Dead Yeti 170 - Stablisation Control Error

[Moonman2]

I hopped into my (less than one-year-old) 170 to go to the shops, switched the ignition on and - many strange lights in the dashboard pods and then a "bong" and a message "Error : Stabilisation Control (ESC)" appears.

If I turn the ignition key further round to try to start the car then there's a rattling or buzzing sound, hard to describe, from all over the dash board and many more lights coming on on the dashboard and the engine doesn't start.

I tried waiting a while, and I've pushed the ESC button (the one that shows a car sliding around the road) a few times in case that caused anything to reset, but nothing. Rats.

Anybody else experienced this? I'm hoping it's "just" the electronics that have got them themselves in a tizzy and that there might be some simple way to reset things.

Off to read the Skoda Assist booklet to see just what level of cover they provide!

[The Plumber]

Ring Skoda Assist your covered for such issues, or anything else where you cannot get to a dealers even a flat tyre. Only minor faults that can wait should be left unitl you can get a service slot booked in.

Hope you get it sorted,

TP

[killy]

Tough - Keep us posted

Regards

Mike

[Hairball]

Not good news, I hope you get it sorted OK and quickly. At least the fault occurred when stationary. A few years ago I had a camshaft position sensor go intermittent on my old Mondeo TDCi 130 estate, the car just shut down in the overtaking lane of the M4! Luckily the lights still worked so I could hit the hazards, after managing to coast to the hard shoulder without hitting anything with zero power assist steering or brakes I think I was lucky not to be sitting slightly higher in the driving seat surrounded with an odd aroma of effluvium.

[Moonman2]

It's now progressed to telling me that the rear brakes lights are not working, the left rear turn indicator is dead and the brakes have failed. And it switches the rear wiper on whenever I turn the ignition on, despite the stalk being in the off position.

Unless there's some uber-rat munching its way slowly around the various bits of the car it's all starting to seem like screwy electronics. I'll give Skoda Assist a call tomorrow and see if they can either reset things with some magic box-of-tricks, or tow me to the dealer if they can't. Sigh.

[Moonman2]

Well, the man from the RAC (aka Skoda Assist) turned up, took ten seconds look at it and said "flat battery". And indeed it was, or rather a fairly low battery. I had considered that but since the headlights worked fine I thought it couldn't be. The clicking noises, which seemed to be coming from both sides of the dashboard, were just the starter solenoid switching in and out as the starter motor failed to kick the engine into life. Anyway he jump-started it, reset the many errors and all was well.

The big question of course is why was the battery low? The chap spent about 30 minutes checking various things with his box-of-tricks and eventually told me that it was a problem with the electric front seats. All the car's electronic systems (with the exception of the alarm) are supposed to shut down completely after 15 minutes. The electric front seats weren't, and over a few days (I hadn't had the car out) it's sufficient to pull the battery down low enough to completely phase the (many) electronic systems on the car, hence all the various warning lights (and this morning the boot just keep locking and unlocking itself as soon as I put the key in the ignition!).

The RAC man (a VAG specialist) contacted Germany and they told him it's a known problem and there's a firmware update to fix it. This he duly downloaded and installed for me. He then checked that the front seat controls were indeed shutting down after 15 minutes. First class service as far as I'm concerned.

So, if you have the electric front seats, be aware ... I'll take the car for a run this afternoon to get a bit of juice back into the battery. And buy myself a voltmeter )

[The Plumber]

Glad to hear your all sorted and the fault was fairly simple. My lad lost the power steering on his previous 03 Fabia, amazed to be told that the fault was simply an old battery on it's last legs and hence the car had started shutting high drain systems down, like the power steering.

TP

[Merlinman]

Good news and top service!

I had a similar issue on a previous Golf - traced to a fault in the factory radio allowing a small permanent 'leak'

[BossFox]

Good to hear it's been sorted out and was relatively minor.

Sounds like great service too!

[g6zru]

Interesting!

Oh for the days when a flattish battery caused sloooow engine turnover and was obvious. These clever cars give me a decided feeling of inadequacy. I'm sure one day it'll just say "you can't drive me, you're too thick"!

Fred

[Moonman2]

It does amaze me that there isn't a warning light/message that says "your battery voltage/charge is getting low". Maybe slightly tricky in extremis (need battery power to warn you that battery power is too low) but you'd have thought they could have done something, even if it needed a PP3! But, hmmm, how would I know if the PP3 was flat, wait, I know ...

I wonder what percentage of callouts are down to "flat" batteries.

[JohnD5314]

It does amaze me that there isn't a warning light/message that says "your battery voltage/charge is getting low". Maybe slightly tricky in extremis (need battery power to warn you that battery power is too low) but you'd have thought they could have done something, even if it needed a PP3! But, hmmm, how would I know if the PP3 was flat, wait, I know ...

I wonder what percentage of callouts are down to "flat" batteries.

[JohnD5314]

Actually, it does warn you. After a few days living in the Yeti the radio would auto shut-off much quicker than usual and interior lights would not work. There was also a message warning 'battery low, system shutdown' displayed on the radio. I was able to start it with no problem and the situation resolved itself.

