Posted on: April 30th, 2021 by NEAT
Common Skoda Fabia issues… what to look for? Following on with our monthly study of a popular vehicle; We thought we’d move onto a slightly more standard daily driver, the Skoda Fabia.
What to look for?
One of the most common issues we come across is with the Windscreen washer pump. The pump itself either packs up or (throughout the winter months) the pipes block up and split. Water then leaks in the passenger footwell. Because of this people usually assume it’s their door seals and the water pump is overlooked.
The next problem they have is with Suspension. The Fabia suspension is known to be quiet stiff and a firmer drive. Due to this, its prone to failure. When buying a Fabia always do the bonnet test. Push hard on the bonnet and if takes more than 1-2 bounces back to get back to normal, have the suspension checked over by a specialist.
Skoda Fabia’s (1.4ltr Petrol engines) have a reputation for being one of the most oil dependent cars out there. If you are looking to purchase a Fabia and the oil is low, we would question the service history. We would also double check the rest of the vehicle. Purely because, if the oil has not been checked regularly, maintenance on the rest of vehicle may have been neglected.
Window regulator issues.
Window regulators are also a common part for failing on a Fabia. If your windows aren’t going up and down properly, sticking or falling to one side; these are all symptoms of your window regular being faulty! There are a couple of tips to try and prevent the regulator from failing. Once the window is up, don’t hold the button as it puts extra pressure on the motor. Also try using rubber care products. This will stop the seals from going hard and will allow the window to go up and down freely.
The Skoda Fabia electric power steering pump is very common to fail on all models. What starts off as intermittent loss of power steering, usually leads to total failure if left to progress.
Common Faults include:
1. Intermittent loss of steering.
2. Steering heavy on idle & on revs.
3. Noisy power steering pump.
4. Blowing fuses.
5. Steering warning light on.
Gearbox issues
Last but not least the DSG gearbox. Certain 7 speed Fabia’s suffered serious issues with the VW manufactured 7 speed gearbox. Most cars with this gearbox were recalled. However, check when buying that the gearbox is nice and smooth and there aren’t any pre-existing issues. You will get also get a fault on the dash come up when selecting gear if there is a fault with the gearbox. This will simply say ‘PRNDS’. If this warning light occurs, we would advise getting a diagnostics test done asap.
You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection/diagnostic test. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!
You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/
Common Skoda Fabia issues
Posted on: February 3rd, 2021 by NEAT
Our brake fluid servicing starts at £55 with the option to upgrade to Millers Oils Racing Brake Fluid.
We recommend carrying out a brake fluid service every 2 years, regardless of mileage. This is a preventative measure to ensure the correct running of your vehicle. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it attracts moisture. As you can imagine that does not do your vehicle any favours. With many parts of the braking system being metal. It can lead to corrosion of the metal components if not regularly maintained.
Over time the brake fluid also becomes contaminated with metal particles, reducing the boiling point of the fluid and in turn reducing the braking power of the car.
The upgrade to using Millers Oils is beneficial as the it has a dry boiling point of up to 310 degrees. As opposed to the standard fluid minimum of 230 degrees. This in turn provides exceptional resistance to vapour locking and good compressibility for an improved brake feel. Brake fluids play a key role in driver experience and vehicle feedback. Therefore Millers Oils motorsport brake fluids maintain their viscosity even at high temperature and are robust against water absorption to ensure consistent performance.
Upgrade to Millers Oils for an extra £25.
Alternatively, you can purchase Millers Oils Racing Brake Fluid direct from our sister company VAG Performance here: https://www.vag-performance.co.uk/product/millers-racing-brake-fluid-300/
In addition to the above, find out what other services we carry out as well as Brake Fluid Servicing. Have a look through our additional services page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/additional-services/
Posted on: January 15th, 2021 by NEAT
Heater Matrix Replacement
We are carrying out many Heater Matrix replacement’s at the minute. I assume with the weather being as cold as it is, customers are noticing the lack of heat from the blowers a lot more. Heater matrix faults are common within the following vehicles: Mk7 Golf, Audi A3, Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia.
They all suffer with a problem where the heater matrix blocks up. The core in the heater matrix is very very thin so any sediment and contaminants in the antifreeze system unfortunately causes the heater matrix to block.
The first problem you will normally notice is the blowers on the passenger side are warm, but the driver’s side are cold. This is because sediment blocks the far end of the heater matrix which blows cold air to the driver’s side of the dashboard. Other signs your hater matrix has gone are;
- You’re fogged out…
- There’s a sticky sweet smell…
- You’re going through a lot of coolant…
- Your vehicle has overheated.
Again, a very common problem which we are seeing lots of at the minute. Probably more noticeable now with such cold weather!
As always we replaced with a brand new Genuine Heater Matrix replacement as shown in the pictures on our facebook below!
Posted on: March 17th, 2019 by NEAT
Haldex generation 5 service on Golf R
Haldex generation 5 service on Golf R, S3 , RS3 should be carried out at 38,000 miles. Our servicing differs from the dealer. How? you may ask. Well, when the oil is changed at the dealership this is only half the job. Here at North East Auto Tech we remove the pump. By doing so we can clean the pump strainer, helping clear through any sludge build up which is the main cause for failure.
Fault codes such as the below are common failure codes.
16670 – All-Wheel Drive
C1113 07 [008] – Mechanical Failure
131599 – Control Module for All Wheel Drive Clutch – Communication Failure
