Guys, hoping you can help me here...my wife just emailed me (I am currently offshore) to say that when she started my car this morning, a warning light came on, accompanied by a beeping noise. I've had a search thro' the various posts & see it could be anything from oil, temperature, brake discs etc.

She has since sent me another note to say - It's the red oil thermometer that's in the middle of the dash. It beeps a few times and the symbol continues to flash.

Is this the oil pressure or coolant that is causing this to come on. I've told her not to drive it until I get back.

Any suggestions welcome. I could get her to call Skoda assist but don't want to if it's a simple fix.

Does anyone have a pic of the Octavia Vrs Petrol dash with all the light showing?

Sounds like a low oil pressure warning to me.

If it's the little oil can symbol, then orange means low oil level (top it up), and red means low oil pressure (definitely don't drive the car).

The red indicator could be caused by majorly low oil, or it could be something more serious.

Bagpuss.

Sounds like the coolant warning light as it's a thermoneter symbol. Coolant might be a little low.

Sounds like the ol' knackered coolant level sensor problem TBH. Assuming that the engine was cold when it came on (you say she'd just started it) and she's OK to check the level in the expansion tank visually, it's OK to ignore it as it's just a fault with the sensor. Of course a genuine drop in level would cause the same warning, although I'd put money on it being a faulty sensor as a 'genuine' level warning only comes on when the tank's practically empty.

Mine's been doing this again recently, and all I do is switch the car off at the first set of red lights I come to (2-300yds max), and only if it comes on again once the lights go green and I set off, will I stop and pop the bonnet to check (it never has yet...)

Hope this helps!

Thanks guys...I checked the water last weekend when I washed the car & it was ok...so it could be the sensor, if it is the coolant, I'll hopefully speak with her tonight & get a better idea. Thanks again...this is a fantastic resource.

Is there anyway you can take a picture of the light so we can tell for sure??

Thinking along the same lines as me...I have asked her to do that tonight. Will get back to you if I don't resolve. Thanks again

She has checked the handbook & it is the Coolant Light (red thermometer accompanied by three beeps & it flashes)

Interestingly when she restarted the car tonight it didn't happen. The car is parked on a slightly angled drive & the passenger side is therefore lower than the drivers side. I am thinking maybe the side of the bottle with the lower level has just dropped under the sensor?

I checked it just before I left (10 days ago) & all was ok, but I've asked her to leave it & we can check it when I get back.

Presumably I can just top up the tank with some coolant of the right spec? Frustratingly the car has not long had a service, so I am surprised if it has dropped that quickly (unless it is the sensor fault).

Thanks again for your help guys...any further suggestions/comments gratefully received.

P.s I have the camera with me, so she can't take a pic of it.

The level is shown quite clearly on the coolant header, she should be able to check that.