# 07 Skoda Octavia having to top-up oil?



## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

I have 07 Octavia TDI 1.9.  I have topped up the oil on two occasions at this stage even tho the car has done only 24,000km... 

people that know about engines tell me this is crazy as i shouldnt have to top up oil at all!!!!!

Basically if you are topping it up the engine must be burning it, im thinking of writing to Skoda Ireland as I am very unhappy with this situation and got very little help from the garage when i approached them about it!

Any opinions or thoughts please

thanks


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## shootingstar (14 Jul 2008)

when you say very little help, do you mean they would not give you the advise you needed. What exactly did they say? I thought diesel engine were every 10-12,000 miles for oil change? no?


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## ubiquitous (14 Jul 2008)

I have heard from reliable sources that oil top-ups are necessary for Skoda Octavia cars every 12-15,000 km or so. Needing such top-ups is regarded as normal, not a fault.


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## Welfarite (14 Jul 2008)

I would imagine that getting the car checked out would be more useful than banging a letter off to Skoda Ireland.


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## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

if its normal then explain why.
if oil is being used then where is it going??
through the fuel??leakage??
the oil is there to lubricate the moving parts and be replaced
at the service intervals.
this car is 6k off its 1st service,and yet i've topped up twice??
its not as if im doing mad mileage.
the garage of purchace told me basically to read the manual.
v poor.its amazing the difference between sales team
 and when you've a problem.
in summary,why is it necessary to top up oil in a brand new car.
i shouldnt have to put my hand on bonnet between services.
people that know alot more than me about cars agree totally with
this point of view.going to Skoda Irl is to try and get some answers as im sure they dont want bad publicity.
F


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## ubiquitous (14 Jul 2008)

Sorry, I'm not a mechanic so I cannot provide any further explanation.

If my information is correct, your car should have been serviced after 15,000 km...


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## DesignA (14 Jul 2008)

I have the same car but a 08. You need to get a service every 16,000km. Where did you hear 30,000km?


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## mathepac (14 Jul 2008)

VAG PD engines (VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Ford Galaxy, etc) do need oil top-ups between changes and levels need to be checked regularly, particularly for cars on flexible service intervals, option code QG1.

You also need to use the correct spec oil - check for VW certification on the tin; 505.00 or 505.01 for fixed service intervals or 506.00 or 506.01 for flexible service intervals .

BTW Porche engines also need oil top-ups between services - its not necessarily a fault as pointed out above.


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## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

30 k service on window inside car.
its because its 1st service.
nobody has told me as yet why i need to top up,
what does this engine do that all other diesel engines of friends and 
family dont do?as none of them ever have to top up.
cars are Avensis diesel,audi diesel.
F


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## mathepac (14 Jul 2008)

fredg said:


> if its normal then explain why...in summary,why is it necessary to top up oil in a brand new car...


fredg - I happen to have a copy of an older (2004) Skoda owner's manual to hand, and I quote Page 175 - "It is normal for the engine to consume oil. The oil consumption may be as much as 0.5l/1,000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which you operate your vehicle. The oil consumption may be slightly higher than this during the first 5,000 kilometres. One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches..."



fredg said:


> ...i shouldnt have to put my hand on bonnet between services...people that know alot more than me about cars agree totally withthis point of view...


Could I respectfully suggest then that collectively you RTFM and save yourself the upset of writing unnecessary, pointless letters and anger?


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## mathepac (14 Jul 2008)

fredg said:


> ...,audi diesel.
> ...


same engine, same requirements.


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## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

matepac,could i respectfully request that you ans my initial
quest.dont you think that ive read the manual???
im asking WHY.
not interested in quoting the manual.i want to know WHY DO I 
HAVE TO TOP UP.WHERE IS OIL GOING IF IT NEEDS REPLACING????
read question pls.ive had all the read manual from garage.


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## Caveat (14 Jul 2008)

Maybe can't directly and conclusively answer your question Fred but my understanding is:

Oil combusts.

A new car's first couple of fills of oil may be used more rapidly than subsequent changes as the engine "settles in"

"Thin" oil needs to be topped up more frequently than heavier oil as it combusts more rapidly.

All of the above may apply to you?


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## mathepac (14 Jul 2008)

fredg, your last post is downright rude and I believe it breaches  posting guidelines.
I read your original post carefully and this is the portion that I responded to twice above. 





fredg said:


> ...Any opinions or thoughts please...


Nowhere in that post does your "Why" or "Where" question appear.


