Hatch opens randomly - any ideas

[T800]

On 23/01/2017 at 22:08, T800 said:

 

What numbers would it take, I wonder. I did submit a complaint to Skoda UK via the website recently. I haven't had a response yet.

 

I agree with pippyy2k on the security risk the fob poses and the perspective that we have been sold something not fit for purpose.

 

I never heard back from Skoda UK after I put in the complaint earlier this year. I recently submitted a new complaint about this issue. I did not get a response but that may be because I did later notice that there was a chat facility on the website through which I could contact Skoda and I had decided to try it.

 

I had the typical opening response to ask if I'd contacted the dealership about it (I have, on multiple occasions). This was followed by "Although there may be a number of complaints of this nature that you have read on forums and other online message boards, this is a small percentage of ŠKODA owners and not a representation as a whole. In order for us to further investigate we would require a diagnostic report from your Retailer to state that there was a fault to look into."

 

I responded to say that I didn't think the dealer would find a fault. (They ran a number of diagnostics in the first few months after I purchased the car.) I emphasised that this is a design issue that disrupts the car's security and that I can open the car's tailgate from a dozen or more metres away with the key fob button. I suggested that if the car is set up to only allow closing of the tailgate when the fob is within about two metres it should be simple for Skoda engineers to set it up to only allow opening from a similar distance.

 

I gave the example from last year, when I was staying on the fifth floor of a building when visiting the UK and I looked out to the car park below one morning to find that the tailgate was wide open (I'd looked out few hours earlier and it wasn't). I pointed out that the car does not treat the boot being opened in these circumstances as a problem and so the anti-theft alarm system does not activate.

 

At this point I also responded to challenge the relevance of the comment about a small number of Skoda owners being affected, pointing out that only a small percentage of Skoda owners own Skoda cars with powered tailgates, though acknowledging that that will gradually increase as the option becomes available on newer/facelifted Skoda models.

 

In response: "...as ŠKODA UK do not control the online forums we have not had the opportunity to investigate these customers concerns, until our Retailers are able to detect a fault with your vehicle we are unable to investigate further, I will be happy to pass your feedback onto factory and our design for their review however, no response will come directly to you. If the factory feel that this is an issue they will issue a campaign for all vehicles that could be affected."

 

I continued to press a bit, saying that regardless of the overall number of people reporting the issue, or those applying their own workarounds (modifying plastic internals of key fobs, for example) I felt Skoda should take note of its negative impact on the owner experience. It is clearly an issue that affects confidence in the car and effectively disables the car's anti-theft security system. I would hope that Skoda take my comments on board. The car as sold is effectively not fit for purpose if it cannot be parked securely. The issue also means I'm unlikely to purchase another Skoda when changing the car.

 

I was thanked for my comments, followed by "I will forward these comments onto Factory and I can assure you they will be taken seriously and looked into. In the mean time if a diagnosis is provided I will be happy to escalate this for you."

 

I responded to that to reiterate that no diagnosis can be provided by the dealership. I explained that the car appears to be functioning as designed but that the issue is with the design.

 

I presume that one has to be within two metres to close the tailgate for safety reasons, i.e. observing that nothing is protruding from the boot that would prevent proper closing of it or that there are no children/pets nearby who could be injured by the closing of the boot. I said that I think it is reasonable to match the level of concern Skoda has for safety relating to the function of closing the door (litigation bill, I suppose) to security concerns around the inadvertent opening of the door (less likely litigation, though). The response to that was "That is correct ... It certainly is and I will report this back to ŠKODA UK."

 

I am not expecting anything to change and am now beginning to look into options for how to finance ending the HP agreement early so that I can change the car. My typical annual mileage is low, around 7,500 miles (I commute by bicycle); I've put less than 2,000 miles on the Superb in the last year. Because we do not feel safe about the Superb's security we do not use it much and now do not take it on trips away to visit family. My wife actually changed her car early, moving from a city car to a super-mini so that we'd have something to use when going away on holiday, as we did in August this year.

 

 

 

[Michel4632]

I admire your courage and persistence to address this issue with Skoda. In these companies, there are more lawyers than engineers. They will always deny any design problem... Then, they eventually change the design... 

 

But I wouldn't stop using the car just for this. I have a bloody self opening Kodiaq for 3 weeks. I bought a 5 pounds rigid leather key case and end of the story. 

