My love hate relationship with Skoda

[billhum]

First, may I say hello. I am an elderly, fairly sober chap; my wife has a Fabia 1.4 Elegance which we bought at the end of 2004. And, despite everything, we like it.
The car first failed in traffic at under 400 miles. When it was retrieved by the garage later, it started normally. That pattern of behavior has continued, the car acts dead, no lights or contact sound. After about 15 minutes it starts but the CSE light stays on for several new starts. It has been in the garage many times, and car has failed while there. No fault has been found.
The car is very lightly used and has now done less than 6000 miles. I keep the battery fully charged.
So it is out of guarantee and we are at the stage when we don't need two cars. The Skoda dealers are not too interested in buying it and I cannot sell it privately with its known fault.
What to do?

Billhum

[smstext]

welcome to the site.

[westerdam2]

Originally Posted by billhum

First, may I say hello. I am an elderly, fairly sober chap; my wife has a Fabia 1.4 Elegance which we bought at the end of 2004. And, despite everything, we like it.
The car first failed in traffic at under 400 miles. When it was retrieved by the garage later, it started normally. That pattern of behavior has continued, the car acts dead, no lights or contact sound. After about 15 minutes it starts but the CSE light stays on for several new starts. It has been in the garage many times, and car has failed while there. No fault has been found.
The car is very lightly used and has now done less than 6000 miles. I keep the battery fully charged.
So it is out of guarantee and we are at the stage when we don't need two cars. The Skoda dealers are not too interested in buying it and I cannot sell it privately with its known fault.
What to do?

Billhum

Welcome! Sorry to hear of your troubles - perhaps if you post the details under the Fabia thread (scroll down to the appropriate heading) someone will be able to suggest a technical remedy.

I'm not a lawyer, but I would say it is irrelevant that your warranty has expired. The fault has existed since the vehicle was almost new and has re-appeared at frequent intervals. Just because the dealer hasn't been able to provide a satisfactory remedy within the warranty period doesn't - in my opinion - mean that you should be left with a constantly breaking down car which you are unable to sell.

Have you tried an alternative dealer? Or even an independent one? Have you written to Skoda Customer Relations expressing your dissatisfaction and requesting them to rectify the situation?

There has to be a solution to this and I venture to suggest it's Skoda's problem and at it's cost. Keep us posted on any progress - you now have the strength of Briskoda behind you!

Good luck

[billhum]

Thank you for repliyng to my mail. As soon as I can find my way about this site, I will try the Fabia thread. It took me a half hour to find the reply button!

My mail was an abbreviated version of my travails with this car. It originally broke down less than a mile from a Skoda dealer and we walked there. I had bought the car at a dealer (A) on the opposite side of town but as the new people were now familiar with the car, I stayed with them.

The dealer (B)i used was extremely helpful, within his remit. He gave me the address of Customer Relations to write to, their reply was that I should deal with where I bought it. The trouble was that their Sales Manager would not speak to me. I left messages for weeks without result but one day he did pick up the phone. He insisted that no one from his technical people had seen the car, I replied I had taken it over and a Skoda technician had driven before giving it a clean bill of health. He reluctantly said he would phone the next day with some figures but, of course, never did. I told this to Customer Relations who apologised but offered no more assistance.

I also contacted the Office of Fair Trading- sorry this is such a long story. Dealer B sent them confirmation of the six so times I had the car with them by that time. However,they would not disclose the record of what work they had done, and OFT said without this they could not proceed. So that avenue closed.

Recently, the sales people at dealer B have given me a trade in for a new one. With her advancing years and her loss of faith in the car, my wife doesn't want a car at all, although I would be happy to buy her one.

The car is still a very nice one and virtually new. I would not normally trade in a car with such low mileage in any case. It has failed to start three times in the last week but if I take it in to the dealer, I know he will find no fault- the failures do not show up on the computer.

I agree this is Skoda's problem but they have not been very helpful up to now. Perhaps this publicity will help? Any further ideas will be welcome.

[westerdam2]

Thanks for giving us some further detail. Don't worry about the time taken to get round this site - you'll soon master it!

I really do feel there has to be a better solution to all this. I am at a loss as to why the second garage refused to disclose the relevant information to the Office of Fair Trading. And it seems Skoda Customer Relations hasn't exactly covered itself in glory.

