Hi, Yet another annoying Octavia electrical problem thats bugging me.

My 52 plate elegance estate luggage compartment lamps havent worked since i got the car 12 months ago. The first owner said he'd disconnected them because he had the bootlid open for extended periods when he went camping.

So i pulled the side panels off expecting the bulb holders to be disconnected, but no they aint:confused::confused:

The bulbs are still connected, and on my test light, ive got positive power at each end of the bulb, but no illumination???

Ive even tried a brand new bulb in and still nothing. Cant see any disconnected wires anywhere, either off the lock mechinism (behind the tailgate plastic cover, or on the back panel (under the catch)

Any ideas? or is it another microswitch gone in the lock mechanism?

Confused at the moment.

Matt

Edited 18 December, 200817 yr by Lofty

I thought these were controlled by a separate switch to earth. Follow the Brown/Black wire to the switch. They could also have removed the earth connection (the Brown wire from the switch).

Do you mean switch at in the type of plunger mechanism? (like the good old fashioned door swiches for the courtesy lights?)

Ive looked and cant see any independant switches anywhere???

I had one of these back in 2001, so this from memory.

I had a similar problem and I'm sure that it had nothing to with the lock mechanism switch which IIRC feeds the convenience controller.

Connection to lock "switch" is thro`black push-in connector on lock mechanical actuator.....brown and brown/black wires.Check that this is not dissconected....connecting these wires together lights the bulb(s).

Connection to lock "switch" is thro`black push-in connector on lock mechanical actuator.....brown and brown/black wires.Check that this is not dissconected....connecting these wires together lights the bulb(s).

Thanks for that, i'll try and have another look the weekend !

i have just replaced the entire catch mechanism, as according to the dealer, the microswitch in them fails....

Guess what?

Still no boot lights!

I hate skodas at times!

Ive still gotta change the drivers door latch mechanism - to try and cure yet another octavia fault.... Just ran out of enthusiasm and any form of patience to do any more today!

And to top it all i dropped my test light and broke the bulb in that!! Grrrrrrrr.

any more ideas before i resort to the old half gallon of unleaded and a box of matches?

The bulbs are still connected, and on my test light, ive got positive power at each end of the bulb, but no illumination???

Maybe he has disconnected the earth to the bulbs then? If you have +12v at the lamp holder when the boot lid is open the lights *should* come on, provided there is the a good earth there too.

Remove the CD auto-changer in the boot nearside by loosening the three torx screws. Underneath you will see the wiring loom. Locate the thin brown/black wire which goes through a multi-plug connector. Check to make sure the connections are good. Continue to follow the wire, and un-tape the loom. You will see where four brown/black wires all join together. These are earth returns to the control unit. It's quite likely the you have a disconnected or broken wire here, and that will be your problem.......

Remove the CD auto-changer in the boot nearside by loosening the three torx screws. Underneath you will see the wiring loom. Locate the thin brown/black wire which goes through a multi-plug connector. Check to make sure the connections are good. Continue to follow the wire, and un-tape the loom. You will see where four brown/black wires all join together. These are earth returns to the control unit. It's quite likely the you have a disconnected or broken wire here, and that will be your problem.......

I'll have a look at that at the weekend (when its light). I'm adamant it aint gonna beat me!

One of those petty annoying jobs that pleases you so much when you get to the bottom of it!

Thanks for the tips so far guys.

This car goes from bad to worse. Still havent had chance to move the autochanger and get to the loom yet, however driving home from work last night, just as i pulled on the drive, the door ajar lamp suddenly lit up on the dash. I left it running and checked all the doors, they were all shut properly. I go round to the boot and can see the n/s boot lamp shining away like a good 'un. This is with the bootlid shut tight.

Anyway, the only way i could get the lamp to go out was to pull the connector off the latch in the tailgate.

Does this indicate a short somewhere?

Also driving to work today, i notice a clicking in the n/s/f door area, like someones flicking the electric window switch up and down, but the windows not moving....? I tried the window, not working from the drivers door at all, but is working from the passanger!!!

Then the led lamp on the drivers door panel decides IT wants to join in and then proceeds to flash on and off for the next hour and half. Once i stopped and turned the ignition off and back on, that LED has now gone back to normal.

I am rapidly losing any faith whatsoever in this car, and am seriously thinking of cutting my losses and getting rid all together.

Am i alone in having SO many eletrical faults????

I know someone willing to trade you a good toaster for it!!

Don't lose faith in Matt, bound to be something silly.

I know someone willing to trade you a good toaster for it!!

Don't lose faith in Matt, bound to be something silly.

You know the worst thing? It drives so bloody well! Thats why im hoping we can get it sorted. I reckon theres a broken wire somewhere earthing out and causing the elctrical mayhem.

Me and rich are gonna pull it apart saturday, start with changing the drivers door lock mechanism and work round from there.

This car goes from bad to worse. Still havent had chance to move the autochanger and get to the loom yet, however driving home from work last night, just as i pulled on the drive, the door ajar lamp suddenly lit up on the dash. I left it running and checked all the doors, they were all shut properly. I go round to the boot and can see the n/s boot lamp shining away like a good 'un. This is with the bootlid shut tight.

Anyway, the only way i could get the lamp to go out was to pull the connector off the latch in the tailgate.

Does this indicate a short somewhere?

Also driving to work today, i notice a clicking in the n/s/f door area, like someones flicking the electric window switch up and down, but the windows not moving....? I tried the window, not working from the drivers door at all, but is working from the passanger!!!

