Used Skoda Yeti 2009-2017 reliability

The Yeti's always scored well in our reliability surveys, but that’s not to say there haven’t been problems. In fact, quite a number of non-engine electrical issues were reported, but these cars remained driveable and the work was carried out under warranty. Some owners have complained of other faults, though, including an issue with the immobiliser that left them stranded. Check out the below too.

Oil level

All engines can suffer from high oil consumption, so if you find that the level is low, it could mean that the previous owner has driven the vehicle without enough oil in the engine. This can result in excessive engine wear; so walk away if the stick is below minimum.

Off road damage

As unlikely as it may sound, check for any damage to the underbody cladding when looking at a four-wheel-drive Skoda Yeti, that might have occurred during an off-road excursion. Also, make sure it isn’t caked in mud because that will act as a moisture trap and cause corrosion.

Poor paint finish

Some owners have complained about the quality of the paintwork, so check the car during daylight hours and never under strip lighting. If possible, ask the garage to dry it for you and examine the car when it’s free of moisture.

Turbocharger

Turbos have been known to fail, which might be a result of infrequent servicing or the wrong specification of engine oil being used. If a non-specialist independent garage has serviced the car, check the paperwork if possible to identify the type of oil they used for peace of mind.

Diesel particulate filter (DPF)

All diesel Yetis have a DPF fitted, which requires regular prolonged, higher-speed journeys in order to burn off the soot it collects. To reduce the risk of buying a Yeti with a clogged DPF, check how the previous owner has used the car and make sure the engine oil used is of the low ash variety.

High oil level

During the DPF regeneration process, extra fuel is sometimes injected into the exhaust stream to increase the exhaust temperature. Frequent regeneration attempts can result in fuel getting into the sump of the engine and contaminating the oil, raising the oil level gradually over time. Be suspicious if the dipstick is above maximum.

Fuel leak

This fault can affect Yetis with a 2.0-litre diesel engine that were built between 1 January 2009 and 15 December 2011; the high-pressure fuel line can crack over time and leak fuel into the engine bay. The fix, carried out as a recall, was to fit anti-vibration balance weights to the pipes.

Side airbags

Another recall concerned vehicles equipped with side airbags; metal fragments from the gas generator could enter the interior and cause injury in the event of a collision where the airbag deploys. This affects models produced between 15 January 2015 and 28 January 2015, so check with your Skoda dealer for more information.

Seat belt pre-tensioner

Parts from the seat belt pre-tensioner can be dislodged in a collision and cause injury to occupants on some models manufactured between 1 May 2016 and 31 October 2016. Contact your Skoda dealer to make sure any recall work has been completed if you think this applies to your car.

The Yeti performed well in the last What Car? Reliability Survey it appeared in. The petrol powered Yeti ranked 7th out of 42 cars, the diesel came in 13th, making it one of the most reliable used family cars out there.

It hasn't appeared in our most recent surveys as too few examples were listed. As always with a car of this age, condition is king, so check your Yeti carefully and it should, as several owners testify, prove reliable.

Parts are freely available, as the Yeti shares its underpinnings with many other Volkswagen group cars.

Skoda as a brand finished in 13th place out of 31 manufacturers in our rundown of the most reliable used car brands with a good overall score of 91.8%. The brand finished above Ford, Nissan and Peugeot, but below Dacia, Hyundai and Kia.

Used Skoda Yeti reliability: the owners' view

What Car? readers who have owned a Skoda Yeti praised the car for its long-term dependability. Indeed, most readers said that the Yeti’s reliability was a key strength, with very few breakdowns or major faults reported by owners.

Very few readers told us about their experiences with Skoda’s dealer network – though that’s likely a good thing since it means that most didn’t need to pay regular visits to their dealer. That could also be a reflection that at the age the Yeti now is many owners would be having their cars repaired at local or independent dealers rather than heading back to the main dealer network.

Of the readers who did report issues, most were minor. A few readers reported issues with the Yeti’s automatic gearbox, for example, alongside one instance of the engine cutting out intermittently. However, these issues were rare among our readers.

If you'd like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.

To take part in our annual reliability survey with your car, please follow the link here