Fabia Immobiliser - Skoda can't even fix it

[Keijax]

Same problem with my Superb, it was the key. I've seen ecus on eBay with the immobiliser circuit bypasses.

[bgschley]

Hi Everyone on this thread...

It looks as though quite a few people have exactly the same issue I am having... immobiliser causing the it to eventually not start. From all the threads that I have read it seems to keep coming back to the instrument panel. I'll be giving Shark_90 a shout presently. I'll post back if I have a resolution.

Thanks again everyone and glad this old thread was restarted.

Cheers

George

[bgschley]

A quick update...

I've spoken to the guys at Shark Performance and as mentioned before they know their stuff. Unfortunately, I need to get the car to them for them to do the work... there is the problem. I'm in Newcastle upon Tyne! Does anyone know of anybody in this region (Northumberland/Tyne and Wear) who can do the recoding work required?

If not, my next possibility is trying to get the dash unit repaired... I have seen www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk mentioed above... does anyone have any comments or history with them?

Cheers

George

[mannyo]

I need a cluster repair on my A8 and have tried several times over the last few months to contact clusterrepairsuk and have never had any contact back from them, not even an acknowledgement.

[Hargo]

PD Tuning in Boldon said they would re solder mine for about £85 iirc.

They might be able to fix the dash if it's not down to the common Ibiza problem. I also spoke to Paul Robbie Motor Services in Hexham who said they might be able to help.

Cheers

Al

[Vaeleia]

Hi everyone,

I have been having the same problems with my Fabia. At the moment, the immobiliser is working, but it is kind of a gamble....Had it with my Skoda Dealer in Cambridge and they said it is probably the reading coil or (less likely) the dash panel. I do not want to spend a fortune on the car ('since it is quite old), so I told them about the option to buy a second hand dash panel instead of a new one and get it fixed and re-programmed by them.

However, they told me that they can a) only fit parts that they have ordered themselves (something to do with insurance) and b ) that it would not be possible to fit a second hand instrument panel into the car, as they are uniquely coded and can't be reprogrammed to prevent tempering and fraud. They would have to order a new one for me so that I would be looking at probably 500 pounds.

I am a bit of a loss at the moment what to do. Does anyone know someone in the Bedfordshire area who has experience with this problem? And is it true what they have told me? If so, how did people in this topic got a second hand dash panel fixed to the car?

I would be very grateful for any help you could offer. Thank you.

Edited 9 June, 2013 by Vaeleia

[DGW]

Maybe a long shot but you could try TTS Roadsport in Bedford and also Unit 18 (Ali) at Milton Keynes. The latter is one of our sponsors.

[trundlenut]

Have you had the coil replaced?

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[Avalon]

I can suggest an unethical fix that will allow you to bypass the immo as and when required so leaving it in place and functional for insurance purposes but your best option is to get someone competent and local to put VCDS on it and find out if it's the pickup or the dash cluster or the loom. If it's the dash you'll be able to get the model via VCDS, source a replacement, send it to Ben or whoever you choose to be coded and have it fitted by your local specialist.

It'll be a lot cheaper than going to Skoda.

[Vaeleia]

Hello,

no, the coil has not been replaced yet as I wanted to try the dash first.

Thank you DGW for your suggestions, I will consider them.

Avalon, thank you also for your answer. However, sadly I understand only half of what you have suggested. What excatly is VCDS? I have bought a second hand instrument cluster with the same part number (before knowing that it had to be coded) already. Who is "Ben or whoever you chose" and what does he/they do?

Thank you all for the quick replies.

[trundlenut]

I think the coil is probably the easier option.

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[Vaeleia]

Agreed, but what if this does not solve the problem? I do not want to "waste" 200 pounds....Or is this something any garage could do?

[Avalon]

VCDS is diagnostic software, Ben is the guy behind a company called Shark Performance (Shark 90 who was mentioned earlier) who can code the cluster for you, give them a call for a price, his work is very highly thought of and he's very helpful even if by doing do he saves you money and looses work.

[Vaeleia]

Thank you for your reply. I've already contacted him a few days ago, but he has been offline since. I will try and ring him up this week and see if he can help with the problem. Thank you again.

[trundlenut]

I think the coil is part of the ignition lock which is bolted to the steering column by some sort of security bolts which need to be cut off and replaced but other than that is a fairly simple job to replace. I would try an independent garage, or Shark, or an auto electrician, bound to be cheaper than a main dealer.

Ben at Shark always seems to be pretty busy and doesn't have much time to respond to messages on here, so calling them direct is probably a better option.

