I've just bought my daughter a 2016 1.2 Fabia SE Estate and was a bit miffed to find out it only has a speed limiter rather than Cruise control.  The dealer (not Skoda) I bought it from assured me it did have cruise control.  I'd asked because it wasn't in the advert.  He went out and looked in the car and obviously saw the 'Set' and Resume' buttons and jumped to the wrong conclusion.  It was only verbal and the car is otherwise perfect with DSG and only 32,000 miles Skoda history and drives like a dream so I won't make a fuss. 

 

I'm thinking I might add it myself since I have VCDS and used to be in the motor trade.  I have read a lot of the threads here but a lot are old so I was hoping someone could give me an idea if the correct new stalk/loom is still available these days  On a VCDS scan this morning I have the 6C0 937 089 C BCM which I believe supports cruise control but does anyone know if the stalk and loom (if necessary) is still available?  Secondly, I will be fine with the coding changes but I'm not sure about the activation code only available from Skoda if it needs one for a stalk-only change.  Can anyone clear this up for me.  I don't mind an aftermarket switch from reliable source.  Thanks for any clues anyone has!

I've found what seems to be a genuine cruise control kit for £160 0n ebay.  I live in Cornwall and my daughter lives near Reading so won't see the car again until my daughter visits at Christmas.  It might be that she isn't that bothered and doesn't want the cruise control fitted but I will update this thread on how the job goes if I do end up fitting it.  I did a couple of minor tweaks with VCDS while the car was here to delete the loud 'key left in the ignition' alarm and to dial down the reverse sensor beeps from 5 to 2.  Our whole family hates loud and often unnecessary beeps!  

 

I really the car so far and so does my daughter.  I have never driven a car with DSG and I find it really impressive.  I'm not a fan of 3 cylinder engines so I'm happier with this slightly older 4 cylinder 1.2 109 BHP turbo version.  I can hear a very brief rattle first thing from the timing chain/tensioner before it gets full oil pressure I would guess.  I know timing chains can cause problems on these cars and others with timing chains and hydraulic tensioners so I'd be interested to hear if anyone else hears this noise first thing and from anyone who knows this model and thinks I should be replacing the chain soon or am I ok to wait until it begins to get noisy at idle as you might with say, a Nissan Micra or similar engine.    

Edited 11 October, 20241 yr by Rheumy

The cold start small noises, yes, my wife's August 2015 Polo with 51,000 miles has that - but I think that is just "the way it is" before the oil pressure is up to normal level.  They have a timing belt - but a long life timing belt.

 

In general I find this 1.2TSI 110PS engine to be a good choice for this size/weight of car, powerful enough not to make driving a chore and economic enough to be cheap to run, only one issue that I have using a car with an engine that gets lots of miles out of a gallon, and that is, it completely destroys my liking to drive my other car in a spirited manner!

 

Going back to the cruise control retrofit thing, there are at least a couple of companies that provide cabling and if necessary hardware (not that you probably need the hardware) to retrofit cruise control, one being Kufatec and the other being Carsystems, I have not checked if either supply cabling for your car though, I have bought cabling from Kufatec via what was their UK agent for another task on my 2011 Audi S4.

Thanks for the reply. 👍  I'll see how she gets on with it for the next couple of months before buying any parts.  I've got a queue of family cars to fix now including a new head and camshaft (gear driven) on my VW Transporter T5, a clutch master cylinder on my wife's Yaris, brake shoes on my caravan and I need to sell my daughter's old car!  Keeps me nice and busy in my retirement I suppose. 😏

Yes, messing with cars helps keep you fit and active, including your brain!

 

I've just carried out a "suspension refresh" on my wife's August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 11OPS SEL, my logic being, that car is now 9 years old and run 50,000 miles, so as I've run a 2002 Polo from new and a 2009 Ibiza for a few years, it was also bought new by my older daughter, and it and the Polo disgraced themselves at a busy time by ending up with a broken front spring, AND a broken rear spring, the rear springs were only spotted at MOT time, so I re-claimed the Polo and sorted it out and got it back in the VW garage for retesting that same day, the Ibiza got fixed by the MOT garage - all of that happened well within the 9 years 50,000 miles period, so I just felt the need to not be inconvenienced by that again!

 

Two annoying issues during carrying out that work, first the LHS strut nuts were almost impossible to remove, slivers of metal coming off with the lower threaded sleeve, the top nut was just a fight all the way - VW dealership had changed a top mounting under warranty so rattle gun probably used a lot - that car also suffered a head "dropping off" one of the subframe bolts on that side, again an area visited by that VW dealership workshop during warranty! Professionals my bottom!

