Need your help with an odd issue I'm having lately.

When the key IS NOT in the ignition I get 3 issues:

1. The lights on chime doesn't come on

2. The dashboard back lighting can't be switched on

3. and the open door light indication doesn't work either.

soon as the key is in the ignition and turned all works fine (except the lights on chime)

Got any pointers as to what could be the issue causing all this?

bad earth, or blown fuse. these things may derive power from somewhere else when ignition is on.

just guesses

Edited 24 June, 201213 yr by Lofty79

It may be a blown fuse, or the door's lock micro switch. As far as your final notice, it is the way it should be. When key is in ignition even if engine is off lights chime don't make sound. Plug a VCDS to check the door lock.

How old is your battery? Before the battery dies such weird things can happen. Worth to check battery power too...

Cheers guys - will check what you mention. Battery irfant is there since I bought the car (Oct, 2009)

It may be a blown fuse, or the door's lock micro switch. As far as your final notice, it is the way it should be. When key is in ignition even if engine is off lights chime don't make sound. Plug a VCDS to check the door lock.

Stratos I checked with another exactly the same Fabia SE which luckily was in my friend's garage and with the keys out of the ignition it would do all the above so it is probably a pre-facelift feature?

Stratos I checked with another exactly the same Fabia SE which luckily was in my friend's garage and with the keys out of the ignition it would do all the above so it is probably a pre-facelift feature?

Well maybe. In my Roomster when I unlock the car and open one of passenger's door or boot lid there is no illumination in dash panel but there is the red light that indicates an open door plus cabin's lights are on too. Dash backlight illuminates and digits appears only when driver's door is open.

I do remember that in all my Skodas, a former MK1 Octavia 1.6 '02 and MK1 Fabia 1.2 '06 the red "open door" was on with cabins lights too. Also without the key in the hole all three of them (Octavia, Fabia and Roomster) were and is pinging when headlights are on.

Reading Irfant's post I think that a near dead battery is the cause of your problems. Well simple things first.

a. Check your battery

b. Check for blown fuse

c. Check door's micro switch.

To check your battery try to open - close your windows having the engine off and try to listen your motor's sound and speed. If your battery is near her life's end window's motors will be slower and will sound like be in difficult than when your engine is running.

Keep in mind that batteries are suffering during summer time due to high ambient temperatures even more that in winter time. Also if you are suffering from near dead battery there is a possibility to have airbag or even epc lights on. Average battery life is about four (4) years without meaning that this is the main rule, Octavia's kept all eight (8) years I owned the car.

Keep us informed.

Edited 25 June, 201213 yr by stratosg

Update

Haven't resolved the issue yet but we might have found the culprit. We checked all the things you guys mentioned and we couldn't find any issues so out of frustration as we were running out of options my mech decide to hook up to the dash a Fabia MKI maxidot he had laying around. Guess what? it worked fine indicating individual open or closed doors and chimed every time the lights were left open. In other words my Tacho is probably partly dead.

One thing I didn't mention is that this is my third TachoMeter! After six months I bought the car the TachoMeter lost all its trip computer digits and info. It was replaced under warranty but after 2 months the same issue appeared. Then the dealership decided to check with Skoda CZ which action to take and they send through a "revision" of the same tachometer. Now almost 2 years later this appears. Damn, I hate to ask how much this is going to cost me as I'm way out of warranty.

Will keep you posted :p

Update

Haven't resolved the issue yet but we might have found the culprit. We checked all the things you guys mentioned and we couldn't find any issues so out of frustration as we were running out of options my mech decide to hook up to the dash a Fabia MKI maxidot he had laying around. Guess what? it worked fine indicating individual open or closed doors and chimed every time the lights were left open. In other words my Tacho is probably partly dead.

One thing I didn't mention is that this is my third TachoMeter! After six months I bought the car the TachoMeter lost all its trip computer digits and info. It was replaced under warranty but after 2 months the same issue appeared. Then the dealership decided to check with Skoda CZ which action to take and they send through a "revision" of the same tachometer. Now almost 2 years later this appears. Damn, I hate to ask how much this is going to cost me as I'm way out of warranty.

Will keep you posted :p

As the issue was there before if you contact head office they may help ?

Wow !!!

Wow !!!

.?

Oh! Sorry seboni21, that Wow was and still is for 32K's dashboard history.

Yeah never expected such issues with a dash before. Even the internet doesn't provide further info.

The only thing I know is what the dealership back then told me and which was that a couple of other Fabia owners with the same model as mine had the issue but nothing more than that.

@ seb

I highly doubt they will cover anything.

32k, give dealership a chance and if they are unwilling to cover damage, or at least a part of her, write a letter to Skoda Auto and wait what the factory has to offer.

Else... Go to a scrap yard and pick a dash for less.