My Skoda Mk 3, Damian as I know it, has basically been a disaster since my wife bought it against my wishes. After all sorts of issues were fixed it scanned with zero errors and I hoped the worst of it was over. Anyways she went away with her sister at the weekend past and I have another string of errors. She locked the keys in the boot and the lid trapped the key ring. Can't fault Skoda security as it took locksmith 7 hours to pick the lock, needless to say I was 2 hours 45 minutes into the 3 hour rescue mission when he got it picked. The guy had to use a balloon type contraption to open the boot a bit to get the key ring out.

When I drove the car the next day I noticed the engine management light and she said she thinks it came on before the keys were locked in the car but she isn't sure. Anyways there are a large number of faults now and another symptom is the alarm was going off randomly before she went away and now a single fog light is on when idling despite the fog lights being off and they both come on when turned on. I cleared the codes but they all came back after around 3 start stop cycles. I'm guessing it is some electrical problem and perhaps caused by some kind of parasitic drain may from a faulty BCM or similar or hopefully just a duff battery. Here all all the codes attached, I named the files so ignore that. I think I have spend more repairing this car after travelling about 1000 miles than I have all my other cars combined in the last 200000 miles


 

basic setting.pdf battery.pdf key.pdf air qual.pdf glow.pdf

I suggest getting the battery tested first, especially on a proper load.

Do you know if DPF regens are being completed fully?

Electrical gremlins on these cars are often caused by a failing battery.  As above get it tested and not just by a guy with a multimeter when the car is off.  Check it off load, engine running, just after running, a while after running at a few points in time.  Basically try to get an understanding on how it charges and then how it recovers.  If it's the original battery then 10 years is a long time for a modern car with stop start.

The battery feels a bit weak when starting the car and it is original to the car so ten years and 100K old. Might be best just to replace the battery myself and see what faults remain. I'll get that done and take it from there

49 minutes ago, wookie67070 said:

The battery feels a bit weak when starting the car and it is original to the car so ten years and 100K old. Might be best just to replace the battery myself and see what faults remain. I'll get that done and take it from there

Yep best bet, I take it you know the things you need to change in vcds etc to “code” it in?

 

Entirely up to you but get Varta A7 if you have AGM and if you want to 

 

This is what I’ll be getting, my car needs a new one imminently 

Edited 18 June, 20241 yr by Danoid

42 minutes ago, Danoid said:

Yep best bet, I take it you know the things you need to change in vcds etc to “code” it in?

 

Entirely up to you but get Varta A7 if you have AGM and if you want to 

 

This is what I’ll be getting, my car needs a new one imminently 

Varta was what I read was best and the current one is AGM. I'll read up about what codes to change. Thanks

3 hours ago, wookie67070 said:

it is original to the car so ten years

If you're car is 10 years old, it can't be a Mk3 but it's a Mk2.

Most fault codes will probably be similar, but some of them might be specific to Mk2.

12 minutes ago, Bap33 said:

If you're car is 10 years old, it can't be a Mk3 but it's a Mk2.

Most fault codes will probably be similar, but some of them might be specific to Mk2.

It is 8 years old. Sorry I'm recovering from a wee op yesterday so wasn't thinking too hard. I have both a Mk2 and Mk3. The Mk 2 has been brilliant and the Mk 3 an absolute nightmare. I'm going to order a new battery and take it from there.

I had our OE battery replaced when it finally died in October with a RAC branded Varta Silver Dynamic AGM 570 901 076 battery. Very slightly more powerful but at least it should be fine for the next few years.

19 hours ago, numskull said:

I had our OE battery replaced when it finally died in October with a RAC branded Varta Silver Dynamic AGM 570 901 076 battery. Very slightly more powerful but at least it should be fine for the next few years.

I find it odd that’s it’s only 70ah, my father in laws Audi a4 2014 150tdi battery is 95ah and has less features, wish our superbs had that

1 minute ago, Danoid said:

I find it odd that’s it’s only 70ah, my father in laws Audi a4 2014 150tdi battery is 95ah and has less features, wish our superbs had that

The one in the car is 68Ah

1 hour ago, wookie67070 said:

The one in the car is 68Ah

Yeah but replacements are all 70ah, just not sure why they put a smaller battery in at least compared to an Audi, cheap skates and worst of all can’t easily upgrade to a bigger one because of battery tray.

 

In the a4 the battery is in the boot so Audi probably thought fit biggest you can

New battery fitted, dash predictably lit up like a Christmas Tree. Took it for a drive and most codes disappeared as the ABS sensor got read. The engine management stayed on so I cleared that again and took another run round the block and it hasn't came back. Hopefully that will be that but it cam back the last time after a few runs so not out the woods yet. No doubt the battery was not performing though as starting is much easier so it was a worthwhile task regardless and I hope that bugger Damian appreciates another £100 odd quid being invested into it.

5 hours ago, Danoid said:

I find it odd that’s it’s only 70ah, my father in laws Audi a4 2014 150tdi battery is 95ah and has less features, wish our superbs had that

Yeah, that’ll probably be because the diesel needs more cranking umph due to the high CR than a petrol so little, if anything, to do with price. Just like tyres, manufacturers pay a fixed rock-bottom price for all specs of batteries. 

8 minutes ago, numskull said:

Yeah, that’ll probably be because the diesel needs more cranking umph due to the high CR than a petrol so little, if anything, to do with price. Just like tyres, manufacturers pay a fixed rock-bottom price for all specs of batteries. 

I’ve got a diseasel too and only 68ah (original battery still), must admit I’m not great with electrics so can’t quantify if 27ah difference is huge or negligible, but my superb has more electronic gizmo’s than his a4

Glow plug code back up after 3 or 4 starts. That will be another visit to the garage who should be very familiar with it. About 5 visits in the 3 months or so we have owned it. Hopefully just the glow plug but knowing Damian it will likely be a longer and more expensive story

Glow plug number 2 replaced and car has no warning lights again. I think the garage was at it charging 2 hours labour to change plug and do diagnostics when I told them all I wanted doing was plug 2 changed