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## cancan (14 Jul 2008)

I'd be changing the oil more often than every 30k if you like having a car!
Hate to be the next owner....


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## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

caveat.
thanks for at least reading my request.
the top range of oil is put in every time.
€23 per L.
im taking this further i think.


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## olddog (14 Jul 2008)

Recall an Opel Zaffy 2.0 DTI owner who complained about having to add a litre of oil every 5000km.

Reply from Opel was that this was 'within specification'

It seems that this burn rate is normal with synthetic oils


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## fredg (14 Jul 2008)

thanks olddog.
im probally banging my head against a wall.
def wont be buying another skoda


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## kfk (14 Jul 2008)

The car was supposed to be serviced at 15000 km. The garage should have told you this. This happens to most new diesel cars, even Toyota's. The garage should have informed you to keep an eye on the oil level. Judging by the rude, ignorant responses that you have given on this forum, I am not surprised that the garage had no time for you. Maybe if you had listened to the garage then you would have realized that the car should have had it first service already. I don't think that Skoda will be too upset losing you as a customer!


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## ubiquitous (15 Jul 2008)

Don't feed the trolls.


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## sse (15 Jul 2008)

fredg said:


> if its normal then explain why.
> if oil is being used then where is it going??
> through the fuel??leakage??
> the oil is there to lubricate the moving parts and be replaced
> ...


 
The oil is being burnt as the piston scavenger rings cannot scrape 100% of the oil from the bores. It's possible there are tiny leaks from gaskets, sump plug etc. as the car is running in. The level of consumption depends on journey type, cold starts, revs, many factors.

It sounds like your car is on the VAG variable service schedule, in which case the oil service is due when the dash display indicates or at a specified mileage/time limit - I think it's 30000km/2 years but check your manual.

When you say you've topped it up twice I assume this means you've put in 2 litres of oil in 24000km. That is perfectly normal oil consumption, if anything it's on the low side. One of the reasons manufacturers can offer these longer intervals is because the oil is effectively "changed" as it is consumed.

The people who tell you "i shouldnt have to put my hand on bonnet between services" or similar do not know what they are talking about. You should check your fluid levels and tyre pressures every week and not rely on the warning lights. It amazes me the number of people who spend thousands on a new car and then skimp on the basics of maintenance.

You'll get nowhere with any complaint to Skoda on this, I can assure you.

SSE


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## fredg (15 Jul 2008)

kfk
for your information,
i was told first service at 30k,and as already stated
its inside car on sticker information.
secondly try to answer the question asked, which caveat has tried to do.
you probally work for skoda anyway.
but thanks v much for taking the time and effort to post.
F


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## fredg (15 Jul 2008)

SSE thanks v much for v informative reply.


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## RS2K (15 Jul 2008)

Some engines burn oil, others don't.

VW Golf 1.8 16v from way back drank it for fun. Modern Mazda RX8's have a great thirst for it too.

It's just one of those things. On a newish car it may even improve over time, but as long as it's within specifications there's nothing to be done about it, only keep it topped up. Make sure the top up oil is exactly as per manufacturers specifications. These vary car to car and even engine to engine within a car range.

I'm no fan of the old VAG 1.9tdi btw. An ancient design.


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## fredg (15 Jul 2008)

rs2k
thanks for that.


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## sse (15 Jul 2008)

Fred

Remember the first service is due at _up to _30000km, not necessarily that figure.

As RS2K says, it's the luck of the draw. I had an ex-fleet 318i that could not be compelled to use any oil under any circumstances in three years and a from-new VW TDI that went through Magnatec like the Queen Mother went through Gordon's.

SSE


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## tallpaul04 (15 Jul 2008)

diesels are know to burn oil hence their nickname "oil burners"  having said that we've had 5 different passast's and octavia's in the past 8 yrs only one burnt a lot of oil between services.


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## shootingstar (15 Jul 2008)

just rang well known garage in cork and asked the service advisor also qualified mechanic (hes a friend of mine) who tells me that it should be changed at 20,oookm and owner should dip the oil after a couple of thousand imiles to monitor oil levels etc.

my understanding is oil burns right? <-- reason for levels dropping as asked in previous post....


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## fredg (15 Jul 2008)

will be contacting skoda for an explanation.
to me it seems like something thats certainly not going
to improve with age.


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## RS2K (16 Jul 2008)

shootingstar said:


> my understanding is oil burns right? <-- reason for levels dropping as asked in previous post....



