graspa

Hi Sasha - The info above about ODIS and how it worked across VW was invaluable in finding the right people to approach. In the end, Smashing (!), a VAG specialist in Leeds, swapped the failed unit and eBay unit you identified for me, and removed the Component Protection with ODIS. Smashing were super and great (Bullseye 1980s anyone?😁). Cost £42 unit from eBay £96 fitting and coding removal Total £138 inc VAT. This compares to £1115 quoted by DM Keith (West Yorkshire Skoda) and who explicitly told me it was not possible for a secondhand unit to be recoded. A big raspberry to them. And finally a big thanks to you, Sasha, for identifying a cheap unit and providing the ODIS information amongst other titbits.

I hope it's not a steal. I expect that's what the Skoda dealer will be saying when I ask them to code it 😁. In words of one syllable, what is the Skoda systems link you refer to? And do outfits other than main dealers have this link? Thanks.

Thanks Sasha. As someone who is content to use any infotainment unit that turns up in the cars that I buy, I do not possess the tools to extract the radio unit, so taken a punt on the item you suggested (at my risk of course). £42 seems peanuts when there is £1115 at stake . I have found an auto electronics (Revtronic) in Bradford who said they will swap it out and in. They think they can do something with the component protection, but they sounded less than convincing, but my communication skills in this area are limited, so perhaps understandable. They'll probably get me started along the journey to resolution though if nothing more. I hate main dealers. The West Yorkshire dealer indicated yesterday I couldn't swap the unit out for a reconditioned / second hand unit, as it would need coding to the car, so I guess I'd be trying another dealer if Revtronic draw a blank. Thanks again.

Thanks all. I take a great deal of comfort from your answers. Thought I was staring down the barrel of a(nother) excruciating bill. Me and my 74k miles 2013 Octavia 1.2 TSI S are heading for a irreconcilable divorce. The turbo has gone this year (£2k to fix) and now this Bolero issue means it is definitely time to move on, so I just want to fix "like for like" as cheaply as possible before I sell. Since you have responded, I have had a look for Sasha's thread. As a newbie, I wasn't sure what I was looking for on here. Can you provide me a link please? I've also had a look on ebay and found some possible stuff, but nothing I was sure about. Would this cover everything I need? Is the fact that the code is 5e rather than 5f (as my unit apparently is) relevant? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Bolero-Head-Unit-CD-Player-Octavia-Mk3-2015/223627515755?hash=item34113d176b:g:zSIAAOSwT5pdWTUN. Most of the other stuff "MIB1 Bolero" appeared to be £500 I don't know of any trusted dealers locally to me in West Yorkshire (I have looked and asked) who would sort out the Component Protection etc. but have a spare week next week to travel to a dealer in (say) North Wales or East Yorkshire (or someone else 2-3 hours from my native West Yorkshire) to somebody who knows what they are doing. Can anybody recommend anybody? Thanks again to you all for responding.

Please have patience with a newbie. This does not feel specific to Octavia III (2013 1.2T S), but I can't see anywhere else to post it. Earlier this week, my Bolero Infotainment unit suddenly started to hit problems. It had previously worked fine for the previous 3.5 years I have owned the Octavia. As soon as I switched the Power button on, it would turn itself on again within 3 seconds. After that it might not respond to pressing the Power button again, unless I held it down for 15-20 seconds, and then it would switch itself on for 5 seconds, and turn off again. I tried disconnecting the vehicle battery to see if that had any effect, but none. I have never updated the unit in terms of software during my ownership. Not sure if I was meant to. The car has also been nowhere near a Skoda dealer until today. So the dealer looked today, and "found vehicle required new 5f control unit £1115 inc VAT", which is way beyond what I was expecting. Does anybody know if there are any alternative options please? Or do I have to pay £1115 to continue listening to Neil Diamond in my car?

I am a fairly long standing owner of Skodas and currently have 2 siblings: Octavia (III) 2013 and Fabia 2015. I also previously owned a Fabia 2007 which I traded in for the latest Fabia. However, it has to be said the Octavia is currently on an annus horribilis and currently I don't feel my next purchase will be Skoda or VAG 😞. Already replaced the Turbo in the 1.2 petrol this year after 70,000 miles. Cost £2,200 in total. And now the infotainment control unit has gone, and Skoda wants £1100 to fix that. But I will post my question on that elsewhere.