SOS Error Message

[J.R.]

On 07/04/2021 at 10:25, stewartv said:

The issues I have now formally had lodged are;

• GPS Failures and car position 40 miles from where it actually is
• No local ability to update via USB
• SOS warning lights in large amber letters on the maxidot and MIB display
• Loss of  phone connection coupled with loss of internet connection in the car by the ESim - probably a complete module failure?
• Failure to import addresses from the contacts list on a Samsung Galaxy phone as invalid format
• Connect App fails to send destination/route data to the MIB3 (the garage said that this was seen top be working on a training course!) with no error messages
• Inability to locally update via USB C but this 'may' be possible with the MIB3 in 'Engineering Mode'.

 

 

 

If this were a complaint about a mobile phone then I could sympathise but we are talking about a motor vehicle and none of the above affect its primary function or render it not fit for purpose, they are all niggles with systems that I would never want in any motor vehicle that I will ever own yet for reasons unfathomable to this dinasour who carrys roadmaps seem to be the sole deciding factor in vehicle purchase these days hence the Volvo advert "Like your smartphone but better"

 

And it's not limited to the infotainment system, all the other must have toys & gimmicks bring no end of problems, in the 2 years since I have started using this forum again I have seen it change fundamentally with the newer vehicles and now its very rare to read a thread about a real mechanical or electrical problem that affects the vehicles driveability or reliability, its nearly all Phone/Android/Carplay/Skoda Connect/Driver aids related.

 

Its an observation & not a complaint, I realise the demographic changes with time & people buy newer vehicles but I can't help but thinking what did people really expect when they choose a vehicle for attributes unrelated to its function?

 

Nanny state intervention is also to blame, it sounds like the emergency services are going to be besieged with unintentional calls from drivers everytime the car loses a phone signal that I would never want it to have.

[LondonKamiq]

Ive got extensive experience in this fault on the Kamiq. As someone who spends up to 8 hours on the road daily and mainly around london it was a nightmare. Cars gone for good with full refund but heres a tip:

 

When the fault first pings on the dash press the SOS button once. After a short period of time the car will say through the speaker 'emergency call initiated'. At this point just press the button again and it will cancel before it makes the call and the fault will go. The car will now function for a short period without the fault present.

 

The worst thing was when it popped up when i had to stop and turned the vehicle on and off then the whole MIB system just refused to operate. Just stuck on loading screen, no way out even if you reset using the power button or turn car on and off. No access to any of the menus. If you have the digital climate control i assume you cant adjust the fan speed.

 

Car also adjusted headlights for driving on the right. Lost GPS signal by putting you miles away (and if you have your phone connected to usb port to charge would override your phones GPS with the cars incorrect location), radio stops working.

 

Two OCU modules changes and numerous updates and reprogram procedures did nothing.

 

Good luck.

[vegit8]

On 02/05/2021 at 13:02, J.R. said:

Its an observation & not a complaint, I realise the demographic changes with time & people buy newer vehicles but I can't help but thinking what did people really expect when they choose a vehicle for attributes unrelated to its function?

I totally agree with your sentiments here.

Unfortunately the ‘internet’ of everything has seen pointless functionality being added to the most bizarre range of appliances and equipment.

 

However one must not forget that with these additions comes the right of the purchaser to expect them to work as designed and marketed.

Many decades ago cars were extremely basic, advancements in those days included such things as power assisted steering and brakes. A car radio with maybe a tape player was also a ‘luxury’.

Over time these things have become standard. I can’t see anyone buying a car where you have to wrestle with the steering wheel to park.

The over reliance on technology to get hapless drivers out of predicaments is based on the fact that such assistance should work correctly all the time.

Just imagine what would happen if these systems chose to work randomly or worse still not at all when needed.

 

I would argue that any feature of a new vehicle that is described and sold as working in a particular manner carries equal weight as any other feature, otherwise if we accept anything less the manufacturers can basically sell us any old rubbish and fob us off with excuses when things don’t work as one might expect.

