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Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI Greentech ACT Active common faults.

2015–2019, hatchback, petrol, 150 HP.

The fault list covers: CZDA, CZEA engine, MQ250 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

5 fault write-ups. 4 important. 1 recalls.

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

Before you buy

Known faults

4 important faults

expensive4

MQ200 / MQ250 manual gearbox: differential bearing and synchros

expensive

The light, magnesium cased MQ200 and the MQ250, sized for higher torque, are the most widespread manual gearboxes in the transverse engine VAG models. Both have the same two weak points, and both depend on use.

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The first is the differential bearing: as it wears you first get a droning, then a whine from the thrust bearings of the output shaft. Left alone, the planetary shaft can fail and in extreme cases punch through the gearbox casing: from then on it is not a repair but a replacement.

The second is the synchros: they can start crunching at around 50,000 km with aggressive driving. This type does not like dumping the clutch or slipping it, and on a used car that is exactly what you have to listen for.

above 50,000 km

What to check

  • On the test drive with the window down, listen to the gearbox both off and on the throttle: droning or whining is suspect
  • Shift up and down quickly, especially into 2nd and 3rd: crunching means synchro wear
  • Try engaging 1st and reverse when cold: resistance here means wear
2 more steps in the write-up

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.

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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

Steering rack: noise and increased resistance

expensive

A recurring complaint on the Mk3 Superb is noise while steering and increased resistance, typically at higher speed. The cause is often the steering rack itself.

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At low speed, in a car park, the noise does not appear. At open road speed the steering is noisy and harder to turn.

What to check

  • In a car park, standing still, turn the wheel fully both ways: there should be no clicking or squeaking
  • On an open road test drive, above 70 km/h, watch the steering noise and the self centring
  • On a straight road with a light hand on the wheel, watch whether the car pulls to one side
2 more steps in the write-up

comfort1

Infotainment: freezing and restarting on early cars

comfort

On the early 2015 to 2016 cars with the MIB2 head unit the screen stops at the brand logo, the unit restarts on its own, the navigation is inaccurate, or the sound goes completely silent.

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Used car surveys find a significant part of the faults on diesel Superbs around the navigation, the infotainment and the electrical systems.

What to check

  • Switch the ignition off, then restart and wait for the head unit to boot fully: stopping at the logo is a clear sign
  • Try every source: radio, Bluetooth, phone mirroring, reversing camera
  • Start the navigation: the position should lock on immediately and accurately
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI Greentech ACT Active

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 recall1 recallsShow

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

A12/1750/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

Possible defect in the driver's airbag housing. As a result, the airbag may not deploy properly in the event of an accident, increasing the risk of an injury.

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

The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

2 engines · 1 transmissions

CZDA · 1.4 TFSI COD

110 kW (150 HP) · petrol

MQ250 · 5- or 6-speed manual

manual · 5–6 speed

Torque limit250 Nm
MakerVolkswagen

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Greentech ACT Active
Body
hatchback
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1395 cc
Power
110 kW (150 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2015–2019

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