On 21/06/2019 at 16:26, PETER COSGROVE said:

this makes no sense at all to me,as faults should be recorded and then should  be able to be read.

Indeed. As long as there are sufficient volts to run the ECU you should be able to read its memory.

An update on the stop start woes, the Honda dealer put their diagnostic on, and came up with the battery control module. Now referred to Skoda, as there is apparently two weeks manufacturer’s warranty left!!

I checked with the technician who confirmed it is the module on the negative side of the battery that is suspect, he didn’t want to be too definite as it is now booked in with the local Skoda dealer, and wants them to come to their own conclusions.

I tried to find said module on the web, using different search terms, as Citigo Battery Control Module, just comes up with batteries.

 

Any ideas where to find these more obscure parts? I know Skoda or the used car warranty will pay for it, just wanted see how expensive it is.

Original battery, and under warranty, so under 3 years old. Problem started 18 months ago.

Hi Gregoir, not sure if you. are talking about your own vehicle or mine ?

Just thought I should update this post,took it to a Skoda dealer today,they have also diagnosed a faulty battery module,they have ordered one so they must be quite confident.

 

Having it fitted Friday under the Skoda warranty,(only 13 days left!!!!)

I am guessing that the battery data module is the flat aluminium  unit at the battery's rear by the negative terminal.

 

No real info available on the internet that I can find unless you have dealer info,although there is a fuse for the unit on the battery fuse holder.

Sellers could have saved time by referring you to a Skoda dealer after checking it had warranty.Hopefully all's well that ends well...........

Thanks Blackcountryman,

 

you are correct on both counts, the service department at the selling branch was staffed by someone who was disillusioned and leaving the following week, he also had a worse memory than me, which is remarkable .

 

I did not know Skoda had a 3 year warranty, and the salesman didn’t mention it, I just hope that this will be the end of my minor problem. Do you happen to know if coding the battery is something all garages can do if they have the necessary equipment?

Just looking ahead, I really like this car, it would be a shame if it’s electrical complexity spoils my enjoyment .

 

On a positive note, the Skoda dealer had an excellent attitude, so will use them for Skoda specific work, just need to start saving !!

I have no Skoda dealer knowledge ,but my time in the car trade some years back,tells me to stick to the dealer who carries the franchise to the car ,if only for specific concerns.

 

Other dealers may be ok for general repairs.Dealer charges include hidden training costs for technicians and master technicians (who are brought in if the technician has no training on the concern).Customer charges  also  include special tooling overheads for the specific models,and specific diagnostics where applicable.  Might seem expensive,but the people who are trained to the product know it best........

13 hours ago, Blackcountryman said:

Customer charges  also  include

...paying for that vast new car showroom and those 4 guys who spend most of their days polishing their seats.

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53 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

...paying for that vast new car showroom and those 4 guys who spend most of their days polishing their seats.

 

Slightly off topic...what do you suggest -  a shed and some deckchairs??

Believe it or not, I worked 35 years in the motor trade, I left in 2003, when I started in 1969, the number of fuel injected cars you could count on one hand,alternators were replacing dynamos etc,so this modern car has left me feeling I've woken up in an unrecognisable future.

I have fitted more batteries than I care to count, yet this formerly simple task has been turned into something that most people won't be equipped to deal with, how smaller garages cope with the expense of all this computerised led repairs I don't know. I suppose charging £220 to fit a battery is one way of recouping their costs.

I will continue with basic servicing all the time my health allows,in the meantime I will grudgingly join the 21st century.

 

5 hours ago, Blackcountryman said:

Slightly off topic...what do you suggest -  a shed and some deckchairs??

Well, I was explaining how an independent VAG specialist could charge half the labour rate that a Skoda main stealer does, whilst using the same specialist equipment.

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19 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Well, I was explaining how an independent VAG specialist could charge half the labour rate that a Skoda main stealer does, whilst using the same specialist equipment.

