New to Skoda - a few questions please.

[wiggers]

I've just acquired an "Octavia 1.4 TSI SE Sport Estate 5dr Petrol DSG" and am baffled by a few things. I wonder if you can help this newbie please...

 

1. Updating maps: The instructions say, (https://updateportal.skoda-auto.com/Download/amundsen_MIB_2.pdf)
 

Quote

 

- Select the Skoda original SD Card from your vehicle. This card has a security chip, so other cards will not work. Please note that the Infotainment unit will load maps from the SD card.
- Recommended SD card size is 32GB.

- Insert your SD card in to your computer and format it using FAT32

 

 

So do you reformat the Skoda original SD card and copy the new files, or do you use a fresh card with the downloaded maps and use the update function? I.e. put the original card in slot 1 and the card with the download in slot 2?

 

2. Related to maps, the downloads page on the update portal has a range of map options. (ECE 1, ECE 2, etc) Do you have to use the same as on the original SD card, or can you switch to a different set of maps?

 

3. When I went to start the car yesterday evening, it told me the battery in the key fob was low. I tried a different fob and it said the same thing. The third fob didn't work at all. Today they are all working fine!

 

4. The dealer told me about the DSG gearbox but I'm struggling to understand the Sport mode. The manual suggests that you pull the lever down to the position below D/S and then move it to the right. Nothing happens. I can move the lever left in D/S and use manual gear selection fine. How does Sport mode work please?

 

Probably enough for now. Thanks for your help!

 

Mark

 

[paulski]

1. Maps: first make a copy of what is on the SD card so you have a backup!   Then Format it in FAT32  Note:  using a Windows PC s best as there can be issues with formatting the card on an apple without other software. You can download which ever map ECE1, ECE2 etc will fit on the original card size, anything bigger then you will need a new bigger original SKODA sd card at cost. Once you have downloaded the new map,  unzip and copy the whole unzipped folder over to the new card. Ensure that you move the Lock slider on the SD card back to the locked position else the Multimedia unit will not read it. 
2. if you need to change the key fob then its recommended to use good quality duracell or Panasonic batteries that are new. 
3. DSG : when you pull the lever back then you are in Sport, leave it there and this will hold the revs longer. When you  move it to the left, it will then be in manual when you need to move the lever back and forth to change gear:-) like in a BTCC or rally car....lol.. To move back from S to D simply pull the lever back once more and it will return to D. 

hope that helps. 👍

 

 

Edited 13 March, 2022 by paulski

[Ootohere]

Welcome. 

It can not be moved to manual when the shifter is in S. 

 

[PetrolDave]

2 hours ago, paulski said:

1. Maps: first make a copy of what is on the SD card so you have a backup!   Then Format it in FAT32  Note:  using a Windows PC s best as there can be issues with formatting the card on an apple without other software. You can download which ever map ECE1, ECE2 etc will fit on the original card size, anything bigger then you will need a new bigger original SKODA sd card at cost. Once you have downloaded the new map,  unzip and copy the whole unzipped folder over to the new card. Ensure that you move the Lock slider on the SD card back to the locked position else the Multimedia unit will not read it. 

Note if you have an Amundsen you MUST use a genuine Skoda SD card, a normal SD card will not work.

[wiggers]

Thanks all for your help, that's very useful. Some feedback using my original numbers...

 

1&2. Maps - I'm copying the map files to the Skoda SD card now. My fiancée has gone to work in the car so will see if it works this evening. Not quite sure why you need to reformat the card, instead of just deleting the existing folders and copying the new ones. I discovered that the dealer hadn't wiped the system and the previous owner's home address and destinations were all still there. I've now deleted them, but surely that's a GDPR breach?

 

3. Batteries on order, although as I mentioned all three fobs seemed to be working yesterday and there was no warning from the computer. I've discovered the little LED on the fobs and that lights up on all three. Reading the manual, it sounds like the fobs work in a similar way to my Saab, that the fobs need to be "married" to the car after battery replacement. You can't replace all the batteries in one go.

 

4. I've not had a chance to try this while driving, but when I pull the stick back to the ˅ position it springs back again to D/S. I have experimented with the manual mode, selecting a lower gear for hill-descent, and that worked as expected. I've found the Mode setting on the computer, where you can select Eco/Normal/Sport etc. Is that the same as doing it on the stick (if I can get that to work)? There's also a Mode button in front of the stick. Interestingly, that was lit up during the test drive and until we got home having collected the car. I didn't know what that was until I looked it up in the manual! (My last car was from 2001 so rather more ancient technology.)