Then the led lamp on the drivers door panel decides IT wants to join in and then proceeds to flash on and off for the next hour and half. Once i stopped and turned the ignition off and back on, that LED has now gone back to normal.

I am rapidly losing any faith whatsoever in this car, and am seriously thinking of cutting my losses and getting rid all together.

Am i alone in having SO many eletrical faults????

You're panicking over nothing. I bet you'll find the boot linkage is adjusted too tight, and operating the micro-switch. Remove the tailgate trim and locate the link rod between the boot handle and boot catch. Remove the plastic clip and adjust it a couple of turns.

Me and rich are gonna pull it apart saturday, start with changing the drivers door lock mechanism and work round from there.

Well if I can be of any help then just shout.

Well if I can be of any help then just shout.

Thanks fella. By the look of it the drivers door convenience unit is up the shoot, or the plugs corroded - were gonna repair that (hopefully), change the drivers door catch mechanism, then adjust the boot lock & check for as many dodgy earths and bad connections as possible!

Even Rich with all his VAG experience says the VAG groups electrics are crap.

Small update. We adjusted the boot catch a bit better this morning, the revised part that skoda now supply needs a small 3mm washer to alter the angle of it to stop it catching on the boot plastic slam panel. It now catches properly and opens and closes how it should, and the boot lid shuts tighter than before.

The boot catch wiring has been checked and is all ok and intact. In fact one of the boot lights is working intermitanatly, so were chasing the problem down and it MUST be a dodgy earth somewhere in the boot area we think.

Next job is removal of all the boot trim to get to the loom and check for proper earthings as we go. As someone suggested previous, the loom under the CD changer is suspect number one!

i refuse to be beaten by this! lol

The boot catch wiring has been checked and is all ok and intact. In fact one of the boot lights is working intermitanatly, so were chasing the problem down and it MUST be a dodgy earth somewhere in the boot area we think.

Next job is removal of all the boot trim to get to the loom and check for proper earthings as we go. As someone suggested previous, the loom under the CD changer is suspect number one!

i refuse to be beaten by this! lol

The point where all the earth returns (brown/black wires) join together is very likely to be where your problem lies. As I mentioned before you'll find that where the loom is taped up, very close to the CD auto-changer.

It's not that difficult to do, just a bit fiddly perhaps......

Remove the CD auto-changer in the boot nearside by loosening the three torx screws. Underneath you will see the wiring loom. Locate the thin brown/black wire which goes through a multi-plug connector. Check to make sure the connections are good. Continue to follow the wire, and un-tape the loom. You will see where four brown/black wires all join together. These are earth returns to the control unit. It's quite likely the you have a disconnected or broken wire here, and that will be your problem.......

Hi, had a further dig at this today, removed the cd changer and found where these 4 thin brown wires all terminate together (they had like a semi translucent sheath round them. they were all grubby and when i removed the sheath, a fair bit corroded.

Now then, should these all be joined together? Or all joined together and then earthed? The reason being, i joined them all together, and nothing. when i earthed them all, both boot lamps are on constant, even with the boot shut?

:confused::confused::confused:

Hi, had a further dig at this today, removed the cd changer and found where these 4 thin brown wires all terminate together (they had like a semi translucent sheath round them. they were all grubby and when i removed the sheath, a fair bit corroded.

Now then, should these all be joined together? Or all joined together and then earthed? The reason being, i joined them all together, and nothing. when i earthed them all, both boot lamps are on constant, even with the boot shut?

:confused::confused::confused:

Join them all together and leave it at that. They earth through the body control module.

Of the four brown/black wires, one is the earth return from the boot lamp door switch in the tailgate. Two are the earth returns from each of the two boot lamps. And one is the earth return to the body control module for the tell tale LED on the dash. That's why when you earth the whole lot they stay on.

If they still don't work normally, but do if you earth them, your problem is elsewhere, and probably towards the body control module or broken earth. Didn't you also mention something about a problem with the drivers door? The body control module also controls the functions there, and it's very likely that all your problems are related to one central earth problem. Unfortunately without looking I cannot tell you where that is......

Edited 21 December, 200817 yr by Railroad

Join them all together and leave it at that. They earth through the body control module.

Of the four brown/black wires, one is the earth return from the boot lamp door switch in the tailgate. Two are the earth returns from each of the two boot lamps. And one is the earth return to the body control module for the tell tale LED on the dash. That's why when you earth the whole lot they stay on.

If they still don't work normally, but do if you earth them, your problem is elsewhere, and probably towards the body control module or broken earth. Didn't you also mention something about a problem with the drivers door? The body control module also controls the functions there, and it's very likely that all your problems are related to one central earth problem. Unfortunately without looking I cannot tell you where that is......

First off, a massive thanks to "railroad" for his guidance on this matter, but i've just done it!!!!!! :thumbup:

I traced the 4 thin brown earth wires and lo and behold about 6 inches back up the loom where they terminate, was a broken wire. By the look of it its been pinched on assembly and moisture had got inside and corroded the wire through.

The sense of achievement is solving such a ridiculously daft thing is imense. Ive spent the best part of 10 hours on "shonky the skoda" this weekend ant finally since the first time i got the car, EVERYTHING WORKS!

Plus knowing that all these things feed through control units is easier to understand how totally unrelated faults can be linked to something simple - ie before when i opened the car from the remote key the main courtesy light would come on then go off - NOW it comes on and stops on for the normal 20 seconds or so (this is without opening the door)

Like i say, massive thanks for all the input on this job from everyone concerned!:thumbup:

Excellent news that all is fixed at last!