Hi! I am importing Skoda Yeti (2011 1.4TSI) from Europe and seem to be stuck with the speedometer alteration from kph to mph. We have tried a couple of garages without much luck. Any advice...? Also the garage had tried to do the foglights (have them working on both sides), but  it seems that something had gone wrong as the light do come on, but then switch off immediately. Any advice...? I've already spent quite a bit money on this, so I need to decide if I keep on trying to get the car sorted out or scrap it:(

Is the main speedo (Dial) marked in Miles or Km's or both? in the UK they are Miles only. and is the digital speedo reading Km's or Miles? in the UK they read Km's and the only way to swap it is to have the car programmed to Australian settings. 

Rear fog lamps, only one can be used and they are not programable. If you want to swap from left to right then you need to disconnect the wire from the left and extend the wire to connect to the right.

 

Many thanks for your reply!!! The main speedo (Dial) is in Km only and the digital speedo is in Km only. I guess that the programming to Australian settings is soomething the dealership will not do...? (I am awaiting a quote from Skoda for the speedometer job, however was warned on the phone that it is a very expensive job.) Fog lamps - great, thanks, seems that this is easy to solve.  

I would imagine that if you did manage to get the the small digital display reading MPH, and no mph on the speedo dial would be an MOT failure. Don’t forget you will need to change the headlight units to UK spec, and if you have xenons could prove to be expensive. 

Thanks Kenny!

The headlights are already under control and well, everything else should have been as well as the necessary alterations should have been carried out by a local garage - unfortunately the speedo and the foglight jobs weren't done properly.  As for the speedometer one of the  VCA acceptable options is 'The existing (digital) speedometer is, permanently, re-programmed, through a standard feature of vehicle, to display the vehicle speed in mph', so I was hoping that the small digital display reading MPH would be good enough (and was let to believe so by the local garage as well..., but obviously they didn'y know much...).

 

 

Where are you based in the UK?

 

The rear fog lights can probably be sorted using VCP or ODIS-e assuming the wiring is present. Easy enough to check, do both rear clusters have the same number of wires?

 

As for the cluster, you'll probably need a new cluster with MPH inserts for the MOT. You have two choices:

- fit the replacement cluster and have the immobiliser/odometer/keys transferred

- fit the MPH inserts to your existing cluster and have the cluster EEPROM tweaked to suit

@J.R.Might be able to advise.

He did the importation the opposite way i think.  UK to Continental Europe.

Thanks:)

I'll try and reach out. The speedometer seems to be the main issue. 

(I've done myself one import (a different car) from UK to Continental Europe - was very easy. Just had the headlights changed and foglight fixed (speedometer was dual, so good enough as it was) and took the car to MOT - all done in less than a week... )

 

By reprogramming the country with vcds to australia it is then possible for a largeish mph display to be shown on the display between the 2 dials(brain fade , can't remember its name)  --  others have done this, perhaps a search here would reveal pics of the display!

2 hours ago, langers2k said:

Where are you based in the UK?

 

The rear fog lights can probably be sorted using VCP or ODIS-e assuming the wiring is present. Easy enough to check, do both rear clusters have the same number of wires?

 

As for the cluster, you'll probably need a new cluster with MPH inserts for the MOT. You have two choices:

- fit the replacement cluster and have the immobiliser/odometer/keys transferred

- fit the MPH inserts to your existing cluster and have the cluster EEPROM tweaked to suit

Thanks! I am close to Chepstow.  I'll show the above to somebody bit more technical than myself:) 

20 minutes ago, Frenchtone said:

By reprogramming the country with vcds to australia it is then possible for a largeish mph display to be shown on the display between the 2 dials(brain fade , can't remember its name)  --  others have done this, perhaps a search here would reveal pics of the display!

Thank you. I'll try and search:) and see who could do this/what langers2k suggested. (Not taking the car back to the original local garage anymore...)

I added a large digital MPH screen to the Maxidot display with a Carista OBDII dongle in about 5 minutes.

7 minutes ago, Urrell said:

I added a large digital MPH screen to the Maxidot display with a Carista OBDII dongle in about 5 minutes.

In 5 min?! So somebody with technical skills and knowledge should indeed be able to do this...! Now I just need to identify that somebody.

My vehicle was registered here using the UK MOT and by a quirk of the system its now valid for 2 years

 

So I wont be putting the vehicle in for a CT test for another year and some months, as the tester is a friend I dont have any concerns.

 

My speedo is as above, MPH only markings on the analogue display, I have a small KPH readout in the maxidot but have not fund a way to increase this to the large size which seemingly can be done for a MPH display, if anyoen knows how I would love to know.

