Skoda Fabia not starting in the morning with a cold engine

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone else with a Skoda Fabia 2019 onwards might have encountered the same problem as I have and be able to help. I live in Australia and have been having a problem with my 2019 Skoda Fabia where the engine won't start first time in the morning when it's cold. It will come up with multiple fault codes on the dashboard before then turning over and starting sometimes on the 4th or 5th go and then have the engine fault light on the dashboard.
If I wait until later in the morning, say 09 am, then it starts ok with no issues. Other times it will start with no issues in the morning at all.
Has anyone else with a Skoda Fabia had this same issue?
I was thinking about replacing my engine temperature sensor as it looks like other people with Skoda Fabias on other message boards have been having the same issue and finding replacing the sensor solved it.
My question is about whether the coolant temperature sensor is the same thing as the engine temperature sensor? As I'm struggling to find anything online about the engine sensor, just the coolant sensor.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but I want to make sure I order and change the correct part.
Cheers
Jacob

Hi I have exactly the same problem with my 2019 Fabia. It appears to happen when the overnight temperature drops below about 2.5°. a whole range of warnings flag up.
I believe the problem is a sensor and have been told that the sensors are daisy chained which is why when one goes it flags multiple issues that don't exist.
I think starting with the Auto cutout not disengaged helps. Also after each failed start taking the key out of ignition and waiting a few seconds. I can tell if it will try to start by the noise the system makes when I turn ignition on. If the sounds stop too quickly, it won't even attempt to start.
If I find out more will message again.

Hi mate,

Thanks for the reply and letting me know. Mine started doing it again now that the overnight temperatures have started dropping.
I think I'm going to have to leave it with my mechanic overnight and ask him to look at it first thing in the morning as it only happens very early in the morning, I start for work at 04:50 am!
If I can get it booked in with him and he finds anything out I'll let you know.
Hopefully you can find a solution for yours as well.

Cheers

Hi Jacob
I live in Sweden and have a Skoda Fabia 2019 with precise the same problem as you. I have been struggling with this for quite some time now, and was glad to find your question and discussion. A problem with a sensor sounds logical to me, but there is a lot of sensors and I want to find the right one. Please let me know more when you hear back from your mechanic. Imagine if I could get help from a friend all the way from Australia to solve this problem, that would be awesome.

From Håkan in Sweden 👍😜

I have an extended warranty. I left the car with the dealership overnight and they hooked it up to the computer in the morning. The message said it needed a new fuse box.
This was replaced yesterday, but it's too warm here today to know if this worked. It's due to get down to 3° tonight and as I'm semi-rural it might get a bit colder than that. Will feedback as soon as I can.

Hi Jacob
Thanks for sharing this problem. I don't have an extended warranty on my car, so any help I can get is very important to me. Now I hope the weather will be a little colder where you live so maybe we can find a solution to the problem. Will be excited to hear from you again.
Håkan, the Swede

Unfortunately it hasn't been cold enough to be able to confirm if replacing the fusebox has fixed the problem. The car starts fine, but then it did anyway when it wasn't cold overnight.
It doesn't look like I will have a cold night for a little while now but I will post a message as soon as I get one.

Hello again
Thanks for keeping me updated. I am not in a hurry, so take your time so you're sure if you solved the problem or not.
At the moment my car starts without any problems. Here in Sweden, summer is approaching, so I can probably look forward to a long time without starting problems. In Australia, the seasons are opposite to Sweden, I think. So colder weather with you is coming in the near future I think.
I look forward to hearing from you again.
Håkan

Since replacing the fusebox I have had no further issues. However although there have been a couple of cold mornings, about 2°C it's been marginal as to if it's been cold enough to trigger the issue.
It may not get really cold again till the end of the year now. @ElektrodaBot

>>21068439
Hello
Thank you for your report. I want to make sure we are talking about the same fuse box, there are two. One in the engine compartment and one in the driver's compartment. Which one did you replace? Attached is a picture from it in my car's engine compartment. I'm guessing it is, but want to be absolutely sure before I buy it. Can you confirm or deny my guess?
Thanks in advance

I have spoken with the garage to be clear about what was done and why. They replaced the main fusebox under the bonnet of the car. They had pushed the car into the workshop and hooked it up to the diagnostics. This detected issues with the two junctions that are built into the fusebox. As they are integral the solution had to involve its replacement.
I understand that the model is to a limited extent differently configured in different countries. I can't speak about the fuse box and this may be the same, but worth asking.

