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Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI 105hp Greentech Elegance Businessline common faults.

2013–2017, hatchback, petrol, 105 HP.

The fault list covers: CJZA engine.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

5 fault write-ups. 2 important. 6 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

2 important faults

expensive2

EA211 (1.0 to 1.5 TSI): water pump and thermostat module leak

expensive

In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.

What to check

  • Check the level in the expansion tank, and ask whether it needs topping up
  • After a cold start smell the engine bay: a sweet smell means coolant
  • Look for dried, whitish pink deposits on the exhaust side of the cylinder head
2 more steps in the write-up

Electric parking brake: rear caliper and service mode

expensive

The piston of a rear caliper with an electric parking brake cannot be wound back by hand: the caliper has to be put into service mode with a diagnostic tool. Where that was bypassed, the actuator of the caliper is damaged, and soon after a disc replacement the caliper needs replacing too.

Show the rest

The other complaint that recurs on owner forums is the parking brake fault itself: an "electric parking brake faulty" message, sometimes together with faults in the related controllers (hill hold, hill start assist, stop-start). In that case it is not necessarily the brake that failed, but the sensor or the communication between the controllers.

What to check

  • Standing still, apply and release the parking brake several times: it should work evenly and without a fault
  • After switching the ignition on, read the whole dash: there should be no parking brake, hill hold or stop-start fault message
  • Look at the rear discs and the pad thickness: uneven wear points to a seized caliper
2 more steps in the write-up

comfort1

Water ingress at the rear light and the tailgate release button

comfort

Water gets behind the rear light unit, or behind the tailgate release button. The lens mists up, the bulb or LED module fails, and the release button works intermittently. In extreme cases the tailgate does not open. The water stays in the boot, and the connector corrodes.

forum sources only

What to check

  • Open the boot and lift the trim behind the rear lights: there should be no damp, water stain or rust streak
  • Look at the light lenses from outside: misting inside the lens is a sure sign
  • Press the tailgate release button several times: hesitation or delay is suspect
2 more steps in the write-up

cheap repair2

Suspension: wear items above 110,000 km

cheap repair

On the Mk3 Octavia the control arm bushes, the anti-roll bar links and the dampers start to wear above roughly 70,000 miles (a good 110,000 km), according to the service material. If they all fall due at once, the bill is a complete front suspension overhaul.

above 110,000 km

What to check

  • On an uneven road, driving slowly, listen for knocking at the front: it points to bushes or the anti-roll bar
  • Push the corners down: the car should stop after one rebound, not keep rocking
  • Look at the inner and outer edges of the tyres: uneven wear indicates the suspension geometry
2 more steps in the write-up

TSI ignition coil: misfire, jerking, engine warning light

cheap repair

The per cylinder ignition coil of these direct injection, turbocharged petrol engines fails. According to the Haynes service material this and similar simple electrical faults account for roughly eighty per cent of workshop visits.

Show the rest

In cold, damp weather, on startup, the engine runs unevenly, misfires under acceleration, and the engine warning light flashes or stays on. Do not keep driving with the light flashing: the unburnt fuel destroys the catalytic converter.

What to check

  • Start with a cold engine and watch the first half minute: a rough idle or shaking is suspect
  • On the test drive load the engine at low revs with a lot of throttle: the misfire shows then
  • A flashing engine warning light calls for stopping immediately
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI 105hp Greentech Elegance Businessline

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall6 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

Most recent: 1 June 2026

SR/01853/26Safety recallInjuries1 June 2026 · EU Safety Gate

The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 01/06/2026 Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Request to stop driving Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/0068/18Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The strength of the rear wheel bearing housing may be insufficient. This could lead to failure of the rear wheel bearing housing with loss of wheel control.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/00787/23Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The airbag may deteriorate over time and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/02080/24Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1689/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The screws on the camshaft adjuster may become loose. As a result, engine oil will leak onto the road, posing a risk to the following traffic.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

SR/00680/26Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

A defect in the inflator of the driver airbag may cause uncontrolled inflation and the release of metal fragments when the airbag is activated, causing injury to the occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

CJZA · 1.2 TFSI

77 kW (105 HP) · petrol

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Greentech Elegance Businessline
Body
hatchback
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
automatic
Engine size
1197 cc
Power
77 kW (105 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2013–2017

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All III versions

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms