[DeeEssJi]

Hello everyone,

My brother is looking to buy a Skoda Kodiaq L&K. We just got the VIN number and decoded it using the guide on this forum. It shows a manufacturing of June 2023. I have two questions and I would be grateful if someone could guide me-

-Is it safe to buy a June 2023 manufactured car in Dec 2023? Does it mean that the car was just standing around, collecting dust for 6 months?

-Will the car be E20 compliant? The dealership staff is very confident that it will be E20 compliant but is not sure if there is going to be any E20 Sticker on the fuel lid.

[Dosojin]

Originally Posted by Dosojin

I got delivery of my L&K in mid-September with manufacturing date of June 2023. In general, I have read up to 6 months from manufacturing date is ok to take delivery. Your case seems to be borderline. If I were in your place, I would take delivery after a thorough PDI.

On the E20 question, even if you believe the dealer, the risk you run is of the warranty being deemed void by Skoda in case any issue is found linked to usage of E20 fuel. On the other hand, I believe there is low probability of any problem using E20 fuel - these machines have good tolerance levels built in. Sorry for not really helping . Have you tried asking the dealer to provide in writing that the car is E20 compliant, and that your warranty will not be voided?

Please refer my earlier post above for both your queries.

[cooldip]

Originally Posted by DeeEssJi

-Is it safe to buy a June 2023 manufactured car in Dec 2023? Does it mean that the car was just standing around, collecting dust for 6 months?

-Will the car be E20 compliant? The dealership staff is very confident that it will be E20 compliant but is not sure if there is going to be any E20 Sticker on the fuel lid.

As far as I understand, the stamping date is the date the kit was assembled at the mother plant. It takes a couple of months or so to make it to the factory in India. You can do your math after that.

The latest lot of cars have the E20 sticker. I wouldn't be convinced till I see the E20 sticker pic if I were you.

Skoda has a sizable inventory of L&Ks sitting around and dealers are desperate to sell. You should make your demands very clear.

[ArunRam]

Folks, I have a Sep 23 L&K. Almost everything about this car is great so far. But lately I am hearing a short groan whenever I start the car, engage the drive from parking and two seconds later when I begin to drive. The car drives perfectly later without any issues. I suspect this is related to parking/ braking. I am visiting service center in a few days to sort this out. Just checking if any members experienced this. Thanks

[Dosojin]

Originally Posted by Dosojin

Groaning noise at low-speed braking. And few tips from Skoda service engineer

Please refer to my earlier post on brake groaning noise. I guess your concern is this only.

Originally Posted by Dosojin

Groaning noise at low-speed braking. And few tips from Skoda service engineer

From day one, there was a groaning noise just before the car stopped when maneuvering it out from my parking. This was true in forward and reverse directions. I went through multiple Google search results and YouTube videos but finally got the answer in this team-bhp thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...hen-slope.html (Why do brakes groan when on a slope?)

Still, I wanted to show it to a Skoda service engineer and be at 100% piece of mind. To put it short, he gave the exact same reasoning as mentioned by ashivas89 in the above thread.

Would want to know if other owners have observed the groaning noise.

While I was with the service engineer, he gave me following tips to follow religiously:

1. Fuel-up once the tank goes below 50%. His rationale was that on slopes, the fuel-pump may run into issues
2. Get filters cleaned at 7500 KMs. Rationale being that Kodiaq is not optimized for Indian road conditions
3. Alignment and wheel balancing every 7500 KMs. Same rationale as above
4. Check tire pressure every 10 days
5. Regular service per user manual, i.e. 15k KMs or 1 year whichever is earlier

The service engineer has been with Skoda for 10+ years and he handles Kodiaqs at the service center I will be going to. I will just follow the above and be in his good books - one learning from Tata ownership I will be carrying over!

[RSW]

Originally Posted by Dosojin

Please refer to my earlier post on brake groaning noise. I guess your concern is this only.

But the problem that I’m facing is - the sound persist even when the car is parked on flat surface, when i apply reverse gear. There is this weird groaning noise that irritates me.

In above comment it was highlighted that this happens primarily bcos of manoeuvring braking system. I tried to turn it off n to some extent the noise level comes down.

Nevertheless, Will be visiting the workshop in first week of January. Apprise the group accordingly

[mountainboy1213]

Originally Posted by SilverSmoke

Bought these for additional coziness.
They offer supreme driving ergonomics & neck comfort.

Can you please share the link? Thanks!!

[Old Dude]

Originally Posted by Dosojin

Please refer to my earlier post on brake groaning noise. I guess your concern is this only.

Following are my observations with brake groaning on my Kodiaq.
1) The brake groaning is real, not my imagination.
2) The brake groaning was more pronounced when the car ( and hence brake pads) was new, has reduced with wear over past 7000 odd kms.
3) The brake groan is more pronounced if the car has been washed ( the water drying on the brake discs).
4) At 7000 kms, if the car has not been driven through rain or washed, there is no groaning anymore.
5) The brake bite and effectiveness has improved over time ( The owners manual says the brake pads have to set in and will reach full efficiency only after 600-700kms, I have been a gentle driver, so maybe brake usage was minimal and took longer for my brake pads to set in.

