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Door light flashing and alarm going off = upset neighbours


cbaatt

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Hi,

Just wondered if anyone had any advice on the situation I am currently in with my 2008 Fabia.

The alarm last week started to go off randomly when parked and locked, if I was around to switch it off then it seemed to go off about 3 times and then stop. If i wasnt there to switch it off then my neighbours were telling me it was going off up to 10 times or more (embarrassing)

Anyway firstly I WD40 all the door catches, boot bonnet etc but that doesnt help so I took it into skoda and they do their diagnostic thing and they find that someone has tried to get into the car using a key which has broken off in the driver side door lock, they remove this and we hope for the best............sadly the alarm and door light are still going off.

So I take it back to them and they run their diagnostic machine again and they then decide that probably when whoever was trying to break into it snapped the key off they probably did some damage to the mechanism which is why it still thinks the door is open when it's not. They replace the drivers door locking mechanism and for a day that seems to have helped so am ok with having paid just under £200.

The car alarm and door light has now started to play up again which means the door lock cant have been the problem so a wasted 200 quid (gutted) and they are now telling me I need to have a new engine computer at a cost of £1000 to stop the problem.............does this sound like the next logical fix?

Nothing else on the car is playing up, all my instruments are working fine, the car is running perfectly and so I find it hard to believe that the engine computer is the problem, does it sound more like a faulty connection somewhere on the door?

Essentially I dont know too much about cars but I am getting the impression that because the garage knows I am no expert they are trying to rince me for a grand for something that seems to be an unlikely candidate for blame.

Currently my car is sitting unlocked in the driveway so the alarm doesnt keep going off but this isnt really a long term solution

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this as I REALLY dont want to spend a £1000 unless 100% necessary

Thanks!

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Hi,

Just wondered if anyone had any advice on the situation I am currently in with my 2008 Fabia.

The alarm last week started to go off randomly when parked and locked, if I was around to switch it off then it seemed to go off about 3 times and then stop. If i wasnt there to switch it off then my neighbours were telling me it was going off up to 10 times or more (embarrassing)

Anyway firstly I WD40 all the door catches, boot bonnet etc but that doesnt help so I took it into skoda and they do their diagnostic thing and they find that someone has tried to get into the car using a key which has broken off in the driver side door lock, they remove this and we hope for the best............sadly the alarm and door light are still going off.

So I take it back to them and they run their diagnostic machine again and they then decide that probably when whoever was trying to break into it snapped the key off they probably did some damage to the mechanism which is why it still thinks the door is open when it's not. They replace the drivers door locking mechanism and for a day that seems to have helped so am ok with having paid just under £200.

The car alarm and door light has now started to play up again which means the door lock cant have been the problem so a wasted 200 quid (gutted) and they are now telling me I need to have a new engine computer at a cost of £1000 to stop the problem.............does this sound like the next logical fix?

Nothing else on the car is playing up, all my instruments are working fine, the car is running perfectly and so I find it hard to believe that the engine computer is the problem, does it sound more like a faulty connection somewhere on the door?

Essentially I dont know too much about cars but I am getting the impression that because the garage knows I am no expert they are trying to rince me for a grand for something that seems to be an unlikely candidate for blame.

Currently my car is sitting unlocked in the driveway so the alarm doesnt keep going off but this isnt really a long term solution

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this as I REALLY dont want to spend a £1000 unless 100% necessary

Thanks!

Sorry cannot help with problem but if the garage diagnosed it was the door lock and has now proved that it was not that, they need to refit the old

one or give you your £200 back

They cannot just keep charging you for duff info !

I know you say you have checked every thing, but just few things to check ! All door switches (make sure they are actually working (not spray oil), is the boot light on (or off when the boot is closed),is there a problem with the cabin light?, again has yours got proximity sensors if so is one of them faulty ?

AS I say there is lot to check before you spend £1000, but first job, straight back to dealers for your £200 back

Radiotwo

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You can defo lock the doors without arming the alarm - check you manual. On mine it's lock button twice in quick succession, or press the button on the interior, to the side on the driver's seat on the B-pillar. It disables the alarm and allows you to keep dogs (or kids??) in the car, locked, without tripping the alarm.

Much rather do that than leave it unlocked! Zero insurance cover.

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Ive just spoke to skoda who said that the motor for the electric window on the door can cause tjis problem. If you can pin point which door the car thinks is open then un plug the motor on the door. Im gonna try mine. I will let you know how I get on

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Hey Guys,

Appreciate all your comments and tips, my car is going back into the dealer tomorrow so they can take another look but I will definitely not be letting them change my engine computer at this stage.

Will let you know what happens and Mark let me know how you get on :)

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Short term fix, pull the alarm fuse out (check owners manual, worked on a mk1 but might be shared on a mk2.

Mk1 sometimes has this from a sticky or faulty bonnet sensor. Might be worth giving the bonnet catch a good degrease and lubrication, and giving it a few firm closes? Just an idea.

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I would be inclinded not to go back to the dealer that just cost me £200 for bugger all, they are clearly guessing at the fault, you need to find an indy diagnostic garage who frankly know what they are doing !

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Hope you sort it out today m8. Skoda told me they had a couple of fabias in that had window motors replaced. Just been out in mine and not had the door symbol on, gonna take at least a week before im convinced. Im avoiding their £70ph labour charge for as long as I can!

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Well they had it today and came up with nothing better than replacing the manual door lock on the off chance that might help............again they couldn't guarantee it being the fix so I said no.

They have however disabled the alarm for me at no charge so the alarm wont keep going off and I can now at least lock it without upsetting all my neighbours, which is a small step in the right direction.

In the new year I am gonna take it elsewhere (not sure where, any suggestions in the hertfordshire area?) and see what can be done without the lame guess work I have so far dealt with.

Will mention the window motor possibility for sure, I have my fingers crossed for you Mark, I know what you mean about not trusting it has worked for a while yet but I hope you have found the fix :)

Cheers

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Sorry to hear they couldnt sort it for you. Been out in it twice today and its been fine. Both our cars are the same age and could possibly have the same batch of parts. At least your alarm wont be going off anymore!

I will let you know at the end of the week how mine is.

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After 4 days of the window motor unplugged ive had no problems. My advice would be to download and install ross-tech lite (its free), buy a 16pin vag-usb cable off ebay for bout £5-6 to use the software to find out what door the car thinks is open. Once you have done that extract wires 7 and 8 from the lock plug connector. This is to check the micro switch in the lock is faulty. If it still thinks the door is open then unplug the window motor on that door.

Im going to get a new motor in the summer. Good luck, hope you sort it!

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