yipp

Well I presume the garage has done this (check fuses). They have now said it could need anyone of six diff alternators and until they get it out they can't tell which, but they range in price from £120 to £200. (So total quite a bit more than £100). They said it is quite inaccessible and they can't just read it off the thing. If it is so inaccessible how have they checked that it is def. the alternator not working? But then what do I know about it all, I guess there are ways and means, it is quite a common thing to fail. There must be no charge going to the battery, what I was concerned about was that it could just be the wire failing as in earlier posts. I guess I am in the hands of the garage (and they are a good garage, soI shouldn't worry about it).

Hello hubby was driving home our 99 tdi octavia last night and abs, handbrake and battery warning lights came on. Got home and switched off and re-started - battery light was still on.Battery light still on when started this morning, but the car started no probs and car is driving fine. The garage looked at it and say we need a new alternator, now I have read a few posts here about these problems being due to a wire between the alternator and the battery not just the alternator. Presumably my garage would be able to tell the difference between these problems and will have checked this? Or should I suggest this to them? Also would the car have started if the alternator wasn't working? There was no problem at all, and lights were fine last night? ALso anyone know cost of new alternator, the garage offered to giveme a second hand one from a car they are breaking up forparts- any issues with this? cheers

Taking out fuse 15 didn't help. The car is well and truly immobilised. Changing batteries in the key didn't help. - I thought the battery and key part for the central locking was unrelated to the key part for the immobiliser (little chip) - if it was the key not being liked wouldn't the immobiliser light come on on the instrument panel? SCRAP ALL ABOVE - MY HUSBAND JUST STARTED IT!!!!! He pushed the instrument panel and noticed that the fuel guage moved, so he pushed it in a bit more and all lit up and it started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a nice present for my birthday tomorrow (40th as well eek). So loose connection probably from rattling about on the car carrier last week. Phew, I will phone my Uncle and set his mind at rest. thansk for everyone who tried to help

If the key had lost synch then wouldn't the immobiliser light be coming up on the dash board? It isn't. I am off to get a second new battery for the key this afternoon. My uncle has gone blind recently and his wife has a broken hip, so they are quite pushed to look for the key. He has tried but said he can't find it. But I will try the original dealer that is a good idea. Fair point about the immobiliser - guess I am just hoping for something I can do without committing to tow to Skoda dealer in Edinburgh from where we would have no choice but to pay their price.

scottish borders

Now I am up at 4 30 am can't sleep and feel sick worrying about this lemon of a car - not much use if we can't start it. Other thoughts I had which may be relevant to the problem: We only have one key to the car, my uncle couldn't find the other one with the all important number tag. The central locking is not working on this key despite a new battery being put in it recently. Just before this problem happened I opened up the key to see what battery it was to buy a new one, but couldn't see the battery so put it together again, then the car wouldn't start (with immobiliser). RAC man checked to see if chip had fallen out - it hadn't. The immobiliser light is NOT coming up on the dash when we try to start it. The only lights coming up (I think) are battery, temp light, glow plug and air bag warning light. The air bag warning light had been staying on since I first got the car. The glow plug light starts to flash if you leave the ignition turned on. Please anyone any ideas. Would anyone buy a car in this condition, right now I just want rid, perhaps I could sell it with the problem. Mechanically it is sound and very well looked after, which makes it so frustrating. If we tow it to the Skoda garage (45 mins away we live in middle of nowhere) then they will say ££££s to fix it and we aren't prepared to spend that money then we are stuck with it at the Skoda garage. Is there any way of disconnecting the immobiliser? I am rambling now... better get of the computer and try to go back to sleep.

Hello Last week we were given my uncle's 1999 slx tdi octavia estate. Due to ill health he has not driven it hardly at all in the last year. Anyway drove it from south wales to home, got as far as the lake district, wipers had seized up. Had it towed home (Borders) by RAC (not terribly keen on driving in the dark and rain on the motorway without wipers). They got the wipers going again anyway, but then two days later I went to drive it and it won't start. The engine turns over and then immediately cuts out. The accelator pedal makes no difference to keeping it going. I also noticed the petrol guage was on empty, despite there being at least half a tank in there. I also noticed the clock was reading 0.00. RAC came out again, he says he cannot get a response from the instrument cluster, it is not responding to his machine. He checked all fuses. There are no digital displays at all now, not even the clock. He said the immobiliser goes through the instrument cluster so that is why I can't start it. Now I have read loads of posts in these forums about intermittent cluster failure and complete cluster failure with Octavias, but no one says they have been unable to start their car with these issues. RAC man said to send of the cluster to somewhere like BBA reman. But how difficult is it to remove the instrument cluster - is it clearly described in the Haynes manual (which we are yet to get). Also I read a worrying post about someone who sent their cluster there only to still have the problem afterwards. The following may or may not be relevant: car has done 90k miles door seal on driver's door failes and inside of car was covered in mould wiper motor may have been working quite hard to keep going in the rain we put 5 litres of fuel in after it wouldn't start incase the fuel was nicked while stored at the garage overnight before being towed home - gauge didn't move, car still didn't start. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated

Hello My first post, but won't be my last! My Uncle gave me his 1999 Octavia estate slx last week, he can no longer drive due to ill health. We have twin boys and a dog so it should be useful (if we can ever get it working that is :( ... said it wouldn't be my last post) talk to you all real soon...