Hesitation

[michaelro]

Bought a 1.8T Octavia last week - Test drive was fine but since then occasionally I notice what seems like a flat spot on acceleration.

Usually in first gear between 1500-2000 revs the car seems to hesitate then go again.

Any ideas?

[gmaster]

This is a common problem, loads of threads about this best bet is to do a search.

[martziniuk]

What gear is this most noticeable in?

[Octavia Vrs!]

You should't be giving the engine much throttle in that rev range anyway - your turbo wont be at boost and will labour.
What gear are you noticing this in?

[Octavia Vrs!]

Originally Posted by Octavia Vrs!

You should't be giving the engine much throttle in that rev range anyway - your turbo wont be at boost and will labour.
What gear are you noticing this in?

Just read your post - first gear. Im a NUMPTY!
Should shift in first but being smooth applying the throtle can be quicker on these turbo engines.

[michaelro]

Originally Posted by Octavia Vrs!

Just read your post - first gear. Im a NUMPTY!
Should shift in first but being smooth applying the throtle can be quicker on these turbo engines.

It's when I pull away slowly that it does it - I don't want to banzai it from standing all the time to avoid the problem.

This morning, I had a possible related problem.

Started the car and pulled away, car bunny hopped slightly. Used the car's idle speed (ie no throttle) to run the car out of our junction and up to a main road.

Pulled across on-coming traffic and the car died but didn't stall. Revs hunted slightly below 1000 rpm. Pushing the throttle pedal had no affect at all.

Put my hazards on and kept pushing the throttle pedal - After 30 seconds the revs grew and I pulled away only for it to happen again. Repeated procedure as above and then it was fine??

I bought this car as a family car - If I'd have pulled across fast moving traffic I could have been in trouble - Not impressed

I'm expecting this to be sorted under the 12 month warranty I got with the car - Any idea's what it's likely to be?

[Dan Walton]

As mentioned before, this has been covered 7 million times already. There's a sticky about it if you look right at the top of the page in this section of the forum.

[fatty5000]

Originally Posted by michaelro

It's when I pull away slowly that it does it - I don't want to banzai it from standing all the time to avoid the problem.

This morning, I had a possible related problem.

Started the car and pulled away, car bunny hopped slightly. Used the car's idle speed (ie no throttle) to run the car out of our junction and up to a main road.

Pulled across on-coming traffic and the car died but didn't stall. Revs hunted slightly below 1000 rpm. Pushing the throttle pedal had no affect at all.

Put my hazards on and kept pushing the throttle pedal - After 30 seconds the revs grew and I pulled away only for it to happen again. Repeated procedure as above and then it was fine??

I bought this car as a family car - If I'd have pulled across fast moving traffic I could have been in trouble - Not impressed

I'm expecting this to be sorted under the 12 month warranty I got with the car - Any idea's what it's likely to be?

Try starting the car up and leaving it for about 1-2 mins before driving anywhere. Then start your journey. I'm guessing you jump in your car, fire it up and drive off instantly first thing in the morning.

[mluton]

I start then wait for the revs to drop (1 minute), otherwise i pull off and get the same symtoms as you.

Worse on the colder mornings to.

[fatty5000]

I think this purely a trait of the engine, which no-one will ever get to the bottom of. It's just a case of letting the engine settle before setting off on your jounrney. Besides it's better for your engine if wait a little while to let fluids circulate a bit

[michaelro]

Originally Posted by Dan Walton

As mentioned before, this has been covered 7 million times already. There's a sticky about it if you look right at the top of the page in this section of the forum.

I did look at the sticky, but that seemed more when the car was at speed in higher gears.

Originally Posted by fatty5000

I think this purely a trait of the engine, which no-one will ever get to the bottom of. It's just a case of letting the engine settle before setting off on your jounrney. Besides it's better for your engine if wait a little while to let fluids circulate a bit

I was under the impression that letting your car idle wasn't better - That you should start it and go.

[fatty5000]

Originally Posted by michaelro

I was under the impression that letting your car idle wasn't better - That you should start it and go.