I can only assume that a heated seat problem took you through this phase quickly before you noticed the message.

PS. Sorry about quote above - not used to posting by phone!

Edited 5 December, 2012 by JohnD5314

[Jonny5ive]

Having just seen this thread I was going to say your battery is/was flat.

I had a very unnerving experience with my father's new 59 plate Octavia. Sat on the drive carrying out some VCDS tweaks, went to start and got the fairy lights, buzzing and clicking etc.

Interior light had been left on and drained the battery sufficiently.

Glad all sorted for you

[killy]

Glad you got it sorted - Luckily I do not have electric front seats on my 170

Regards

Mike

[rockhopper]

Mine is in for a service next week. I'll ask them to check it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Great Yeti]

The big question of course is why was the battery low? The chap spent about 30 minutes checking various things with his box-of-tricks and eventually told me that it was a problem with the electric front seats. All the car's electronic systems (with the exception of the alarm) are supposed to shut down completely after 15 minutes. The electric front seats weren't, and over a few days (I hadn't had the car out) it's sufficient to pull the battery down low enough to completely phase the (many) electronic systems on the car, hence all the various warning lights (and this morning the boot just keep locking and unlocking itself as soon as I put the key in the ignition!).

The RAC man (a VAG specialist) contacted Germany and they told him it's a known problem and there's a firmware update to fix it. This he duly downloaded and installed for me. He then checked that the front seat controls were indeed shutting down after 15 minutes. First class service as far as I'm concerned.

So, if you have the electric front seats, be aware ... I'll take the car for a run this afternoon to get a bit of juice back into the battery. And buy myself a voltmeter )

Do you mean electrically heated seats or electrically adjustable seats?

Which caused the problem? Some here, myself included, have the heated seats option without electrically adjustable seats. It would be good to know which option caused the problem.

So that I know what the state of my battery is. I fitted a 3mm Tri. coloured LED driven by a small circuit that indicates the state of charge on the battery - Green = Good (+13v) - Amber = OK (12/13v) - Red = Battery low (-12v). A fairly simple circuit. I think something similar is available commercially now. The LED is fitted into one of the spare switch blanks in such a way that (according to the dealership that services my car) it looks like a factory fitted option. If anyone wants the circuit details etc, PM me and I will help if I can.....................Tony

[rockhopper]

Do you mean electrically heated seats or electrically adjustable seats?

Which caused the problem? Some here, myself included, have the heated seats option without electrically adjustable seats. It would be good to know which option caused the problem.

So that I know what the state of my battery is. I fitted a 3mm Tri. coloured LED driven by a small circuit that indicates the state of charge on the battery - Green = Good (+13v) - Amber = OK (12/13v) - Red = Battery low (-12v). A fairly simple circuit. I think something similar is available commercially now. The LED is fitted into one of the spare switch blanks in such a way that (according to the dealership that services my car) it looks like a factory fitted option. If anyone wants the circuit details etc, PM me and I will help if I can.....................Tony

photos?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nickguzzi]

Glad its now sorted for you.

You actually know what caused it and a fix was applied.

Sounds like you struck lucky with the call out man.

Once alternators became ubiquitous, we took our batteries for granted. Now there are so many draws on its little grey cells, and so many potential sources of failure, perhaps the need for up speccing in here?

[Great Yeti]

photos?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Really sorry for taking so long in sending this.......... :sweat:

I chose to mount the 3mm LED in a spare switch blank. Measured the LED and drilled the hole 0.1mm undersize. This enables the LED to VERY firmly wedge into place without any holder and the top of the LED is flush with the surface of the blank.

Happy Christmas ALL.......................Tony

Edited 11 December, 2012 by Great Yeti

[rockhopper]

Looks very neat.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[loftypeak2]

Tried to start car at home just now, exactly same as Moonman2; same symptoms and warnings.

I have contacted Skoda assist who will be attending within the hour - will keep updated when I have any more information :think:

[redcar_reds]

Had the same problem with my 4 month old Yeti 170 4x4 elegance in January. One minute no problem next minute esc alarm and bongs etc Googled the symptons and advice was to take battery lead off then replace. All reset but did notice battery terminals were dull and dry so cleaned and smeared and then fault free for a month. Local dealer checked and found nothing but advised if it did it again not to take battery lead off but take it in. Sod's law then kicked in and it happened on a Saturday lunchtime about a month later. Left the car and went back an hour or two later and the fault had cleared.

Took back to dealer who had it for a day and ended up ordering and fitting a new can bus module. No problems since.

[jonceebee]

This happened on our Octavia when it reached four years old and the battery suddenly died. It was strange as all the electrics were playing up in weird ways as described above. Had me baffled until I got assistance from a jump start and everything was fine until I stopped and everything went wild again. New battery fixed it straight away

[The Plumber]

Also had a flat battery but no warning lights etc. just wouldn't start. RAC came out found the voltage out of limits and so jump started it. No faults could be found or reasons as to why and so far (touching wood) its not reoccurred since :wonder:

TP