The second annoying thing was, I was working to a tight time schedule and when I went to refit the front brake pipe into its holder bracket on the new LHS strut - it would not fit, the hole in these new Sachs aftermarket struts are about 0.5mm smaller than the factory fitted ones - I didn't have that issue back in maybe 2017 when I replaced the same struts on the 2009 Ibiza - very annoying, first one took a while to sort out as I was only using a file, the second side I used a Dremel sort of thing on the bracket after cleaning up the brake hose metal sleeve.

I'm happily retired now but I worked for a garage for ten years on leaving school then did 36 years as a mobile mechanic so I know how you feel when someone else has been there before you and mangled something or aftermarket parts don't fit.  I was always working around rain too.  And I worked on my own so it was always down to me if anything went awry.  I did know a few garages who I used to help out wherever I could so I could always borrow a king sized spring compressor, weird spanner or any cam setting tools I didn't already have.   I must say, I don't miss it though, 46 years was enough! 😄 

Edited 14 October, 20241 yr by Rheumy

You'll be keeping your hand in with buying her a 2016 VWŠkoda Fabia Mk3, what on earth did she do to upset you. 😆

 

You might find some build and parts quality differences between 2012 and 2016.  As a start/stop your daughter is best keeping an eye on the state of charge (and health) of the 12v battery as it's easy to miss the battery getting to low for the computers and some ignore the signs until literally the "idiot" lights and warnings appears and then carry on because the lights seem bright enough and the engine starts -"so it can't be the battery" .  Get your daughter to buy an appropriate battery charge, read the car's Owner's Manual and charger instructions and when required do preventative recharges using the appropriate charger.  Or buy a new battery, fit it and code it as soon as possible and then as often as required.  Unless you've already taught your daughter all this, then get her looking after your car for payback time, 😁

 

Good luck.  In case you don't know there's a 'Diagnostics & VCDS' section to this site (and of course 'Škoda Roomster' section).  In the 'Škoda Fabia' is a 'Skoda Fabia Guides' forum, if you've not seen it it may or may not have a more recent guide to cruise control installation, same with 'coding' perhaps in the VCDS forum (I'd not know as personally I'd not want cruise control or to add anymore complications and potential faults(?) than it already has to my wife's 2015).

 

Some of the following links might be helpful to you and/or your daughter.  All the best to you both.

 

Diagnostics & VCDS section. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/23-diagnostics-amp-vcds/

 

Škoda Roomster section. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/172-škoda-roomster/

 

'Skoda Fabia Guides' forum. - https://www.briskoda.net/forums/forum/167-skoda-fabia-guides/

 

Škoda Owner's Manuals, free VWŠkoda pdf downloads. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Update portal. - https://updateportal.skoda-auto.com/

 

Škoda Recall Campaigns (well the few VW admit to) there was one for "battery management that might (or might not) apply to your daughter's 2016, recall 97UC IIRC. - https://www.skoda-auto.com/services/recall-campaigns

 

The quality looks similar to other small VAG cars of the year to me.  I've only ever driven a few Skoda's but I really like this one.  It drove well and I was surprised how well it went once the turbo kicked in.  Thanks for the links, very useful!  On a big site like this it's not always easy to find things unless you really know where to look. 

 

Re the stop/start - I accompanied my daughter on a long drive so she could see how got on with it before driving back from Cornwall to Berkshire so that I could help with the various and very different controls after having her little Yaris for 15 years (it's still going!)   We only had one one 'event' where she went to pull out of a junction at the top of a hill with poor visibility and it 'stalled' instead of nipping smartly out.  She is going to try it until December and I will disable it if she hasn't got on with it.  Personally I think it borders on dangerous when combined with automatic transmission.  I couldn't see a battery change listed in the service records but it may have been changed by the AA or other breakdown service and not be included in the history.  I didn't notice if the battery was an obvious aftermarket one although I wasn't really checking.   If it is the original, it's probably due to fail soon! 😏

I'm, as you can imagine, quite unusual her in that I've never liked VW products (except perhaps a Mk1Golf GTi) or generally the other German marques.  All have been of diminishing quality from last century/millennium.  Audis of the 70s, 80, 90s were like the SAAB and Volvos of the time better quality marques and products but from the original TT a club member had that was with the manufacturer most of the first 18 months of his ownership while they sorted the various problems with the model I was put off them.  A former neighbour that dealt with cars and later picked up various cars told me (modern) Audis were the best to drive but you'd not want one out of warranty (only 3 years unlike some "cheaper" manufacturers that offer 7 (same as VW in Australia apparently).  And seeing a modern Bentley under the skin, all the VAG markings on lots of VAG plastic.

