OCTAVIA III Owners discussion thread

[woofy]

Actually I might have put the handbrake in, but could swear it was in the manual. It could be a new thing though. But nonetheless at the lights noone with a manual is going to sit there with the clutch out and in neutral....well they could be the abuse wouldn't be worth it!

[Mysticality]

Actually I might have put the handbrake in, but could swear it was in the manual. It could be a new thing though. But nonetheless at the lights noone with a manual is going to sit there with the clutch out and in neutral....well they could be the abuse wouldn't be worth it!

I do that all the time! Also, there's no lag putting it in gear if the input shaft has already stopped.

[pjam73]

To get it to come on in a manual it has to meet certain conditions which are unknown to me, but programmed in. Then you have to have it in neutral and put the handbrake on and let the clutch out.

I test drove a manual RS Wagon at the weekend and it triggered stop/start multiple times, none of which involved the handbrake. I just came to a halt at the lights, keeping my foot on the brake, and then put it into neutral and then took my foot off the clutch. Exactly as it works in the manual 2013 Renault Clio that we have.

[woofy]

Yeah I tested it on the way home and that worked. I think it must have been an example in the manual. Having said that, never do I let the clutch out and put it in neutral at lights or you would have the car behind you on the horn before you were even halfway through.

[Jondalar]

Back when I drove manuals I was taught to put it in neutral, too much wear on the throw out bearing if you're sitting with the clutch in for minutes.

I find the stop start works well with DSG apart from not being psychic, as in there are often times when it stops just as the traffic is about to move. You can try to avoid this by only braking lightly but it doesn't always work. I find that with the engine stopped by the time my foot lifts off the brake and is halfway to the accelerator the engine is running every time. I think it definitely saves a significant amount of fuel in heavy traffic. What I do wish was that there was an override button on the steering wheel so that you can temporarily prevent it engaging by holding the button down. Our normal drives are 30+km so I don't think that's going to leave a battery charge issue.

Cheers,
Karl

Yeah I tested it on the way home and that worked. I think it must have been an example in the manual. Having said that, never do I let the clutch out and put it in neutral at lights or you would have the car behind you on the horn before you were even halfway through.

[Mysticality]

Our normal drives are 30+km so I don't think that's going to leave a battery charge issue.

There is a sensor located on the battery, at the negative terminal post - if this sensor detects low battery levels, the Start/Stop system won't activate. Very handy!

[Jondalar]

Yes this is one of the signs of the battery failing, no stop start, that plus longer cranking when it's been unused for a day or two. (My wife's 2014 Golf TDI showed both of these at 2.5 years old).

There is a sensor located on the battery, at the negative terminal post - if this sensor detects low battery levels, the Start/Stop system won't activate. Very handy!

[woofy]

Back when I drove manuals I was taught to put it in neutral, too much wear on the throw out bearing if you're sitting with the clutch in for minutes.

I find the stop start works well with DSG apart from not being psychic, as in there are often times when it stops just as the traffic is about to move. You can try to avoid this by only braking lightly but it doesn't always work. I find that with the engine stopped by the time my foot lifts off the brake and is halfway to the accelerator the engine is running every time. I think it definitely saves a significant amount of fuel in heavy traffic. What I do wish was that there was an override button on the steering wheel so that you can temporarily prevent it engaging by holding the button down. Our normal drives are 30+km so I don't think that's going to leave a battery charge issue.

Cheers,
Karl

I often wonder if these kinds of things are old wives tails. I've had cars last over 150k without new clutches from new and my wife and I both drive them like that. I think my last clutch was a car about 15yrs ago hitting 200k apart from our 2002 Mazda 323 which had a clutch fault repaired under warranty at 70,000 due to a known faulty part. If I'm waiting too long like outside someones house or pulled into a park yes for sure, but not at the lights.

[Jondalar]

Woofy I was told this by my father who amongst other things was an Automotive Engineer and RACQ mechanic with over 30 years experience. Perhaps designs have changed, I know when I did my motorcycle license training a couple of years ago I was taught to always sit in gear at the lights, although there's a bit more chance you may suddenly need to move on a bike.

Cheers,
Karl

I often wonder if these kinds of things are old wives tails. I've had cars last over 150k without new clutches from new and my wife and I both drive them like that. I think my last clutch was a car about 15yrs ago hitting 200k apart from our 2002 Mazda 323 which had a clutch fault repaired under warranty at 70,000 due to a known faulty part. If I'm waiting too long like outside someones house or pulled into a park yes for sure, but not at the lights.

[woofy]

Ah, it could be a very old habit then! My Grandfather owned his own dealership in Sydney with a friend selling the the first Pugs/Renaults and he was the mechanic as was my uncle in later years. So my Dad had been taught all kinds of things that by the time I had my own car were completely redundant....even moreso with EFI knocking out parts but we both learned lots of things passed down were not relevant anymore. Wonder what it says in the manual itself, but would be curious whether anyone who works on these now here knows? It could well be something my Dad did tell me that I ignored years ago or forgot. I don't recall any drive schools teaching it though in the early 90s.