How can I disable the alarm siren?

[Peragrine]

Loved owning my Superb and expected it to last longer.

The 2.5 V6 diesel pulls like a train, I had it chipped and economy improved (if careful with the right foot) and performance went up massively.  Comfort and space is still impressing passengers and the body has no signs of rust.

102,000 miles, full service history and timing belts etc., done, it is set for a good few years.

 

Rainwater has leaked into the car, carpets sodden through and electrics going haywire.  Windows sporadic, key fob will not lock/unlock, boot cannot release (open with key) alarm sets off at any time (even when driving) and carries on.

 

My garage can't do anything until Tuesday in the meantime it is waking up the neighbours, attracting attention driving and driving me round the bend.  leaving the car unlocked/locked makes no difference.  The garage says this is a notorious fault caused by drain holes becoming blocked and whilst they can sort that out the carpets will take eons the dry out.

 

I don't care if the alarm never works again I just need it to stop!

 

I am tearing my last remained hairs out.  Can anyone tell me how I can disable the alarm.

 

Cheers

 

Ade

 

 

[3T51704x4]

Yes, but unable to pass the info on due to security, you could be anyone posting here to find a bypass to stop the siren to gain entry to the car so unfortunately I can’t help.

That is probably why others haven’t responded.

[Peragrine]

How do I convince you that I'm not a scammer?

If you can't tell me then how did you find out?  Is there a workshop manual that I can view on line?

I need to get a nights sleep and so do my neighbours.

Mine is a 2.5 V6 diesel so I think the engine bay layout may be different to the four pot models.

I looked under the cover of the scuttle on the passenger side but can't see a thing.

When it goes off it sounds like it is somewhere near the box that houses the brain thing (by the way I took that out and cleaned up the terminals and then cruise control started to work again).

I've tried pressing the button in on the B post by the drivers seat but that doesn't stop it.

The remote unlock stops it, but then it starts again.

Got to go because it has set off again.

[3T51704x4]

The reason the alarm horn (H12) goes off when water gets into the electrics is it thinks someone is trying to mess with the car. It has it’s own battery but also a link to the alarm unit built into the convenience unit or J519 on later cars so you can disconnect the main battery and it will still go off.

I just need the proof you own the car V5 and will be sorted via PM, not in the forum thread. I’m sure you understand the reasoning.

[chimaera]

If it's a 2.5 TDI, it's a Superb 1 and this is the wrong section. The B5 platform has problems with water ingress through the pollen filter if the scuttle drain hole beside the battery gets blocked. It gathers on the passenger side footwell, where one of the main ECUs is and sends everything nuts.

 

The quickest way to dry out the car is to buy/rent a dehumidifier and leave it run in the car for a few days. Be sure to empty it regularly.

[Peragrine]

Thanks to you both, and thanks for pointing out that my 2.5 TDI is a series 1 (I thought it might have been S2 as it was registered in 2007).

 

So now I can clearly see the culprit and know what to do.  Tomorrow is solution day, then I will put a dehumidifier in the cabin for a good few days.

 

Is the water affected ECU expensive?  Silly question I suppose.

 

Thanks again

 

Ade

[Danny 57]

Dehumidifier will need help by lifting all the carpets up and fixing the water entry point.

[bigjohn]

 

Sadly well documented:-

 

 

Edited 10 August, 2019 by bigjohn

[Tech1e]

And half the time the siren goes nuts purely because it has been submerged as the plenum drains are blocked. 

[Peragrine]

Update to my issue

 

After the rain had stopped I set about resolving the immediate issue which was the siren.

 

Removed the plastic covers over the rear of the engine bay and after removing the wiper arms I also took off the lower windshield trim.  Unfixed the battery terminals, fully expecting a siren but it was silent.  From the information provided in a PM I then did further work to completely remove siren, so that issue is a permanent fix.

 

I turned my attention to the issue of water ingress so I then removed the battery.  Removed the two 12mm nuts and bolt to get the battery base plate locator off.  Underneath the base plate I found a rubber grommet, but it wasn't blocked!  In fact it was not a whole grommet, it was basically an open plug and there was no water to be felt.

