Superb iV: opening car when engine battery flat & fob not working

[Easyrider64]

Good Evening!

 

Various chronic health issues have meant I've not driven my 2020 Superb iV Estate since before Xmas - I hadn't released it's been quite as long, but the MySkoda app confirms it.  I did go out regularly, open her up & check that the Virtual Cockpit & main systems would "boot up" - as other iV owners will know, you can't start the engine (ICE) occasionally & run it up to temperature in situ, like you might (whether it's advisable or not is another matter!) with a petrol or diesel.

 

Unfortunately, I've been unwell again & self isolating recently, and haven't been out for a couple of weeks or so to even do the above... which I now regret! Today, I went to open the car - KESSY didn't work, and she wouldn't respond to the remote fob either (I actually have & tried 2 others... same result).  It's pretty clear that the 12v ICE battery is flat - according to the MySkoda app, the powertrain battery, however, is sitting happily at 96%. 

 

Having looked at the manual online, I removed the lock cover and tried the key bit (which, I learned today, you can remove from the fob after sliding the ribbed switch across) * - surprisingly, as I thought (hoped!)  it'd be a purely mechanical system, it didn't work! 😞 I wonder if even this requires some ICE battery power...?

 

If anyone has had this happen, got into their iV, and/or has any ideas, I'd be immensely grateful!  In the MySkoda app, under Air Conditioning, there's a "Power Source - please allow battery usage" option... It's probably clutching at straws, but I wonder if it's worth planning a trip, so the car will try to prepare/warm itself up - and perhaps charge a wee bit? - from the almost fully charged power train battery. Otherwise, is there an "emergency" method to open the bonnet from outside the car? If I could do that, I could remove & stick the ICE battery on my Cetek 5.

 

I need to get into the car ASAP - my spare wheelchair is in the boot, along with a box of spare wheelchair parts, including bearings, which I need as the castors on my chair have started to "grumble"...

 

TIA

 

Regards

 

Colin C.

 

* https://digital-manual.skoda-auto.com/w/en_GB/show/6eda015e75d209c5cc82de0844b9f17c_7_en_GB?ct=6eda015e75d209c5cc82de0844b9f17c_7_en_GB#titled243646492e8777

 

[Patent]

You're going to need to get the manual key to work to open the door, it might just just need some more persuasion. It'll only release the lock, you'll need to pull the the handle as normal.

 

Unfortunately if your central locking isn't working you might not actually have enough power to energise the drive system 😞

[Easyrider64]

Thanks for your reply, Patent... much appreciated. I have indeed been pulling the handle - I'm old enough to remember when that was the only way to open car doors! 😉 - but it's not working (just went out & tried it again). Your point about the central locking & drive system is, unfortunately, a good one... I will never let this happen again!

[Easyrider64]

Morning... and Happy Easter!

 

All sorted, thanks to a lovely chap called Simon from RAC Motability! The lock is purely mechanical... it just needed turned (to the right) with a bit more force than I was willing to try on it. Simon then opened the bonnet & jump started the car.

It ran, but he tested the battery - which I now know is in one of the side compartments in the boot - and unfortunately it had a dead cell...  apparently the AGM batteries needed vehicles equipped with a stop/start system are less tolerant of being flattened than trad ones...

Happily, he had a new, actually higher spec AGM on his van which  he has fitted.  I'm going to take iVy (the car's nickname... her predecessor was Octy!) out for a run shortly - she's showing a lot of error codes for various monitoring systems, which Simon thinks may sort themselves out after driving for a bit. Otherwise, I'll take her up to Marshall Skoda on Tues.

 

Have an excellent Easter Sunday, folks!

 

C.

[Ootohere]

@Easyrider64  Is the battery fitted covered by the cars Warranty and at  no cost to you? 

[Easyrider64]

Don't know, @roottoot although I'd suspect not, but fortunately my leasing contract will... 🙂

[Ootohere]

Good.

The price that the RAC charge for batteries from the van can be ridiculous. 

They might offer 3 or 5 year warranties but i have seen them still being 50% more than available from Motor Factors. 

[Patent]

It really has no need being an AGM in this car. It has no purpose other than to power the 12v accessories - I think he may have been mistaken? 

[Danoid]

I’m pretty sure I’ve read on here a lot of those errors will disappear.

 

Also read about doing a full lock left and full lock right to clear errors, pretty sure that was in relation to new battery installed