What have you done to your Karoq today?

[VRT24]

Washed it (again) despite it being the wife's car - process seems to be I wash and she then drives around searching out the muddiest, saltiest roads to use and never ever considers any form of cleaning other than assuming I'll get fed up looking at a filthy car and do the job for her. I wouldn't mind, but I paid for it to be ceramic coated so that it would be easier for her to clean!

Only positive, however, was before washing it the wife did actually spend the kid's inheritance money by filling the tank with petrol! Our local Shell garage is currently changing prices several times a day!

[Colin170CR]

On 12/03/2022 at 07:11, VRT24 said:

Washed it (again) despite it being the wife's car - process seems to be I wash and she then drives around searching out the muddiest, saltiest roads to use and never ever considers any form of cleaning other than assuming I'll get fed up looking at a filthy car and do the job for her. I wouldn't mind, but I paid for it to be ceramic coated so that it would be easier for her to clean!

Only positive, however, was before washing it the wife did actually spend the kid's inheritance money by filling the tank with petrol! Our local Shell garage is currently changing prices several times a day!

Ain't that the truth😖 I need to wash our as well. Also need to get one crater wheel on the Karoq refurbished after the wife curbed it. It now matches the F/N/S alloy on my Superb after she curbed that as well the other week!! What is with females & their lack of spatial awareness? Not saying us guys are perfect but every car my wife has had with alloys she has managed to curb wheels on all of them with within 1 month of owning 😒. Rant over.

I now need to find a video on how to fit some gas struts to the Karoq bonnet since no instructions came with the ones I got from AliExpress.   

[Colin170CR]

Karoq Bonnet gas struts fitted today but a bit of a PITA to do. 

 

Problems with my AliExpress gas strut kit.

1. Black Bonnet extension brackets were a bit scruffy. Sharp edges & scuffed finish. I filed down the edges & gave them a lick of satin black spray paint to smarten them up.
2. The extension bracket in my kit was beefed up compared to others I've seen - which was good. However, the two 90 deg bends that strengthen the bracket are too close to re-use the white OEM bonnet bracket nut - bad. I had to use the smaller nut that came in the kit & use the white OEM nut to attach the top gas strut connector. See the pics below.
3. When fitted there was a small gap between the underside of the black bonnet extension bracket & the underside of the bonnet which meant the whole thing flexed a bit when the bonnet was lifted up / down. My solution was to adapt / cut up a 3mm blue shim from my bag of carpenter's shims. The shim is just visible in the pics below. I had some 9mm black shims which would have looked better but they were too thick.  
4. Only one of the struts is gas assisted which through me a bit when I tested the first one I fitted & it didn't lift the bonnet. Only when the second strut was fitted did it work. 

All in all it works OK but it's not the best engineered bit of kit I've ever seen. I guess for £18.55 incl tax & shipping you get what you pay for. Strangely this item is no longer available on AliExpress. Hummmmmm?

Still, the bonnet is much easier to lift now & something I think the Edition model should have had as standard.  LED reversing light bulbs are next which should arrive tomorrow. Gone with some more expensive ones from Amazon Prime (£11.59 for two ain't too bad) because I don't want to wait 4+ weeks for cheaper ones on Ali Express. 

    

[Colin170CR]

Just ordered a RaceChip XLR pedal Box for our Karoq 1.5TSi DSG 4x4. 

 

Been discussing the pros & cons of  Pedal Boxes vs DSG remaps over on the Superb forum when it struck me that a Pedal Box could be the answer to the positively biblical delay between pressing the accelerator & anything happening under the bonnet on my wife's Karoq. Now I know coming from my 280 Superb into a 1.5 Karoq is not a fair comparison but even so the Karoq does have a very lethargic off the line delay which I suspect has a lot to do with the fix Skoda had to apply to smooth out & cure the Kangarooing problems the early cars had. Either way the pedal box should sharpen up the throttle response & make it much easier to drive for my wife & me when I drive it. 

I did look at a DTUK/DTE pedal box as well but that was £40 more expensive. 

The proof will be in the pudding so I'll report back in a few days after it arrives & I get time to fit it.  

[agedbriar]

Staying tuned...

[Colin170CR]

On 10/05/2022 at 14:50, Colin170CR said:

Just ordered a RaceChip XLR pedal Box for our Karoq 1.5TSi DSG 4x4. 