 

The MK3 Fabia isn't a bad car and one or two up my wife's 1.2 4-pot turbo engine goes very well engine wise despite .  .  . deleted the list of faults on my wife's 2015 as some or perhaps even all of them might not apply, I'll keep positive.

 

With the start/stop I was thinking more of battery and following Xmas tree dash warning lights (despite the headlights seeming bright enough and engine starting OK).  I don't know about the DSG box ,not something that ever appealed to me, but you might as well have it particularly with the more modern models with eco settings and 6 (and 7 or more) gears, even on manual boxes.  I drive a neighbour's 2023 Ren-No! Nissan Cashcow with 6-speed manual and the computers on that have the same fault of stalling instead of nippy, whether it's the electronic handbrake with Hold to clutch pedal on start/stop computer programs that makes things too complicated when combined for the computer programs I don't know but with the front and lane "assists" after the roundabout on a clear-ish dual-carriageway there was a hesitation before full acceleration kicked in.  All the computer programs and driver "aids" and "assists" act like a very nervous passenger that can suddenly cry out, often unnecessary or spurious, warnings, or taking over the steering, and brakes from the driver (or now more and more like passenger-behind-the-steering-wheel instead of driver).

 

Until a couple of years ago for the previous 16 years my one and only "everyday" car was a 1973 MG Midget and for 30+ years years I owned and drove various (British) "classic" (over-priced, over-valued, old) cars for work, commuting (300 and 500 miles a week for many months one time), holidays in UK and some bits of Europe, and car club events, so I'm not usual type of owner.  I never had any problems with my new and s/h Japanese cars.  My wife's mum had a VW (Golf Mk2, start of  them being lardy) and mates have had a few VWs (and BMWs and Mercs) - I suffered enough with the old (and new or new-ish) British cars not to need to get any German ones (unless you count smart before Daimler-Benz set up down the road from here in 2000)  BMW nicked the idea of boutique selling, at their snotty Dealerships, and later Fiat stealing the smart interior styling for the reissue of the 500 (both, even more, BIG heavy cars now).

 

You can also disable the start/stop by disconnecting the connector on the negative battery terminal, which might also help the battery.  Even if the battery is original you might extended its reliable service use by using an appropriate battery charger maintainer to, fully, recharge it, best with 2, 3, or 4-amp charger so lower and slower to go deeper and longer.  I've done it many times, even recently but going back over decades, for friends and mainly neighbours.  As you know the 12v battery is one of, if not the most, oversold car parts, often prematurely or very prematurely and involved in the number one cause of breakdown call outs.

 

Original battery if same as in my wife's 2015 could be a Moll (EFB), entered at factory as JCB, serial number as 1111111111 (ten ones, as many other owners have same), 59Ah, I forget what CCA number and test type. 

 

I'd never swap a Toyota for a VAG but I doubt if even a new Yaris would be as reliable and long lasting as 15 years ago.

 

BTW I'm not an expert in anything and non-mechanical and only worked in the motor trade for two weeks as I couldn't stand the way they treated their customers (like something with a strong smell they'd just trodden in) particularly the "service" manager.

 

Edited 14 October, 20241 yr by nta16

forgot this -

I now have my daughter's Fabia here for a couple of weeks but I have discovered that I won't be able to code the new cruise control stalk with VCDS even though it comes with 'Activation Software'.  It needs to be done by a dealer tool (Odis) and it is done by using a live connection to Skoda.  Because the car already has a speed limiter, it means it has the capacity for adding basic cruise control reasonably easily, in fact, I think I won't even have to do much more than replace the stalk assembly.  But the dealer here is not interested in doing the activation unless they do the whole job. 

 

Does anyone know of someone who has Odis who could do the activation for me if I fit the new stalk?  I'm in Cornwall but my daughter lives near Reading in Berkshire so she could take it somewhere local to her.   Obviously it's not worth me fitting the new CC stalk if nobody will do the activation part.   

In general “proper” VAG Indies can and will do  that sort of thing “part” of a job.

 

I got my local one to “sort out” a radio upgrade I did to my old S4 after fitting a used radio.

