I have previously advised new Karoq owners how to download copies of the owner's manual, and that it contained much more information about the infotainment systems fitted to their cars.

But today I have discovered that Skoda have changed their website so that PDF copies of the owner's manual are no longer provided. Instead all you can do is read a digital version on screen. I have objected about this to their 'Chat' Customer Services agent who confirms this, but suggests I might be able to download a PDF copy to my phone! And since this would be pretty unreadable, hopefully copy it to my PC, and then save it out or print a copy for reference!

This seems to be making owner's manuals very user UNfriendly to me, and another case of Skoda being Simply Silly!

So If you need reference material about your present or new Skoda, be prepared to have to read a digital copy on screen rather than get a PDF copy to read at your leisure!

Chris

PS: Having now accessed the owner's manual on my phone, I see that there is no way to download a PDF copy that way. Perhaps I'm too 'old-school' but I much prefer to have paper copies to browse and refer to that have to navigate digital copies of manuals. Hell I can even remember getting my first IBM PC at work with Windows 3 on it, and opening a box with a shelf-full of A5 manuals to go with it!

As a prospective new owner tomorrow,  I totally agree with you

Just looked - I confirm the manual isn't downloadable.  More backward progress.

It is not  available to download as a pdf from the Skoda site but it is available from here :-

https://carmanuals2.com/get/skoda-karoq-2021-owner-s-manual-116538

I thought I was doing something wrong but I wasn't

Have had exactly same problem with Karoq purchased on 1st June.

 

Spoke to Skoda UK -  their response -no one else has complained!

 

EMailed skoda hq - confirmed above comments from previous posts.

 

Tried to print but only get pictures and no text.

 

My wife and I have been staring at web manual taking manual notes - seriously annoying and unnecessary.

 

Surely if Skoda  have uploaded this manual to their website it should be available in a downloadable and printable PDF form

 

Yesterday reverted to dealer and quoted  Skoda UK's  accredited status in the Motor Ombudsman (.org)  - Code of Practice for new cars - Clause 2.2

namely " you will receive a copy of the manufacturers handbook with your car.....replacement copies of which will be available from the accredited business for a reasonable period thereafter"

 

As soon as I mentioned this he knew exactly what I was alluding to.

 

From my profile you can observe that I bought a pre-registered car and the owners handbook had been removed to the dealer/owner and not returned on my collection.

 

Within 15 mins dealer said have retrieved handbook from service area and sending 1st class post to us.

 

Fingers crossed but this does imply paper copies are available.

 

Will repost if this is successful.

 

If dissappointed I think there is a legal case against Skoda or if there are sufficient number of complaints then a PR campaign.

 

Simply - not CLEVER - readable paper owners manuals rank far higher than extra cup/drink holders, umbrellas and ice scrapers IMHO

 

Nick (tonks)

 

 

Glad you've managed to sort this out. But be warned that when I bought my Karoq last November the paper copy of the owners manual was missing a lot of detailed information about the infotainment systems. I was able to rectify this by downloading a PDF copy (and printing it out as I prefer to be able to a paper manual than a screen-based copy). 

 

They used to offer PDF copies of the manuals which were updated every 6 months or so as the car's equipment changed, and I can't understand why they have been withdrawn. If they have to supply a paper copy with the car, then they must still hold the master copies as PDFs surely? And it can only cost a pittance to include them on their website!!

Now you are trying to make Skoda UK act logically and in the Customers best interests.  Best laugh I've had all day 

Skoda UK just seem to be there to say "This has never been reported before" and "we have closed your case as it is a "normal characterisitic" and to try and shield the VAG group as a whole so they can wriggle out of anything that is not clearly 110% their responsibility.  "Manual to operate your car sir" - "Pah - we don't provide those any more" - "You didn't you purchase the optional £599 telepathy module so you shouldn't expect to be able to operate the infotainment system that you paid dearly for" . "enter a postcode Sir - Pah - get the grid coordiantes like everyone else Sir" - "It's operating as intended". 

 

Oooh I am cynical today but its true right?

Edited 8 July, 20214 yr by smipx

I have had my Karoq since end of April and am very happy with the car. BUT......if I had know about some of the stuff I've read in this forum I don't think I would have bought it.

5 minutes ago, stepheno said:

I have had my Karoq since end of April and am very happy with the car. BUT......if I had know about some of the stuff I've read in this forum I don't think I would have bought it.

Every car forum has lots of horror stories, if you took everything on board you'd never buy any car. 

 

Try reading the customer dissatisfaction reports by Which? and the JD Power surveys on the likes of Land Rover, Vauxhall, BMW, Mercedes, Renault...

I come from over 30 years of LR ownership and nothing I’ve read here, or experienced in a year of Karoq ownership, would put me off.  OK Skoda CS looks to be a bit of a joke but at least the cars work (mostly, ignoring satnav and sunroofs) as they should and I’m not in first name terms with the local service manager.   Wouldn’t go back.  

12 hours ago, FlyingGecko said:

Every car forum has lots of horror stories, if you took everything on board you'd never buy any car.

