New octavia vRS owner with a few problems

[J_King]

Hi everyone,

I just picked up my 03 plate octavia vRS yesterday and I have just a few niggly problems that I want to ask you guys about. Its only done 50k miles and came from a main dealer so it will be going to them to fix but id rather go back to them with a list of what they need to do to the car rather than a list of problems that they need to diagnose. Ive had a search on here already but I couldnt find the exact answers I need.

Ok so here are the problems:

1. Rear wiper wont turn off. It sometimes stops for ages and then starts going again. Seems completely random. I've tried all wiper stalk positions etc.

2. Suspension noise when going over bumps, kind of creaking. Maybe something to do with the roll bar?

3. MPG guage (not the average one) seems to flit around loads. Ive tried keeping the throttle position the same and it flicks from 20 to 7 to 224 mpg then goes blank and just flicks around to all sorts of numbers! Even in slow traffic just letting the clutch out in 1st gear!

4. Rattle from steering wheel, possibly a clip holding on the front panel on the steering wheel?

5. Possible leaking recirc valve? Ive owned and driven lots of turbo cars before with standard recirc valves and all of them only make a whistling noise when the turbo is spooling and are silent when you let off the throttle. I've driven 2 Octavia vRS's and both of them make a kind of shhhhhhh noise when the turbo is spooling which sounds like boost pressure being released whilst accelerating? When I let off the throttle it makes a whoosh noise. Is this right?

6. Engine temp guage did nothing this morning then suddenly shot up to 90 degrees as I pulled onto the motorway. Then after a while and the whole way along the motorway the needle was down at the bottom (50) and seemed to be doing nothing.

7. Are main dealers obliged to give you a spare key with the car. I forgot to ask for it and they may have just forgotten to give it to me?

Sorry about all the questions, any help will be appreciated.

Cheers

James

[fatty5000]

Suspension noise is Anti roll bar bushes......very common

The recirc does make a slight dumping noise but it very quiet and I find it can only be heard with the windows closed

Temp gauge is another common one it's the sender playing up.


Not sure about your other faults but get it back to the dealers.

Sounds like they should have given your car the once over before selling it but didn't




Oh yeah........ welcome to the party !!!!!!

[mluton]

1. Stalk maybe knackered.

2. ARB Bushes

3. Does sound like its in live MPG mode not Average Journey MPG.

5. This sounds okay to me

6. As above temp sender

7. If they have one yes, if the car didnt have one then no.
Easy enough to get a new spare though.

Welcome to Briskoda

[J_King]

Thanks for the answers guys.
With the mpg reading in live mode then should it change to such extreme figures so often with the throttle staying the same? I even tried it with cruise contol on and it kept on jumping from very low mpg to 200 odd mpg then going blank???

[mluton]

Originally Posted by J_King

Thanks for the answers guys.
With the mpg reading in live mode then should it change to such extreme figures so often with the throttle staying the same? I even tried it with cruise contol on and it kept on jumping from very low mpg to 200 odd mpg then going blank???

Yeah it does that, mine has cruise. Press the button on the stalk till you get MPG and a cirlce with a line through it. That is Average MPG for the journey.

[KenONeill]

I've had changes of up to about 50mpg in the "instantaneous" mode without conciously moving my foot (road not quite level).

All your other queries have been answered, except (4) which is not typical. You might be able to get the dealer to do something, or it may just need a piece of rubber sheet between 2 bits of trim.

[fordfan]

1 Wiper control unit about £25

2 ARB bushes

3 Instantaneous mpg will go blank on the over run as effectively very little or no fuel is been used. Laws of mathematics say that you cannot divide by zero.

6 Temperature sensor

7 No requirement to provide a spare key.

[DGW]

Get a spare key asap for when you inadvertently lock the original one in the car.

[KenONeill]

Originally Posted by DGW

Get a spare key asap for when you inadvertently lock the original one in the car.

Is that even possible? I always lock and unlock mine with the remote, so I don't even know if you can lock the doors without using the key one way or another. Also, I didn't get an owner's manual with it, and have never got round to buying one.

[drlargepants]

yeah in some situations it will automatically lock the doors itself (can't remember which)

[martziniuk]

Originally Posted by drlargepants

yeah in some situations it will automatically lock the doors itself (can't remember which)

It will auto relock if you unlock but do not enter the car.

[VRStu]

Or if you open the boot with the middle button (if fitted) and then place the key in the boot whilst picking something up and then very carefully shutting the boot, satisfyingly noting that indicators flash to confirm the car is locked and then realising you can't get in the house!

[KenONeill]

Originally Posted by martziniuk

It will auto relock if you unlock but do not enter the car.

I know that, but if you've not "entered" the car, then neither has the key!!

[JohnRS]

If you already have the car open and lock it with a door open, all the other doors lock, and when you close that door it locks too. So if you left your key in, then your up a creek with out a paddle.

[KenONeill]

Originally Posted by JohnRS

If you already have the car open and lock it with a door open, all the other doors lock, and when you close that door it locks too. So if you left your key in, then your up a creek with out a paddle.

Cheers. I'm used to it working the other way. You know, if you try and lock the car with a door still open, none of the doors lock.

[Angry Dog]

Did you not test drive the car / give it a once over before you bought it?

welcome to Brisky.

[J_King]

Yep but it was in a busy high street in london. Very difficult to hear anything with all the buses going by etc. Also couldn't get up to any speed etc. All seemed fine then and the faults didnt happen then, they seem to just occur randomly! I guess I was expecting it all to be ok from a main dealer, but I spoke to them yesterday and they're more than happy to fix everything. Theyre ordering the parts they may need so it can be done in one go so I dont need to make 2 trips.

[wilksy]

i recently bought my vrs on a 53 reg with full skoda history and 1 owner very tidy on 40,000, only probs i've had is noisy on start up tapety sound even when warm, mpg has been crap but then i dont expect much more than 22 mpg when doing a few miles round town.
all the things i have read are standard to vag cars like bushes instantaneous mpg reading etc, ive had my reading show 200 mpg when pressing throttle light enough im still slowing. where i work we have almost an identical car to mine which is the same in respect to whoosh sounds and so was my leon cupra i had before i got the vrs. and yes again dealers are only obliged to provide spare if they were provided one in hte first place. locking the car will lock up again if no doors are opened, will not lock while drivers door open and yes if you have boot release it will only release what it says so will lock again when you shut boot.

[mikel543]

Originally Posted by J_King

1. Rear wiper wont turn off. It sometimes stops for ages and then starts going again. Seems completely random. I've tried all wiper stalk positions etc.

Had this problem on my old Octy Mk I Elegance took muliple trips to the dealer to sort out (under warranty thankfully). Turned out to be water leaking from the rear washer and causing an earth fault on the wiper motor. Ask the dealer to check it out. Good luck! Seemed to be worse in warm weather an when I went over speed bumps.