Hi all. Please bear with me as I know nothing about cars.

 

I have a 2016 Fabia.

 

On Monday it went in because the engine management light was on. I was told it needed a new turbo actuator.

 

Very long story short, it’s still there. Garage (good one as far as I know, but not a Skoda dealership) told me they couldn’t ’code in’ the new actuator. They took it to local Skoda garage on Weds but they couldn’t do it either. All concluded the new actuator supplied by Skoda was faulty and so they had a new one delivered, but they still couldn’t get it going.

 

Local Skoda dealership have told them the whole turbo charger (i.e. the entire thing) needs replacing. They apparently told the garage they’ve come across this before i.e. system is showing a fault (something - turbo arm I think they said - was showing as stuck, but they’ve had it out of the car and it is working fine), and to get round it the only way was to replace the entire turbo charger.

 

The job was £450 with actuator. Now it’s £1,200.

 

Does anybody have any ideas about this and whether there is anything they could try? What should I do? I’m told it won’t pass MOT because engine management light is on, and MOT Is due any time now for tax at the end of the month.

 

Many thanks for any help 🤞

 

EDIT TO ADD: Having spoken to a friend who knows more than me, it sounds as though what they must actually be saying is that they can’t clear the fault code (which suggests that the turbo arm is stuck), even though the fault reported is not actually a fault.

Edited 9 August, 20241 yr by FabiaEstate06

Hello, welcome to the forum.

I'm wondering if the original fault was the variable vanes being jammed in the turbo - not the actuator itself.

I'd suggest asking whoever is currently working on vehicle for full findings of fault investigations. 

Many thanks, @Warrior193.

 

I’ll ask for that. If that was the original issue, would that have required replacement of the whole turbo charger? If it needed doing then I realise I’ll have to mentally accept it, but that’s difficult when the whole thing seems to be mired in mystery as it is.

Can you confirm the engine model - is it, as I think, the 1.9 PD? Engine code is listed as a series of letters in front of the engine number on your V5 document, it may also be listed as a 3 or 4 letter code on the B pillar plate.

I have seen references for method of freeing-up stuck vanes - although not sure if that is something a dealer is willing to try. A turbo specialist might.  

A 2016 Fabia. 

So what engine are we talking in a Mk3 Fabia?  Petrol or diesel, 1.2 TSI or 1.4 TDI.

 it is not a 1.9PD.

13 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

A 2016 Fabia. 

So what engine are we talking in a Mk3 Fabia?  Petrol or diesel, 1.2 TSI or 1.4 TDI.

 it is not a 1.9PD.

OP says 1.9TDI in vehicle info section.

@Warrior193 Yes, there are posts about that from 2011, an Elegance estate.

Hi all, and thanks for helping.

 

Apologies for the confusion. The info in the vehicle info section was about my last car, which was an estate. I’ll get out the registration document and find out which engine this one has. It is petrol, btw.

If it has a turbo and 2016 it will be a 1.2 TSI of what ever power.

No Turbo with a MPI.

I have direct experience of the this fault with family members. Cousin has a Seat Ibiza 1.2TSI 2017, actuator fault while still under warranty required turbo replacing as well. Same fault recurred a few years later when the car was out of warranty. Partners sister has a 2017 1.2 TSI actuator and turbo replaced under extended warranty when 4 years old. Both these Fabias are low mileage, typically 3,000 miles per year driven gently, short journeys, never rev’d hard. I believe that is a factor and a weakness with this engine. We have a 2015 1.2 TSI similar annual mileage - two key differences always use Shell V Power petrol and it is driven faster.

My 2015 1.2TSI is having the actuator replaced at a local garage this week, quoted £400+ 😕 Car went into limp mode, with check engine and ECP lights. I have basic ability to scan codes at home, so knew this was the issue - but what a pricey item.

Car has 98k miles, is looked after and not driven hard.

Is it just my experience (BMW and a couple of Vauxhalls) but cars don't seem to last these days.

Cars like Fabia Mk3 (and many others) aren't (really) built for the use that many owners give them, frequent very short journeys (less than say 15-20 miles), driving very gently often in a way to get high mpg (but not necessarily overall fuel efficiency) which puts more wear on some components, parts and systems. Low and very low mileage isn't as good for some things on the car that many think it would be.

Then there's lack of full and proper servicing of the whole car which needs to match the use of the car rather than the very general VWŠkoda advertised schedules that are designed for marketing purposes rather than car, components and parts longevity. Engine oil choice and changing it when required is important especially with turbos added to engines.

Following on from what thamestrader has put the Italian tune-up blowout runs and use of fuels with higher cleaner additive packages is often required with the use of some cars to help prevent issues.

Also yes cars and their parts and components are designed and built to often not last as long as they used to - and the quality of some VW parts isn't as high as it might have been say 20 years ago.

Edited 18 February18 Feb by nta16
ETA: (really)

you make some good points nta16. I don't do much work on my cars, but I do good quality oil changes about 6k miles or so. The Rapid sees a good mix of driving, short/long, and was looked after well, til in the last few months a teenage learner got access 😒

Provided the 6k-miles isn't over say two years that's a a better policy than leaving things too long especially if the oil change is just a quick suck out affair. The mix of driving is a good thing. As for the teenage leaner that depends on them and how well they've been taught.

10 years old if I was keeping the car I'd changed the "lifetime" coolant and if a manual gearbox the oil in that too (the DSG would be part of regular servicing or need before now I'd guess, I forget). Actually I changed the coolant and g/box oil well before 10 years on my wife's 2015 Fabia 5-speed manual.

Škoda being VW is basically German, BMW (and Merc) are German and the quality days finished say around 2005 (earlier for Merc) so they're all about the same I doubt BMW would be much better and as my wife's previous car was a (GM) Vauxhall I know they're not always that good from personal experience.

Toyota and Honda aren't as good as they were a few years back, and Nissan, well say no more, Mazda holding up but generally, I've never understood the German marques being rated so well other than badge snobbery, good marketing and out of date reputations. Consumers are slowly catching on and this will greatly accelerate with the newer models and their reliabilities being experienced and known about. But perhaps I'll be proven wrong.

7 hours ago, pilotwhite said:

actuator

7 hours ago, pilotwhite said:

not driven hard

Actuators are like muscles, use them or loose them.

Thanks. AG Falco

4 hours ago, nta16 said:

BMW (and Merc) are German

BMW presently make cars in 31 factories, in 15 country's ( including the UK ) on 5 continents,

With the largest manufacturing factory being Dingolfing in China.

Thanks. AG Falco

Yes similar to many, many companies and car companies but it's still a German company run in and with German ways, the CEO could be from Mars and he'd still not change it, at least mot overnight. I'm not against German cars per se they used to be quite decent cars many years back, not my cup of Darjeeling but many wanted the BMW badge, other than removing some numbers and letters off the boot to try to make out it was a better variant than it was actually was. 😄

Not to be left out many Beastie Boys fans wanted the VW badge. 😄

Marque loyalty is often blind, particularly when wanting to get shot of the car. 😄

On 09/08/2024 at 12:35, FabiaEstate06 said:

EDIT TO ADD: Having spoken to a friend who knows more than me, it sounds as though what they must actually be saying is that they can’t clear the fault code (which suggests that the turbo arm is stuck), even though the fault reported is not actually a fault.

If the arm is stuck could it perhaps be loosen out to work or replaced - I can't remember the details now but there are threads in this section where members replaced the actuator arm for some reason, of course if your issue is more than the actuator arm then that is a different matter.

At £1,200 I would get a second opinion and quote from an independent garage, perhaps even a VW specialist independent or a motorsport garage as they can often know more and be still reasonably priced.

Good luck.

There is a repair kit for the actuator arm for the Mk3 - it seems that there were sufficient failures to warrant making a repair kit.

I had SWMBOs Fabia (2018 1.0TSI, CHZC) actuator arm replaced last year - symptoms were MIL & EPC lights on, engine occasionally going into limp mode on hard acceleration.

No issues following actuator arm replacement.

Edited 19 February19 Feb by Warrior193
added information

The resolve of replacing the actuator failed as it couldn't be 'coded' in, a programming issue which has the suggested resolve of replacing the turbo charger (which I assume must be easier to 'code in) because when the turbo arm was out of the car it works fine but when it was n the car yet when in the car the computer shows a fault.

Whose right, whose wrong, garages, computer, working the scan tools, . . . ???

1 hour ago, Warrior193 said:

There is a repair kit for the actuator arm for the Mk3 - it seems that there were sufficient failures to warrant making a repair kit.

Yes, when the resolve is at the cost of the manufacturer an inexpensive resolve is but if at customers' then expensive parts and labour are the order of the day.

Well - £446 later, car is back. Turbo actuator replaced, plus scanning, plus coding it in to pair up with the turbo. The old one was quite corroded. 😑

That's over 800 quid since Christmas.. just on one car... 🤑

On 18/02/2026 at 12:47, nta16 said:

Following on from what thamestrader has put the Italian tune-up blowout runs and use of fuels with higher cleaner additive packages is often required with the use of some cars to help prevent issues.

@nta16 picking up on your quoting my post in August 2024. our 2021 Fabia, now approaching 21,500 miles does seem to be benefitting from only using V-Power fuel and the 70 mph MK dual carriage way grid road system giving the engine a bit of a work out. My partner also religiously follows the advice of our local independent garageman, that has serviced her cars for over 20 years, to let the engine idle for 20 seconds before switching off so that the turbo is lubricated while it spools down.

I'm sure other brand premium fuel would be just as good but I get 3p litre off through the combination of the Shell App and RAC membership!

People have forgotten or never taught how to run their cars for longer ownership than a year or three of lease/hire or 'poor' pensioner having a brand new car every year (when back from their holidays abroad in their second homes). 😁

My rules are not to turn the ignition to first setting to check the dash warning lights and put my seatbelt on listening for any noises and/or smells all electrics other than perhaps safety items switched off, including the to some essentials of , phone, radio, TwatNav, etc.. After that start the engine, listen, look and smell if required after about 20 seconds of that check to pull away.

Next rule, turn off ALL electrics bar any safety items, a quick look, listen, perhaps smell before turning the engine off.

As you put if turbo has been worked a measured 20-30 seconds before turning engine off after pulling up / parking. The Fabia never has been but if the turbo has been worked very hard and/or engine is hot(ter) (by engine oil temperature not coolant gauge) then I would leave it 30-60 seconds. That might not be fully necessary for the turbo but it won't hurt. cooling the engine a very little too possibly.

I was a regular user of the higher octane (lower ethanol, or none) petrols with their additional cleaners additive packages and now my wife has seen the benefit of at least occasional use but that is still good but limited effects on these direct injection engines. However as you confirmed when used with regular 70 mph longer runs (particularly if not in top one or two gear(s)) it will help the injectors and engine.

21,500 miles in 4 to 5 years, say average annual mileage of 4-5k miles without some blow-out runs would be pretty clogging to the engine. Milton Keynes itself doesn't have very long stretches of dual-carriageways so an occasional blow-out run from junction 13 or 14 to 15 of the M1 and back might be better and further still better still - and its not like the M1 isn't often traffic free there. 😄

Just earlier this afternoon my wife and I were discussing the need for driving at higher revs with modern cars as she likes to be in 5th (or 6th) at about 35 mph forgetting the car's not a 4l V8 automatic, when she had other cars she always said they drove better if I'd been driving them any distance, that was because I did keep the rev counter needle at tick over position most of the drive like her. Modern cars you can drive quick but not fast as their performance is well above national speed limits, well with just driver or one passenger at least for "smaller" engines - we're used to 700cc or below cars and being asked if they could be used on the motorways. 😆

@nta16 it’s a 2015 Fabia, so it’s approx 2000 miles a year. My partner doesn’t like changing her cars. In 40 years of driving this is only her 3rd car. We still own the first car (a 1983 Metro with 36,500 on the clock, still on the road taxed and mot’d but not in regular use). I run my cars to at least 100,000 miles, usually to around 150,000 miles, regular maintenance by a good trusted garage/mechanic is, as you say, the key to reliable low cost car ownership.