 

Try reading the customer dissatisfaction reports by Which? and the JD Power surveys on the likes of Land Rover, Vauxhall, BMW, Mercedes, Renault...

 

 

Quite agree but, at the moment, I have a Skoda and it's what I read about their CS that irks me.

Edited 9 July, 20214 yr by stepheno

12 hours ago, FlyingGecko said:

Every car forum has lots of horror stories, if you took everything on board you'd never buy any car. 

 

Try reading the customer dissatisfaction reports by Which? and the JD Power surveys on the likes of Land Rover, Vauxhall, BMW, Mercedes, Renault...

 

12 hours ago, DSL said:

I come from over 30 years of LR ownership and nothing I’ve read here, or experienced in a year of Karoq ownership, would put me off.  OK Skoda CS looks to be a bit of a joke but at least the cars work (mostly, ignoring satnav and sunroofs) as they should and I’m not in first name terms with the local service manager.   Wouldn’t go back.  

 

True enough and I agree.  Me and the wife have been driving VAG group cars at one point or another for probably a combined 30 years and, yes, VAG CS (not just Skoda) is not the best but the cars are generally solid and good value. ALL cars have niggles but the deiselgate scandal (and associated fix that caused loss of MPG and performance) + the DQ200 Gearbox + the 1.5TSI manual jerking and a few others dominate the forums a bit and are a bit scary.  I have to remember that the posters on this forum only represent a very small percentage of owners and if you see a few complaints here it doesn't translate to a bad car.  What is annoying is VAG apparent lack of ability and/or urgency to address the issues and leave some folk who have spent a lot of money on their pride and joy (in some cases) a feeling of abandonment or being stranded or a cludge of a fix that has left them with a car that is either a bit unsellable or no longer a pleasure to drive.

Edited 9 July, 20214 yr by smipx

On 09/07/2021 at 09:46, stepheno said:

 

Quite agree but, at the moment, I have a Skoda and it's what I read about their CS that irks me.

 

 

But as yet you haven't personally got any complaints about Skoda customer service, you've decided to be angry now because you might have in the future?  

2 hours ago, FlyingGecko said:

 

 

But as yet you haven't personally got any complaints about Skoda customer service, you've decided to be angry now because you might have in the future?  

How do you know I haven't dealt with Skoda CS? I didn't say I was angry......give it a rest now 👍

On 09/07/2021 at 09:46, stepheno said:

 

 

Edited 10 July, 20214 yr by FlyingGecko

Ignore the above mis-post.  Couldn't fully delete it.

As promised in my original post latest update follows.

 

Did receive promised paper copy of owners manual from dealer (contrary to the advice from Skoda-cz that only available electronically!)

 

Thanks for all members comments & advice.

 

As CJJE 's post on 8th July advised there are about 50 missing pages covering a lot of the infotainment system for all variants.

 

Followed Davebm's advice in his post of 18th June - this download worked and is printable - and fills the gaps - not sure it is the exact version I needed for our car ..... but one counts one blessings.  Thoughts - if Davebm found it on that site -how did it get there and why don't Skoda uk/cz point owners there!!!!

 

Also agree FlyingGecko & DSL posts on 8th July - one reason opted for Skoda Karoq was the reliability we had from 12 years driving a roomster and the relative unreliability of so-called premium brand alternatives eg mercedes & bmw. Our shortlist had included LR Evoque until we read about how often owners visited dealers albeit under warranty and at no  but cost that really misses the point as it shouldn't happen, disappoints and is very inconvenient.

 

Now wading through infotainment and satnav instructions.

 

Wish me luck wiil keep you posted on progress or seek further help/advice.

 

 

Tonks (Nick)

 

 

The download site gives you the November 2020 version of the manual - so suitable for most cars since that date. (Skoda's website gives you the option of reading a June 2021 issue, but I don't know how much changed then.) 

 

I do wonder if the website has been given permission or been licenced to publish these manuals. If they are breaching copyright it might get closed down soon!

 

Hi

 

Thanks CJJE - hope I've got the right version - seems so given Nov 20 date. Bit confused by last suffix on quoted Skoda part no  on  the

manual as the electronic version I was supplied with by dealer was clearly much older than I thought. If Skoda auto have got copyright then why don't  they make an accessible downloadable version available to owners?

 

Owners are trying to sort out probs via forums like this.

 

If there is a chance that Skoda enforce copyright suggest other owners download and print while the going is good.

 

Regards

 

Tonks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree tonks.

 

Up to a few months ago you could download manuals from the Skoda website in whatever language and production period that you wanted. But when they revamped the website it turned into the 'digital' version that I find far more difficult to read through. It seems to have been designed for owners who wouldn't dream of reading the entire manual to learn about their cars, but just want to dip in to solve a problem.

 

Apparently showrooms are now going the same way with digital screens to show off the cars rather than a car you can actually touch and sit in. Brochures have already gone that way of course. (And Audi stopped providing price lists some time back. Presumably if you can afford an Audi you'll just accept whatever options the salesman will sell you instead of being able to pick and choose from a price list!)

 

Chris