Maybe it is maybe it isn't, who's to say I must admit I always thought that. But if you want to "cure" your cold start splutter, follow my advice. Besides 1-2 mins ain't gonna hurt. I can understand if you turn it over then go back into the house for 15 mins like some people do

[martziniuk]

Originally Posted by fatty5000

Maybe it is maybe it isn't, who's to say I must admit I always thought that. But if you want to "cure" your cold start splutter, follow my advice. Besides 1-2 mins ain't gonna hurt. I can understand if you turn it over then go back into the house for 15 mins like some people do

I must admit i just jump in and go on a morn and never have any probs,although i do drive steadily until warm.

[martziniuk]

Originally Posted by michaelro

It's when I pull away slowly that it does it - I don't want to banzai it from standing all the time to avoid the problem.

This morning, I had a possible related problem.

Started the car and pulled away, car bunny hopped slightly. Used the car's idle speed (ie no throttle) to run the car out of our junction and up to a main road.

Pulled across on-coming traffic and the car died but didn't stall. Revs hunted slightly below 1000 rpm. Pushing the throttle pedal had no affect at all.

Put my hazards on and kept pushing the throttle pedal - After 30 seconds the revs grew and I pulled away only for it to happen again. Repeated procedure as above and then it was fine??

I bought this car as a family car - If I'd have pulled across fast moving traffic I could have been in trouble - Not impressed

I'm expecting this to be sorted under the 12 month warranty I got with the car - Any idea's what it's likely to be?

So did all this happen in the first 1-2 mins when the secondary air pump was working or after that?

[fatty5000]

That on the odd ocassion when I have jmped in and driven off quick mine seems ok as well. A little flat perhaps but not as extreme as some people have mentioned

[Dan Walton]

Originally Posted by michaelro

I did look at the sticky, but that seemed more when the car was at speed in higher gears.

I thought both types of hesitation and lumpiness where in that one. Mine runs rough for about a minute when you first start the engine from cold, this is to do with some air pump. I think the other hesitation around 1500-1800rpm mark is mentioned in there too. I think there are quite a few possibilities to try to rememdy that one with. That thread does go on a bit, so it can be a little tricky to get staight at the answers you want!

[michaelro]

Originally Posted by martziniuk

I must admit i just jump in and go on a morn and never have any probs,although i do drive steadily until warm.

I drive all car's with mechanical sympathy - My last car was an impreza which had a very heavy, juddery clutch from cold.

From this experience , I can understand a car being a little difficult to drive when cold, but the car just died on me halfway across a busy junction.
The throttle pedal felt like it had become disconnected - Didn't do anything for about 30 seconds.

Originally Posted by martziniuk

So did all this happen in the first 1-2 mins when the secondary air pump was working or after that?

Basically, yes.

I've had the hesitation between 1500 and 2000 revs when the car's warm though.

As I said before - I bought this as a family car - I don't want the risk of no power when I'm halfway across a busy junction with my family in the car...

Should I get the dealers to sort out the throttle body sensor or the whole body itself?
Will they pay?

[gathy]

did you get to the bottom of this as mine does the exact same.

[Chris Miles]

I had what sounds like the same symptom with my vRS as did my friend with his vRS. I’ve had the car from new (03) and the problem started some time ago and just got progressively worse. It began when the engine was cold, first 40 second or so until the revs dropped, in the end I wouldn’t even attempt to drive the car for the first minute as it would ran like a b***h. Then I noticed some time after a running problem when the engine was hot, slight surge, flat spot or hesitation when feathering the throttle, this was more noticeable when picking up from slow down. To cut a long story short I did some research and had the throttle body cleaned just last week, this has cured both the hot and cold running problems and now I’m a happy bunny.

[Seedy Jay]

Same cure for my long-running hesitation/splutter problem. Local garage cleaned out the throttle body properly (unlike a previous garage who just SAID they'd done it!). Drives impeccably now, can even drive comfortably with the secondary air pump running. I'd recommend giving this a go before replacing any expensive bits (dealer reckoned a new throttle body at £???!).