 

Been discussing the pros & cons of  Pedal Boxes vs DSG remaps over on the Superb forum when it struck me that a Pedal Box could be the answer to the positively biblical delay between pressing the accelerator & anything happening under the bonnet on my wife's Karoq. Now I know coming from my 280 Superb into a 1.5 Karoq is not a fair comparison but even so the Karoq does have a very lethargic off the line delay which I suspect has a lot to do with the fix Skoda had to apply to smooth out & cure the Kangarooing problems the early cars had. Either way the pedal box should sharpen up the throttle response & make it much easier to drive for my wife & me when I drive it. 

I did look at a DTUK/DTE pedal box as well but that was £40 more expensive. 

The proof will be in the pudding so I'll report back in a few days after it arrives & I get time to fit it.  

Delivery of RaceChip XLR is delayed! Should have arrived last Monday & according to FedEx it's stuck in Cologne somewhere. Well overdue now.

[Colin170CR]

On 18/05/2022 at 08:22, Colin170CR said:

Delivery of RaceChip XLR is delayed! Should have arrived last Monday & according to FedEx it's stuck in Cologne somewhere. Well overdue now.

After 17 days the RaceChip XLR pedal box has now made it to Dartford. 🥱

Like watching paint dry! Maybe arriving someday next week?

[Colin170CR]

On 27/05/2022 at 23:16, Colin170CR said:

After 17 days the RaceChip XLR pedal box has now made it to Dartford. 🥱

Like watching paint dry! Maybe arriving someday next week?

Well at long last the RaceChip XLR pedal box has finally arrived. 20 days late from Germany. Brexit at it's best ☹️

 

Took around 15mins to fit.

I located the "Brain" box on a ledge behind the small pull down box next to the light switch - hook & loop sticky things secured it with the box dropped right down as far as it will go for access.

 

For now the remote controller went out of sight inside the pull down box next to the light switch with the cable routed through the back of the box. This is my wife's car so she will never have a need to fiddle with the settings. Note that the above remote controller picture is of the one with the Blue Tooth / App option. I got the one without at £151 incl shipping. I see the current price has now increased to £186.🤔

 

I started the car & all was good with no warning lights. 

First I tried it on the N / Normal setting & TBH I could not detect much difference, but then I guess it wasn't supposed to have any change on this setting.

I then moved up to the S setting. A tiny improvement.

Then S+ setting. A bit better pick up.

Then S++. Not much difference to S+.

Then R / Race setting. Small change from S++ but probably a bit too aggressive for my wife plus, I also think the tick over might have been a bit higher which is not helpful with a DSG - too much creep.

I left it set on S+ for now & went out to do a grocery shop with my wife driving. She noticed the difference & said it felt more "eager" than before. It definitely feels more like a 1.5 engine now than before.

So I guess in that respect it has worked - to a point. 

For me there is still a small lag / dead spot when you press the accelerator which was what I hoped it would remove. 

I have yet to try it in DSG Sport mode as the wife has taken the car out to do some more shopping on her own.

 

So can I recommend this device?

Yes & no. 

Yes because the car does feel more urgent / peppy once on the move & for a fraction of the price of a Tuning box or Remap.

However, there is still a small lag / dead spot when the accelerator is initially pressed. My wife won't notice it but I can. So, I guess this piece of kit does do what it says on the tin, it's just I was expecting it to dial out the dead spot altogether. 

 

I was thinking of getting one of these for my Superb 280 as well but after this experience I don't think I'll bother. 

[agedbriar]

5 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

However, there is still a small lag / dead spot when the accelerator is initially pressed.

 

Actually, the lag is the problem - after that the acceleration can be quite decent in my stock version. With no wheel-spin, courtesy of 4x4.

 

If the lag is entirely turbo-lag, then I doubt it's possible to eliminate it (except by setting idle to 1500 rpm). 

 

[Fux]

On 10/05/2022 at 15:50, Colin170CR said:

Just ordered a RaceChip XLR pedal Box for our Karoq 1.5TSi DSG 4x4. 

 

Been discussing the pros & cons of  Pedal Boxes vs DSG remaps over on the Superb forum when it struck me that a Pedal Box could be the answer to the positively biblical delay between pressing the accelerator & anything happening under the bonnet on my wife's Karoq.