[PoloPaul]

1 hour ago, vegit8 said:

I totally agree with your sentiments here.

Unfortunately the ‘internet’ of everything has seen pointless functionality being added to the most bizarre range of appliances and equipment.

 

However one must not forget that with these additions comes the right of the purchaser to expect them to work as designed and marketed.

Many decades ago cars were extremely basic, advancements in those days included such things as power assisted steering and brakes. A car radio with maybe a tape player was also a ‘luxury’.

Over time these things have become standard. I can’t see anyone buying a car where you have to wrestle with the steering wheel to park.

The over reliance on technology to get hapless drivers out of predicaments is based on the fact that such assistance should work correctly all the time.

Just imagine what would happen if these systems chose to work randomly or worse still not at all when needed.

 

I would argue that any feature of a new vehicle that is described and sold as working in a particular manner carries equal weight as any other feature, otherwise if we accept anything less the manufacturers can basically sell us any old rubbish and fob us off with excuses when things don’t work as one might expect.

An excellent summary of issues facing us in our ever-developing, digital, motoring world. My Octavia goes in for its second major software update 'recall' tomorrow. This time it is for Power Steering.  Once again I shall be without the car all day. I assume that such recalls beset the entire VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat group who surely share software development...... Am I correct in these assumption or are major software update recalls to e.g. Power-Steering exclusive to Skoda?
 

 

 

 

 

[CJJE]

1 hour ago, PoloPaul said:

An excellent summary of issues facing us in our ever-developing, digital, motoring world. My Octavia goes in for its second major software update 'recall' tomorrow. This time it is for Power Steering.  Once again I shall be without the car all day. I assume that such recalls beset the entire VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat group who surely share software development...... Am I correct in these assumption or are major software update recalls to e.g. Power-Steering exclusive to Skoda?
 

 

 

 

 

I understand the basic software design of all VAG cars is a central resource, with only cosmetic features differing between the brands. However it does seem that some features are only rolled out to particular models or brands to ensure that there are marketing distinctions between them. For instance until MY21 the 360 degree camera option was restricted to Skoda Kodiaqs and SEAT Atecas, and not offered as an option for the Karoq. And also, although heated windscreens are widely available on Skodas and VW, they are not offered on Audis! 

 

Chris

[J.R.]

4 hours ago, vegit8 said:

Just imagine what would happen if these systems chose to work randomly or worse still not at all when needed.

 

I would argue that any feature of a new vehicle that is described and sold as working in a particular manner carries equal weight as any other feature, otherwise if we accept anything less the manufacturers can basically sell us any old rubbish and fob us off with excuses when things don’t work as one might expect.

 

From reading the numerous posts on this forum the above is a very good description of precisely what is happening, systems working randomly or not at all, manufacturers fobbing off owners, cars rejected and then sold as an ex demonstrator to the next pigeon, they now dont even have to bother giving the cars to family members or fleet operators, hire car companies etc to put 5k miles & 3 months on them like they always have, the mug punters pay for that priveledge.

 

[kenfowler3966]

My electric toothbrush is bluetooth enabled!! Supposedly you mount your phone in a holder and use the app to a ensure you brush your teeth correctly???

Why?

I only bought it as on offer at 50% off and hence cheaper than less highly specced models and have  of course never used this function or even bothered to download the app! Threw the holder away.

Edited 4 May, 2021 by kenfowler3966

[J.R.]

Who do they think would want blue teeth?

[PoloPaul]

On 04/05/2021 at 10:45, PoloPaul said:

An excellent summary of issues facing us in our ever-developing, digital, motoring world. My Octavia goes in for its second major software update 'recall' tomorrow. This time it is for Power Steering.  Once again I shall be without the car all day. I assume that such recalls beset the entire VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat group who surely share software development...... Am I correct in these assumption or are major software update recalls to e.g. Power-Steering exclusive to Skoda?
 

