Long(ish) post, sorry in advance. 

Probably been done to death. 
 

Is there somewhere I can find out what service intervals are for various things? Manual doesn’t tell me squat. I know I’ve got (according to the dash) 10,000km til next service, and that the DSG oil and filter was done by dealer recently as well. Can’t see any mention of Haldex anywhere but haven’t finished going through the records from the 4 years the previous owners had it for. Was serviced at dealer though so I’m hopefully. Only done about 60,000km in that 4 years, where as I’ll do that in 18 months. I also know there’s 103,000km on the current Cambelt. 
 

Im reasonably mechanically minded (tinker with classic cars so it’s in the blood) so Will probably do a lot of general maintenance work myself but leave more involved things like Cambelt to the mechanic. Is it worth getting a VCDS? What does it enable me to do and at what cost? Do I need it to do stupid **** like reset the oil change reminder? (Bloody hope not)

 

2014 Superb Elegance, 2.0 125 TDI, DSG. 285,000 on the clock. 

 

Anything else I should be looking out for? It has a couple little things I need to sort - interior lights (which seem to be a common fault), sticky buttons, headlight trim etc. It also has a thing where now and again the temp gauge drops briefly. From 90 to about 85, and then back up. Not fast, and not for long periods so doesn’t suggest to me a bad thermostat. Reading elsewhere has told me the diesels take a long time to warm up (Škoda easily takes 3x the distance of my Holden Colorado). 
 

New Zealand based if that makes any difference. Picking there’s different intervals for different countries environments 

 

Thank you in advance.

Edited 12 November, 20241 yr by BloodWorm

5 hours ago, BloodWorm said:

Can’t see any mention of Haldex anywhere

Only applies if this car has (part-time) 4WD.

7 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

Only applies if this car has (part-time) 4WD.

It does. 

First stat to replace when temp fluctuates is DSG stat. Read people’s write ups on here 

 

Norwegian dealers:

Dsg service 60 000km/3 years

LL Engine Oil service 20-30 000km/2 years or when car says its time.

Haldex service 60 000km/3 years

Front/rear diff: No change (lifelong)

Break fluid every 2 years

Timing kit max 10 years/210'km

 

My 2cents about general common sense service intervals on any VAG diesel engine/car (those who want their car to last well beyond 5 year warranty):

Dsg oil/filterservice: 30'km/2 years

Engine oil/filter: minimum 15'km/yearly (I do mine every 6 month/10'km)

Haldex including pump cleaning: 15'km/yearly

Front/rear diff: actually no specific, but I do mine every 3 years or so/no more than 60'km

Break fluid: every 2 years

Timing kit w/water pump: every 5-6 years/150'km

Edited 15 November, 20241 yr by rbhelle

And a big YES to getting a genuine VCDS cable. Not a china copy. You will in the long run save A SUBSTANTIAL amount of money doing your own diagnosis and adjustments.

Why any diy driving any VAG product does not buy their own vcds, is to me, not understandable...just imagine what money people would have saved if they just did their own diagnosis and adjustments when I read about all "minor" problems forum user in here have been faced with, and asked about again and again... 🙂

 

Are you driving a VAG equals Get a VCDS scanner (genuine) Its nothing more to say about it actually 😉

Edited 15 November, 20241 yr by rbhelle

On 16/11/2024 at 08:32, rbhelle said:

Norwegian dealers:

Dsg service 60 000km/3 years

LL Engine Oil service 20-30 000km/2 years or when car says its time.

Haldex service 60 000km/3 years

Front/rear diff: No change (lifelong)

Break fluid every 2 years

Timing kit max 10 years/210'km

 

My 2cents about general common sense service intervals on any VAG diesel engine/car (those who want their car to last well beyond 5 year warranty):

Dsg oil/filterservice: 30'km/2 years

Engine oil/filter: minimum 15'km/yearly (I do mine every 6 month/10'km)

Haldex including pump cleaning: 15'km/yearly

Front/rear diff: actually no specific, but I do mine every 3 years or so/no more than 60'km

Break fluid: every 2 years

Timing kit w/water pump: every 5-6 years/150'km

That helps. Thank you. 
 

I’m hoping to have this car last me a good 10 years so it’ll be a very mileage if it lasts that long 🤣

 

from what a few places have told me - timing belt varies between 105km and 210. I might err on the side of caution with that. DSG 60, Haldex 60, service 15. 
 