 

VW or Audi etc I’d guess would not have shown any interest - or claim it is not possible to do.

3 hours ago, rum4mo said:

In general “proper” VAG Indies can and will do  that sort of thing “part” of a job.

 

I got my local one to “sort out” a radio upgrade I did to my old S4 after fitting a used radio.

 

VW or Audi etc I’d guess would not have shown any interest - or claim it is not possible to do.

...or would demand unreasonable price to do.

I have found a couple of local recommended specialists who have Odis.  I will ring them tomorrow and see if their charge is reasonable or if it makes the whole project not worth it.  

On 26/12/2024 at 17:58, Rheumy said:

I have found a couple of local recommended specialists who have Odis.  I will ring them tomorrow and see if their charge is reasonable or if it makes the whole project not worth it.  

Hey @Rheumy, any update on this? I am on tha same boat with the op and would be very interested in options 😁.

 

Thanks

K

I only had access to my daughter's car at Christmas so I never got to the job or even ask the local places about the enabling.  I tried but all were closed of course.   She will be back in August so I'll look at it again then.  I don't know where you live but you will need a good local independent specialist who has Odis (and the server connection to Skoda HQ).  Even if you have the activation software with the new stalk it can't be activated with Vcds like the old days. 🙁.   I will update this thread when I have anything new to report.

 

I'd be interested if anyone else has managed to achieve this outside the dealer network.  Both about the job itself and the cost of the activation.  

Finally getting access to the car again in a couple of weeks. I have read all the relevant links so I'm confident about the job now. I don't think I will need either the new bracket or slip ring since the car already has the speed limiter. I have checked the BCM and it is the ...89 version so that should be fine too.

Since my daughter's car has the speed limiter and MFA/MFD I think the correct part should be 6C0 953 513 G IGI but an online genuine Skoda parts place I contacted says according to the VIN number it won't fit and they don't have a listing for anything else! I can't see why this is unless it's the headlamp main beam problem mentioned in the other cruise control thread.

If anyone can help at all it is a Mk 3 1.2 DSG SE.

Edited 14 August, 202514 Aug by Rheumy

Fitted the cruise control stalk today. It now has the mode button to toggle between the original speed limiter and the new cruise control. Everything was very straight forward except for me discovering that after fitting the new switch I had no wipers! After a short expletive moment I realised it was because I had the bonnet open and the wipers won't work unless it's closed. 😅

I have it booked in to a local indie here in Cornwall for enabling the CC which I can't do with my VCDS as it needs a live link to Skoda. They were very helpful on the phone unlike the dealer. They have quoted £75 + VAT. I used a second hand switch (£69) from ebay which @lewiswal47 kindly sent me a link to. I was very impressed with the careful packaging and the new-like quality of the part.

For info - I used part number 6C0953501P. I could have used (if one was available) 6C0 953 513 F even though mine does have the MFA display. This is because mine has steering wheel controls so doesn't need the extra button on the RH stalk. It may be that a switch with MFA controls on the RH stalk button wouldn't have conflicted with the steering wheel controls but I like it as close to original as possible. My only difference now on the new stalk is the small mode button under the LH stalk and the word 'Mode' above it.

If I had used 6C0 953 513 F it would also have needed a new slip ring and a bracket.

Important- It seems that there are differences internally in the way the main beam in the switches work. It is possible to open up the switch and swap parts but if you want to avoid this, a general rule of thumb seems to be to look at the left hand stalk for a tiny +1. If this exists, only use a switch with the same symbol present. If your current switch has no little +1 don't buy a switch with it unless you don't mind a bit of extra faffing.

Edited 28 August, 202528 Aug by Rheumy

Just to say I didn't manage to get the CC activated until today. There were a few minor mix ups and I only see my Daughter's car every few months. I eventually got it done (for anyone else in Cornwall or West Devon) I got it done SW Retrofits in Saltash. Great service for £80 + VAT. .

Skoda had insisted that it's not possible to fit cruise control to this model and also the the Activation code I had asked for (5E0054800) refers to another Skoda model and not my MK 3 Fabia. It wasn't looking hopeful at first either because Skoda have changed where the box for the activation codes is entered in Odis but once found it worked perfectly. It toggles nicely between the speed limiter and cruise control. I also like the little symbol on the dash which says what speed the CC is set at. I don't have that on the CC my old VW.

I'd say do your research to find the correct switch for your model and note the significance of the tiny 1x mark on the switch in the pic above.