Oil will burn ok if it gets into the combustion chamber and past the piston rings etc.

The thing is it's not supposed to be in that part of the engine. It's supposed to be flowing around the engine, lubricating, protecting, and cooling the mechanical parts.


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## shootingstar (16 Jul 2008)

RS2K said:


> Oil will burn ok if it gets into the combustion chamber and past the piston rings etc.
> 
> The thing is it's not supposed to be in that part of the engine. It's supposed to be flowing around the engine, lubricating, protecting, and cooling the mechanical parts.




There has to be some kind of burning / evaporation, no? the level wont remain the same if you didnt change the oil for say 30,oookm even if there is no fault / problem with the vehicle?

(i`ve always had a small bit of an interest in the workings of a vehicle)


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## bullbars (16 Jul 2008)

fredg said:


> caveat.
> the top range of oil is put in every time.
> €23 per L.
> im taking this further i think.


 
It has nothing to do with the brand name, its more the oil viscosity I think he was pointing towards. 
It could be something as simple as your driving style.

Changing the oil every 30K will make the problem a lot worse and as the other poster said, I'd hate to be the next owner of the car.

RS2K is correct in his statement that it shouldnt be going in to the cylinder to be burnt, but as it is a relatively new engine I wouldnt be alarmed that the OP has had t top up the oil.


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## mathepac (16 Jul 2008)

sse said:


> ... and a from-new VW TDI that went through Magnatec like the Queen Mother went through Gordon's...



Probably because it was the wrong oil to use. Either of these Castrol oils would have been suitable :

a) Castrol GTD 505 01 5W-40 (older oil)

b) Castrol EDGE Turbo Diesel 5W-40 (newer)


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## fredg (16 Jul 2008)

didnt think the post would create such debate i must be honest.
the thing is i love the car,very nice car to drive.
its not about the money,i dont take short cuts in services,
main dealer always.
im just concerned that somethings up that they want warranty to
run out so that its my problem.
f


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## sse (16 Jul 2008)

mathepac said:


> Probably because it was the wrong oil to use. Either of these Castrol oils would have been suitable :
> 
> a) Castrol GTD 505 01 5W-40 (older oil)
> 
> b) Castrol EDGE Turbo Diesel 5W-40 (newer)


 

Well it was a while ago, it wasn't on the longlife intervals.

I have to say that, if I now bought a car from new and intended to keep it, I'd go for a standard 10k mile change.

SSE


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## mathepac (16 Jul 2008)

sse said:


> ...
> I have to say that, if I now bought a car from new and intended to keep it, I'd go for a standard 10k mile change...


Agreed. Some of the manufacturers seem to moving back to fixed service intervals - no harm, it was very confusing for owners.


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## mayoman2 (16 Jul 2008)

Just my opinion, I be well ****ed off, if I had to be topping up in between intervals for a 07 car. I have a Mazda 323 Diesel 96 and have never had to go near it between intervals. I change it at 8 -10 k miles and I have nearly 200k on it.


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## sse (16 Jul 2008)

Most of them already offer the choice, you just need to reset the countdown timer.

The only real reason for the longer intervals was for the 3 year fleet cycle, a rep's car doing a limited 60k in 3 years would only need 3 (albeit more expensive) services on the lease cost than 6, then they're flogged off into the trade. Plus many of the bigger fleets actually do their own servicing (or have MASSIVE discounts at the dealers) and a private buyer may actually be better off keeping to the 10k yet using a decent fully synthetic oil rather than the pricey "longlife" oils, which are either wrecked after the two years or have basically been "changed" as they're expensively consumed.

Given a diesel is particularly polluting of its oil, leaving it for two years if you own the car is madness IMHO. You only have to look at the oil 500 miles after it's changed to see this.

Funnily enough in the US they change their oil every 5-6k, my friends in Germany do much the same.

SSE


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## nolo77 (16 Jul 2008)

I just collected my 08 Octavia 1.9TDI today from main dealer.  As I was leaving the forecourt he told me that the orange oil light may come on and he recommended I top up with 15/40 as necessary.


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## mathepac (17 Jul 2008)

nolo77 said:


> I just collected my 08 Octavia 1.9TDI today from main dealer... he recommended I top up with 15/40 as necessary.


If you get a chance, could you look in the inside cover of you "SkodaAuto Service Schedule" booklet? Stuck to the front inside cover you will see a label with barcodes and columns and rows of three letters and / or numbers, the  option-codes.

