While defrosting the car this morning (first trip for almost a week) I noticed one of the spotlights was sunken, one of the front parking senors pushed in and the front number plate cracked around the screw as if someone had tried to force it off. Also a little bit of the bottom bumper trim was sticking out. No other sign of damage so this must be an attempt to disable the alarm by some ^%£!£"&^£! low life :( Is that what they do with a Skoda, rather than risk smashing a window which would sound the alarm? Can the alarm be disabled by cutting the sensors?! Had this exact same attempt with my BMW a few years back - I can't believe it!!! Really hacked off, wish this forum would allow me to swear!!

The number plate can be replaced, fine. The front fog still works, just needs to be refitted. The sensor though - this beeped first time I engaged reverse but then changed to a constant tone - its pushed in on itself and turned to one side so its probably picking up the front bumper rather than being faulty - would you say? But after manually enabling the sensor a few times to test, its now silent - replaced by flashing light and no display on the LCD.

Would I be right in thinking the front bumper has to come off to repair both items? Any ideas what a dealer would charge? What do you reckon the chances are the sensor is okay, if its just been pushed in I might be lucky? If I can get the bumper off myself I might give it a go and try and save a few pennies... Any tips and risks on removal I need to know about? Not worth involving my insurance company (I learned that lesson with the BMW!).

I'm off to Wales on hols tomorrow so will have to wait until I return... Will be a test of my parking abilities too, having gotten used to the those sensors... yikes!

Merry Xmas you scrotes - and if I catch you, I'll ram your gonads as far as I can back into your body, see how you like it.... Grrrr!

Thanks all...

Sounds strange to me? I would doubt the two systems are connected?

And there are ways around the filter

Thieving ©unts!

Were they trying to nick the bumper? There was a spate of BMW bumper thefts a few years back.

The front bumper is quite straight forwards to remove.

Just remove the headlights undo all the bolts (including in the wheel arches) and the using needle nose pliers remove the black retaining screws and it all comes off

I removed mine in about 10 mins when changing my intercooler.

This will give you easy access to refit everything and hopefully will work.

Also see if you can get access to someone with VCDS to see if it gives any clues to the faults

Carl

I suppose it could be.... E17 area, East London. When I reported the BMW incident the police said these cars had been targetted in the area for parts! Their advice? Sell the car! Brilliant. Actually I was thinking of selling (change of circumsatnces, bought the VRS) but thats not the point... l also moved house (about 1.5 miles away) and transferred the private number plate - perhaps they've tracked me down?! They had 3 goes at the BMW.

I'll work on that filter....

Nice one VRSCarl - though I've got a horrible feeling it will take me a heck of alot longer than that - 10 mins you say?! I'm impressed! Last time I took apart an old typewriter (many years ago) I was left with quite a few spare pieces...

IIRC it was 'Sport' Bumpers that were being taken. GMP Advised BMW drivers to park so close to a wall / garage door that removal was impossible.

I had some fog lights taken from a 325ti.

Could it also be that the car was damaged before you parked it up, had it been hit?

Not full of christmas cheer for the common man then , cant say i blame you.

Dont mind fixing stuff that goes wrong , although the mrs stilo is doing my box, or stuff i've caused , but stuff that some thievin oik caused is just wrong .

Hope it sorts mate ,where are you if your n/west may be able to help.

Nice one VRSCarl - though I've got a horrible feeling it will take me a heck of alot longer than that - 10 mins you say?! I'm impressed!

Should see what else i can do in 10mins

Ohh almost forgot you need to remove the undertray aswell and take the screws out of the wheel arch liner that go into the bumper underneath or you will damage both.

May take 15mins with undoing the undertray :p

It really is simple. If your a bit unsure once you have the headlights removed it's pretty obvious what needs to be undone

Carl

IIRC it was 'Sport' Bumpers that were being taken. GMP Advised BMW drivers to park so close to a wall / garage door that removal was impossible.

I had some fog lights taken from a 325ti.

Could it also be that the car was damaged before you parked it up, had it been hit?

I had a 330Ci Sport - and reading the other post from VRSCarl and the undertray, I now see it was the bumper they wanted from the BMW - my tray was on the ground.... barstewards!! If only I had a wall to park close to :(

Hope it sorts mate ,where are you if your n/west may be able to help.

Cheers. I'm in East London, Walthamstow... Heading to Wales tomorrow though (thats north westish, at least from London!). Unless the weather worsens - that will just finish me off I think! :(

Should see what else i can do in 10mins

Too much information Though made me laugh, which helped!

15 mins then - you'd be no good to a Skoda dealer then - far too efficient. Sounds like a challenge though - I'll see how I feel after the holiday.

Sounds more like a parking prank by someone, or they swiped you as they were turning a corner.

It maybe straightforward to remove but not to steal.Would be easier to nick the car rather than smash the glass to open the bonnet and jack the wheels to remove the mushields .....