Hope the above observations help other Kodiaq owners with the issue.

[SilverSmoke]

Back from 400 KMs mountain terrain round trip.

Happy to report - not even once I experienced steering hum - neither to right nor for the left. Hoping it's gone for the good.

Will report if it's back anytime.

Brakes / suspension / engine / transmission - all behaved perfectly.

Originally Posted by mountainboy1213

Can you please share the link? Thanks!!

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0CFFMZNQL?...p_mob_ap_share

I also use it at right knee - fix it to door handle - gives support to right leg - helps in long drives of 3+ hours & reduces right leg / thigh fatigue.

[DeeEssJi]

Originally Posted by cooldip

As far as I understand, the stamping date is the date the kit was assembled at the mother plant. It takes a couple of months or so to make it to the factory in India. You can do your math after that.

The latest lot of cars have the E20 sticker. I wouldn't be convinced till I see the E20 sticker pic if I were you.

Skoda has a sizable inventory of L&Ks sitting around and dealers are desperate to sell. You should make your demands very clear.

Thank you for taking the time out to reply!

I had a word with the dealer and they were insistent that because the particular car that I was allocated was still in transit(from Aurangabad to Delhi), it was freshly assembled in India and not just lying around.

Regardless, I have conveyed to the dealer that I will only take delivery and make payment after a thorough PDI and checking for the E20 sticker on the fuel cap.

[RSW]

Originally Posted by Dosojin

Please refer to my earlier post on brake groaning noise. I guess your concern is this only.

But the problem that I’m facing is - the sound persist even when the car is parked on flat surface, when i apply reverse gear. There is this weird groaning noise that irritates me.

In above comment it was highlighted that this happens primarily bcos of manoeuvring braking system. I tried to turn it off n to some extent the noise level comes down.

Nevertheless, Will be visiting the workshop in first week of January. Apprise the group accordingly

[Old Dude]

Fun Drive to Coorg in the Kodiaq and an unplanned photoshoot

Wanted to take a short break from work that has been hectic of late, and also was looking for an opportunity to stretch the legs (or wheels) of my Kodiaq - finally made time for a short (600km round) trip from Bangalore to Coorg with family over Christmas.

Day-1:
Leaving our home on Saturday evening around 5:30, we had to brave and overcome the notorious Bangalore traffic till hitting Nice road, after which the Kodiaq finally got an opportunity to stretch her legs. Once we hit the Mysore express way, the drive was as magical and relaxing as enjoying a smooth symphony. Effortless cruising at the speed limit (100 KMPH) with Kodiaq’s excellent headlights providing ample illumination ahead, we enjoyed our favourite music and a bit of customary front seat vs back seat Antakshari for the next 90 minutes and arrived at our friends’s place in Mysore feeling refreshed and rejuvenated for a welcoming dinner and hours of good conversation. Overall mileage for this stretch of 160KM was 13.7KMPL - would have got better if not for bumper to bumper traffic for the first one hour of traversing Bangalore city till hitting NICE Road (personal best being 16.4KM for this same stretch).

We proceeded from Mysore to Coorg on Sunday (Christmas Eve ) after lunch. There was heavier than usual traffic being Christmas holidays, but having got used to the slight lag before a downshift, timing and passing other slower moving vehicles on the largely undivided Mysore - Coorg stretch was a breeze. Again restricted to safe speeds per road condition (read as below the limit of continuous dings). As we neared Coorg, started appreciating even more, how effortless the Kodiaq was tackling the winding roads and (not very steep) uphill climb, maintaining her poise and plenty of reserve power on tap even with 5 pax on board and a full boot. While it was tempting to push the big bear faster through the curves, I had to prioritise comfort of my rear seat passengers ( after drawing some sharp comments from my better half) and the Kodiaq felt totally composed with no noticeable body roll.

Stopped by an empty stretch to click some pictures.



Reached “Coorg Little Jungle” resort in time for a high tea and treated ourself to the wonderful hospitality of the owners and our friend Mr. Bopanna.


Mandatory turn and look back in admiration before walking away after parking
Day-2:
Waking up to a misty morning in the lap of nature to a myriad variety of bird chirps and tweets it felt like time slowing down and all the stress from the busy hubub of Bangalore city melting away. I had to give the Kodiaq a quick clean up and drive her into the coffee estate for clicking few pictures, of course after finishing the family photo session ( As it is, I’m in the doghouse for treating my Kodiaq dearer than my better half, couldn’t risk pushing it any further).

The bear basking in morning sun in the coffee plantation.


