Hi everyone. Just have a call today from dealer that I have to pay 150 euro for repair. But first let me explain the problem:

Last Thursday my Skoda couldn't start, no lights on dashboard. Call AA. This professional came in and just checked battery. He said" I have never seen any thing like that, you have to take car to dealer". And then I start to warried. So I start check fuses. Under steering wheel and beside battery. On next day (Friday ) another guy took my car to dealer.

On Monday after my 3 phone calls ther called me back and listen this: " you have to pay 150 euro because fuses where on wrong places". WTF. I explained to him that I checked fuses when my car already was broken down and that was after guy from AA left me. Plus my car is just 1,5 year old and it's cover by warranty. He still said that this was the main problem : fuses on wrang location and that's why engine couldn't start . Just one big ********.

So what your advice: just pay what they ask or keep saying car is under warranty.

Warranty will only cover defects.

I agree with you but how can I know this wasn't major defect. To be honest if I knew that this cost me 150 e i would ask some mechanic with diagnostic tool and he will fix this for 25-40 euro in 20 min. Not 4 days.

Tell the garage to correct the fuses.

 

If what you say is true then this will not solve the issue, the car still won't start - the original problem will still exist.

 

I'd be more worried why the dealer thinks it is acceptable to charge €150 EUR to swap over a couple of fuses.

 

Is this a Skoda main dealer?

 

You shouldn't have told them that you'd touched the fuses. Either it came from the factory like that, or the AA man (under contract from Skoda Assist) messed them up. Then it would be covered under warranty.

Speak to Skoda Customer Services....There is a warranty

Explain to them what has happened

BTW.....Did the AA man fiddle with the fuses or did you?

Not sure if I am being a bit thick? (quite possible) but if you checked the fuses and they were at least all OK (even if they were in the wrong slots), then surely the car would still run fine. Only if a fuse exceeded it's maximum current rating would it blow. So I guess what I don't understand is why the car wouldn't run?

Yes it is Skoda dealer. About month ago I serviced a car with them and spend about 500 euro. I checked fuses because owner manual let you do it. It my car and I can do it. it's not a problem to check them if you know what I mean. I probably put one or two in wrong place. It was already dark outside. But all fuses where in good condition. So this was no a main problem with the car. They just plugged diagnostic device and erased errors. That's my opinion. I am going for my car tomorrow and I will try again explain how it was. It looks like they want easy cash.

Speak to Skoda Customer Services....There is a warranty

Explain to them what has happened

BTW.....Did the AA man fiddle with the fuses or did you?

Thanks for advice. I will call them tomorrow.

Lad form AA just checked the battery - he was very unprofessional. I checked fuses. And they where ok.

Blame the AA.

Not sure if I am being a bit thick? (quite possible) but if you checked the fuses and they were at least all OK (even if they were in the wrong slots), then surely the car would still run fine. Only if a fuse exceeded it's maximum current rating would it blow. So I guess what I don't understand is why the car wouldn't run?

not if you remove them and put them back in a different location

Not sure if I am being a bit thick? (quite possible) but if you checked the fuses and they were at least all OK (even if they were in the wrong slots), then surely the car would still run fine. Only if a fuse exceeded it's maximum current rating would it blow. So I guess what I don't understand is why the car wouldn't run?

It was like that: opened car. Put in key into ignition and there was no lights. so I disconnected battery for few seconds and connected again with no result. When AA lad left I checked fuses and all where ok. So fuses weren't issue.

If all they've done is read the fault codes and cleared them then the fault is still present.

 

The car failed to start before you touched the fuses, right?

not if you remove them and put them back in a different location

But isn't it likely that dashboard lights would come on instantly or the car not start at all? just seems odd really, the car breaking down, but the fuses checked as OK by the OP  :( I

Edited 17 February, 201412 yr by Lady Elanore

If all they've done is read the fault codes and cleared them then the fault is still present.

The car failed to start before you touched the fuses, right?

That's right

In that case I'd be asking the dealer what the fault codes were.

 

Add them to this thread and we'll be able to point you in the right direction for far less than €150!

 

It sounds like the fault has not been fixed and the car is likely to fail to start again in the future.

In that case I'd be asking the dealer what the fault codes were.

Add them to this thread and we'll be able to point you in the right direction for far less than €150!

It sounds like the fault has not been fixed and the car is likely to fail to start again in the future.

I am going tomorrow. But first I will probably pay 150 euro before I will get my keys. But there is one positive : when I finished conversation with Skoda dealer, he asked me when I can collect car? I told him that I have to thing about this and speak with some one because car is under warranty. Then he told me that he will speak with someone tomorrow and let me know when I come in. So maybe this will finish with no cost. Or much cheaper. I remember that once he charged me 40 euro for erasing air bag error. I can pay 40 for this job as well. But that's max.

Not sure which country you are in but the average charge for plugging the car in and reading the fault codes here in the UK is around £80 GBP or €100 EUR.

not if you remove them and put them back in a different location

Why on earth would anyone do that?

Not sure which country you are in but the average charge for plugging the car in and reading the fault codes here in the UK is around £80 GBP or €100 EUR.

Wow that's a lot. Dublin. Dealer charged me 40 euro for clear air bag error. Friendly mechanic 25-30 euro.

Why on earth would anyone do that?

I know it looks bad but I spent that too much time that day/night. And later I checked with list and looked correct. But today when he called and told about fuses I was confused. I expected some major problem.

Why on earth would anyone do that?

it is quite easy to do, believe me

 

I always take a picture before I remove any now

it is quite easy to do, believe me

I always take a picture before I remove any now

Now I will do the same.

Ask for a VAS printout. I got one for a random fault from one dealer to take to the dealer the car came from to prove the fault wasn't imaginary and they hadn't fixed the fault.

I'll likely be around 30 pages long as it also contains all the module listing and settings. Error codes are either at the very start or end IIRC

Why on earth would anyone do that?

it happens all the time, people pull fuses and then put them in the wrong location even in blank spaces, they just miss read the hand book.

Ask for a VAS printout. I got one for a random fault from one dealer to take to the dealer the car came from to prove the fault wasn't imaginary and they hadn't fixed the fault.

I'll likely be around 30 pages long as it also contains all the module listing and settings. Error codes are either at the very start or end IIRC

Ok. Thanks for this. I let you all know what's happened tomorrow with dealer- car - me. Thanks to all of you for all suggestions and advices. You can still write something if you want I will probably reply when I wake up.