor' just struggled (with the exception of the tuned smart roadster bluewave which was sold to fund the new Furby) to find any car that I thought was as good for me as the vRS.

I disagree. I think most of the problem lies in Skoda UK's attitude to the problem. The car's are not honestly sold at the moment by the dealers. They have a known issue/phenomenon and the dealers should be required to give all prospective owners a copy of the technical brief.

I agree, but I still think this isse has been blown out of proportion and wouldnt stop me buying another vRS.

I would love to have my car remapped, but if I do that Skoda UK will void my warranty, not that it's worth a great deal anyway. SEAT dealers are allowed to offer a remap - so why not Skoda dealers? If Skoda UK offered an aftermarket remap that didn't void your warranty, but cured the stutter, I reckon they would get a lot of takers.

Some stealers will and some wont void the waranty, just talk to them, youve got nothing to lose, and lets hope that they introcuce an aftermarket remap oficially.

What a mess of that quote system I have made!!! Doh. Sorry.

So to avoid dropping under 2000rpm you must shift at something like 4000rpm? I think you would have to accept that you have a very unusual driving style.

Really? 4000 rpm feels like a good change point to me and sets the car up nicely for the next gear

Chris

What a mess of that quote system I have made!!! Doh. Sorry.

Well, you could edit it so it's legible and then I'll respond:P

Really? 4000 rpm feels like a good change point to me and sets the car up nicely for the next gear

Chris

30mph zone - I have to drive in 2nd gear to avoid the stutter, which isn't a huge problem

40mph - I'm still in 2nd GEAR! IT'S A BIT BUZZY IN HERE AND I'VE HAD TO TURN THE STEREO UP!

50mph - Phew, third gear again and I can hear myself - just!

60mph - 4th at last

70mph on the motorway? You must be joking!

This is a car designed to pull quite happily at 1800-2200rpm and the gearing is set to allow optimum fuel economy at the speed limits in those rev bands. That is a far more normal way to drive the car that to rev it constantly.

As for dealers that do and do not invalidate the warranty - the warranty is with Skoda UK and you are not allowed to modify the car. If you've had yours remapped then publish the registration number and watch Skoda UK pull the plug the next time you want something fixed.

Dealers that will sell you

wja96 - I get the impression that the stutter issue with your car annoys you quite substantially!?! The solution to your problem seems quite straight forward to me - sell your car and buy something different?!? There is a huge demand for well looked after vRS's and you would still get good money for her.

As Skoda owners we must realise that Skoda are well down the pecking order in the VAG group and as such have inheritted an engine form VW that has a minor design problem. Skoda could have quite easily designed a new 130bhp diesel engine that would have met EUIV emissions regulations without a 'stutter' but then the price of the car would have risen accordingly!! If Skoda had done this we as customers would have been complaining about rising prices and I'm sure some potential customers would have taken their money elsewhere.

I have an 06 vRS which suffers from the 'stutter' however I find it easy to drive around the problem and it does, in no way, effect my enjoyment of the car. At the end of the day the Skoda Fabia vRS is the best all-round car you can buy for £12,000!!

Skoda UK have obviously put a lot of time and effort in to trying to cure the problem (more than any other of the VAG group!!) and have presented the best fix they can. They have admitted that it does not 100% cure the problem but their hands are tied due to our lovely EU cousins.

If you are not happy with your car or the response from Skoda UK sell your car and take your money elsewhere!!

This is a car designed to pull quite happily at 1800-2200rpm and the gearing is set to allow optimum fuel economy at the speed limits in those rev bands. That is a far more normal way to drive the car that to rev it constantly.

Ah, I think we may be talking at cross purposes I was talking about accelerating and taking the car up to 4k rpm, rather than holding the speed at high revs. I agree, the car should be cruising between 1800-2500 so if you're hitting the stutter at these revs, then I can understand why it's frustrating you!

Chris

wja96 -

If you are not happy with your car or the response from Skoda UK sell your car and take your money elsewhere!!

My car is on a 3-year lease with servicing. I'm open to suggestions as to how I can sell my car?

...between 1800-2500 so if you're hitting the stutter at these revs, then I can understand why it's frustrating you!

Chris

Well, I don't think anyone has ever suggested the stutter is anywhere except between 1800 and 2000rpm so....

wja96 - I get the impression that the stutter issue with your car annoys you quite substantially!?! The solution to your problem seems quite straight forward to me - sell your car and buy something different?!? There is a huge demand for well looked after vRS's and you would still get good money for her.