 

Unfortunately, you just wasted your money on that pedal box

The delay is there due to Karoq shipping with non linear throttle response

to fix this, you just needed to use ODBeleven to do the following (you can even do this with free tier OBDeleven):

 

DIRECT THROTTLE - THROTTLE RESPONSE

With this mod, we will be able to change the behavior of the throttle. Option B offers a more linear acceleration without sudden deliveries.
Steps:
1 - Module 44 - Power steering.
2 - Adaptation
3 - Select - Driving profile switching
Options:
A - Gradual, controlled by time (this is the one that comes as standard) We
select option B
B - Directly, controlled by threshold value
We give him to accept and enter the code (19249)
And that's it!

 

Made the cars gas pedal much more responsive (I have manual 1.5TSI) but do note it will affect your fuel economy for the worse because car now accelerates much faster instead of taking its sweet time trying to calculate how fast you depressed the gas pedal and in what amount of time..

btw after you make this change, it might make your pedal box have a much more noticeable effect?

Edited 1 June, 2022 by Fux

[Phutters]

3 hours ago, Fux said:

you just needed to use ODBeleven to do the following (you can even do this with free tier OBDeleven):

 

 

.

 

You can do this with Carista too, FWIW.

 

I did my 2.0TSI. One of the very first things I did.

 

It does make a difference.

.

[phope]

Finally got the local dealer to activate the remote locking/unlocking functions in the My Skoda app - have been meaning to do it for a while, but every time I've popped in, the few people who have the power/skills to activate the function have always been mysteriously absent...

[agedbriar]

Had the gas pedal response done by Mr. Matko from MTL Car Garage    http://www.mtl.si

He is located in Slovenia but operates internationally through remote access.

 

All transitions from deceleration to acceleration (cornering, exiting from a curve) are now smooth, with no hesitation.

Quick starts from standstill are improved too, but as we start from idle (DSG), we still get the entire turbo lag (short of launching).

[croquemonsieur]

Resurrecting an old thread, I drove mine yesterday, for the first time in almost 3 months.....

 

Early August, a young woman scraped the front while undergoing a driving test, causing a bit of damage to the lower front LHS and pushing the headlamp back.  My car was parked outside my house.  The was in tears at the time.... and so was I.  Persuaded by my brother-in-law in January, I made the mistake of going the Martin Lewis route for getting the car cheapest insurance (Post Office who let Enterprise handle the claims/repair side - all middle men) and it was alot cheaper, but they messed me about over this accident.  I had to do a lot of chasing to get the repair underway, which was eventually done by Custom Coachworks in Burgess Hill near Brighton (85 miles away by car & not my idea).  Work was completed last Thursday and Enterprise said the car would be returned to me, but I was misled - nothing was happening so I decided to pick it up myself yesterday.

 

Although living on the edge, I hadn't been to London since 2015 for various reasons, including the pandemic and actually enjoyed the journey.  Victoria Station is much improved place from what I remember years ago and the train journey South was an eye opener, comfortable, fuss free, quiet and fast, but I admit I've always been a train fan.  Crossing the Thames too was a revelation coming across an extensive group of high rise, but to me attractive looking, balconied flats on the edge of Battersea Park, all new to me.

 

Once I got to the repairers, I must say Custom had done a very good job on my 3 year old car and also gave it an immaculate clean-up inside and out.  I'm not especially fussy about looking after it myself, but it looked brand new yesterday.   The chap I'd been dealing with there had previously commented on the phone what a nice car it was, or was he just buttering me up.  They also said that they were having a lot of trouble with Enterprise getting cars back to owners and were beginning to run out of garage space.

 

Anyhow I set off from Burgess Hill and was immediately struck by how much more upmarket the Karoq felt over the much newer Juke I'd been provided with for the duration.  Ostensibly similar cars with 1 litre 3 cyl engines and DSG transmission, the Skoda engine & gearbox are so much smoother and quieter + if you think the Karoq is difficult to start from standstill smoothly, just try the Nissan.  My car is just easier & nicer to drive & park + there's no comparison when it comes to internal ambience.

 

I had been with Liverpool Victoria previously but had never had been inviolved in any accident with them.  I see 'Which' recommend them and so does a friend who said he was treated well after a bigger crunch than mine and he renewed with them, so looks like I'll be talking to them next time.

 

 

[Gomezz]

This is the problem with insurances and dealers regarding claims or warranty repairs!! we just don't know how good they are until we need them.

