Another replacement Columbus

[spacenase]

After some issues with my Columbus locking up and going silent on me, the control unit was replaced under warranty a couple of months ago. It's also had an issue with the screen for some time. When it comes out of the parking sensor screen onto the sat nav, the buttons and extra info will stay on as if my finger is near the screen and they stay until I do move my finger near the screen. I was hoping that replacement control unit would fix it, but no.

 

I showed the dealer technician earlier in the week, and he said it seemed more sensitive than other ones he'd seen and there was a definite problem. He also said that the diagnostic had found a few faults which it had fixed (not sure what this means). After speaking to Skoda, they're going to replace the screen and the control unit (again).

 

I hope this won't be a regular event!    :no: 

[andyvee]

Not having much luck with that!

 

Make sure you end up on the same or newer software version when they replace it, mine went backwards and has taken me months to get it sorted.

 

I have Columbus firmware v0202 if you need it, I can't remember if yours was on 0202 or 0292 - I'll dig out the scan from your car.

[andyvee]

Just checked - you were on 0196

 

Address 5F: Information Electr. (J794)       Labels: None

   Part No SW: 5E0 035 020 A    HW: 5E0 035 020 

   Component: MU-H-ND-EU    H41 0196  

 

Ask them to make sure it has 02xx firmware on it, the 01xx firmware is full of bugs.

 

If you need 0202 to upgrade it yourself (which is quite scary as the screen keeps going blank and you think you have fried it) I can get the files to you. You need a 4Gb SD card or larger, the update is just over 2Gb.

[spacenase]

Many thanks. My current unit is 0202, so it looks like it had the later firmware on it or the dealer upgraded it.

 

Apart from the screen problem, it has been more reliable than my old one, but it hasn't been perfect. I still get FM static on startup occasionally, it's also rebooted itself and gone silent once. I think the firmware needs more work and I don't like the fact that Skoda won't let the dealer upgrade it unless you tell them that there is a problem to solve. It's like you have to convince them that their system is unreliable and that's not good considering the cost of the unit.

 

I will check the version on the new one before I leave the dealer, but the system is on back order again so it'll be a few weeks.

[JoseDB]

Mine does the thing where the buttons stay up until you do a Jedi style hand wave to make them hide again. As you say, seems linked to the exit of parking sensor mode. That and the poor postcode input method at my only gripes and both have workarounds (sadly the postcode workaround is more complex than a Jedi hand wave!).

[spacenase]

Mine does the thing where the buttons stay up until you do a Jedi style hand wave to make them hide again. As you say, seems linked to the exit of parking sensor mode. That and the poor postcode input method at my only gripes and both have workarounds (sadly the postcode workaround is more complex than a Jedi hand wave!).

 

 

Jedi hand wave, excellent!   

 

It might be worth showing your dealer then, based on my experience it looks as if Skoda will fix it under warranty. I've lived with it for a while, but decided to get it sorted in case it got worse and getting it sorted under warranty became more difficult.

 

When did you get yours? I wonder if it's a faulty batch?

Edited 7 November, 2014 by spacenase

[JoseDB]

Build week 27 I think it was, delivered 20th Sept. My dealer is a bit of a trek away so will have to wait for a couple of reasons to go, I will show them tho.

[andyvee]

My Columbus in my L&K is HW43 and with firmware 0370, it is a revision C.

 

It seems so much faster than the original version or the Revision A unit on firmware 0202.

[spacenase]

My Columbus in my L&K is HW43 and with firmware 0370, it is a revision C.

 

It seems so much faster than the original version or the Revision A unit on firmware 0202.

Thanks, here's hoping I get one of these then!

[spacenase]

Build week 27 I think it was, delivered 20th Sept. My dealer is a bit of a trek away so will have to wait for a couple of reasons to go, I will show them tho.

 

If that's this year, then it's unlikely to be a faulty batch as mine was built Oct last year.

 

Let us know how you get on when you got to the dealer,

[sh4rpsh00ter]

Possibly a daft question!!

 

But how do you know which version you've got loaded on a Columbus??

 

I have some issues that it won't work with my iPhone 5S (iOS 8.1). It reads the phone when connected but then won't play music. The sat nav has also frozen a couple of times and i've had to power the unit down to get it back working.

