My mum's 2011 Superb has begun to didplay a few electrical gremlins.

 

The panoramic roof wouldn't close and the driver's door mirror opens way past the correct position and has to be pulled back into place. I sorted the sunroof and the car went into Skoda to have the mirrors checked but they found no problem - although the mirror STILL doesn't behave properly.

 

Anyway, the electric tailgate has always been a PITA. It doesn't open far enough IMO and countless people have cracked their heads on it. When it's open, we generally push it up to the maximum height to avoid such incidents. I believe it's calibrated to the max height but the manual states the electric opening position can never be as high as the manual one.

 

Anyway, yesterday I opened the tailgate and then pushed it up to the max height. When I tried to close it with the button, it beeped once but did nothing. Tried many combos of button, remote and console switch but it refused to budge. There is nothing stuck in the mechanism. The manual states to close manually by pushing slowly and smoothly down. This is not possible as it's totally rigid with no give whatsoever. If you push harder you can see the struts starting to bend laterally.

 

I plan to disconnect battery and try again on re-connection.

 

Any other ideas?

Hmmm.....most electrical gremlins can be sorted in one of two ways. Disconnect battery, wait a few minutes, then re-connect OR a re-set via the VRCDS thing (electronic plug and play).

 

Normally the rear tailgate can be shut manually without issue but it sounds as though they might have over extended slightly. You might try getting someone to push GENTLY in the middle of each strut (telescopic dampers), in the direction of the front of the car, as someone else tries to pull the tailgate down....I've seen it done on an Audi before....the inner and outer sleeves 'catch' when it over extends and gets stuck - this method somehow undoes that. I have not done it myself though and touch wood, my 2010 car has had no issues with the rear electric tailgate (although I have had to shut it manually before when I had a dead battery - my fault entirely).

I hope you get it sorted - and post here when you have so we can use the information with members 

I'll have a tenner on a failing battery.

 

As is often documented on here, failing batteries on Skoda's often display the most unusual symptoms.

 

Given that most dealers charge around £80 to plug the car in and check for fault codes, I'd be starting with a new battery.

 

An 096 Varta E44 can be had delivered to your door for £80.

Thanks Wile7

 

My  mum's got it at the local garage but I'll pop round and impart that advice to them and report back.

4 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

I'll have a tenner on a failing battery

 

Hadn't thought of that but 7yrs old and still on the original so it could be a good shout. I'll ask them to test the battery too.

Well it was throwing up a code - 48?

 

The struts couldn't be physically straightened or lowered.

 

Garage removed them and we fitted standard ones, removing the electronic option.

 

TBH, never liked the powered option and it never raised the tailgate high enough for our family. Most of us are pretty tall and most of us have cracked heads on the lip more than once.

 

Battery checked out fine on the tester.

 

Thanks for all the input everyone.