The front bumper is quite straight forwards to remove.

Just remove the headlights undo all the bolts (including in the wheel arches) and the using needle nose pliers remove the black retaining screws and it all comes off

I removed mine in about 10 mins when changing my intercooler.

This will give you easy access to refit everything and hopefully will work.

Also see if you can get access to someone with VCDS to see if it gives any clues to the faults

Carl

Sounds more like a parking prank by someone, or they swiped you as they were turning a corner.

There's no other damage - not a thing - definitely a thieving arse wipe..

Sounds like they were trying to get at the siren. But looking in the wrong place on a Skoda for it

The horn is located in that area though....

Sounds like they were trying to cut the wires to your horn before trying to nick your car , maybe they were disturbed,

While defrosting the car this morning (first trip for almost a week) I noticed one of the spotlights was sunken, one of the front parking senors pushed in and the front number plate cracked around the screw as if someone had tried to force it off. Also a little bit of the bottom bumper trim was sticking out. No other sign of damage so this must be an attempt to disable the alarm by some ^%£!£"&^£! low life :( Is that what they do with a Skoda, rather than risk smashing a window which would sound the alarm? Can the alarm be disabled by cutting the sensors?! Had this exact same attempt with my BMW a few years back - I can't believe it!!! Really hacked off, wish this forum would allow me to swear!!

The number plate can be replaced, fine. The front fog still works, just needs to be refitted. The sensor though - this beeped first time I engaged reverse but then changed to a constant tone - its pushed in on itself and turned to one side so its probably picking up the front bumper rather than being faulty - would you say? But after manually enabling the sensor a few times to test, its now silent - replaced by flashing light and no display on the LCD.

Would I be right in thinking the front bumper has to come off to repair both items? Any ideas what a dealer would charge? What do you reckon the chances are the sensor is okay, if its just been pushed in I might be lucky? If I can get the bumper off myself I might give it a go and try and save a few pennies... Any tips and risks on removal I need to know about? Not worth involving my insurance company (I learned that lesson with the BMW!).

I'm off to Wales on hols tomorrow so will have to wait until I return... Will be a test of my parking abilities too, having gotten used to the those sensors... yikes!

Merry Xmas you scrotes - and if I catch you, I'll ram your gonads as far as I can back into your body, see how you like it.... Grrrr!

Thanks all...

I had a hare run into my front bumper recently. It pushed in one of the sensors in the bumper. The sensor still worked, and it was a simple job to replace it. You need the car on a lift and to take of the undertray. This gives you access to the inside of the front bumper. The sensors are fixed in holes in the bumper with double sided tape, so clean off the old tape and replace the sensor with new tape.

I had a hare run into my front bumper recently. It pushed in one of the sensors in the bumper. The sensor still worked, and it was a simple job to replace it. You need the car on a lift and to take of the undertray. This gives you access to the inside of the front bumper. The sensors are fixed in holes in the bumper with double sided tape, so clean off the old tape and replace the sensor with new tape.

So no need to remove the front bumper, just the undertray, to refit the sensor? Is that what you're saying? I think I could manage that... Just leaves the fog light...

Edited 29 December, 200916 yr by Ciderspace

Sounds like they were trying to cut the wires to your horn before trying to nick your car , maybe they were disturbed,

But that's the horn to warn others on the road, not the alarm horn - located somewhere else

They were trying to nick it.

gits

an rac man told me this week about a focus that you could run a live feed through a sensor on the gearbox to knock the alarm/open the doors

They were trying to nick it.

gits

an rac man told me this week about a focus that you could run a live feed through a sensor on the gearbox to knock the alarm/open the doors

Wouldn't the imobilizer have prevented them from stealing it?

I think I'm going to investigate my options for beefing up the alarm - maybe a proximity sensor perhaps..

Anyone got any recommendations?

So no need to remove the front bumper, just the undertray, to refit the sensor? Is that what you're saying? I think I could manage that... Just leaves the fog light...

Yep, that is what I am saying - and you can get to the fog light from there too. It is necessary to have the car elevated on a lift or maybe you might manage with ramps. I know I could not get under the car without.

It is sort of like the Bahamian walking out to the sailboat aground: " Plenty water, man, but veeeery skinny"

Happy New Year.

Nice one Agerbundsen, I shall give it a go... HNY to you too.

Wouldn't the imobilizer have prevented them from stealing it?

I think I'm going to investigate my options for beefing up the alarm - maybe a proximity sensor perhaps..

Anyone got any recommendations?

The imobilser will stop the casual thief from driving away, but a pro will not need to drive it anywhere they will just pull it onto a low loader and trailer it away.

I wouldnt think about proximity sensors, a lad in our street has one with his alarm and it annoys the neighbours far more than the alarm going off. The locals on the way back from the pub tend to deliberatly trigger it for long periods of time on some nights. All you can here for about an hour after the pub is the thing constantly chirping as they try and set the alarm off.