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Original poster

Car concern, on my own with dc and very stressed

37 replies

Un1678 · 11/07/2026 19:39

I know I may be spiralling with stress here but I am a single parent with limited knowledge of cars and I am completely reliant on my car for work and nursery.

Today mid way through a 25 mile drive, the engine light came on and said ‘maximum engine speed 4000 rpm’. Then there was another message coming up saying something like start up issue or similar.

I pulled over and switched the engine off and turned it back on and the light went off. It then came on again a few minutes later.

Put dc to bed and just driven it up and down the drive (have a long driveway) and it’s not come back on. I have been on the internet and it seems possible it could be a glitch caused by heat (been 35 degrees today) but if it’s not that, what does this mean? What will it likely cost to fix?

I could cry I feel so alone and stressed about this, have so much on with work and no support nearby. Thanks in advance for any advice

OP posts:
HolyHannah · 11/07/2026 20:31

Un1678 · 11/07/2026 20:08

@Loulou4022 thank you, I had the car serviced two weeks ago and it had the oil done so I don’t think it could be that!

Show quote history

Check the oil!!!!

We also have a Skoda, and had the oil redone recently and it just absolutely drank it and needed topping up a few weeks later. Was fie after that though.

itsgettingweird · 11/07/2026 20:24

Moonlightfrog · 11/07/2026 20:15

Take it back to the garage that dd the service, they can plug it in to a diagnosis thingy to see if any error codes come up. Hopefully it’s nothing major, Skoda’s are pretty good cars.

I just spent weeks panicking about my car that was making a knocking noise, I was worried it was something major. Took me ages to get it looked at as the garage had no courtesy cars and they said they needed the car for the whole day. Turned out I had knocked the bumper and when I hit a certain speed it was flapping around 😬. I felt a little embarrassed.

🤣🤣🤣

That’s the sort of thing i’d do!

what type of Skoda is it? Mine does some weird things at times but is usually pretty really. (I have a Kamiq).

Last time I had it serviced I had a key battery and a few times afterwards I’d get in the car (by busing the key fob!) and press the start button and it would tell me it needed the key to be in the car 🤔🙄

but yes to coolant likely to be the problem.

Moonlightfrog · 11/07/2026 20:15

Take it back to the garage that dd the service, they can plug it in to a diagnosis thingy to see if any error codes come up. Hopefully it’s nothing major, Skoda’s are pretty good cars.

I just spent weeks panicking about my car that was making a knocking noise, I was worried it was something major. Took me ages to get it looked at as the garage had no courtesy cars and they said they needed the car for the whole day. Turned out I had knocked the bumper and when I hit a certain speed it was flapping around 😬. I felt a little embarrassed.

GreenFootstool · 11/07/2026 20:14

So it's gone into "limp mode" to protect the engine from damage.

Check the oil and coolant levels per a PP - engine needs to be cool, so leave it until tomorrow morning now, and it needs it be on the flat to be reasonably accurate.

Have you added fuel recently? Do you do a lot of very short journeys in a diesel engine car?

Anything else happened ie driving funny, new noises, new smells?

BirthdayTrash · 11/07/2026 20:13

Is there any oil on your drive? Could be a leak somewhere.

BirthdayTrash · 11/07/2026 20:13

You’re meant to do basic checks on your car weekly, including oil, coolant and windscreen fluid. Plus tyres (condition and tread). Those dooms like a good time to start doing that.

QuaintBeaker · 11/07/2026 20:11

If it's just been serviced then contact the garage and ask them for advice and book it in for a check if they think you need to.

Original poster
Un1678 · 11/07/2026 20:09

@LightningTree @thejelliclecats I had the car serviced two weeks ago and the oil was done then so I don’t think it’s that. No idea how to check the coolant but could that have been temporarily impacted by the weather given its now gone off?

it’s a Skoda 2020 plate

OP posts:
Original poster
Un1678 · 11/07/2026 20:08

Loulou4022 · 11/07/2026 19:42

A couple of simple things you can check that often cause the engine light to come on are your oil and coolant.
The oil will be the dipstick thing, there will be 2 lines that the oil needs to be between (wipe the dipstick first then put it back in and pull it out to check it)
The coolant is most likely a ball type container you can visually check the level by pushing down on the front bit of the car to rock it which will make the water move so you can check the level.

Edited

@Loulou4022 thank you, I had the car serviced two weeks ago and it had the oil done so I don’t think it could be that!

OP posts:
LightningTree · 11/07/2026 20:07

If you’ve checked the two things suggested by PPs and the problem persists can you tell me the make and model and year of your car?
Hopefully topping up the oil and water will have cleared it though and you won’t need to bother.

thejelliclecats · 11/07/2026 19:45

Check your oil and your coolant.

Loulou4022 · 11/07/2026 19:42

A couple of simple things you can check that often cause the engine light to come on are your oil and coolant.
The oil will be the dipstick thing, there will be 2 lines that the oil needs to be between (wipe the dipstick first then put it back in and pull it out to check it)
The coolant is most likely a ball type container you can visually check the level by pushing down on the front bit of the car to rock it which will make the water move so you can check the level.