 

 

 

 

..........and the local Skoda Dealer - who was going to perform the all-day software update for power steering - has just phoned to say he received an email from Skoda today saying that all power steering software updates are now ‘suspended’. No further information....Does anyone out there know more?

[stewartv]

SOS error again yesterday and 5 minutes later GPS slowly degrading and placing car a few miles away from where it was meant to be. Needless to say, furious nav messages to make u turns and go back to the route plus speed warnings for the wrong roads!

Large email with photos and video (again) going back to Skoda tomorrow about this plus all the other issues with the Connect App, no Online destinations and inability to select destinations from a contacts list in the phone (which works perfectly in older Skoda satnav systems).

 

I wonder if there is actually newer software but as Skoda consider it not mandatory they refuse to do anything? Some years ago in my Kodiaq I had all sorts of issues and Skoda UK said there were no software updates. I discovered that the same hardware was being shipped with a more recent version of software which my local dealer installed and... guess what - all the problems were solved. I wonder if we have a similar issue now?

Edited 9 May, 2021 by stewartv
added more

[PoloPaul]

Hi Stewartv.  Dont know about you but 'Ok Laura' seems a waste of time. I now manually input the destination. However to test I always enter areas in my familiar territory to check out the accuracy of the route. I regularly have to ignore and revert to my own local knowledge to avoid entering motorways in the wrong direction etc. I have checked and quadruple checked Navigation settings to eliminate user error but the only error is software or signal or both. Satnav announcement are drowned out by radio volume. Some times adjusting the Nav settings work, other times, not. I can not select miles over km so approaching turnoffs are displayed/announced in meters. I need to 'forget' then reconnect to bluetooth to use my phone all too often. If my phone IS available on the display I have to manually select it, often while driving. 
 

All told it is much easier to use Smartlink and Apple-play to use my phone. Siri is a blessed hands-free release from Laura. 
 

Following your theme, can it really be that Skoda is abandoning large numbers of buyers, who then tarnish the Skoda reputation of Skoda come car-sales upturn for the sake of a software upgrade?   Might  the answer lie alongside the attitude of holiday firms and airlines deferring refunds During Lockdown as a means of protecting their company from a downturn in operating revenue?

 

As regards my mechanical woes - noisy clattery transmission - Owing to Lockdown can not get a technician to sit in with me to point out the obvious and they always report their own (brief) test drives as flawless. 
 

It IS a lovely car to drive, but will my not insurmountable issues ever be addressed within warranty? 🤔

2 hours ago, stewartv said:

SOS error again yesterday and 5 minutes later GPS slowly degrading and placing car a few miles away from where it was meant to be. Needless to say, furious nav messages to make u turns and go back to the route plus speed warnings for the wrong roads!

Large email with photos and video (again) going back to Skoda tomorrow about this plus all the other issues with the Connect App, no Online destinations and inability to select destinations from a contacts list in the phone (which works perfectly in older Skoda satnav systems).

 

I wonder if there is actually newer software but as Skoda consider it not mandatory they refuse to do anything? Some years ago in my Kodiaq I had all sorts of issues and Skoda UK said there were no software updates. I discovered that the same hardware was being shipped with a more recent version of software which my local dealer installed and... guess what - all the problems were solved. I wonder if we have a similar issue now?

 

[stewartv]

More SOS errors and Skoda appear to claim they do not know the actual reason. They still maintain that there are only a handful of incidents and the local dealer claimed to have had no idea about the recent newspaper feature

Interestingly I have pinned it down to very specific areas where this happens. I have also read in other forums that users experience the issues in geographically similar areas in their region.

Some years ago my car (not a Skoda at that time) used to disable the engine via the anti-theft system and I had to have  the car towed 1/2 mile to a different location where it all worked again. THis was traced to radio transmissions in a local area (Police of Home Office) and a fix was found within a few weeks.

I have mentioned this to Skoda.

