... got back late to car last night after Connex had already cancelled two of my trains to find that the Skoda fit Scorpion (I think) alarm refused to respond to the fob. Battery was fine and fob was flashing away quite happily but nothing was happening :confused: . Opened the door using the normal fob and the alarm went off - and it remained on even when I started the ignition. Decided it might be a bit dangerous driving around with alarm on and hazards and lights flashing (although might have got away with being a cop car which could have been fun ) so called AA. 45 minutes later the bloke came, took one look at it and said he wouldn't touch it with a bargepole - said he had tried to disconnect one on a golf a month before and the alarm had proceeded to continously sound for 3 hours :eek: . Eventually got back home at midnight after having had the car towed to a garage - so now carless and waiting for the verdict (and I guess bill :( ).

Anyone else had any problems with these alarms? Any ideas on what might be wrong & cost?

I guess this is the CAT1 alarm that Skoda fit?

Had one fitted to my previous Octy and never had a problem with it other than the alarm sounding if any of the interiors lights were left on.

Would have suggested trying the spare remote.

Cheers.

Adrian.

I have had similar problems with my alarm, but I only get it when I try to use when parked at the local B&Q, I haven't noticed the problem anywhere else.

I could only think that something was interfering with the frequencies that the remote uses.

Probably doesn't help you very much though, sorry... :confused:

Keoghan

If you open the car with the key then you need to disarm the alarm system by sticking the little black chip thing into the appropriate hole. [This is what I was told, I haven't actually tried it].

The imobiliser should also have been active so you shouldn't have been able to drive it anyway.

Zooty - didn't have to open it with the key - used the normal "flick key" electronic fob to open it which also deactivates the immobiliser - hence could drive it ok. Still no info from garage as to cause so looks like it might be expensive :( Skodi - wife brought the spare fob to the car at the garage and that didn't work either so guess the problem must be on the car.

Using the Skoda flick key either physically in the door or as a remote will open the car, but you then need the Scorpion chip thing to disarm the alarm system.

I was under the impression that if the alarm was armed then opening the doors with the Skoda key/remote would also NOT deactivate the immobiliser... looks like I might be wrong there unless your system is completely knackered I'll have to have a play.

Might just be the receiver unit that's bust... hope it's not too expensive.

Zooty - im no expert since I ddin't receive any instructions on the thing (not alone in this I believe!). I had assumed that the chip thing was a manual immobiliser override rather than anything to do with the alarm - only cos it looks like most other immobiliser keys. As you can guess from the above, I didn't try this as a method of turning the alarm off - so if this would have done it I will look like a right lemon

I did receive a sheet of instructions but they appear to be for a different alarm unit to the one that is fitted However I did get a blow by blow account of how it worked when I picked the car up and the chip thing is definitely part of the alarm system.

If you arm the alarm using the chip and then secure the car with the standard key, when you come to reverse the procedure to open it you get about 15 seconds grace between opening the doors and the alarm going off - time enough to insert the chip.

Two days later and they still can't work out what is wrong and can't disarm it :( Looks like I might be without it for a while unless they decide to rip it out and put a new one in under warranty :cheers: