Team-BHP - Skoda Laura: Problems & solutions thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanjuInGgn (Post 3579913)

Hi All,

I have been facing a weird problem with my 2011 Laura Ambiente TDI MT. Details are as below:

1. I get a smell of dust everytime I switch off the A/C and left the blower run.

2. Skoda ASS have confirmed presence of dust smell and have done everything within their capacity - including replacing the cooling coil as part of warranty. However, the problem still remains.

3. More recently, have faced situations where the A/C doesn't seem to be cooling at times (even though the A/C switch stays lighted up). I got the evaporator sprayed with water as per suggestion of a local mechanic - which seems to have worked maybe. I have not been facing this issue since the cooling coil cleaning.

Questions I had:

1. For the dust smell thingy, Giriraj Skoda has come back saying that this is happening because the pollen filter has NOT been changed for more than 1.5 yrs - whereas Skoda recommends changing that every year.

Is this really true? I really doubt this recommendation - but wanted to get your thoughts.

2. The A/C erratic cooling issue - Has anyone faced this problem? Also - what do you think might be going on? I am not able to explain how washing the evaporator could really fix this issue of A/C cooling intermittently.

Thanks much,

Sanju

Yes the pollen filter needs a change every service - 15k km or 1 yr. the same is mentioned in the manual

For the AC issue - Giriraj Motors Gurgaon told me that my car is eligible for an AC valve recall and this should fix the AC issues reported in Lauras. Check if this applies to you. I had no such AC issue but was still informed about the recall. Mine is a 2012 TDI

Quote:

Originally Posted by v_2rahjo (Post 3580572)

Thanks, v_2rahjo. Btw, I faced this issue only maybe 3 to 4 times recently. Haven't had any cooling issues otherwise. Also - the valve recall was done when Giriraj was playing around tinkering with various part replacements trying to figure out what was causing the dust smell.

Thx,
Sanju

Quote:

Originally Posted by v_2rahjo (Post 3319251)

Sure would do brother!!

Hi everyone, I had a question -

When I took my Laura for her first service last month I found the A.S.S. change the oil in a way I have never seen. Instead of undoing the bolt at the bottom of the sump, they removed the dipstick, put in a nozzel inplace of it and sucked the oil out (atleast this is what I was told). When I approached the SA he said that this is the processed that Skoda recommends. When the suction was done they filled the required amount of oil through the Engine Oil Cap.

Questions-
1> Is this how it should be done?
2> How can I verify that they actually took out the entire oil?

V_2rahjo, I have been able to get a some of the vcds mods done in Gurgaon. There's a gent named Arush - who can help you with this. He's got a place named Autopsyche in Udyog Vihar (near the Maruti showroom). His no is 98105 18681.

My laura TSI has got stuck in 4th gear, there is a lot of play in the gear stick in the front & back direction, however it's not moving side to side. Clutch seems fine.
This happened while driving on the highway, luckily I was able to limp back home.
Car has run only 22,xxxkms(serviced 3 months back)

One interesting incident that happened a night before was that my bro in law tried to reverse the car while I was asleep but gave up as he couldn't engage reverse(he didn't depress the stick)
Could this have damaged the shifter/spring etc?

Any help would be appreciated as I fear I'd be fleeced by dealers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raihan (Post 3626662)

Yup internal shift selector seems to be damaged due to excessive force when your BIL tried to engage reverse wrongly. It should not have damaged the gears, but it has definitely damaged the springs and shift selector which prevents accidental reverse gear. That part is possibly broken and stuck in between the gear selector.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raihan (Post 3626662)

Really strange and rare problem you've got there. I can't seem to find any results on Briskoda either on this particular issue. I suspect one of the cable endlinks have broken. Shouldn't be an expensive fix (hopefully)

This is one reason why I never hand over this car to valets for parking. But coming to think of it, if your BIL did not depress the stick, all he can do is put it into first, unless of course he tried to muscle if further to the left.

I am seeing the 'control system for exhaust' warning light in my 2011 Laura TSI. I took it to the garage and they did the scan, checked the related components, wiring but couldn't identify the cause. They said, it was coming intermittently and everything else seems fine. Their suggestion was if it continues, take it to Skoda service which I dread given the collective experience of several Skoda owners (and potentially huge bills). I am not experiencing any loss of power while driving. Looking for some guidance on what to do next!

Quote:

Originally Posted by altius (Post 3627317)

That is the most common warning light that Skoda cars show.It doesn't mean, that there is a problem in the exhaust system particularly. It can come due to any unclean sensor or loose connection somewhere in the bonnet. Try switching off the engine and switching it on again after 5 mins, this has worked several times on my 2007 Skoda Laura L&K AT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by altius (Post 3627317)

Your temperature sensor might be faulty giving messages to your injectors to send excess fuel. giving the wrong signal to the exhaust system triggering the warning, Check in the mornign if the fuel is getting rich. Part costs only Rs 1500 if improted from UK and takes minutes to fit

Quote:

Originally Posted by raihan (Post 3626662)

My laura TSI has got stuck in 4th gear, there is a lot of play in the gear stick in the front & back direction, however it's not moving side to side. Clutch seems fine.
===================
Any help would be appreciated as I fear I'd be fleeced by dealers.

Raihan

I had a similar issue with my 2010 Laura diesel. I was stuck in reverse and could not get the gear released. After inspection by SKODA ASS, was informed it was a linkage problem. It did not cost much, it was ~100 Rs replacement of a plastic bit in the linkage.

Hope it has been of help

Cheers

Off late I am getting a low whining sound that is in sync with engine rpm at low 1st gear and 2nd gear speeds in my 4 year old and 70,000 km run Laura TSI. The sound is present ONLY when AC is on. At higher speeds (3rd gear and above) the sound disappears. Its only in crawling traffic that the sound makes its presence felt. One more observation is that the sound is not heard immediately on switching on the AC. It comes up only after a while and sometimes the sound is just not there. If I pop up the hood with AC and engine running , I only hear normal engine idling sound. But in crawling traffic there is a definite whine that rises as the revs rise and vice versa.

The sound is not obstrusive in any way, but I am pretty certain that this sound is 'new'. AC cooling is as effective as it was on day one. Any idea what could it be? Anyone else ever faced a similar situation?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkaile (Post 3637405)

Could it be the turbocharger?

Don't think its the turbo charger as the whine is present only at low speeds. At higher speeds and when the turbo is going into boost the sound is not there. The turbo whistle is as sweet as it always has been :). Besides, the sound is not there when AC is off. I think it is some AC related belt. But I can't figure out why the sound is there in 1st and 2nd gears only? In 1st gear it rises with engine rpm and gets louder as you rev up the engine. In 2nd gear the sound decreases and there is a faint sound at low speeds. At higher speed the sound diminishes and virtually absent. Third gear onwards, I don't think I have heard it yet, be it low rpm or high rpm. I will try to observe more carefully in my next drive.

Edit :

Quote:

Originally Posted by anandpadhye (Post 3637430)

Have you checked your accessory belt? May be it's time to change it.

That sounds like a very a probable culprit.