They wanted to know where my SOS failure happened so I gave then the same useless coordinates that their satnav uses so they could try and figure out where it was - but I also gave a 'real world' address and post code which is how most of us expect a satnav to work. (There is a parallel thread on satnav postcode vs lat/long and off road locations being displayed).

 

Edited 20 May, 2021 by stewartv
typo

[PoloPaul]

28 minutes ago, stewartv said:

More SOS errors and Skoda appear to claim they do not know the actual reason. They still maintain that there are only a handful of incidents and the local dealer claimed to have had no idea about the recent newspaper feature

Interestingly I have pinned it down to very specific areas where this happens. I have also read in other forums that users experience the issues in geographically similar areas in their region.

Some years ago my car (not a Skoda at that time) used to disable the engine via the anti-theft system and I had to have  the car towed 1/2 mile to a different location where it all worked again. THis was traced to radio transmissions in a local area (Police of Home Office) and a fix was found within a few weeks.

I have mentioned this to Skoda.

They wanted to know where my SOS failure happened so I gave then the same useless coordinates that their satnav uses so they could try and figure out where it was - but I also gave a 'real world' address and post code which is how most of us expect a satnav to work. (There is a parallel thread on satnav postcode vs lat/long and off road locations being displayed).

 

Just read the Newspaper Article you quoted. I'm speechless!

[KenONeill]

Quote

you can no longer hear the other person when using the hands-free phone system.”

That strikes me as a feature, not a problem!

[Rooted]

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/493505-brand-new-scala-sos-emergency-call-fault

 

 

 

[stewartv]

Factory have reproduced the issue and got a fault code - software fix in development at last.

It has been acknowledged that it is a location based problem which is why some are more affected than others.

Fingers crossed that at last this may get fixed.

Next challenge will be to get Connect and Infotainment services extended FOC  as they have been a waste of time during this first 6 months of ownership due to this as well as other advertised features not working.

[PoloPaul]

Well done Stewartv. Do you by any chance have the ‘fault code’ as Skoda Dealers tend to do a ‘Manuel’ from Fawlty Towers stating .... “I know nothing”!  
 

Also can you kindly say which infotainment services will be lost after the first year unless the car owner pays for a (rather pricey IMO) monthly SIM contract with Cubic Telecom. 
 

Again, well done. 

[stewartv]

Hi Paul,

On my Karoq SEL Registered in December 2020, the report fed back to me was;

"The SOS function is software related, the fault that is present is 'U178500 Software error' This is currently being investigated by the factory in the Czech republic, 

The information on the technical bulletin simply says, 'Customer complaint cases described can be resolved in a sustainable way only by a new Software version for the emergency call module J-949.' 

J949 is the online connectivity unit for the SOS call function which is connected via ethernet and CAN connection to the radio and the instrument cluster, which is why functions are impaired on these components."
 

It is all rather vague about the ongoing fees, but from what I understand, you will only need the costly Cubic Telecom package if you want to use the Skoda  wifi hotspot in the car for data purposes.

I was informed (hopefully correctly) that when you subscribe to the Connect services, this included the communications to the built-in eSim.

Similarly, the Infotainment subscription includes the connection fees for online services including DAB logos, and, more importantly, real time traffic data. |If this is anything like my Kodiaq and Columbus system, then the loss of live traffic data means that you only receive the minimalistic Radio traffic alerts for navigation.

I am not sure how the new MIB3 systems will work in practice, but all updates for the maps and software are now done online only so maybe you will need at a minimum the connect package? Hopefully someone here can clarify this point? I heard that there was going to be a process published this summer where you can download maps to a USB C memory stick and via a new menu option upload these maps to the system. Bear in mind that these are not available by country (Europe only) so you are dealing with around 25GBytes!

II think that the Columbus has many more features so the online subscription is almost worth it, but for the Amundsen it is probably very questionable. I would probably use Google Maps with Android Auto using the main display as that has the latest maps, POI data and live traffic info if Skoda try to relieve me of £60-£70 for each service.