Options include your local Citizens Advice Bureau who might assist in compiling an appropriate letter to Customer Services (send by recorded delivery). Another option would be your local Trading Standards Department. Or you might consider emailing a precis of events to a newspaper eg the Daily Telegraph's 'Honest John' The email address is: letters@honestjohn.co.uk (emails only, no letters - include your full name, postal address and telephone number).

I've taken the liberty of posting a pointer to this post in the Fabia section of this site. Hopefully you will receive some other advice.

[westerdam2]

oops - double post

[isinglass]

Billhum,

Is the check engine light lit at the moment?

Where abouts are you, perhaps someone can help you out. It's not clear if the light comes on or not or if it comes on after failing to start but there are no faults stored.

some of the guys on here have a computer thing that plugs into the cars brain to read off the fault codes. The little amber light means theres a fault code to read. If theres no fault stored that might indicate something in itself.

I really don't know why dealer A or B were so incapable of sorting it out for you. You shouldn't have bought a new one from them before they fixed this one either!

[billhum]

Thanks for your message

When it doesn't start, it is dead. No lights or sound. The power is there and the lights etc are normal.

The Skoda technician at dealer A was visiting from Headquarters. He tried his plug in computer as I sat in the car. There was no record of any fault. I have heard the other dealer refer to his computer checks too. When the car is OK it goes like a bird and there is nothing for the engineer to work on.

I am in Kings Norton Birmingham. Dealer A is in Redditch and dealer B in Kings Heath.

Billhum

[billhum]

I did write to Honest John a week or so back. He replied by email saying "The problems are a result of not using the car enough" That might be true if the battery ran flat but it does not so I dismissed his answer.

I can't recall if it was Trading Standards or the Office of fair Trading. They dealt directly with
dealer B and withdrew when they could not get the technical records- I assume the usually helpful Service Manager was overruled. I don't think there is much chance of resurrecting this.

I also rejected using my own solicitor, in a dispute with British Gas he told me I was absolutely right and he would love to act for me. It would go on for years and give him an income but I should not even consider it.

No, I think that some more publicity might be the best way. Skoda are not being shown in a very favourable light and maybe the right person will see it.

Billhum

[westerdam2]

I think if you want to progress this it would be important to have a note of all relevant dates eg when breakdowns occurred, visits to garage etc. This should enhance your case. Fire it off to Customer Services.

I'm not a mechanic (or a lawyer as explained earlier!) but an annual average mileage of 2K is not totally unknown. Surely the garage(s) would have spotted this and perhaps cleaned whatever needed cleaning etc particularly if short journies were the norm.

I would be tempted to contact Citizens Advice Bureau once you've compiled the list of dates.

You might also want to consider what you want to achieve as a final outcome. Reasonable price for the car from dealer? Compensation? Car back in working order?

Keep a look out on Briskoda to see if anyone else can come up with ideas!

[gillywibble]

Sorry to hear of your problems. Welcome to the site

[isinglass]

so theres no engine fault light on at the moment?

and the fault is you turn the key and nothing happens, no lights at key position 2?

[johnybush]

sounds like a loose wire to me, maybe immobiliser you will get power, but no start and it will not record any fault.......

[heresmo]

Hi billhum. Sorry to hear of your plight. I can't really help except to say that my 2001 8V does very few miles each year but always starts (unless, as you say, I've managed to flatten the battery).

My Skoda garage are very knowledgeable (London/Kent borders) about 1.4's, as least they have been re mine. I'll give them a ring on Monday (tomorrow) and see if they have any ideas and if so might be prepared to talk to your dealer.

Can you confirm that I have understood the fault correctly please:

- It usually starts normally and drives perfectly well.

- It sometimes shows dash lights but is dead otherwise re engine and main lights, but will start after about 15 mins.

- CSE light stays on for a few starts after each "fail" occasion (presumably then stays off until it fails again).

- Bought from new in 2004 and first fault under 400 miles whilst within warranty period.

I don't know "my" garage will be able to help or not, but it'll be worth a try.

