Hi I already posted on this subject.

I'm being treated as though I don't know anything by the dealer, not a Skoda dealer because my car was a trade in....

So mine has the intermittent fault causing loss of power then temporary limp mode. I got the car in June and it has happened 3 times since and I lost confidence in the car, it is not just a nuisance it's dangerous!

The power just disappears when you are at a junction where you have to cross oncoming cars....then you have to deal with limp mode! Seems that some think that

when you turn off the ignition and the fault disappears that's fine. I do not! It's the fact that you are vulnerable due to the fact is that it can occur anytime....not a good thought when you are doing 50/70mph!

The car is with the dealer now, the service manager inferred that my driving could be at fault and causing it!

I still have a little hope that this will be resolved....if they can't fix it , by law I am entitled to a replacement....which I guess is the best outcome. However I wanted the car I bought...

Best stop waffling.

I've already heard from a few others with their experiences but I would appreciate some more.

Thanks 👍🏻

Legal Rights

Up to 6 months is an important time period after buying!!!

@Sklinda

This link is to the earlier forum topic that discussed your Fabia's problem.

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/541431-any-luck-with-intermittent-limp-mode-fault/#comment-6031427

and this link is to the Motor Ombudsman website's guidance on the 2015 Consumer Rights Act.

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/knowledge/what-is-the-consumer-rights-act/

You seem to be under the impression that the type of fault your car is experiencing - sudden loss of power and (as I understand it) the fault clearing if the car's ignition is switched off and the vehicle restarted - is commonplace with Skoda Fabia Mk4 cars and that Skoda is well aware of this.

Many thousand's of Fabia Mk4 cars will have been sold and - while there's little doubt that some of these may have gone into 'limp-mode' - there's nothing to suggest that this is a known and widespread problem with Fabia Mk4 models. Most (all?) modern cars have a built-in limp-mode capability - it's a protective anti-damage feature. But there is no single reason for them doing this, nor any single well-publicised fix.

In the earlier topic @bazz2004 referred to the issue he had with his 2023 Fabia. But his car is older than yours, has a different engine and, when the problem occurred, fault codes were found (which you were told was not the case with your Fabia).

Your car is still within the Skoda UK 3-year warranty period and any free-of-charge repair work within the terms and conditions of that warranty will need to be carried out by a Skoda dealership.

@bazz2004 said that his car's problem was finally addressed successfully by installing a necessary software update, but, as you bought your car from a non-Skoda dealership and the fault is being investigated by them, if a Skoda software update were required, it's unlikely that 'your' dealership could install this.

If there are indeed no recorded fault codes and your car is currently running perfectly, it's going to be extremely difficult for your dealership to accurately diagnose why it has suddenly lost power temporarily on three occasions.

If your dealership cannot assure you that they found the cause of the power-losses and are confident that they have cured the fault, you may want to try insisting that they take the car to a Skoda dealership and ask that dealership to investigate further. Otherwise, you may have to fall back on the Consumer Rights Act.

(If you think you may have to go legally head-to-head with your dealership, you should keep a record of discussions with the dealership and email them about what's been said and done.)

Edited 23 October23 Oct by DerekU

Thank you DerekU,

I have seen lots online with the same problem but not always the same year, but Fabia mk 1, 2,3's.

I have had advice from the CAB and used it to send a letter outlining the problem and detail about the 'incidents'.

I paid £13k for the car and I'm not going to keep it with the fault. I've had the car for 4 months! Under the consumer rights 2015, which are there to protect their rights, and do state that if a repair can not be done then you are entitled to a replacement. If the dealer will not then I will take it back to CAB to level 3.

I am loathe to use the ombudsman just yet as you have accept the result, that's it the end. But if all else fails I will use it.

Yes I understand that they are saying that it can't be fixed, but I think they could do it just don't want to, a common behaviour it appears.

The car has been to the Skoda dealership service centre the 1st time and I assume EMG are using this time.

Unfortunately, there is little chance of you getting any resolution from a dealership - or Skoda themselves.  The service department will run diagnostics which will pick up no faults and their excuse will be something along the lines of – there’s nothing showing as a fault so there’s nothing to fix.  You have a low battery level showing on our equipment that may be causing your issues.  Or, because you are making too many short journeys the car will have issues. 

I bought a start-stop CTEK charger and later replaced the battery with a top of the range AGM model.  The frequent software and electronic glitches continued and finally another frightening limp mode breakdown. So, I spent a fair amount of money following “expert” advice from Johnson’s Skoda Wolverhampton and got nowhere apart from some pretty confrontational meetings with successive service managers who didn’t stay for very long.  I’m pleased that I spent none of this extra money at the dealership.

It was a mistake to replace a very old car with a model full of over complicated and glitchy electronics.  We live and learn.  I’d suggest getting rid of the Fabia in favour of an older low mileage car with basic tech which works.  There are loads of cars in our neighbourhood that are about 10 years old and look in pristine condition.  Manufacturers used to plug reliability and build quality but cars are no longer built to last.  It’s three-year warranties to go with 3-year payment plans.  After three years you are expected to “buy” a new car.  Effectively it’s never-ending HP for a disposable vehicle.

The alternative is to do battle with the dealer and Skoda which will be an exhausting process.  The last couple of years were hell for us because the Fabia could have easily let us down in a tricky traffic situation.  The size, speed and volume of HGVs on today’s roads is hard to believe.  There’s much to be said for getting a car about 10 years old which isn’t riddled with twitchy electronics and software so long as it has a dry timing belt. Skoda did get that bit right with the Fabia.

We did get a software update on the drive from an AA silver service technician following the last limp mode episode. So far, the limp mode issue hasn’t recurred.  The update fixed an issue with the throttle body assembly and became available mid-2024.  It seems that even Skoda trained staff, when servicing cars, fail to check that such updates are available and have been applied. Maybe they just don’t know what’s going on at Skoda or what updates are available for particular models. Our car still does things like changing the digital dash layout at random and giving nonsense guidance for changing gear at particular speeds.

It’s hard to know how to proceed  but doing nothing isn’t an acceptable option. If they can't fix the issue perhaps insist that the dealer changes the car. Nobody should have to drive a car that they believe has a potentialy lethal fault. Good luck.

Hi bazz2004

Thanks for the advice.

I had been down the proper legal channels but because there is no solid physical evidence of the fault it's just my word, and I am just a woman!

So they had my car in for a few days, gave me a courtesy car, and drove mine around for a couple of hundred of miles and eventually said they thought I was catching the speed limiter switch when flicking the indicator which was on 20mph and gave the same kind of feeling I described during limp mode......I had an awakening.....what am I doing trying to fight this big cooperation with no power behind me except advice from cab over the phone. I'd had enough I took the courtesy car back, was told if I have any more trouble to go back , I took my car and nothing has happened to the fabia in the 2 weeks since.

I could not stand the pressure of it any longer, just not worth the stress....and that's exactly what they hope to happen!