My 2013 Fabia 1.2 TSI Estate has started to occasionally "judder". It seems to do it most when exiting a roundabout or going up hill. The judder is not constant, it just does it two or three times and then stops without lifting your foot off the accelerator. The judder only happens when you are accelerating.

The car has done 227,000 miles, but it has always been a very good runner, it doesn't smoke or use loads of oil. It has always been maintained with regular services/oil changes.

Has anybody seen/experienced this before and if so, what caused it or cured it?

Well done on that miles.

Have it checked for any Stored Fault codes, like misfires.

When were the spark plugs last changed?

When was the air filter last checked?

I had a similar judder , it was the fuel filter clogging with crap, a new one sorted it.

1 hour ago, Evolution13 said:

Well done on that miles.

Have it checked for any Stored Fault codes, like misfires.

When were the spark plugs last changed?

When was the air filter last checked?

No, not check for any stored codes yet, I'll have to get it booked in for that tomorrow.

The air filter was changed in July 2024 at 211k miles (15,000 miles ago).

The spark plugs were changed in Jun 2023 at 195k miles. Before that, they were changed in Oct 2019 at 150k miles. So, the current ones should be ok for another 10k miles.

The oli and oil filter were changed last month.

19 minutes ago, Kenrw8 said:

I had a similar judder , it was the fuel filter clogging with crap, a new one sorted it.

Thanks, I thought the same.

We will give a fuel filter a go and see if it makes any difference.

@Nitrox_69 The plugs should be good for longer, but assume nothing, the engine is not running right.

Check. Inspect. A failing plug can have an ignition coil fail.

Open the Air Filter box, and check.

Basic stuff. Like a fuel filter.

Edited 14 October, 202514 Oct by Evolution13

It may not be the same but my octavia judders/wobbles at certain points as well. No fault codes or misfires but I think I have narrowed it down to drive shafts/worn cvjoint. It seems to do it more when cornering under acceleration. If I lift my foot of the pedal it disapears. It happens mainly at 40-50mph.

Alasdair

happend the same to me (2013 fabia 1.2 tsi combi) it was the coil pack https://www.skoda-parts.com/spare-part/032905106f-ignition-module-1-2tsi-1-4-16v-1-6-1-8-20v-2-0mpi-ngk-52273.html

mine went ko after 11 years and 151k km

Edited 29 October, 202529 Oct by Jack25

On 13/10/2025 at 20:42, Nitrox_69 said:

Thanks, I thought the same.

We will give a fuel filter a go and see if it makes any difference.

Whats the replacement procedure for the fuel filter? I also have a weird judder/power loss when accelerating, usually around 3k rpm. Got a 2010 1.2, 71k miles. No idea on when the filter was last changed but everything else was done a few months ago (oil,air,pollen).

2 minutes ago, cjmason88 said:

Whats the replacement procedure for the fuel filter? I also have a weird judder/power loss when accelerating, usually around 3k rpm. Got a 2010 1.2, 71k miles. No idea on when the filter was last changed but everything else was done a few months ago (oil,air,pollen).

Vertically under the fuel cap go under the car the fuel filter is here you have to disconnect 3 fuel line keep in mind that some fuel will come out (not the whole tank just the one left in the fuel lane and the one in the filter) be sure to connect the line back where they were, 2 line that arrive from the front of the car (if I remember correctly one blue an one black) and one from the back of the car to the front (black)

12 minutes ago, Jack25 said:

Vertically under the fuel cap go under the car the fuel filter is here you have to disconnect 3 fuel line keep in mind that some fuel will come out (not the whole tank just the one left in the fuel lane and the one in the filter) be sure to connect the line back where they were, 2 line that arrive from the front of the car (if I remember correctly one blue an one black) and one from the back of the car to the front (black)

Look at the video it's easy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2CnIZrKuvc (it's for a polo but is the exact same on a fabia hatch or combi)