Towards the bottom of these groups you should see either "QG0" or "QG2", the codes for fixed service intervals. If this is what you see then the oil you use must comply with the specification "VW 505.00" or "VW 505.01", which you will find printed on the tin. If you don't it could lead to problems down the line.


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## aircobra19 (17 Jul 2008)

Just because one engine doesn't need topping up, doesn't mean another doesn't. Some engines are known for using oil and some aren't.


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## John joe (17 Jul 2008)

nolo77 said:


> I just collected my 08 Octavia 1.9TDI today from main dealer. As I was leaving the forecourt he told me that the orange oil light may come on and he recommended I top up with 15/40 as necessary.


 
I would safely say 15/40 is incorrect!! Look in your manual it more than likely be 5/40. As 15/40 is very heavy oil for new engine.


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## sse (17 Jul 2008)

nolo77 said:


> I just collected my 08 Octavia 1.9TDI today from main dealer. As I was leaving the forecourt he told me that the orange oil light may come on and he recommended I top up with 15/40 as necessary.


 

He should really have told you to check the oil regularly rather than rely on the light coming on (in most cases these monitor oil pressure not level). The handbook will tell you which grade to use, dependent on whether you're on longlife servicing or not.

SSE


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## Podgemcd (26 Apr 2009)

Fredg

I was reviewing this posting and <...personalised comments removed by moderator>.

The reasons behind TDI PD Engines using oil is simple:

VW, AUDI, SKODA, SEAT.... basically any car with a TDI engine, will out perform any other diesel car on the market today. I drive a TDI Passat and it uses oil. The Germans build their cars with the driver and driver experience in mind, hence stretching the capabilities of the engines more than the Japanese or Americans. The TDI PD engines use a powerful turbo which also needs oil to lubricate it, naturally it will use oil.

Also, your car is new..... It has not been "Ran In" yet, hence all piston rings, valves, turbo etc. are still new and not "settled" yet. The engine will start to use less oil as time progresses. My 02 Passat doesn't use any oil at all now between services...... it has 111K miles on it now. 

And 30,000 Kilometer service interval..... definitely not.... I service all NEw (04-09) TDI's at the 15K kilometer mark. Oil cannot perform under that pressure for more than that.

Do a search on the net and you will find how to care for and "Run In" a TDI. They like to be driven, that is what they are built for. 

Would you rather have a TDI that is fuel efficient and uses a bit of oil or a Toyota that is as dead as a door nail and needs no looking after?

Podge


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## RS2K (5 May 2009)

Podgemcd said:


> .....The reasons behind TDI PD Engines using oil is simple:
> 
> VW, AUDI, SKODA, SEAT.... basically any car with a TDI engine, will out perform any other diesel car on the market today. I drive a TDI Passat and it uses oil. The Germans build their cars with the driver and driver experience in mind, hence stretching the capabilities of the engines more than the Japanese or Americans. The TDI PD engines use a powerful turbo which also needs oil to lubricate it, naturally it will use oil.
> 
> Also, your car is new..... It has not been "Ran In" yet, hence all piston rings, valves, turbo etc. are still new and not "settled" yet. The engine will start to use less oil as time progresses. My 02 Passat doesn't use any oil at all now between services...... it has 111K miles on it now.



I disagree with a lot of that.

Modern VW group TDI engines are competitive, but the old 1.9 unit (the subject of this thread) is a crude relatively unrefined lump, and is a very old design.

Greater power doesn't necessarily mean greater oil consumption either.


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## Guest125 (6 May 2009)

The 07 Octavia has the current(PD) engine not the earlier 1.9 unit.


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## fredg (1 Aug 2009)

just literally spotted the newest post on subject,
thanks for all replies,
ive 45k up on car now and hav'nt replaced oil myself since.
v happy with my car and would recommend an octavia to anyone.
F.
ps does'nt the superp look just that.superp!


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## Hen (10 Jan 2011)

*10 Octavia having to top up oil*

If I had known that I would have to keep topping up oil on my Jan 10 Octavia I would not have bought it. I am very happy that Fredg has got it resolved, I am currently just over the 24K mark, had my first service at 16K but the oil light appeared before the first service but as I was passing the garage they topped up the oil for me, only for me to have to top it up a couple of K later, just before the first service, I also had it topped up at 22K and am now monitoring it weekly. I have had diesel engines before and never had to top them up. I don't need a new car where its oil has to be checked on a weekly basis and to be told SAD, you have to put up with it.


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