This is the fusebox situated on top of the battery. The nut was not tightened sufficiently on initial assembly.The car is a 5-3 Elegente,and it has taken this long to manifest itself.The result was the failure of the alternator and battery,incurring a bill of over £540!!.

The current Skoda"We Manufacture Happy Drivers" does NOT apply to me at the moment!!

mmm, when I get mine back from the dealer I might check mine are nice and tight (2001 Elegance)

So you're basically saying that no part of a car should ever become loose at any point in time for whatever reason? Yeah, right.

With all due respect, how do you know it wasn't tightened properly when the car was manufactured? If you'd have been checking the battery and ancillary connections on a regular basis - like, say once every six months or so - you'd have found the loose terminal nut before now and probably saved yourself a lot of money.

Also, how can the current Skoda mantra be applied to a car that was built four years ago, is out of warranty and hasn't been maintained correctly?

my octavia has had a overheating problem at some point in that area, the left hand side sire (thick black one), the terminal has got hot and melted the pastic around it, everything still works ok, but seos anyone know what that wire is for, someone said it may be the glowplugs.

Also, how can the current Skoda mantra be applied to a car that was built four years ago, is out of warranty and hasn't been maintained correctly?

Ouch!!! Cant argue with that though

My car has the same problem, the black wire looks like its been too hot at some time.

If Tightening the nut is part of the service schedule and it wasn’t done then you could argue that it isn’t skoda’s fault, but I doubt that it is so skoda should of designed the nut to be a locking type to prevent it coming loose!

Having said that I still find it remarkable that a car can cover so many miles and endure so much abuse and still function properly.

Andy

If Tightening the nut is part of the service schedule and it wasn’t done then you could argue that it isn’t skoda’s fault

I wouldn't think that it is TBH. However, on every car I've ever had I always make a point of giving everything under the bonnet a visual inspection once a month regardless and I check the tightness of the battery connections at least twice a year.

I'll admit that I have seen one or two threads about the link and fuse holder above the battery having the occasional issue with possible overheating but this seems to be more of a design flaw than a major fault with the Octavia. Irrespective of that, blaming the manufacturer for something failing years after the car was built and out of warranty and incurring you costs on the basis that it 'wasn't tightened sufficiently on initial assembly' when that just cannot be proven in any way at all is completely unreasonable and unjustified.

my octavia has had a overheating problem at some point in that area, the left hand side sire (thick black one), the terminal has got hot and melted the pastic around it, everything still works ok, but seos anyone know what that wire is for, someone said it may be the glowplugs.

This would seem to be the some connection as mine.The plastic has been melted.I believe the wire in question is the feed to the alternator.This senses the battery voltage,any high resistance connection leads the alternator to"sense" the battery voltage is low so the regulator tries to compensate for this so in my case it burned the alternator out ,which is puzzling as there is a fuse in that circuit.

My car has the same problem, the black wire looks like its been too hot at some time.

If Tightening the nut is part of the service schedule and it wasn’t done then you could argue that it isn’t skoda’s fault, but I doubt that it is so skoda should of designed the nut to be a locking type to prevent it coming loose!

Having said that I still find it remarkable that a car can cover so many miles and endure so much abuse and still function properly.

Andy

The nut has got a locking tab on the base .The car has only done 28,500 miles.Where on earth do you get the idea that the car has had so much abuse!! Also it is interesting to read that other owners have had the same fault.I am in correspondence with Skoda at the moment,it will be interesting to hear there lame excuse.

I wouldn't think that it is TBH. However, on every car I've ever had I always make a point of giving everything under the bonnet a visual inspection once a month regardless and I check the tightness of the battery connections at least twice a year.

I'll admit that I have seen one or two threads about the link and fuse holder above the battery having the occasional issue with possible overheating but this seems to be more of a design flaw than a major fault with the Octavia. Irrespective of that, blaming the manufacturer for something failing years after the car was built and out of warranty and incurring you costs on the basis that it 'wasn't tightened sufficiently on initial assembly' when that just cannot be proven in any way at all is completely unreasonable and unjustified.

O/k so it could be design fault.so why haven't the done something about t??!!This car has been serviced regularly I.A.W. the relevent schedule by the Skoda garage.

mmm, when I get mine back from the dealer I might check mine are nice and tight (2001 Elegance)

If you do be VERY careful not to "short" the adjacent connection as there is very little room.

It could be that the crimped connections on the main alterator wire deteriorate with age, resistance increases and then you have heat and melting plastic bits.

Hi had another look tonight at the connection tonight and i don’t like the look of it, the wire has got hot enough to melt the plastic of the case where it exits. Can anybody confirm that it is the alternator wire? I am off to the dealers at the weekend for a new one as my wife reported the battery light coming on when she drove it last.

Where on earth do you get the idea that the car has had so much abuse!!

Sorry didn’t mean your car, i am just amazed that any car can do so many miles on our roads covered in salt/ grit crashing into potholes and still manage to function. Normally I cycle to work, about 1500 miles a year, after 8 years my bike is down to about 1/3 original parts and most of the replaced parts are on the second replacement part. My car is 5 years old and has to be about 99% original; aircon compressor is the only replaced part apart from service items.

Hi had another look tonight at the connection tonight and i don’t like the look of it, the wire has got hot enough to melt the plastic of the case where it exits. Can anybody confirm that it is the alternator wire? I am off to the dealers at the weekend for a new one as my wife reported the battery light coming on when she drove it last.

Sorry didn’t mean your car, i am just amazed that any car can do so many miles on our roads covered in salt/ grit crashing into potholes and still manage to function. Normally I cycle to work, about 1500 miles a year, after 8 years my bike is down to about 1/3 original parts and most of the replaced parts are on the second replacement part. My car is 5 years old and has to be about 99% original; aircon compressor is the only replaced part apart from service items.

Sorry we got our wires crossed!This wire/connection certainly seems to be suspect to me. Unfortunately for me I was so close to home when the battery logo;abs;airbag;PAS lights all came on.So I limped home with the resultant disaster. I think the modern car has got a better build quality in general to resist the riguers of todays motoring.As an ex R.A.F.Electrical Engineer for many years, I find it hard to come to terms with a loose nut with a locking device. Never happened in my day!!

Hi had another look tonight at the connection tonight and i don’t like the look of it, the wire has got hot enough to melt the plastic of the case where it exits. Can anybody confirm that it is the alternator wire? I am off to the dealers at the weekend for a new one as my wife reported the battery light coming on when she drove it last.

I can indeed confirm that the leftmost (black) wire is the alternator feed. I son't suppose you know what rating fuse should be fitted?

I can indeed confirm that the leftmost (black) wire is the alternator feed. I son't suppose you know what rating fuse should be fitted?

It's looking more like a Skoda problem to me. The fuse seems to be of the aluminium type along with the others in the fusebox. I would think it is easily 40-50amps.Phone call to the local Skoda garage might help.It might even be stamped on the fuse itself.Its peeing down at the moment so I'm not happy about having a look!

The fuse rating is stamped on the fuse, alternatively look on the alternator for the current output and get a fuse rated slightly higher.

110 amp for the alternator.

110 amp for the alternator.

Like I have said previousy I am in contact with Skoda at the present time.I have sent them a photo of the offending fuse connection. I THINK EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SHOULD DO THE SAME! It isn' just an isolated case,and the results are very expensive,not to say inconvenient if you are far from home.

This is an old problem that is common across the VAG range that uses the same set up. It happened to my sons S3 and my own Octavia mk1 at 175k.

My fix was to re-route the altenator cable and bolt it straight to the battery terminal. In days of old when I was a Mechanic there was not such thing as putting a fuse in the altenator output. Have had no trouble with it since.

This is an old problem that is common across the VAG range that uses the same set up. It happened to my sons S3 and my own Octavia mk1 at 175k.

My fix was to re-route the altenator cable and bolt it straight to the battery terminal. In days of old when I was a Mechanic there was not such thing as putting a fuse in the altenator output. Have had no trouble with it since.

Many thanks for your priceless information.They "fixed" it at the garage,but it worries me that the same situation could happen again. What absolutely bugs me is that this problem has been known by Skoda for some considerable time I'm sure, and they have not done a thing about it. I cant wait to read their reply[if I get one!]

Do you have a contact address for skoda? i will send them a letter as well. new alternator fuse box and loom on order, £60 so far for the fuse box and loom, waiting to here about the cost of an alternator.

Andy

Do you have a contact address for skoda? i will send them a letter as well. new alternator fuse box and loom on order, £60 so far for the fuse box and loom, waiting to here about the cost of an alternator.

Andy

The address I used is...SkodaAuto Customer Service Centre

PO BOX 114.

Wallington.

Surrey.

SM6 7QJ

My problem cost me just over £540! That was with a new alternator, battery aswell as the labour.

I am really fuming,as Skoda's have done so well in the past motoring surveys,and they are being used by various Police Forces, and Taxis.

I am going to contact the local Skoda Agent tomorrow,where the car was originally purchased.

Got my car back fixed! total cost £344, new fuse box, alternator and loom. Done on the cheap by my brother in law who is a auto electrician.

Got my car back fixed! total cost £344, new fuse box, alternator and loom. Done on the cheap by my brother in law who is a auto electrician.

I am including this thread,so others can keep up with events.

I received a letter from Skoda although the address is different:- SkodaAuto Customer Services

Selectapost 34

Sheffield.

S97 3FA

This could be a "Regional thing" as I live in Bridlington.East Yorkshire.

They go on to say that they will be happy to "investigate".I have to supply proof of servicing etc. Also name,address of garage who carried out the repair.

Don't hold you breath!!