My Octavia has been playing up for a while now. It started with reving itself when cold, this escalated to starting fine, then stalling and not starting easily again when cold. My ABS light was on, but no others. It also started to smell strongly of fuel after starting! It went into the garage, had a new clutch, cat, and a full service inc oils and filters. Came out much happier, then started doing it all over again. My husband fitted a new Crank Position Sensor, and it seemed to solve the problem, but low and behold, it's doing it again!

Currently it will start fine first time, but won't idle well, and when cold will often stall (despite keeping the revs up?!) and then have a lot of trouble starting again. When starting there's a strong smell of fuel. Yesterday it reved itself again, though not as high as it used to. Generally it really doesn't seem very happy!

We're going to check it all over, make sure all the filters etc....are clean (I'm not sure I trust that the garage did a very good job seeing as the cap for the transmission oil was off, they never noticed the ABS light being on, and it came out with the same problem it went in with!) We're also going to renew the Spark Plugs.

The car is 98 model, but has relatively low mileage (about 60 thou)

Has anyone else had these problems? am I missing something that you know of? I desperately want to get this sorted out now, and am reluctant to send to another garage just to pay a fortune for them to miss the problem again!!

Thanks in advance!!

Which engine is it to help people with their diagnosis, obviously a petrol but which one.

Oh sorry it's a 1.6. GLXi 98 model!

My husband and a friend who regularly services his own cars (but neither are mechanics) had a look today and here's what they found.....

The HT leads were not connected properly to 3 of the spark plugs,

4 hoses were split - 3 from the braking system, and 1 from the air intake system.

The engine oil tank cap was covered in oil that apparently resembled butter

The cap to the gear box oil tank was off and the oil tank is really quite dry.

There are two caps missing from below the windscreen near the wipers (not sure what they're called sorry!).

The ABS light is now no longer on, and the car idles normally. Obviously over the next few days of driving we'll be able to tell more clearly whether the running problems have been resolved, but so far so good!

Quite a list considering the car was serviced, including oils and filters (apparently not), in November 2006.

Surely all of these things should have been picked up on by any half decent mechanic doing a service? Unless I'm mistaken?

I hate not knowing about cars! Feel totally out of my depth!!

I've no idea what garage you got that "service" from, but I would NEVER go there again!

No I won't be!!! I've been on the phone to them today, and am currently STILL waiting for the manager to phone me back. I certainly won't let this rest!