Any advice on the diffs? I’m picking mine have never been done then - at almost 290,000km
 

How does one establish if their Haldex has a filter? Couple places I rang (including dealers) say there’s no filter but I know some did so want to make sure that what little I get done by garages is done right. I intend to get a garage to do the Haldex this time round as time, mileage covered and lack of BCDS working against me 🤣
 

I guess I better get me a VCDS cable. 

Edited 19 November, 20241 yr by BloodWorm

On 19/11/2024 at 04:17, BloodWorm said:

That helps. Thank you. 
 

I’m hoping to have this car last me a good 10 years so it’ll be a very mileage if it lasts that long 🤣

 

from what a few places have told me - timing belt varies between 105km and 210. I might err on the side of caution with that. DSG 60, Haldex 60, service 15. 
 

Any advice on the diffs? I’m picking mine have never been done then - at almost 290,000km
 

How does one establish if their Haldex has a filter? Couple places I rang (including dealers) say there’s no filter but I know some did so want to make sure that what little I get done by garages is done right. I intend to get a garage to do the Haldex this time round as time, mileage covered and lack of BCDS working against me 🤣
 

I guess I better get me a VCDS cable. 

If your car is 2008-2014 I guess you have Haldex 4, which means you do have filter. If 2015 and newer most likely you habe Haldex 5 and that version does not have filter.

Anyway, in both situations, they do have a haldex pump and that pump has to be cleaned. Especially the attached filter on the pump itself. If this gets clogged up with "gunk" the pump will fail due to excessive activation without pressure release and burnt circuits etc. This implementation in VAG service routine for the haldex 5 is a checkpoint, but was not for the haldex 4 in the beginning. So, do replace both filter and clean haldex 4 pump and clean haldex 5 filter attached on pump (doesn't have own filter except the tiny small one on the pump itself).

So, to the intervals. 60'km tends to be too long even if thats what VAG tells you. The gunk build up starts immediately after service and accumulated gunk over time gives bad working conditions for the pump. I would argue that haldex 4 and 5 should be serviced once a year no matter miles/km as long as the car is used on a daily basis.

The oil is cheap and the haldex 4 filter is not a costly buy. On haldex 5 there isn't even a filter to replace. Very easy access also for a diy.

 

DSG (6-7 spd wetclutch version) should be serviced 60'km/every 3 years. That should be sufficient for a daily driver. I guess there are only a few of us that services this more often, like every 30'km/2 years (typically a diy with equipment and knowhow).

 

Timing belts, there are variations depending on the engine type. But with common rail 1,6/2.0 tdi from 2.gen I do believe that every 210'km/10 years is what is said to be the interval, but i replace mine every 150'km/5 years. It is much cheaper to do it that way instead of buying a new engine due to timing belt failure. A CR tdi engine with timing belt failure is doomed immediately, whereas a PD tdi engine might be saved from catastrophic failure if you manage to shut it down to a complete stop within seconds.

That last part is not something I personally know, but what experienced mechanics will argue. Why it is lile this with cr vs pd engines someone else must answer. 

DQ250 6 Speed Wet Clutch

or DQ381 7 speed wet clutch DSG,s service schedule is not by years.

The DQ250 is 40,000 miles intervals pr sooner,

(& the DQ381 according to VW Group / Skoda is 80,000 miles, you might well want it done long before that. )

 

 

DQ381,s are Fluid & Filter at services, or should be. 

 

PS

VW Group / Skoda have had the Haldex Service as 3 years / 30,000 miles for a decade now.

Volvo @ 20,000 / 2 years.

 

Edited 20 November, 20241 yr by Ootohere

Good one, I think people tend to do either way; follow service intervals as officially recommended by dealer, by unofficial intervals recommended by the mechanics that work at dealer or just believe in god that mechanical parts in connection with eachother in an unpermissive environment has a magic fluid that solves all problems when parts interacts with one another within specs. Anyway, I tend to tell myself that "remember rbhelle, they all want to make some money on you, one way or another, how much is just a matter of time" 😁

Btw, I do remember that dealers also stated that "filled for life" was/is a thing... If I remember correct, axle oil on a 4x4 VW/skoda/audi bevelbox and rear diff is "filled for life", right?