 

Haven't had chance get back to the dealers yet either. 

[spacenase]

After 11 weeks, my dealer has finally got hold of a replacement system from Skoda. The problem was that Skoda have updated the Columbus and given it a new part number, so the old one was constantly on back order. Not sure why they couldn't mark it as no longer available and reference the replacement....

 

On the plus side I'm getting the updated unit, hopefully without the problems of the old one. Anyone know of any spec changes for it?

[kitset]

After 11 weeks, my dealer has finally got hold of a replacement system from Skoda. The problem was that Skoda have updated the Columbus and given it a new part number, so the old one was constantly on back order. Not sure why they couldn't mark it as no longer available and reference the replacement....

On the plus side I'm getting the updated unit, hopefully without the problems of the old one. Anyone know of any spec changes for it?

Seems likely it would be the version with mirrorlink (a way to connect content from smartphone to display, don't think it's a good way, but a way never the less!) and smartgate (vehicle info shared to an app on your phone.

That's just a guess though!

[andyvee]

I doubt if it will have MirrorLink as it isn't available on the O3 yet.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[spacenase]

I can hope, but I'm not expecting to get SmartGate or MirrorLink. :(

 

I'll be happy if it's just more reliable...

[spacenase]

So it looks like I misunderstood what they were doing. They were just replacing the screen this time, not the control unit. I should ask more questions next time to clarify things!

 

They kept it for 2 days in the end. I picked it up, reversed out of the parking space, moved off and had exactly the same problem again. :( I reported it back to them straight away, then the sat nav screen locked up on the way home. I'm not a happy bunny, I paid £900 for a system that doesn't work properly.   

 

So they've replaced the screen and the control unit and not fixed the problem. They're going to call me tomorrow with the next plan, but I'm not sure what else it could be.

[JoseDB]

Out of interest, what level of parking sensors do you have? I have front/rear/side (so all of them). I'm wondering if you have the same, then maybe not many other people have this issue as not many people get the side sensors?

 

It's obviously a software bug, I'm not sure why they are bothering to replace hardware. I'd be pushing them to get an update on it. Mine still does it BTW, and I've still not been to the dealer - sorry!

Edited 28 January, 2015 by JoseDB

[spacenase]

A software bug makes sense as it only happens on the sat nav screen, all the other screens work fine. I've got Park Assist, so I've got all the sensors too.

 

I suspect if they recognise it as software, I'll be waiting forever for a patch to fix it. On the plus side, if it's not hardware it's unlikely to get worse.

[JoseDB]

Interesting. I would put money on it being an issue only on park assist equipped cars.

I suppose you could prove it by coding out the park assist and seeing if it still does it, can't say I know what coding I need for that tho! Maybe you could ask the dealer to try that as a problem solving exercise.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[andyvee]

I found the 02xx software a lot less buggy than the 01xx, but the 0370 I am now hasn't given me any issues at all in almost 4k miles.

 

Just need to find a way of getting my hands on the genuine firmware update DVDs

 

And I have Park Assist and a reversing camera.

Edited 28 January, 2015 by andyvee

[spacenase]

I'll see how the dealer responds next. I haven't had a huge amount of luck talking things through with them on a technical level as they only want us to deal with the people on the front desk who are not technical.

 

I have mentioned about getting the latest firmware on there when they replaced the control unit, but they said they can only apply updates when directed by Skoda. I think it will be a case of getting a little more impatient each time.

[andyvee]

Get Skoda UK involved, your dealer has had ample time to fix it, now it is time to put your foot down.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[spacenase]

Just found out today that it gets even better!

 

The nice new screen the dealer fitted recently hasn't been fitted properly. I can lift the top of the screen away from the dash with a fingernail and I suspect it's not meant to do that. The bottom of the screen seems to be held in, but the top seems to be just resting in place. If I had a head on collision, it's likely to go flying across the car.

 

It's looking like incompetence now.    I just hope they haven't damaged the fittings on the dash itself.

 

I think I'll discuss this latest issue with the dealer on Monday and escalate the overall issue to Skoda. I thought owning my first new car would be less stressful than this.  :(

[spacenase]

Duplicate post....

Edited 14 February, 2015 by spacenase

[spacenase]

Duplicate post too....

Edited 14 February, 2015 by spacenase