 

I'm not sure if I have done anything regarding the rear foglight yet but again even if I cannot switch sides or have both working it wont be a problem for my CT tester pal.

 

But for the cost of the immobiliser programming the OP and I could swap instrument clusters

 

For the OP, are you sure that the maxidot display will not be acceptable? After all I have used battery powered bicycle speedos to get kit cars through the SVA test and the settings are not fixed on them.

 

Another option might be a sticker for the analogue speedo with the MPH markings, you could make one using Letraset (if it still exists) and remove it once you are registered.

 

Who ensures the compliance? Do you have to undergo an SVA test or is it simply the MOT tester, if the latter then find a more amenable one, I could recommend a UK MOT tester friend (can you see a pattern here, ) but you have not given your location so may be miles away from you.

11 minutes ago, J.R. said:

My vehicle was registered here using the UK MOT and by a quirk of the system its now valid for 2 years

 

Thanks! 

France is a lovely country:)

I am close to Chepstow. The compliance is ensured by VCA which has to be happy with what has been done and they have a clear set of requirements. They are very strict and MOT alone isn't enough. They require a letter explaining all the changes, how they were made and how they fulfill the UK requirements and this letter must be from a VAT registered garage or MOT station. If all goes well and they are satisfied they issue a mutual recognition document and after that one can start the process with DVLA. All this takes very long time (VCA up to 6 weeks and DVLA the same ). 

The foglights and headlights should be ok (just need to get the not so well done job - the foglights don't stay on - sorted out by somebody), speedo is the big issue it seems...

 

Thank you all for the advice! Do you know if there is anybody who could do the speedo reprogramming in my area = not too far away from Chepstow? I tried to look into this, no luck yet... 

On 23/04/2021 at 17:34, Misse said:

Thanks Kenny!

The headlights are already under control and well, everything else should have been as well as the necessary alterations should have been carried out by a local garage - unfortunately the speedo and the foglight jobs weren't done properly.  As for the speedometer one of the  VCA acceptable options is 'The existing (digital) speedometer is, permanently, re-programmed, through a standard feature of vehicle, to display the vehicle speed in mph', so I was hoping that the small digital display reading MPH would be good enough (and was let to believe so by the local garage as well..., but obviously they didn'y know much...).

 

 

 

You have no way of knowing that the change to the small MPH digital display is not permanant unless you RTFM , the garage probably doesn't either or doesn't care, as you have paid them to make the changes I expect they will sign the form after someone has ticked the boxes for them and sign a pre-prepared letter.

 

I really dont think anybody is going to be able to make the changes that you require in an irreversible manner and declare that to be so.

 

Ask yourself what a motor trader who imports vehicles would do?

 

It sounds like a backside covering paper chase and the VCA dont want to actually meet the great unwashed and inspect their vehicles, that is exactly what happens now in France since it has all become dématérialisé

 

would replacing that plastic speedo disc from any junkyard yeti speedo work? Sure, it might be more work than garage originally planned. 

Maybe the OP and I could swap speedo discs with each other?

 

Perhaps Misse can confirm that the 12 O clock position on his speedometer equates to just under 130kph?

 

I dont mine being the guinea pig to see how easy or hard it is to get the disc out of the binnacle, I have already removed the binnacle to replace the dashboard and I have dismantled a MK1 Octavia one in the past.

Edited 24 April, 20215 yr by J.R.

Alternatively make the MPH readings on the disc with white Letraset.

Switching the scales is easy enough but you should have the EEPROM tweaked to correct the needle afterwards

 

On a sidenote, you can also get large KPH display via an EEPROM tweak too as I think J.R. has asked about it previously.

 

A super cheap ch341a programmer can read/write the cluster EEPROM in place

Is having a MPH speedo really a requirement?  I have an old LHD SEAT imported from Spain which has a KPH only speedo and passed every MOT from 2004 until a couple of years ago when it stopped needing a test (historic vehicle).

 

 

 

  

Misse,

Just out of curiosity I did a quick search and this came up! Replacement dials background kits for diy and/or fitting services.

So the answer to your question in your first post is 'YES' and these people are in Somerset.

 

Link

KMH-MPH | Home | Speedo Conversions | Speedometer Conversion Somerset

 

 

A great find

 

I have bookmarked it but the dials wont be suitable for me wanting to add km/h to a MPH speedometer, looking at the images it appears that the calibration is different mine having 80 MPH at the 12 O clock position.

J.R.

I think it's worth a call and speak to them at least, as the images may be just images. I think mine is also 80mph at mid-day (12 o'clock)