Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem

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Tue 2 Apr 2019 23:12
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Couple of weeks ago this intermittent problem started to happen where sometimes the car takes longer to start and sometimes it starts normally which is intermittent.

While driving sometimes the car engine cuts off for a tiny brief second then engine resumes normal and I can continue driving normally for miles with no problem. When engine cuts off you get the usual lights on dashboard then they disappear when car is driving normally.

While driving sometimes the engine cuts off altogether in which I have to turn off the car fully then wait for a sec or two then start the car again in which it starts no problem and I can continue driving normally for miles without further problems.

My battery is just under a year old bought from tanya batteries. I believe I have no problems with my battery as the battery was never flat. Battery terminals look fine too no dirt/rust on them and also checked and found nothing loose on its terminals. The wires look fine from that battery and fusebox.

I scanned the car and it found nothing with the OBD diagnostics error checker scanner tool.

I just checked all the coloured fuses in the fuse box next to the battery and all fuses look ok.

From what I described what's the most likely cause?

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Tue 2 Apr 2019 23:48
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - elekie&a/c doctor

You probably will not get very accurate info from your happy shopper scanner. A more in depth scanner may identify a problem with the engine speed /crank sensor.

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Wed 3 Apr 2019 00:16
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - focussed

Or possibly check that the tacho is registering when it's turning over?

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Wed 3 Apr 2019 12:07
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Do you mean the rev meter or speedometer on the dashboard? Check if the needle moves when engine turns over you mean?

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 13:53
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - focussed

Yes - Tachometer is techie-speak for rev-meter or rev counter.

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Wed 3 Apr 2019 12:05
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Ok which in depth scanner you recommend to buy or are they only available to commercial garages and if so which national garages have this tool?

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Wed 3 Apr 2019 21:31
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - elekie&a/c doctor
Doesn’t get much better than this;www.ilexa.co.uk/diagnostic-tools/vag-com-vcds.html
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Thu 4 Apr 2019 12:24
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Ok is there such a tool for all makes of cars not just for vw group?

I dont see any justification investing £hundreds on a tool in which is just a cd and a wire where you cant use it on other makes cars.

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 12:43
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - sammy1

Does it cut out when the car hits a pothole or like could be losing the battery earth. Have you checked the fuel filter?

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 14:34
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - craig-pd130

When it cuts out, does the needle on the engine temperature gauge fall to zero?

The 1.6 engine in the Mark 1 Octavias were notorious for failing coolant temperature senders, which would cause all sorts of random problems. When they are failing, they give random readings (going from a coolant temp of 85C to, say, -10C) which confuses the ECU and causes it to massively richen the mixture.

It's a cheap component.

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 18:27
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Ok recently been to kwik fit instead and have the results of the battery test:

I bought this battery 6 months ago:

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/powerline/096/

Kwik fit results showing that the battery needs replacing because CCA measured 373 instead of the advertised figure. Voltage result is 12.36v.

I remember buying the battery brand new so how come it has come to this or what caused this or is it just simply a faulty or bad reviewed battery?

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 18:39
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - elekie&a/c doctor
Bad battery will not cause the engine to cut out while running . The problem is elsewhere.
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Thu 4 Apr 2019 21:14
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451
Bad battery will not cause the engine to cut out while running . The problem is elsewhere.

You are confirming that low CCA figure such as 373 is not the issue here?

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 21:49
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Forgot to add to my 1st post to help with the diagnosing:

I don't feel any performance issues with the car.

I can drive with headlights on, radio, heater, electric windows etc. and don't notice battery going dead.

I also drive over speed humps but the vibration don't cause the issue.

I notice this intermittent problem during cold starts/cold engine. Once engine gets warmer I can drive for miles without further issues.

If it's not the battery then what is the most likely next cause?

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Thu 4 Apr 2019 22:36
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - Oli rag
373 cold cranking amps from the battery MIGHT give you a starting problem, however it wouldn’t cause it to cut out.

Edited by Oli rag on 04/04/2019 at 22:37

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Mon 8 Apr 2019 15:39
Skoda Octavia 2006 Petrol 1.6 - Engine cuts off while Driving Problem - bery_451

Hi another update response from Tanya Batteries:


"Many thanks for your message.

I'm afraid that as the test was done on a flat battery, the results are inconclusive. The battery at 12.36v is around 60% charged. At this voltage the battery has 373CCA, the battery has 67% of the ratted CCA. The battery also held fine under load. The test results show that the battery needs to be recharged.

If we can be of any further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us"


I remember driving 4 miles to Kwik Fit on that day. So are Tanya right on their above statement when I arrived at Kwik Fit with a flat battery? If so does that mean whenever somebody drives to a place the battery always suppose to be 100% charged via the alternator while driving? Battery Voltage and CCA are correlated? If so what battery voltage gives 100% CCA output then?


If Tanya are correct on their statement then that assumes there's something wrong with the charging system i.e. Alternator if 4 miles driving is enough to charge battery to 100% correct?

If Kwik Fit test is valid backed by a test result document showing the charging system is ok then that means Tanya batteries are talking a load of Bull right? I can upload Kwik Fit test result document here.

I got a receipt from Kwik Fit stating that the charging and starter systems are ok tested by their equipment Bosch BAT 131.


So who's right?

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