 

The year before last I had the pollen filter replaced and the AC re-gassed.  Now I notice that the pollen filter is open, I mean that the cartridge is not covered but looks like it ought to be covered.  I'm thinking that the AC 'specialist' didn't bother to replace the cover and the enthusiastic use of a pressure washer by the hand wash monkeys my wife uses was probably filling up the car via the pollen filter.  Apparently that is my fault, I should have told her that jet wash was not a good thing (I am sure I must have but quiet life, accept it).

 

I've sent off wife of to collect a lot of newspapers to soak up the thick of it then later this week I will be taking out the passenger seat, lifting the carpets and putting a dehumidifier to good use.  I will look at a rectify the wire and connection damage and also see if a spell in the airing cupboard will restore the ECU.

 

At least the car is now usable again and my neighbours and I can get some sleep.

 

Thanks to everyone for their helpful advice and instructions, I really could not have done this without you.

 

Cheers

 

Ade

[Tech1e]

The pollen filter needs to be open or air wouldn’t get in. The plenum cover shields it and directs water over the edge. 

[DEL80Y]

@Peragrine

Your nightmare starts when you lift the n/side carpet and see the state of corrosion under there in the wiring😡

take a deep breath and then say   "its all fixable"  😎

[Tech1e]

Did one last weekend that the water had knackered both the crash sensors, £130 each from Skoda, ouch.

[Peragrine]

First dry day so set about the water soaked carpets.

 

Before anyone follows my lead I must emphasise that you must disconnect the battery and wait at least 10 minutes before you disconnect the yellow plug under the seat. This is the air bag live feed.  The other two, a black one and a green one, simply unplug.

 

Never had the electric passenger seat out so it took some time to figure it out but eventually I managed to do it, and aren't they heavy?  Then unclipped the door aperture trim and lifted the carpet.

 

Wow!!!  There must have been over 1 gallon (4.54 litre) of puddled water, carpet and felt backing absolutely dripping wet.  The ECU box was full of water too, and I do mean full. It has been like this for some considerable time, amazingly no rust anywhere on the floor pan!

 

Took out the ECU and stripped it to the circuit board and dried everything off.  The plugs and connectors are very well corroded and fact some are rotted through. I need new inserts for the cable ends that go into the plugs (anyone know where to get them?), I managed to clean up the pins with emery cloth and a lolly pop stick.

 

The carpet is now wedged up and I have a dehumidifier set at 30% humidity in the car.  I have used about 30 broadsheet newspapers to soak up the thick of the water, still a long way to go though.  I reassembled and then reconnected the ECU, no smoke or smell when the battery was reconnected, which was nice, so I tried a failed circuit.  Result, the powered driver's seat works!  Left it at that for now, car starts and runs so that's good too.

 

It would be nice to get the connector blocks up to scratch but as noted above I need new ends for the cables.

 

That whole lot took me about 2 hours at least 1/2 hour of which was struggling to work out how the seat came out.

 

Whilst the Skoda is laid up to dry out I am using my MX5 Mk1 which is my real pride and joy so there is a kind of silver lining.

 

Thanks once again to all that responded, I hope the above helps someone else.

 

Cheers

 

Ade

 

[Tech1e]

Terminals and repair wires are available from Skoda

[Peragrine]

Thanks for the very fast reply Techie I'll be round to my dealer in the morning, what's the betting that they are only available on back order.

 

Still I reckon I have at least 3 days before the carpets are anywhere near dry.

 

Thanks again you guys are great.

 

Cheers

 

Ade

[Danny 57]

Although the dehumidifier will take out some moisture you will get the most from the newspapers and towels being changed often. You will not get to 30% RH as the RH around Sheffield at the moment is 68%, which is relatively low. It is quite an expensive way and very inefficient unless you can seal the area from ambient air.

[chimaera]

8 minutes ago, Danny 57 said:

Although the dehumidifier will take out some moisture you will get the most from the newspapers and towels being changed often. You will not get to 30% RH as the RH around Sheffield at the moment is 68%, which is relatively low. It is quite an expensive way and very inefficient unless you can seal the area from ambient air.

