scandalxk

Actually the advice about the frost warning was a red herring. It turned out it was the seat belt warning. It happens occasionally when the driver leans forward, for example to adjust an air vent, and then stops when he or she sits back again. Presumably caused by the relaxation of pressure on the seat belt buckle sensor. That's why we never saw the seat belt warning light; whenever the tone went off the driver was always in a position which made it difficult to see the dash. Finally I happened to notice the warning light when my wife was driving. Now we know what it is we're not bothered about it, because it only happens once in a blue moon.

That's right, it was a guess because of the poor weather which co-incided with the start of the problem. Fiddling with the interior sensor has certainly helped, because the red light on the door no longer stays on when I lock the car and, if I lock the doors with the window open and then reach in and wave, the alarm sounds - which it didn't previously. So one problem has been cured. On the other hand the alarm still sounds when it shouldn't. Wouldn't it be sod's law if I had two problems at the same time, and that there is also corrosion in the door loom? But if there is, it didn't show up on the diagnostic. scandalxk

Mike, you are a star - the job was easy, the little red light has gone out, and the alarm is not sounding. I would say 95% successful...and if the alarm doesn't go off any time tonight, then 100% successful! Many thanks indeed. Edited to add: I meant to mention that when I took the sensor unit out I found there was a yellow sticker on the back which blanks off some holes in the casing. The sticker had come unstuck and peeled away from the sensor, so the holes were no longer blanked off. I refixed the sticker with some duck tape. The car is black so it must get hot up there, which perhaps explains why the sticker came off. I have no idea whether this had any bearing on the problem...but fixing it didn't do any harm! Edited again to add: D'oh! Spoke too soon. Alarm went off again when I locked the car the next time I used it. Next, I think I'll be looking for a replacement sensor from a breaker's yard. I think that the inclination sensor is an optional extra. In the manual it describes the little switch at the bottom of the door pillar where you can switch off the internal sensor if you leave a dog or a child in the locked car. The picture in the manual shows a double switch which allows you to switch off the inclination sensor as well. However, on my car it's a single switch just for the interior sensor. So I guess that the inclination sensor is extra. Thanks again Mike. scandalxk

I wouldn't mind betting that there is a minimum one hour labour charge written down somewhere in their terms and conditions, so you might be reduced to asking for a goodwill refund. To be fair, there are a lot of expenses in running a main dealership which are not connected with the mechanic's time. Even so, £69.60 an hour is steep, and an independent garage might not have charged for the labour at all! scandalxk

Mike, this is incredibly helpful and comes at the perfect time. My car's door LED has been staying on and the alarm has been sounding at random times, in particular just after locking the car (much to the annoyance of the neighbours). I asked for advice on this forum and was directed towards corrosion of the drivers' door loom, but before doing anything I took it to our local independent who diagnosed (with a Bosch diagnosis system) the internal sensor problem that you describe above; and I have just confirmed it with the hand waving trick. The only difference is that the local Skoda dealer quotes £134 plus VAT for the part! So, could you possibly give me more advice on how to get access to the roof sensor? My car has few gadgets or extras, so the roof console consists of just the interior lights and a plastic box with some slots in it which is presumably where the sensor lives. How do I get into it? Link to picture here: Cheers, scandalxk

Thanks Gadgetman, but I've just got my car back from our local independent and... ...see continuation of this conversation (if you're interested) on the "Anti-theft alarm system/interior monitor error?" thread. Thanks again, scandalxk

OK, gadgetman, thanks for that. Now...what is the loom (I presume it is the electrical wiring in the door), and what do I do about it? Where can I find out more about this common fault? Many thanks, scandalxk

Hi All, My 2006 06 1.9 PD TDi Ambiente estate has started to sound its alarm at random times, often immediately after I lock it (with either the key or the remote). Sometimes, but not always, the red light on the driver's door stays on, which according to the book means there is a fault in the alarm system. It seems to happen only in wet weather, although I'm not sure as I've only had the car a couple of weeks. Is it possible that rain is getting somewhere it shouldn't? If so, has anyone any suggestions as to where I might look and how to cure it? Thanks, scandalxk

"swmbo"?

Hi All, Next question about my two-week-old (to me) 2006 06 Octavia 1.9 TDi PD Ambiente estate. Last night, in the howling rain and gale, the alarm went off for no apparent reason while the car was parked outside the house. I assumed that pressure changes or a gust of wind had set it off. However, it now seems to go off each time we lock the car. The alarm stops if you unlock it and then lock it again. (Always using the remote.) Any ideas why? Is there a battery somewhere which needs changing? Might some water have got into the electrics? Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks in advance, scandalxk

OK, I'll try and pay more attention in future. Thanks, Eccleshill. scandalxk

Well, in that case I don't think it's the temperature sensor, because nothing showed at all on the display. Any other ideas? Thanks chaps! scandalxk

Ah - temperature sensor. Didn't even know the car had one! Now, do I really have to scroll through the display to see the warning? Surely if it is really a warning it would bring it to the front, as it were? Thanks, all. scandalxk

Hi there, I have just bought a 2006 / 06 Octavia 1.9 TDi PD Ambiente estate. Very pleased. About three or four times in the two weeks since we bought the car a single warning tone has sounded, for no apparent reason. No warning lights on the dash, no change in engine behaviour or anything else. It is making my wife nervous! The one time it happened to me was when I was leaning forward to see into a junction, and so the only explanation I can think of is that it is an oversensitive seat belt warning. Anyone got any better ideas? Thanks, scandalxk