Gremlins in my electrics

[Changeman]

My car is a late 2014 Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI CR Elegance DSG with a number of intermittent electrical faults.

The headlights intermittently refuse to dip automatically, then start to dip auto. They sometimes also fail to switch on when the light is low.

The radio changes the channel on its own, usually when in a poor signal area, but my previous Honda just looked for a stronger signal from the original station.

Voice commands examples are intermittently displayed on the main screen.

My gearbox inconsistently changes down when coasting downhill.

Key memories occasionally fail to automatically adjust seats

Stop start engine function when stationery often fails to stop the engine and has been known to not start when the foot brake is released.

I have been getting a low key battery warning when the key battery is above 3 volts.

The engine would not start at all on one occasion when my wife was driving. Getting out, locking and unlocking cleared the fault.

I have been getting an error message flashing up on the screen in front of the wheel. It disappears too soon to fully read, but I can just catch words like “return to workshop” before it goes. Several days can go by between such messages.

Does anyone have a clue what is going on?

The car has a genuine 57k on the clock and is still under a Skoda warranty as I bought it from a Skoda Dealer about a month ago. I hesitate to take it in as I cannot actually demonstrate any faults.

[BJM]

Sounds like the battery is clapped out and needs replacing.

[Changeman]

13 minutes ago, BJM said:

Sounds like the battery is clapped out and needs replacing.

 

Possible if it was just the non starting one time, but take into account all the other gremlins and the fact that when starting, the engine turnover is not sluggish. 

There must be more to it than that, although I would be happy if it was just the battery.

 

[PetrolDave]

Battery replaced but power management system not recoded - so it thinks a clapped out battery is still fitted and sheds loads to protect it?

[Changeman]

11 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Battery replaced but power management system not recoded - so it thinks a clapped out battery is still fitted and sheds loads to protect it?

 

An interesting theory. I presume recoding is by dealer only.

[Changeman]

Just a thought. The car is ex fleet so would have been serviced at main dealers. Unlikely they would not recode.

 

[PetrolDave]

15 hours ago, Changeman said:

An interesting theory. I presume recoding is by dealer only.

Nope, can be done with VCDS or OBDeleven or ...

[Changeman]

41 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Nope, can be done with VCDS or OBDeleven or ...

Thanks for the info. So definitely not a DIY job looking at the prices of such kit.

[MarkyG82]

there's a register on here with a list members willing to accept beer tokens for the use.

[Changeman]

46 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

there's a register on here with a list members willing to accept beer tokens for the use.

Thank you MarkyG82. However I am in darkest Cornwall so no VCDS owner near me. 

OBDeleven does look interesting and not too expensive if I am reading their site correctly. https://obdeleven.com/en/#xprtbestsellproductblock_1 at £34.92, software is free and use is by credits, apparently earned by looking at adverts. So I may go that route.

If the problem is not battery coding, could this package possibly diagnose just what the problem is?

[Exeterj]

On 08/11/2018 at 15:06, Changeman said:

 

I have been getting an error message flashing up on the screen in front of the wheel. It disappears too soon to fully read, but I can just catch words like “return to workshop” before it goes. Several days can go by between such messages.

Does anyone have a clue what is going on?

 

 

 

^^^ This is probably the 'error workshop' related to the DSG - quite a few DSG's did it - my 2014 included, but has stopped now at 117,000 miles! Despite gear selector replacements under warranty, there was also talk of it being a trapped cable  - hence i wonder if your other electrical issues are related to a trapped cable including this issue.

 

[Changeman]

10 hours ago, Exeterj said:

 

 

^^^ This is probably the 'error workshop' related to the DSG - quite a few DSG's did it - my 2014 included, but has stopped now at 117,000 miles! Despite gear selector replacements under warranty, there was also talk of it being a trapped cable  - hence i wonder if your other electrical issues are related to a trapped cable including this issue.

 

That is the message. Thank you. Amazed you managed to get a photo, as I did not even have time to read it all.

I have now booked my Octavia into the dealers under warranty to get it fixed.

Edited 17 November, 2018 by Changeman