Problems with Skoda Roomster Diesel 2009: Black smoke, loss of power and unsteady idling

Hello, I had a similar problem with my 2007 Skoda Fabia Combi. As for my technical knowledge, I have a bit of experience with cars and DIY repairs. I had the idle control valve replaced in the workshop, it was defective. It cost me 280 euros and the symptoms I mentioned were resolved. So your car is showing pretty similar symptoms to my car at the time, so it could well be the same problem. Could you give more details about your car and the symptoms? I could then help better. Hope it helps you!

(Translated from German)

Hello, thanks for the answer! The symptoms are definitely similar to your description. My Roomster has now covered 126489 km and had its last service about 6 months ago. Unfortunately, the problems only occurred after the service. Your DIY knowledge really comes in handy, because I also think it might be the idle control valve. Would you recommend that I change it? Or should I take it back to the workshop? The 280 euros sounds a bit steep. Do you have any other ideas as to what it could be? Thank you very much in advance, your help is invaluable!

(Translated from German)

Hey, based on the symptoms you've described, the idle control valve actually sounds like it's really gone. In my Fabia, it was gone after the change. Sure, 280 euros is not a lot, but if you feel you can do it yourself, you could get a used valve. You can sometimes find them cheaply on eBay or the like. Or you could look for a dismantler, they often have parts from crashed cars. But I would only do this if you are really sure you want to change the valve! Have a look at the instructions on YouTube, sometimes it helps to decide whether you can do it. But maybe check whether the symptoms could also indicate a problem with the air flow meter or the injection system? It could also be due to a clogged EGR valve, diesel filter or a defect in the turbocharger. In the end, however, I would still advise a visit to the workshop if you are not 100% sure. They could read it out and determine exactly what's wrong. It's better to pay more once than to end up with engine damage, isn't it? Hope that helps you! Let us know what it was in the end!

(Translated from German)

Hi, it's really great that you're taking the time to answer me in such detail! Your tips and information will definitely help me. The used valve from a crashed car sounds really interesting, I think I'll see if I can find something like that first. But of course I would be very happy if I could save money with it. I'll definitely have a look at the instructions on YouTube. I'll also consider the possibility that it could be problems with the air flow meter or the injection system. I will report what it was in the end. Thanks again for your great help!

(Translated from German)