 

 

 

 

[T800]

Did try a 'rigid' leather key case that had been recommended by contributors on this thread. Bought two, actually. I found the designs to be quite bulky in my pocket and, more importantly, they didn't work as a solution. At least I was near the car when I found this out.

 

I had the key in the case in the pocket of my jeans. I was upgrading the halogen headlamp bulbs in my wife's car. Simply hunkering down to get access to the back of the headlamp assembly caused the Superb's tailgate to open repeatedly when I was working on each side of my wife's car -- well, three or four times anyway, after which I put the key case on a shelf inside the house. (The jeans were a casual fit, not tight.  )

 

On another occasion, with the second key case, I got home late and tired from work and sat down on the couch. I was by now trying to get in the habit of leaving the key case on a shelf every time I returned home but I still don't always remember to do so. I was wearing suit trousers with large pockets and just a pen and the key case in my pocket, house keys in the other pocket. My wife returned from a trip to the shops a short while later and asked if I had a car key in my pocket because the Superb's tailgate was open. This suggests easy opening of the tailgate from 11-12 metres away (two rooms away) inside a block-built house.

 

Maybe I should look again for a different key case. I didn't really find many potentially useful designs when I last looked online and the local locksmith and key-cutting shops had nothing suitable in stock and could not think of anything that they could order from their suppliers that would work.

[superbtte]

Rigid cases work if you also cut a piece from an old credit card and cover the buttons with it, inside the case. Since I did that my boot never opened again even when pressing the case on purpose.

Edited 5 November, 2017 by superbtte

[T800]

Took the car back to the dealership recently and they did find a VCDS setting to disable the key fob boot-opening button.  It also killed off the interior boot release switch on the centre console.

 

Had another issue with the car which took a bit of time to work out and solve. It caused me to worry about labour charges in the future when the car is out of warranty later this year. (Crank sensor causing a grating, grinding noise on start up, accompanied by a Start Stop system error message.)

 

Given the lack of confidence in the car's security this past couple of years and the number of times I've had it back to the dealership for other things I've decided to pay off the outstanding finance balance and trade the car in. Trying something Korean now and going to avoid VAG for a while.

[IJWS15]

Anyone ever heard the IT Fault description PEBKAS?  

 

I have the remote boot but not KESSY, it has never opened unplanned.  The keyring also has the front door key on it so I use it to enter/leave the house and on entering it is put on the floor just around the corner from the front door (doesn't prevent anyone else opening the door by leaving it in the lock, I can find it easily if someone comes to the door and if a burglar is after the car ;-) he won't come upstairs and ask me for the key.

 

I do have phantom lock/unlocks when I am washing the car with the key in my pocket and have had with several previous cars.

 

Quite simple, don't keep the key in your pocket - problem solved.

[Cjhill]

Just for info, since I learned from this forum what the problem was (ie raised part of the fob getting pressed in my pocket) I have never had a problem. Second nature now to leave it a loose coat or jacket pocket when out of the car. Still not good design, of course, but manageable.

[Penpusher]

Mine's been fine, though the only time it opened unexpectedly was when I was standing near the boot and the cat walked under the car and activated the virtual pedal!

[syanide]

I have this problem, but ONLY after shutting one of the front doors. Within a second, the boot opens. No issue of the virtual pedal, as I'm generally only ever as far as the rear doors if and when it happens. Usually about 3/10 times. No pattern. 

Can't be my key as I have loose pockets and nothing else in the pocket with the key in. Also that it only happens (when it happens) after I close the front door. Almost like it's a feature!

[tigermad]

On 20/11/2018 at 09:55, syanide said:

I have this problem, but ONLY after shutting one of the front doors. Within a second, the boot opens. No issue of the virtual pedal, as I'm generally only ever as far as the rear doors if and when it happens. Usually about 3/10 times. No pattern. 

Can't be my key as I have loose pockets and nothing else in the pocket with the key in. Also that it only happens (when it happens) after I close the front door. Almost like it's a feature!

I have this trouble too. Always happens after locking the doors and walking off. It’s not the key doing it because there is no beeping when it happens. Was in Tesco the other day and when we came back to the car the boot was wide open. Luckily nothing was taken and the car was still there. Really worried about the security issue. Was mentioned in my first service last year and nothing found. I’m going to mention it again in my service in a few months time. Not happy with this at all. 

[tigermad]

Anyone else get this sometimes after opening and closing the doors?