[Tech1e]

The ignition barrel slides out with the appropriate pin, no bolts to mess with.

However as I've said before I'd put money on it being a wiring/connection issue. I've made up and replaced loads of reader coil looms in my time on the earlier Fabias.

I have no problems making some up for people if they want one.

[Speirsy]

I'm having these problems.  The local high end service garage tell me it's the immobiliser coil so I need a new key barrel at £120 and labour of 3 hours at £150.  However it'll take a week to come from Germany so I have time to research this.

Given some of the stories on here I'm worried the fault has not been properly diagnosed and I'll end up needing a new instrument panel.  

What should I be asking the garage to be sure they know what they're doing?

[Tech1e]

If its a low key signal fault then as said there are four posibilities.

 

Faulty key - easily confirmed by using a spare key (if available)

Faulty reader coil

Faulty wiring

Faulty dash cluster

 

The last three arent really that easy to diagnose with 100% accuracy. Moving the steering column up and down, back and forth will quite often kick it back into life if its a faulty connection on the reader coil. I'd go for the cheapest option first personally and overlay the wiring to eliminate it. I found this cured a large number of the low key signal faults.

[Speirsy]

Update.  

The barrel (coil) was replaced (new barrel (£117) and all seems well.  So it seems that there will be no need for a new instrument panel / ECU in my case, touch wood.    

 

I did speak to Skospares who offered me a good used barrel for £45 but in the meantime my garage got the new part in earlier than expected and went ahead.  Job done I suppose.  Skospares also offered the appropriate door locks for £10 each which would have meant using one key only.  As it is I've now got two - ignition and doors.  

 

Skospares also offered the full kit (barrel, instrument "pod" and ECU) for £125.  I'd recommend talking to them.  Very helpful.  

[Tech1e]

Who replaced the barrel and why wasnt it ordered to key number so you could retain one key?

[simonjr]

Hello everyone.

 

I thought I'd add to this thread rather than starting a new one.

 

I have the issues above, but I wanted to give a full explanation. (car is 2002 Fabia 1.4 mpi)

 

A month or so ago, my wifes car starting having issues when it was started. It would rev a bit and then as the revs started to drop you needed to get on the gas a bit.

 

Anyway, I thought this was just a bad running car - so changed the air and oil filter (needed doing anyway). This made no difference and I guess it was about once per day she would have the starting issue - although it normally started on the 2nd or 3rd time.

 

I then changed the spark plugs. Same problem.

 

I was going to change the fuel filter this week, but as she was working she needed the car.

 

Anyway, got a call yesterday - car won't start at all.

 

So I trecked over there and the following;

 

Car would try to start, run for 1 second, then the revs drop.  Then the car would not even try to fire up.  After about 5 mins it seems almost if some fuel gets to the engine and back to the start, rev drop, car cuts out - then it won't even turn over.

 

I decided to then replace the fuel filter - as this seems to sort of explain the symptoms.  This hasn't worked.

 

I noticed today, however, that both the engine light AND the imobiliser light are on and remain on.

 

So, here's the questions;

 

Is it possible that this starting issue gets progressively worse (up until the point I am at now)?

Would the imobiliser light have flashed at the start of the symptoms? or does it only kick in at a later point (where I am now)?

 

I'm trying to work out if the issue was always the imobiliser or whether I had an initial fuel issue which has now triggered the imobiliser issue ie I have 2 problems.  2 problems probably means the end of the car as it won't be economical to repair, unfortunately.

 

Any help anyone can offer would be hugely appreciated.

 

Oh, I'm in Bristol by the way - not sure if that helps (probably not).

 

Thanks.

[cheshire_cat]

a few ideas---  if it keeps flashing (key on) it's not "unlocking"  and WILL fire and run for approx 5? seconds,   if as can happen the thing starts and runs THEN flashes it will be OK (keep running)till next key off,  I would guess you have two problems   and need to get the codes read /cleared and read again to try to separate one prob' from the other    one other thing to try is,-- if flashing --Key off and out replace press the trip switch on the dash and hold  turn key and allow light(immo)  to go out then turn to start    if this works it's quite likely it's a dry joint in the dash circuit board

[simonjr]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I'll give a few of those suggestions a go and report back.

 

Thanks again for taking the trouble.

 

Simon

[sepulchrave]

It'll be a dry joint on the dash cluster where the reader coil connects to it.

[cheshire_cat]

It'll be a dry joint on the dash cluster where the reader coil connects to it.

yes pin 1&17 from memory (top pair)