How many times I have been told how good certain dealers / companys are but when asking " have you had cause to claim or anything" the answer was no.

So how did they know ?

 

[Colin170CR]

Just de-gunked the Karoq washer jets. The drivers windscreen side had stopped working completely. It's the wife's car & she uses the washers a lot & is always running out of fluid.

Fiddly job not helped by the fact that the wipers / washer do not work when the bonnet is open for testing. Took a while to clear what looked like limescale dust with a variety of small diameter implements & flush through with neat washer fluid. This time of year I use 100% undiluted washer fluid.

[Ootohere]

Undiluted is OK, but then is it to -5*oC or -10,-15, 20 / 23 sort of strength undiluted.

OK staying fluid in the washer bottle and pipes and nozzles but then if it is only -2*oC air temp and it freezes hitting the windscreen when it is -20*oC screen wash that is not that good.

 

[Colin170CR]

6 hours ago, toot said:

Undiluted is OK, but then is it to -5*oC or -10,-15, 20 / 23 sort of strength undiluted.

OK staying fluid in the washer bottle and pipes and nozzles but then if it is only -2*oC air temp and it freezes hitting the windscreen when it is -20*oC screen wash that is not that good.

 

It's been -4 to -5c where I am for the last few nights. Warming up a bit now though. I'll be reducing to 50/50 washer fluid soon because with the amount of salt & grit on the roads it won't be long before both cars are empty again.  

[Ootohere]

Getting colder in the North again later this week as it is time for winter and lambing snows.

It is good when down south there are those that get the advantage of the All Season / All Weather tyres that are asked about from about September. 

[Sanqhar]

20 hours ago, Colin170CR said:

Just de-gunked the Karoq washer jets. The drivers windscreen side had stopped working completely. It's the wife's car & she uses the washers a lot & is always running out of fluid.

Fiddly job not helped by the fact that the wipers / washer do not work when the bonnet is open for testing. Took a while to clear what looked like limescale dust with a variety of small diameter implements & flush through with neat washer fluid. This time of year I use 100% undiluted washer fluid.

I top up using filtered water and Skoda/VW/Audi washer fluid.  I have done it this way since buying a new Passat in 1996.  

I would never use water straight out of the tap whatever the dilution with washer fluid.

 

tom 

Edited 25 January, 2023 by Sanqhar

[Ootohere]

Different hardness / limescale of water around the country / countries. 

The water out of taps where i live is the same as gets bottled and sold at a great premium by Scotland biggest drinks company. 

 

[Colin170CR]

TBH our local tap water is quite hard so I use filtered water from the fridge to dilute the screen wash. For the screenwash itself I normally use Prestone from Costco which can be used neat or diluted to suit conditions. Quite good value as well. 

 

[deddog]

On 25/01/2023 at 12:40, Colin170CR said:

TBH our local tap water is quite hard so I use filtered water from the fridge to dilute the screen wash. For the screenwash itself I normally use Prestone from Costco which can be used neat or diluted to suit conditions. Quite good value as well. 

 

Water filters of this type only remove chlorine from the tap water this does not affect the hardness of the water.

If you want mineral free water for your washer bottle you could buy de ionized water, cadge some from your friendly pole fed window cleaner or invest £££ in R/O or DI resin.

[VRT24]

Or get a 5 litre carton of battery top-up water (de-ionised water) from Halfords / other motor stores.

[JFJ]

On 01/06/2022 at 14:12, Fux said:

 

Unfortunately, you just wasted your money on that pedal box

The delay is there due to Karoq shipping with non linear throttle response

to fix this, you just needed to use ODBeleven to do the following (you can even do this with free tier OBDeleven):

 

DIRECT THROTTLE - THROTTLE RESPONSE

With this mod, we will be able to change the behavior of the throttle. Option B offers a more linear acceleration without sudden deliveries.
Steps:
1 - Module 44 - Power steering.
2 - Adaptation
3 - Select - Driving profile switching
Options:
A - Gradual, controlled by time (this is the one that comes as standard) We
select option B
B - Directly, controlled by threshold value
We give him to accept and enter the code (19249)
And that's it!

 

Made the cars gas pedal much more responsive (I have manual 1.5TSI) but do note it will affect your fuel economy for the worse because car now accelerates much faster instead of taking its sweet time trying to calculate how fast you depressed the gas pedal and in what amount of time..

btw after you make this change, it might make your pedal box have a much more noticeable effect?