 

5. New question, related to the key fob issue. On Saturday evening we were also getting a warning that a bulb had failed. Yesterday I turned on the lights manually to check which bulb, for ordering a replacement, but the computer said everything was fine! So I'm wondering if the computer putting up spurious failure modes was a known thing. I think the car may have been standing unused for a while as the MoT had expired by the time it went on sale. Quite low mileage also.

 

Cheers.

[PetrolDave]

1 hour ago, wiggers said:

Not quite sure why you need to reformat the card, instead of just deleting the existing folders and copying the new ones.

Reformatting using quick format is much quicker than deleting the existing files & folders.

[wiggers]

 

5 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Reformatting using quick format is much quicker than deleting the existing files & folders.

True, but there's the risk of reformatting the wrong device. (I have 9!) Seeing and deleting the folders is safer in my opinion. Just wondered why they said format instead of delete.

[PetrolDave]

3 minutes ago, wiggers said:

True, but there's the risk of reformatting the wrong device. (I have 9!) Seeing and deleting the folders is safer in my opinion. Just wondered why they said format instead of delete.

With an SD card plugged in I have 8 devices on my PC (5 local and 3 NAS) and never yet(!) formatted the wrong one.

Why format instead of delete? - as I said it's much quicker, because it only writes to the FAT so it also has less effect on the SD card life (like all electrically erasable devices they have a finite number of write cycles).

[paulski]

Dsg: the gear lever pull back is spring loaded, so it's normal for it to pop back, on the dash display it will show D or S to show you which is selected. 

 

Driving modes : "eco" will lighten the steering and make the gear box change gear more economically. If you press the driving mode button by the gearstick, you can keep pressing it again and again to cycle it through the modes without having to touch the screen. Eco will also allow the Dsg to "coast" (it disengages the gear) when taking your foot off the accelerator, it can be a little unnerving at first, as soon as you apply the gas or brake it puts the gearbox back in gear. I find looking ahead its handy to save fuel on long journey's (a must at the moment!!!!). 

[EnterName]

On 14/03/2022 at 17:36, paulski said:

Dsg: the gear lever pull back is spring loaded, so it's normal for it to pop back, on the dash display it will show D or S to show you which is selected. 

 

Driving modes : "eco" will lighten the steering and make the gear box change gear more economically. If you press the driving mode button by the gearstick, you can keep pressing it again and again to cycle it through the modes without having to touch the screen. Eco will also allow the Dsg to "coast" (it disengages the gear) when taking your foot off the accelerator, it can be a little unnerving at first, as soon as you apply the gas or brake it puts the gearbox back in gear. I find looking ahead its handy to save fuel on long journey's (a must at the moment!!!!). 

Additional to this, you can switch the coasting on and off with as Paulski says with a dab of throttle or brake. I'm sometimes self conscious about dabbing the brake to control speed by disengaging coasting if there's someone behind me, as some people use a dab of the brakes to tell people behind to back off. But it's not actually been a problem in practice.

[wiggers]

Coasting is discouraged by the Highway Code, see rule 122:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158

[PetrolDave]

5 minutes ago, wiggers said:

Coasting is discouraged by the Highway Code, see rule 122:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158

The Highway Code definition of coasting is

Quote

This term describes a vehicle travelling in neutral or with the clutch pressed down

and is based on the premise that the driver is in control of the gears and clutch, and hence in an emergency where acceleration is required may fail to react quickly enough to restore 'drive'

 

Coasting with a DSG gearbox is a different situation since the car remains in gear and within milliseconds of the driver pressing the accelerator the TCU will re-engage the appropriate clutch and restore  'drive'.

 

Another case of the Highway Code not keeping up with vehicle technology and/or being poorly written.

[ords]

2 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

The Highway Code definition of coasting is

and is based on the premise that the driver is in control of the gears and clutch, and hence in an emergency where acceleration is required may fail to react quickly enough to restore 'drive'

 

Coasting with a DSG gearbox is a different situation since the car remains in gear and within milliseconds of the driver pressing the accelerator the TCU will re-engage the appropriate clutch and restore  'drive'.

 

Another case of the Highway Code not keeping up with vehicle technology and/or being poorly written.

That Highway Code definitition would only apply if you shifted from D to N. With it in D you have full control when it's "coasting".

Edited 25 May, 2022 by ords