Hi all

I got In my car recently and the radio came on for about 30 seconds then the screen went blank. I switched off the ignition then restarted the engine but the screen stayed blank. I rang Skoda to book it in and they suggested I try a soft reset by holding the on/off button in for about 30 seconds but this also didn't work. 

Skoda ran a diagnostic on it today and told me the unit is knackered and the cost is £800 + VAT, with labour the bill will be over £1200. 

 

I love the car but at my age i'm finding it a bit low to get in and out of it, so just before the fault materialised, I had it advertised so don't really want to spend that sort of money on it. 

 

Anyone suggest other options?

 

Many thanks

Steve

Go to a different dealer and trade it in.

If you want to get it fixed there are plenty options that wont cost 1200.  do a search on here fo retrofitting head unit and you should come up with plenty of results explaining what is required.

If there is nothing at all on the screen then it could be that part that is bust and a couple of hundred quid should see you right.  If its the head unit (glove box unit) you could be looking at £300-500.  still much cheaper than dealer quotes.

I asked Skoda what part is required as I don't want to pay that sort of money, he told me its a Control Unit, part no 5E0035842WHS. When I Google this, it comes up with what looks like the CD player, but its the touchscreen unit I need.  

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401839377946

The touch screen is just a screen. Like a pc with monitor and computer. Have you confirmed that the screen has failed and that is the part you need? If so then £400 for labour is outrageous! Honestly takes 2 minutes to swap a screen out and there is no coding required.

 

The cd player is the actual stereo unit. If that has failed then with a used part it's a bit more complex with component protection needed removing and then recoding to your car. Many have done this on here when upgrading to a later system. @pab567 is your man if this is needed.

Thanks MarkG82, I'm picking the car up from them in the morning and I'll double check exactly what has gone 

 

best regards

Steve

Just got back from Skoda and they confirmed its the control unit in the glove box that's gone, and I can see there's one for sale on Ebay for £300. I called in to an Auto Electrician on the way home and asked if I bought a replacement would he be able to install and reprogram it to the car but he said he couldn't do something like that as it would have to be Skoda that would need to fit it, he also said they probably wouldn't fit a third party part as they couldn't guarantee it.   

5 hours ago, SteveYnyshir said:

Just got back from Skoda and they confirmed its the control unit in the glove box that's gone, and I can see there's one for sale on Ebay for £300. I called in to an Auto Electrician on the way home and asked if I bought a replacement would he be able to install and reprogram it to the car but he said he couldn't do something like that as it would have to be Skoda that would need to fit it, he also said they probably wouldn't fit a third party part as they couldn't guarantee it.   

When you replace the glovebox unit Component Protection will become active - removing this needs either a friendly dealer or an independent with access to the Skoda servers, on top of that any features that require a Fec (Feature enabling code) will need re-enabling - again needing contact to the Skoda servers) and finally the coding and adaptation channels will need restoring to the same values as the original unit.

What @PetrolDave said is probably the clearest explanation of this I've seen.

 

Give @pab567 a shout and he can confirm if that unit you have found is correct for your car/system and how much he'd charge for the coding.

 

Your auto electrical guy is right about the coding but there are others who can do it and the physical swap is very easy. If you can plug in a TV you can do this swap. You are very unlikely to break something. Just do a search for VAG head unit keys. Only tool you need.

On 21/05/2021 at 16:12, SteveYnyshir said:

Hi all

I got In my car recently and the radio came on for about 30 seconds then the screen went blank. I switched off the ignition then restarted the engine but the screen stayed blank. I rang Skoda to book it in and they suggested I try a soft reset by holding the on/off button in for about 30 seconds but this also didn't work. 

Skoda ran a diagnostic on it today and told me the unit is knackered and the cost is £800 + VAT, with labour the bill will be over £1200. 

 

I love the car but at my age i'm finding it a bit low to get in and out of it, so just before the fault materialised, I had it advertised so don't really want to spend that sort of money on it. 

 

Anyone suggest other options?

 

Many thanks

Steve

I have a Amundsen system (2019 FL) available if you would like it. It will have to be reprogrammed and Component Protection removed but the unit is there if you want it.....PM me and we can discuss terms.

I have the same problem as OP: Mk3 2016 Bolero MIB1 control unit broken. Since I'm not going to shell out the 1450 € for a new part, I'd prefer to replace it with a second hand Bolero model. The Skoda retailer said that they can reprogram a used part so CP and feature enablement shouldn't be an issue.

 

Most threads here seem to be concerned with upgrading to Amundsen or Columbus but I have no use for navigation. However, better than original parts seem to be readily available second hand, so I wonder which parts can be used with this. Can I go for MIB2 or Amundsen/Columbus units, while keeping the original display and Canton modules, and without resorting to CP removal hacks?

 

The retailer also told me that they had another car with the same problem, the control unit dying for no apparent reason. If this is a common problem, I also wonder whether anyone has managed to repair the unit. Mine went dark a few times first but resumed normal operation for a few days before finally dying. All of this started when the car battery died, and after a week or two the radio was gone.

 

5 hours ago, Trn said:

Can I go for MIB2 or Amundsen/Columbus units, while keeping the original display and Canton modules, and without resorting to CP removal hacks?

 

No. You'll need either a full set of mib2 parts* or a replacement mib head unit.

 

* Head unit, screen, canton amp. Unit and amp then need CP removed. As usual, screen does not need CP or coding work.