Skoda Octavia engine cuts out occassionaly while driving and cranks ok but does not always fire up

Car: Skoda Octavia
Variant: 1.9 turbo deisel Ambiente
Model Year: 2003
Categories: Running Rough, Starting & Power Loss
Have had frequent breakdowns recently whereby it would not start despite cranking ok.called out breakdown service and on each occassion after arriving the mechanic just locked the car using key/immobiliser and then unlocked using same unlock on the key fob and on each occassion started straightaway!I had the battery checked and it indicated replace battery so I had a new battery fitted.It went about 500 miles with no problems until yesterday when after a journey of 50 miles and returnig home turned engine off while I unloaded car.Tried to restart it would not fire up.Again after arming/disarming it started
It has been on a skoda dealers diagnostics tester but no fault showing!
The dealer says there is a relay that controls the fuel pump and glow plugs that is found to be faulty on a lot of vehicles
so waiting for the part for dealer to fit and see if it cures it permanently!
anybody experienced the same problem?
Posted: Dec 8, 2010 (14 years ago)
Could well be just faulty relay as suggested , fingers crossed .
Posted Dec 9, 2010 (14 years ago)
Hi,

I've been having a similar problem.

It appears to come back to life when transported to the garage. No faults shown.

The fuel pump was replaced but it still occured.

It has been to garage three times but no solution found.

Did you find a solution?
Posted Apr 1, 2011 (13 years ago)
Have you had a look at this similar problem: engine cuts out occassionaly while driving and cranks ok but does not always fire up

This message was auto-generated based on a user suggestion.
Posted May 17, 2012 (12 years ago)
my son's Octavia- diesel 05 reg- has now broken down on the motorway 4 times, twice on the fast lane(worrying!) It has been towed in so many times his breakdown company won't touch it again. The skoda garage have had it for a total of 12 weeks on different occasions. First they said it was ignition problems- (expensive!) The next time they had it for 4 weeks while consulting Skoda technical support, before deciding it was a wiring loop(?) The next time they said it was the fuel pump (more huge expense). Now after having the car back for 4 days it has conked out again. I have read somewhere about a fault to do with fuel injectors that has been reported to VOSA. Could this be something to do with it. He has run out of money for garage bills and is frightened to take it on the motorway, a must for his job. Help
Posted May 17, 2012 (12 years ago)
i have experienced the same problem....intermittently cutting out day after day hour after hour .changed .E.C.U...spent £1000ss...still the same....one day i was driving on motorway 70 M.P.H....and it cut out ...i switched ignition on and off whilst free wheeling put car in fourth gear and let clutch out nothing happened...i switched on and off a few times..and it fired back up... drove 3 miles at 70M.P.H...and it happened again...i did same again.....after telling this to an auto electrician...he immediately said thats an electrical fault...we changed the top part of the engine fuse box...and it as never happened since....that could well be your problem....
Posted Apr 8, 2013 (11 years ago)
I have had terrible intermittent electrical problems. The upshot seems to be the steering column electronic control module. It doesn't like being hot. Run your engine and heat up this module with a hair drier. See if the engine and other services cut out. Also try to start the vehicle with it hot. It will probably start when it has cooled down
Posted Aug 23, 2013 (11 years ago)
I have had an intermittent electrical fault over a two year period. Symptoms range from loss of air con, windows fail, no indicator lights or main beam. Progressing to full engine cut out no dash icons and a completely dead battery. As the car cool gradually everything comes back.
After much investigation by an independent garage,Skoda and their computer investigated this many expensive times and failed, it was found that the control unit in the steering column which is coupled to the ignition switch does not like being hot. The garage heated this unit up using a hair dryer with the engine running and all symptoms came back.
This unit is now replaced and hope springs eternal that the cut outs and other symptoms will not come back.
Hope this helps. Get a hair dryer on the steering column control module.
Posted Aug 24, 2013 (11 years ago)
just change the fuel pump on the Tank and it should, i went step by step and it still kept stopping ever 10 kms, i got the fuel tank cleaned, ran all the diagnostics from couple of place, all the diagnostics was doing was switching off the light indicator on the dashboard, got the nozzle cleaned, then got the whole fuel injectors changed, and now finally the electronic pump sitting on the tank, and it worked, now i am really sick off the skoda since they have made the car hard to diagnose faults.
Posted May 13, 2014 (10 years ago)

This problem is archived

If you're having a similar problem please click below to re-post this problem, you can then customise it to suit your situation.

Join the community
Got a question? Can you answer other questions here? If so please...
More problems with the 2003 model year Skoda Octavia

We have 17 problems and solutions in our database for this model year of the car.

View all Skoda Octavia Problems