 

This could be turned into a debate,but you are not comparing like with like.  Dealers sell the cars,and offer manufacturers back up. Independant garages maintain the older cars that people are not taking to dealers,those who will not support dealers and their prices.They do not sell new products  and not have   full warranty knowledge,and cannot do warranty repairs.I am all for a bargain,but without the dealer network be supported,it would be harder for the independants to survive.......

You might be surprised how trained up some VAG Indies are, including the ability to talk to VW Group Mothership, okay some might be also rans, but don't assume they all are.

Now I will demonstrate my ignorance, is the last comment directed at me or the previous conversation? 

I really am in the dark about forum etiquette etc, I get a message addressed to me,  I open it, then see a reply to something I haven’t said!!

My car gets it’s battery monitoring unit tomorrow under the manufacturer’s remaining warranty, I will then be relying on the selling (non franchise) dealer warranty, hopefully this will be the end of the electronic glitches.

 

Anything I know about computers is self taught and trial and error, this means the seemingly over dependence of the modern car on computer controlled functions is a bit of a struggle to get my head around  and I am grateful for advice from this forum.

9 hours ago, PETER COSGROVE said:

Now I will demonstrate my ignorance, is the last comment directed at me or the previous conversation? 

I really am in the dark about forum etiquette etc, I get a message addressed to me,  I open it, then see a reply to something I haven’t said!!

 

 

No, not aimed at you at all, more the previous poster who has a "cut and dried" approach to workshops.

 

Really when you create a new thread, it is just that,  ie a new/fresh conversation, so anyone are entitled to post into it - really just like 100 people being in a room and someone says something - everyone else does not need to see that as fact and just nod their heads, life would get boring if things worked that way.

 

I have disabled the "notification of replies" or whatever it is called on all the forums that I am on, not doing that can lead to a streams of emails attacking you, most of which are not of any serious consequence. I did that not out of arrogance but to minimise annoying others round about me!

@rum4mo - I presume you're referring to someone who thinks that because you have a $make car, you have an obligation to pay part of the costs of a $make new car showroom?

Maybe, but also to clear up maybe a general impression that all VAG Indies, or Indies that specialise in any other group of marques are just "want to be's" - ie I'm just making it clear that from my personal experience, there are some VAG Indies out there that do the actual job 100% in the way that a VAG main dealership would, and maybe more.

My experience from VW main dealership when trying to get an engine ECU update for a 1.4 Polo ended up with "nothing outstanding" so I just cleared rogue logged faults every winter for the next 8 or 9 years. Same experience from my local SEAT dealership over the "battery draining issue" only got that solved by using another SEAT main dealership 9 months later. If anything is not exactly current in terms of S/W updates, the main dealerships don't want to know.

Not too many VAG main dealership service points are too concerned with dealing with cars that are 4+ years old I'd expect - unless the workshop loading had suddenly dropped too low.

It will be the same for other marques as well, I remember ordering new brake pads and new exhaust sections for my 1991 VX Cav GSI 2000 when it was 8 years old, the pads were as cheap as chips and noisy, when questioned, the parts person said that at that age of car they expect the customer to only want as cheap as chips option - I had to get them to order in the proper parts, same for the exhaust centre section, utter crap for pennies, same explanation - at least the back box was the genuine part. If it is not still in production main dealers don't bother too much in general as the new car showroom should be your next port of call.

 

Edit:- the meet and greet young ladies in my Audi main dealership are always very presentable, but I let others pay for them!

 

Another Edit:- the more mature mother figures in my VW main dealership can easily be given a quick swerve as they don't try to move too quickly!

Edited 5 July, 20196 yr by rum4mo

Well, had part fitted, stop start now works !!!!!!!!!!, now can switch it off😅and not be concerned that car is faulty.

Great news Peter glad u got it sorted 

Thanks Steve, must admit the thought of a more complex solution to this was beginning to concern me. I bought the car mainly for it’s condition and very low mileage, I didn’t realise how much technology was in these relatively inexpensive cars.