When I ordered my car I had not seen the Briskoda site. I read on HonestJohn.co.uk that the issue was resolved. That was incorrect. The problem has got substantially worse as the mileage has crept up. I suspect that for a vRS driver I do quite a high mileage - 30,000 miles per year - which means I may have experienced the little stutter you are currently experiencing and disregarded it until it got bad enough for me to start complaining about. Maybe you'll hit my level of stuttering in 3-6 months? Maybe not.

As Skoda owners we must realise that Skoda are well down the pecking order in the VAG group and as such have inheritted an engine form VW that has a minor design problem. Skoda could have quite easily designed a new 130bhp diesel engine that would have met EUIV emissions regulations without a 'stutter' but then the price of the car would have risen accordingly!! If Skoda had done this we as customers would have been complaining about rising prices and I'm sure some potential customers would have taken their money elsewhere.

Ah! So I should have leased the SEAT IBiza or the VW Polo? Well, not the Polo because that has the same problem. So it's not so much a bottom of the pecking order issue so much as a bodge by VAG. As Skoda drivers we are not second class citizens and I think it's a bit depressing that you, even as an owner, are still a bit embarrassed about driving a Skoda and consider them to be bottom of the pecking order, which they definitely are not.

What this is doing is depressing the value of used MY06 onwards cars and putting off many potential Skoda buyers. If Skoda were honest they should make the dealers put a sign up saying 'This car may exhibit the following unusual phenomenon....'

If I had been told that then I might well have acted differently, but I wasn't. So, either they can fix it, or I'll keep complaining. What I find concerning is that they now have apparently given up trying to fix it and are apparently trying to deny there is a problem at all.

When I ordered my car I had not seen the Briskoda site. I read on HonestJohn.co.uk that the issue was resolved. That was incorrect. The problem has got substantially worse as the mileage has crept up. I suspect that for a vRS driver I do quite a high mileage - 30,000 miles per year - which means I may have experienced the little stutter you are currently experiencing and disregarded it until it got bad enough for me to start complaining about. Maybe you'll hit my level of stuttering in 3-6 months? Maybe not.

Ah! So I should have leased the SEAT IBiza or the VW Polo? Well, not the Polo because that has the same problem. So it's not so much a bottom of the pecking order issue so much as a bodge by VAG. As Skoda drivers we are not second class citizens and I think it's a bit depressing that you, even as an owner, are still a bit embarrassed about driving a Skoda and consider them to be bottom of the pecking order, which they definitely are not.

What this is doing is depressing the value of used MY06 onwards cars and putting off many potential Skoda buyers. If Skoda were honest they should make the dealers put a sign up saying 'This car may exhibit the following unusual phenomenon....'

If I had been told that then I might well have acted differently, but I wasn't. So, either they can fix it, or I'll keep complaining. What I find concerning is that they now have apparently given up trying to fix it and are apparently trying to deny there is a problem at all.

I am intrigued to know where you got the impression that I am embarassed to drive a Skoda:confused: :confused: ?? I can assure you I enjoy driving a car that is the object of amusement for other drivers, espescially when they decide to race me at the lights:D !!

Also, at no point did I imply that Skoda owners are second class citizens, maybe that's how you feel?!?

Whether you like it or not Skoda relies on VW and Audi for engines/drivetrains (as does Seat) and will not be an industry leader for technology in this field. The Tdi PD engine in the vRS was not designed to meet EUIV regulations and making it do so has caused the slight stutter. Skoda have tried everything within their power to rectify the problem but it seems this is not possible if the engine is to meet the emissions standards.

Now we have more details on your situation it seems as though you are just as annoyed with yourself for committing to a 3 year lease without doing enough research as you are with Skoda UK for the problem with your car!?!

I have an 06 which had the annoying hesitation just under 2000rpm, my dealer did the "fix" for me in November and it has never done it again since, I have tried plenty of times to recreate it. I assumed this would fix all the afflicted models yet it still exists on some cars as wja reminds us, does the fix differ from dealer to dealer and is it therefore pure luck depending where you take it or is each vehicle reacting differently to the official fix?

My 2006 Fabia 1.9TDI has had the fix, resized EGR gasket and ECU adaption, and it now stutters and hesitates worse than ever (7000 miles on clock). Why should I excuse Skoda for their poor engineering and/or design for landing me in this impossible situation?

Skoda tell me they can nothing to cure a fault which makes driving the car a very unpleasant experience. I would like to get shot of the car and am prepared to stand a very big drop in value for 10 months ownership but worry that a road test will deter any dealer who is prepared to consider a part exchange against another make.

I purchased the Fabia primarily for it's economy, so does it make sense to drive like a boy racer in an attempt to hide a fault which would not be acceptable with a