Post lunch, taking guidance from our local hosts, we drove to Harangi backwaters, a bit off the beaten path. The road was practically non existent for the last 3KM, and in many places narrowing down with thick foliage on either side giving me scare of picking up micro scratches on my paintwork. After about 10 minutes, the narrow path opened up to lush green meadows leading to the waterfront, and best of all, with not another soul in sight. The evening sun, the glistening waters, the green meadows and scattered white clouds on clear blue skies provided an impromptu photo shoot opportunity for the Kodiaq and time to show off the different hues of the Lava Blue colour. Having shot a ton of pics ( all using IPhone - was too lazy and left my DSLR back in our room which I regret), I had to restrain myself to post only a handful here. Mild off-roading around the backwater through unpaved paths and meadows with a bit of slush was a walk in the park for the Kodiaq. With no other peoplearound and vast expanse of meadows, I could position and angle the Kodiaq to show off the lustrous reflections to the max.









Had to stop finally after an hour of clicking and driving around, with my wife and kids running out of patience, and had to drive to the touristy side of Harangi reservoir where we visited the garden and fountains. Drove back to our resort after sunset, again enjoying every curve and every slope all the way. The headlights seemed even more powerful in the empty winding hilly roads, turning the night into day ahead as the Kodiaq effortlessly tackled the terrain. Retired for the night after a sumptuous dinner of local delicacies.

Day-3:
Started the day at dawn with a coffee plantation walk, learning more about Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, followed by breakfast. Spent some more time lazing around the resort and started our drive back to Bangalore by 11:30AM.

Two days of relaxation does wonders to the mind and body that even with a 15 minute block and a 10 minute detour through the narrowest lanes, I was still not even a bit restless or frustrated and reached Mysore in 2 hours 10 mins covering 100 KMs - good time considering there was moderately heavy traffic all the way from Kushalanagar to Mysore and I was driving sedately ( at least all of us in the Kodiaq felt so, though the speedometer occasionally showed triple digits that is masked well by the silent, and vibration free cabin and excellent ride quality) with no abrupt braking or swerving. Stopped for lunch at Mysore Union, a hep place near Infosys Mysore.

Range Anxiety ( yes, on a petrol car!)
I was low on fuel and wanted to find an IOCL pump in Mysore city with XP-95 as I wanted to avoid highway stations for questionable fuel quality and non availability of 95 Octane fuel. However, in the hangover of a rather heavy lunch, totally forgot about this and realized the miss only after entering the 117KM long Bangalore - Mysore expressway with remaining indicated range as 110KMs. By the time we crossed Channapattana, the remaining range dropped to 50KM, the fuel gauge in Red “R”, with prompts of low fuel warning on the infotainment. I was forced to exit at Ramnagara and the HP pump on the highway was not very confidence inspiring, nor did they have 95 Octane. I finally put in just Rs. 500 worth of the HP normal petrol ( which I swear smelled different) to get me to the IOCL pump that had XP95 at Kengeri, where the expressway ends - which I finally made it with about 30KM indicated range to spare. Unsurprisingly, the engine felt noticeably rough with the highway petrol for that stretch, but thankfully no EPC error came up. It took in 56.3 Litres of XP95 fuel to reach auto stop, after which I resumed the drive through NICE road - Electronic City - Silk Board - to my home. Couple of KMs after filling in XP95, the engine became smooth again - reiterating my suspicion that the highway station petrol was probably adulterated.

The familiar Bangalore traffic was a strong reminder that vacation is over and welcomed back to real world problems, but hey, that has to wait till tomorrow. Stuck in Silk-board signal, my mind was already making plans for the next road trip - and that’s exactly a fine car like Kodiaq will make one do. If I had to sum up the drive in one word, I’d be confused between effortless, comfortable and exciting ( there you go, the Kodiaq is all three). And yes, before going to sleep, had the energy to clean the Kodiaq and look back once again in admiration as I walked away from the garage.

[Jangra]

I’ve crossed 18k kms in my Kodiaq and most of the miles have been doing cross country. mum - Indore prolly 5 times, Mumbai Delhi once, mum - Blr once, Mumbai - Goa 3. I’ve been trying as much to fill her up with IOC or HP 95 but at least more than 10 times with highways decent looking bunks with normal petrol. Quite frankly couldn’t observe any difference. 95 Octane is niche and atleast during long trips it’s hard and inconvenient to find but based on my habit, happy to say that don’t bother and go for normal petrol to prevent these anxieties.

[Devil-on-Wheel]

Wonderful images of the car. One actually falls in love with the lava blue beast standing majestically and showing itself off! And yes. Also appreciate a very well written summary of your travel.

[GoBlue]

Chiming in from a perspective of XP95 fuel combined with this 2.0 TSI powertrain on an Octavia 2.0 TSI.

The engine feels noticeably rough with normal petrol. It feels even rougher with older (or perhaps adulterated) XP95 filled from bunks where there’s probably less demand for this category of fuel.

This BS6 2.0 TSI powertrain is sensitive to fuel quality.

While the minimum fuel grade mentioned in the manual is 95 RON, this works out when petrol is filled from bunks where XP95 is of decent quality.

Adulterated or older XP95 fuel is causing fueling jerks at higher RPM’s, as reported by Octavia owners. Do share if similar behaviour was observed in the Kodiaq.

Thanks.