Hi there everyone

Until now I have always driven VW's but have just bought a Skoda Fabia Comfort 1.4 16V estate (51 reg.). It looks and feels great BUT there is a problem. After collecting it from the dealer yesterday (not a Skoda dealer) we soon noticed that the engine management system warning light was on. I immediately took it back to the dealer who got his mechanic to look at it. His code reader came up with the fault codes P0401 and P0638 which he cancelled, checked on his computer and then proceeded to look under the bonnet. He said that a component near the front of the engine (possibly an EGR solenoid) looked as if it was new and may be a replacement. This component has a nozzle which seemed to be drawing air in and should, perhaps, be connected to a pipe of which there was no sign. Since the fault codes appeared to suggest some sort of air leak their solution was to blank off this nozzle with a rubber cap to prevent the suction. I have driven just over 100 miles since then with increasing confidence that the fault would not re occur so imagine my feelings when THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN!

It's now Saturday night with little chance that I can get professional help until Monday. Has anyone got any advice or suggestions before I get5 back to the dealer, has anyone else had this problem, is it common? I do hope that someone can help.

Thanking you in anticipation

David47

Hello there.

That vacuum pipe doesnt connect to anything, the small bit on the end is a kind of filter as its just a reference pipe.

I would think the issue is with the EGR port under the throttle body, its probably blocked. A fault code check can verify this, as can a quick look at the air filter to check for oil.

Hi

Thanks for your rapid reply. As a non technical person it suggests that I should try to remove the blank. My main concern is how far I can drive the car (it's 30 miles back to the dealer) and whether I should take it to the local Skoda dealer on Monday.

Cheers

Dont remove anything.

You should be fine to drive the car (how does it drive btw?) to your dealer.

The generic decodes for those diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) are:

P0401 (16785) - Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow Insufficient Detected.

P0638 - Throttle Actuator Control Range/Pereformance

16785 is the VW DTC for P0401.

Thank you Lummox and Denis

I'm very grateful for your information and advice and will keep you informed of the progress I make with my dealer. As you probably realise communicating through this type of forum is new to me but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

Cheers for now

David47

With the fault Denis has described I would expect the EGR port that is under the throttle body is blocked with carbon. So when the EGR valve opens it cant flow and exhaust gas back into the intake manifold.

It wants cleaning out, and the issue of possible oil consumption accessing.

Hi again Lummox

As far as the driving experience of my Fabia is concerned it seems fine. But probably anything would after my old Vento!

David47