Radio and CPU

[AlexGS]

Hi guys and girls. I'm hoping you can help. I've got a mk3 octavia se diesel 1.6. It's got a touchscreen with not much on it aside the usual stuff no say nav egg just the standard se spec. Now the problem is my screen is blank . Brought it into skoda lookers and he said it's the radio in the glove box. He reckons the "brains of the car" are there and it controls the tire pressure, service info, basically everything and it's broke so quoted me £990 for a new one with fitting. Problem bro g, between my dials on the drivers instruments. It still works apart from the phone connecting and radio. I don't really know what to believe but so egging doesn't seem right here. Any help ?

[langers2k]

Correct, the radio is split into the screen and 'brains'. I wouldn't call it the 'brains of the car' though, it's just the stuff shown on the radio. The car will work perfectly well without it but obviously you'll have no music etc

 

Not quite sure what you're trying to say towards the end of your message? I understand the phone doesn't connect and you have no radio, these do suggest an issue with the 'brains'.

 

You could either try a second dealer for their opinion or try having a local member scan the car with VCDS or similar. That should show if the 'brains' are communicating and any fault codes stored.

 

Couple of threads to find a local members with VCDS:

- https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/224376-vcds-owners-map/

 

- https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262215-list-of-vcds-owners-previously-known-as-vag-com-vcp-owners/

 

 

Without the scan it could be a fuse or the 'brains' or even wiring...

[AlexGS]

Your a star ! I'm not so clued up so please excuse my terminology. He was on about a hdmi  lead and some other stuff. I don't know so much as you can tell but something didn't seem to add up. I've googled the bolero to and it's only in the 2 to 300 so I'm thinking maybe lookers are expensive as it's 700 for the parts alone. I've got it booked in with a gentleman tomorrow for a diagnostic which will hopefully show the code. I'll keep you updated if you like ? 

 

Thanks again  !

Edited 8 November, 2018 by AlexGS

[langers2k]

Sure, please post as much info as you can! Even if nobody is able to offer a cheap fix, it might be helpful to others in future.

 

£700 is probably about right for a brand new part, I assume the £200-£300 parts are second hand?

 

If you do use a second hand part, make sure the part number matches the old unit or is compatible. After fitting, you'll need it coding, adaptions checked and component protection reset/matched. The latter needs access to the VW/Skoda servers so it's either a dealer or a good independent with ODIS/GEKO access.

[AlexGS]

Hi langers. Ok so it worked out as the control unit. I have a part number but it's at home. Basically it needs a new one and some garages are saying it needs a brand new one which is around £1000 with vat and fitting and some are saying you can re-code a second hand unit. Although the latter is proving hard to find as mine doesn't have a sat nav ! So yeah, that's me a bit Stuck at the minute !

[langers2k]

It's worth posting the part number and ideally the scan you had done. Both used and new parts will need coding to the car. You'll also need component protection sorting which is normally dealer only as it needs a connection to the VW/Skoda servers. Some sellers sell parts with component protection removed...

 

There are some inexpensive used parts on eBay, for instance this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113365147012 I'm not sure if it'll be compatible as I have don't have much direct experiences with the MK3 headunits.

 

You might even find a seller on here as a few people have upgraded their headunits and could be looking to sell the original.

 

Hopefully @SashaGrace or someone with more experience than me can offer some insight.

[SashaGrace]

Sounds like the radio unit is dead. MIB1 Bolero radio’s aren’t very valuable second hand and they are a bit slow, tinny and the screen very small and bezel heavy these days so for not much more money you could swap the unit for a newer MIB2 with nav like I’ve done. You’ll need a radio unit, a screen and a USB port. The details are covered in my thread below and the other link has some good info too.

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/442148-sasha’s-octavia-vrs/

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/454909-upgrading-headunit-to-columbus/

 

Might be worth seeing which members have a MIB1 Bolero going spare following an upgrade as it’ll be much cheaper if the upgrade isn’t something you’d be interested in yourself. I sold mine a while back sadly.

[JohnnyType2]

i just sold mine or id have offered it. 

[AlexGS]

That is guys. I'll  check the thread above. Everyone I speak to dealer and garage wise are trying to say you can't re use the old radios as they're a one time only code. so are trying to charge me the arty for a new one. I'll let you know how I get on.