Tdi 90 hot start problem solved!! Pass it around.

I have had an intermittent hot-starting problem on my Octavia Tdi 90 for the last two winters. The symptom was a reluctance to restart when the engine was warm in cold weather. Cranking the starter continuously with the accelerator fully depressed would coax it into life. Two diagnostic checks at the dealer found nothing wrong and I wrote to Doctor Diesel at Diesel Car magazine (now What Diesel Car). He published my e-mail and made some helpful suggestions. Then another reader e-mailed in another suggestion based on his experience with his Tdi 110. He found that similar symptoms on his vehicle over the course of a year were cured by a new battery after his failed to start one morning.

My battery almost gave up the ghost yesterday morning, zeroising the trip computer settings in the process. So I bought a new battery and it looks like the hot-starting problem has vanished.

A bit of knowledge then that needs sending around the Skoda community.