A few weeks back, the car battery was flat after being parked for about two weeks, but started with jump leads. After 30+ mins running, it was left for another week, and needed a jump start again. Since then, it has been used practically daily for two weeks without a problem.

Last night, my 56 plate L&K central locking locked as prompted, but there was no chirp from the alarm. I retried several times, and checked doors and windows, used the remote to open the tailgate and shut it again, still no chirp. There might have been a long pulse on the red LED on the driver's door.

This morning, fifteen minutes into my journey, I spent about five minutes driving with the siren going off for 20 seconds at a time, with 5 second intervals of quiet. No indications other than audible, that anything was untowards. When I parked up, and locked the car, the chirp was there as normal.

I have a Skoda extended warranty on the car, and the dealer says I need the diagnostic, which I will have to pay £45 for unless it shows up that an under warranty part needs replacement. What is the betting as to whether any fault will show, and whether, if it is the alarm, it will be covered by the warranty...

Is it just cheaper and simpler to get a new alarm module and get on with changing it?

I see in the owners manual that the siren is expected to expire after 6 years, and that at the time, you should contact your local Skoda Dealer. If you are going to get stiffed £45 to be told it is time for a service, that seems rather outrageous.

Edited 7 March, 201214 yr by HUD Engineer

Find someone with VAG COM or VCDS they will do a diagnostic scan for you

Any helpful sorts boasting VAG COM or VCDS in the Worcester or Cheltenham area?? Or what gear would I need to read off the codes anyway? There seems to be some kit out on the internet for half what the dealer wants to charge me just to see my data. I appreciate that making sense of the data may be another matter...

Edited 7 March, 201214 yr by HUD Engineer

You need someone with genuine VCDS, you could find a local indy otherwise.

Well, fast service all round really. Took the car into Startin Skoda, Powick, and told them the symptoms. Apparently it still took them 40 minutes of diagnostic time to decide that the Siren needed replacement, but they did it there and then, so I drove away 2 hours after I had arrived, with job done.

Happily, it was done under warranty. It seems Skoda will pay for 20 mins of diagnostic time associated with a Siren replaced under warranty, and the local dealer were kind enough to not charge me for the other 20 mins. They spotted an oil leak from the sump gasket, which they can fix for £210 when it gets bad enough, so they may get a return on their investment!

Regards

Andy