Re your Dealer B not being prepared to pass on info, surely you should be entitled to ask for this information yourself, or if not, why not, since presumably they have nothing to hide. I presume you might have paid some money for them to check it out? I could understand that they might not want to get involved in any sort of legal wrangle, but withholding useful info isn't a particularly helpful attitude... Might be possible to get it via Freedom of Info act, but might be a hide into nothing since all you really want is a technician who can find the fault and fix it - albeit probably at further cost one way or another.

Hang on in there as I'm sure others on here will have more thoughts that might help

Regards
Mo

[billhum]

Thank you all for your comments.
The first time it failed is the only time it has done so while in motion. All the warning lights came on at once and the engine stopped. Since then it fails on starting. No lights or sound at all. Up to now it has started normally after about 15 minutes but the CSE light shows for several start ups (4 or 5) with the car running normally, it then goes out until the next sequence.

Part of the problem is that there is no evidence of a fault and there is nothing for them to do. In fact until it failed in their premises, it was difficult for me to convince them what was happening. I must add that I have never paid for work in connection with this fault, even (once) when the guarantee had expired. It is also entirely possible that they have never done anything and their work sheet is a blank.

The technical people at dealer A seemed quite helpful and I the Skoda technician who drove it with me seemed very competent. It is their Sales Manager who is a disgrace and should be dismissed for the good of the marque. My son bought a Superb and had dealings with him; he went elsewhere and will not go near that dealership.

The best outcome is to get it fixed so we can enjoy it. My wife is understandably apprehensive in taking it out alone, so it is not much use to us. Failing that, I'd like to sell it for a reasonable price, and with a clear conscience. I do feel rather sad that Skoda have not done very well on this.

[oilburninnut]

This problem sounds like one i had on a vauxhaul years ago,that was down to a bad earth on the coil,I hope you get this sorted in a satisfactory manor.

Welcome to briskoda

[fordfan]

Without the benefit of a fault code read and not knowing exactly what circumstances the failure occurs under, I would replace the X relay, about £15 and requires removal of the dash section that houses the light switch.

[billhum]

Correct on both counts

[westerdam2]

Two thoughts have come to mind.

1. Do you have Legal Protection (or similar) as part of your car insurance - or other insurance(s)? Might be worthwhile checking and if you have this option to use it thus saving any legal bills.

2. Do you have any Auto Electric specialist firms in your area? Intermittent faults are invariably difficult to identify and just because there is no fault shown on a Skoda laptop doesn't mean that a fault doesn't exist!

Such a specialist might well identify the fault, but there would be a cost. If Skoda can't rectify the situation resulting in a car which is unfit for purpose, then the cost of the specialist (plus your costs) could be reclaimed through the Small Claims Court. Citizens Advice would keep you right on this aspect.

Watching progress with interest. Hope your wife is coping with it all!

[hillr]

Hi,

I'm from Dealer 'A' & would dearly like to talk to you & get the full details & see what I can do.

You can email me at rhill@brooklyn.co.uk or tel: 01527 63636.

Can't promise I'm the answer to all your problems but will do my best!

[heresmo]

Originally Posted by hillr

Hi,

I'm from Dealer 'A' & would dearly like to talk to you & get the full details & see what I can do.

You can email me at rhill@brooklyn.co.uk or tel: 01527 63636.

Can't promise I'm the answer to all your problems but will do my best!

LOL. Since the clocks went forward this morning, for some reason I was awake early - must be to do with ... well, something. Can you help me to sleep for longer or perhaps I should ask if my Skoda garage has any handy tips for that?

Thanks for a Sunday giggle (and yesterday's).
If I'm wrong, flame me. I'll live with it. Tee Hee

Mo

[Clunkclick]

FYI, here's a circuit diagram out of the Haynes Manual.



Nick,

30/03/08

[billhum]

I don't follow that. I have not bough a new one from either

Billhum

[isinglass]

Originally Posted by hillr

Hi,

I'm from Dealer 'A' & would dearly like to talk to you & get the full details & see what I can do.

You can email me at rhill@brooklyn.co.uk or tel: 01527 63636.

Can't promise I'm the answer to all your problems but will do my best!

Billhum, see post #20. Someone from dealer you bought it from has been on the board asking you to contact them.

[billhum]

The only car I bought was in 2004 from dealer A , who has now offered to speak to me, I don't know which department the offer comes from--hope it's not Sales!


I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Billhum