I have been having problems with my estate tailgate lock which it appeared that I had solved by re-soldering a wire on the lid micro switch and replacing the faulty tailgate lock itself. Everything appeared to be working fine but when I opened the car with the remote on the following day and sat in the car I heard the tailgate release mechanism operate and the tailgate opened. I had not touched anything else and not even put the key in the ignition. I got out and closed it but within a few seconds it unlocked itself again. I closed it again and it stayed closed. I have used the car a couple of times since and it hasn't happened.

I am aware that these cars are prone to Central locking issues and I spoke to my Skoda dealer. They quoted £90 to test system and £188 plus labour and vat if it needed a new Convenience ECU. I asked if the test would identify all possible faults but they were very vague about this and I'm afraid of getting into an expensive situation where I start going down the road of fitting one expensive part after another.

Can anyone tell me if a VCDS test would identify all faults on an initial test before I commit to spending?

Cheers.

I'd be double checking the rubber tube between the body and boot for broken wires before you commit to a new convenience module.

I've examined that at it looks perfect. Been out in the car a couple of times again at it has not happened. Would just like to know exactly what items the VCDS would actually test or if it might perhaps show just one particular fault for others to possibly show up when that had been repaired. The obvious risk is having paid to fix one fault you would then feel obliged to keep spending more, the danger being that I could end up comitting hundreds of pounds on a car that I wouldn't want to spend that much on.

Cheers.

VCDS itself won't test anything as such. It's a tool and like any other it's down to the person using it knowing what to look for. Fault codes are one thing but a very small part of what it can do. I doubt however it will give you a concrete answer, you may get lucky. Id start having a look in the measure block values and seeing what's activating the catch.

Thanks for the benefit of that knowledge, it's seems a bit as I feared could be the case. It's behaving itself at the moment so I will monitor it for a time before doing anything else. I have not come accross the term "block values" previously, would I be right to assume this is found through the VCDS system or is there a simple amature's way of measuring it?

There is an option in VCDS to look at live data from the cars, measured values/blocks can give some insight.

Thanks Tech1e

It's still playing up. The only problem that is bothering me at the moment is the tailgate popping open unexpectedly, it seems from central locking self-operating it.

JUST A THOUGHT?

Would it be possible to disconnect the electrical tailgate components and operate the tailgate solely by the manual lever by the driver's door without totally messing up the restof the door lockings and alarm?

I was thinking to disconnect the micro switch in the tailgate itself and also the central locking component allied to the mechanical latch in the rear sill.

Otherwise could it be left electrically connected but mechanically disconnected from the latch release so that it doesn't actually open the central locking but the electrical system thinks it does?

I know it sounds a bit like one of Baldrick's cunning plans from Blackadder, but I would rather de-activate it if possible than start down the costly road it appears can develop. It suffered from the dreaded door leaks some years ago and I cured it with Tiger seal so I don't want to invite a possible situation where all that has to be pulled apart again if door components are found to be part of the repair just to open the tailgate.

To be fair its probably the tailgate switch causing it (the handle release on the boot). Probably corroded up inside with rear screenwash water. But yes disconnecting it would work.

Funny you should say that . The faults that I originally found, and it initially appeared had corrected everything, were to the Microswitch you mention and the lock in the tailgate.

The plastic components in the lock had moved out of place and it wasn't moving enough to operate the switch inside which feeds to the tailgate interior lights. I replaced the lock with a new Skoda unit.

When I removed the micro switch with the rubber pad from between the number plate lights I found that one of the two fine wires had broken away at it's soldered joint to the switch. The pins the wires are soldered to are very tiny so I stripped both wires back about an inch, twisted each tightly round it's pin and then soldered them.

Having done this,initially everything worked properly, including the front windows which had been a bit hit and miss whether they worked on both switch positions for a long time.

Then two days later I got into the car after unlocking it with the remote and before I had put the ignition key in, the tailgate motor whirred and it came unlatched. As I have said previously this has now happened a number of times in different circumstances, usually when getting into the car, a few seconds after using the remote, but also once when I switshed the ignition off.

It isn't water in the switch as the tailgate wash hasn't worked for years and I had not bothered with it due the risks of wrenching down the trim! In fact since I'd already got the lower trim off I got the top one down to repair the washer. The disconnect turned out to be in the bulkhead, but at least it promted me to sort it!

The resoldered wires I fixed seemed very secure but I haven't put the trims back, so I will get the switch out again when my son gets home from work in the car later and manipulate them lightly to check. I have got a multimeter, is there any sort of reading I should be looking for when the switch is held closed to indicate a satisfactory joint?

I obviously want to try want to get it working properly if I can without the risk of the garage costs I spoke about, but if not I will certainly try to disconnect as you've said it can work.

Thanks a lot