If the car is kept shut it will be quite effective, particularly if the weather is warm. Without any airflow through the car it'll take longer for humid air to diffuse in than it will for the water to evaporate out of the carpets. I'd make sure the dehumidifier is turned up to its max though.

[DEL80Y]

I had to remove both seats and centre console to get the complete carpet out then jet washed it to get rid of the stinking stagnant water..............

The left out side for a couple of days to dry in the lovely Scottish sun ( that was years ago when we got a summer once)

[Peragrine]

Delboy, the wife and I are up in Scotland for 22 days at he end of the month.  Taking the CalMac Island hopper to do the Hebrides in my MX5.

 

They tell me that in September the Hebrides are like Barbados, it is certainly costing just as much.  Looking forward to open roads, fantastic scenery and some awesome seafood rounded off with good company and a few wee drams.

 

All thoughts of the Skoda will be long forgotten.

 

Bring it on.

 

[Peragrine]

OK so here is some further info on my water ingress issue.

 

As predicted the wires and cable blocks were in a very sorry state, so I have elected to replace the wires (corroded away or really mucky). It looks like the pins that nestle inside the block will be nigh on impossible to remove and reuse so of to Skoda to get new stuff.  Skoda dealer was reluctant to order the wires because his minimum quantity is 5 pieces but he did suggest I go direct to their supplier TPS.

 

So here are the part TPS numbers for anyone else in the same predicament:-

 

1J0962615 Housing (cable block). £3.03

S1J0962623 Housing (cable block). £3.67

000979131E  Wire Set.  £3.66

S000979253E. Wire Set.  £10.64

000979225E. Wire Set.  £4.99

S000979021E  Wire Set  £4.99

 

All above prices are for one wire you must add VAT to them

 

The wires can be bought individually and one wire has a connector at each end, so to do two wires of the same diameter with the same ends you just need one of the wire set.  All the wires are yellow so you need to be very careful to match up to the cable block to the loom.  They also sell inline wire joining connectors but I bought two 50 packs of the two sizes I need from 12Voltplanet.co.uk, far cheaper and I need some for when I rewire my motorbike this winter.

 

The ECU is about £300 so I'm hoping that a good drying out and plenty of contact cleaner will give me some functionality back.

 

Carpets are just about dry now so I shall be onto this on Thursday (22nd).

 

Hope this helps someone else.

 

Cheers

 

Ade

 

[3T51704x4]

The reason the wires are yellow is to identify a repair to the loom, the ferrules you fit should be heated to release a sealer glue to make the repair watertight. Once you have done a repair, the loom should be bound with yellow pvc tape again to identify an area of repair ( this is the way all repairs are done in a workshop across the VWGroup).

Dont buy a new ecu, I would get one of the same part number off eBay, but make sure you can return it IF it doesn’t work.

The other reason for the terminals to be fitted to the wires is to rule out the technician (in VWG workshop) fitting an end incorrectly which could introduce a fault which wasn’t there before.

In the old days, we used to have boxes full of just the ends which we would crimp to the wire, but so many people didn’t like doing electrics and as Techie said “we’re too scared” to use it and usually made a right mess of the crimp resulting in a high contact resistance causing connection issues down the line.

I used to love doing electrics and didn’t have a problem with the crimping.

It became such a problem, the factories took the crimping aspect out of the techs hands and produced these repair wires that simply needed crimping and heating of ferrules to seal the repair.

I still have a full VAS 1978 kit with the wire ferrules, terminal seals and correct tools to remove the terminals from the connectors without damage. It also has most, but not all repair wires and one of the best tools I’ve ever owned.

Top tip, do one wire at a time so you don’t loose track of where you are and take a photo of the plug connector prior to removing the wire again so you don’t put the repair wire in the wrong slot.

A pink lock may be on the connector which will prevent you removing the old terminal, it will need to be move to the unlock position prior to using the removal tool.

Tell TPS the part number of your connector and they will be able to tell you which removal tool you will need to buy, this will allow you to remove the pin from the connector without damage.

Repair set I made for throttle pedal connector:

Edited 20 August, 2019 by 3T51704x4

[3T51704x4]

Making adaptor looms for my genuine LED number plate lights with the 1978 kit.