Hello again
I have now bought a new fuse box. I found a used one from a crash-damaged car of the same model year. I know it's a bit of a gamble, but I think it's worth a try. It probably won't be until November that I know if it solved the problem or not. Of course I will then report this here. Thanks again for what you shared.

Hi all,

I've just had my fuse box holder replaced by a mechanic as the car was still under warranty and the issue has gone away. Starts in the morning first time with no issues and no warnings.
The mechanic wrote in his report that the "vehicle has lost communication with ECM. Terminal voltage is off. Found TPI relating to issue."
Since it's been replaced there's been no issues and the temperature has dropped down to 3 degrees, as cold as it gets here in Queensland Australia. Before it wouldn't start if the temperature dropped below 15 so I'm pretty confident this was the issue. Hopefully you guys can get yours sorted as well under warranty if it's a 2019 car.

Really good to hear and sounds like it's a smoking gun. Hopefully others will benefit from this. I'm going to pass this back to my Skoda supplier so that hopefully Skoda will log it as an issue with a known solution.

Thanks guys, this has been worthwhile.

>>21125523
Hey all
That was good news. The odds that changing the fuse box will solve even the problem with my car have increased considerably now. But in Sweden it is summer and hot now, but I will report as soon as it gets colder again. Thank you for sharing.

Hello
All problems are now gone.
Now it has gotten so cold in the south of Sweden that I know with certainty that the error has been fixed. I just want to highlight that you don't have to replace the entire fuse box, which is a big operation. Inside the fuse box is a removable box that is released with clips. A fairly simple operation actually. Thank you all for sharing.

>>21126085
Excellent, very happy this worked for you too.

Keith

>>21259202 Thanks for sharing this info. I have the same problem with my Fabia. I have taken it to my local Skoda dealer who said "we can see the fault codes but not the issue" (helpful) Now it is getting colder in the mornings in the UK I can't drive the car until mid morning!

Would you be able to provide a bit more info about the removable box inside the fuse carrier? I have tried to remove it and can see some clips either side but without any luck. Any tips or advice is greatly received.

My service garage fixed it for me. I left it with them overnight when it was forecast to be cold. It wouldn't start for them either and they pushed it into the workshop.
The fault was with two relays that are built into the fusebox itself. They ordered a new fusebox and fitted it.
One of the other contributors has done this for themselves and they can give you better info on the technical side.

Many thanks I was close to give up and no workshop was able to find the problem.
It was one of the relays inside the fuse box.
On my Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI 2019

I've got this problem too, I heated up the area within the engine bay fuse box with a hairdryer, car started first time after not getting close before. So it's one of the relays is it a specific one as there are 3? The Skoda parts place is charging £30 a pop so if I can get away with changing one that would be ideal. Also how do I get into the relays, should a section lift? Thanks for all the posts above, very helpful.

I did buy a complite fusebox at a scrapped yard from a scrapped Skoda fabia 2020..
For 25 $

Added after 15 [minutes]:

You need to remove all cables on the top.
And remove all fuses.
And one torx screw in the wheelhouse.
Then you can release the box.
And on the bottom of the box you can remove the card with the relays on that is on my picture.
Larsa

I see Larsa has replied, he clearly has gone into more depth than me and I can't be of any further technical help on the specifics of which relay. I can say that with the temperature, ice, and snow over the past few days, the problem has not returned for me and it's been a pretty thorough workout.
I have contacted Skoda directly about the issue, what causes it and how it is resolved. They were appreciative and hopefully this will be circulated to their networks so that others will benefit from what has been discovered.

Thanks, very useful as I wouldn't have known where to start.

Yes I had the same issue and I have just resolved it FINALLY with the help of everyone on here.

Here are some pictures of what I replaced (I purchased a new fuse box from VAG for £70 and took out the whole relay board and fitted - It was VERY tight around wires but time and patience and it got back together and working finally!

Attach some pics - let me know if I can offer any advice.

Tip
You do not need to remove all cables from the fuse box you only need to remove the 6 cables at the top.
And all large fuses. Cut up 2cm tape on the cable tangle. This will give you room to remove the card from the bottom.

Do you all that have the same problem have a 2019 model?

My car is 2019 TSI model with the dsg gearbox

Yes 2019 DSG 1.0 SE - Yeah remove the tape around the cable and cable ties and "wiggle" it into place.

Yes, 2019 1.0 TSI

I'll source a replacement part and have a go at the fix. Thanks for all the photos, they make it clearer to see what needs doing.