There does not seem to be anybody in Skoda UK who actually knows very much about these new systems.

Another user did get a message from Skoda technical which said;

"I have spoken with one of my colleagues who has confirmed that the map updates are done automatically to your Multi-Media Unit. This is because all new ŠKODAs come with 1 year free ŠKODA Connect Services.

Once this has expired, you can either chose to renew your ŠKODA Connect Services, or not and have to do this manually. This would be done by downloading the map update onto a USBC stick; that would then be plugged in and manually uploaded onto the vehicle. These instructions will be updated for your make and model, once translated over from German to English."

 

Edited 21 May, 2021 by stewartv
added para

[PoloPaul]

Sorry to hear this Stewartv, 

 

You say Skoda consider this to be an issue effecting only a small number of cars when others on this forum have been effected, might it help to make a Freedom of Information Request asking for the Number of SOS calls generated by Skoda eSims and the number of vehicles involved over say, 2020-21?

 

[PoloPaul]

Yes, Manuel-Syndrome afflicts Dealership staff. So I have the reference - many thanks. Agree with you about Google Maps and ApplePlay. Thought station Logos were transmitted with digital signal but not a deal-breaker. I have Columbus and its Ok-ish but  several issues. Just pray that the CPU doesn't have a major fault after warranty expires but cross that bridge if I come to it. 
 

Many thanks once again.  You are a mine of useful Skoda Info - more so than Skoda-Manuel staff 👍

[selwonk11]

Hi.

 

Looks like I have this problem on my new vRS which has done under 500 miles. The symptoms are:

• Started with a few weird clicks through the speakers.
• Warning about SOS system came up on the dashboard and advised to take to a workshop.
• GPS went out of position.
• In the ceiling console the passenger airbag warning is illuminated.

The  next day everything was fine for a while then a couple of clicks and the SOS warning came up again but the GPS was fine. Today everything is fine bar the passenger airbag warning sign.

 

Before I book it in to be looked at:

1. Would disconnecting the battery potentially reset anything?
2. Is there any risk to doing this?

My understanding is that I'll expect the "Christmas tree lights" immediately after starting the car but that these should clear after a bit of driving.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[PoloPaul]

27 minutes ago, selwonk11 said:

Hi.

 

Looks like I have this problem on my new vRS which has done under 500 miles. The symptoms are:

• Started with a few weird clicks through the speakers.
• Warning about SOS system came up on the dashboard and advised to take to a workshop.
• GPS went out of position.
• In the ceiling console the passenger airbag warning is illuminated.

The  next day everything was fine for a while then a couple of clicks and the SOS warning came up again but the GPS was fine. Today everything is fine bar the passenger airbag warning sign.

 

Before I book it in to be looked at:

1. Would disconnecting the battery potentially reset anything?
2. Is there any risk to doing this?

My understanding is that I'll expect the "Christmas tree lights" immediately after starting the car but that these should clear after a bit of driving.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Lovely car. I wouldn't disconnect battery. I would do this on earlier cars but with e-SIM etc you will very likely return infotainment, Users, bluetooth and others  to factory settings which is a headache. Initiate a job number with Skoda Service UK. You may wait a few days but they will be thorough and may generate a warranty recall with your garage but with the benefit of all you have relayed at your pace over the phone. Skoda Dealers Service people can be rather dismissive and like to do vehicle upgrades at the same time as your own job which means that they have little time to be thorough for your issue - especially as it is intermittent. So my advice is to raise a 'Service Job/Code' with Skoda Service Uk as a very first step. 

[selwonk11]

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll get it booked in and let you all know how I get on.

 

Much obliged. :-)

[jjc]

I had my module replaced last week and it seems to be OK now.

 

John

[PoloPaul]

'Replaced'. Thats interesting. By 'module' do you mean the entire screen that is integrated into the dashboard. Could you please tell me/us the story behind this?