Pop pop,SOS

[Exan]

My car was back in the dealers last week. I got it back on Friday and since then I have driven about sixty miles with no issues. Apparently they updated the updates! Fingers crossed that the problem is resolved this time but certainly looks promising.

[Alan7690]

Anyone else noticed after the pop pop if you switch the instrument display to navigation it says navigation currently unavailable but it's ok on the touch screen

[PoloPaul]

28 minutes ago, Alan7690 said:

Anyone else noticed after the pop pop if you switch the instrument display to navigation it says navigation currently unavailable but it's ok on the touch screen

Yes. 

[JamesK]

On 17/08/2022 at 14:39, Alan7690 said:

Anyone else noticed after the pop pop if you switch the instrument display to navigation it says navigation currently unavailable but it's ok on the touch screen

This has just started happening for me too, and it only seems to happen when I'm using the built in Columbus navigation. I've used the car for around 6 long journeys this past week, and 4 of them I used the built-in navigation and consistently had issues. On the 2 journeys where I used Apple CarPlay for navigation I had no issues at all.

 

When using the built-in navigation after each double-pop the following would happen:

1. The SOS LED on the control panel in the roof would go out and come on again.

2. The message "SOS - Emergency call is activated" would appear on the left side of the virtual cockpit (see attached IMG_5638)

3. If using the virtual cockpit navigation screen it would report on the right-side "Navigation is currently unavailable". This message would be stuck for the remainder of the journey, and the navigation would no longer work on this screen, but was fine on the main infotainment screen.

 

After 4 or 5 times of the popping happening, and points 1 and 2 above happening as well, it seems the system would give up and throw an alert, and then the following happened.

1. The emergency yellow triangle would appear on the dashboard, followed by an alert relating to the SOS system (see IMG_5639)

2. The vehicle status page would report "Error: emergency call. Please visit workshop" (see IMG_5640)

3. All on-line functions of the car would seem to be off-line at this point, user profiles not available, traffic alerts, etc

4. GPS location after about 10-15 minutes would also be completely off. So the navigation would show you in the completely wrong location, resulting in the navigation system going crazy constantly trying to re-route, to the point route guidance had to be turned off.

5. On at least one occasion the issue has also broken CarPlay, and SmartLink wasn't working at all (see IMG_5656).

 

Other than some issues with the climate sync, bluetooth connection on start-up and issues with the Matrix LED lights I've not had too much trouble for the past 6 months. Although when I took the car into the dealer for the 3 issues above they didn't manage to fix any of them, despite saying a software update had fixed them all. I hadn't gone back to the dealer as I considered myself lucky that my issues were minor compared to what others were experiencing.

 

I'll need to call them again, because this is now at the point where standard features of the car are simply not working, or are failing consistently.

 

 

[Exan]

It is now over two weeks since I got my car back and I am now feeling confident that they have resolved the problems. Only issue now is that I have lost the traffication app and the shop app refuses to open. I don't want to put the car in again so I will live with these minor niggles.

[Jmagee]

So my car was in for software on the 19th and still has the SOS error. 

Got wireless Android auto though 😂

 

Really not happy that after being without the car for two days they haven't achieved anything! 

[PoloPaul]

On 19/08/2022 at 08:48, JamesK said:

This has just started happening for me too, and it only seems to happen when I'm using the built in Columbus navigation. I've used the car for around 6 long journeys this past week, and 4 of them I used the built-in navigation and consistently had issues. On the 2 journeys where I used Apple CarPlay for navigation I had no issues at all.

 

When using the built-in navigation after each double-pop the following would happen:

1. The SOS LED on the control panel in the roof would go out and come on again.

2. The message "SOS - Emergency call is activated" would appear on the left side of the virtual cockpit (see attached IMG_5638)

3. If using the virtual cockpit navigation screen it would report on the right-side "Navigation is currently unavailable". This message would be stuck for the remainder of the journey, and the navigation would no longer work on this screen, but was fine on the main infotainment screen.

 

After 4 or 5 times of the popping happening, and points 1 and 2 above happening as well, it seems the system would give up and throw an alert, and then the following happened.

1. The emergency yellow triangle would appear on the dashboard, followed by an alert relating to the SOS system (see IMG_5639)

2. The vehicle status page would report "Error: emergency call. Please visit workshop" (see IMG_5640)

3. All on-line functions of the car would seem to be off-line at this point, user profiles not available, traffic alerts, etc

4. GPS location after about 10-15 minutes would also be completely off. So the navigation would show you in the completely wrong location, resulting in the navigation system going crazy constantly trying to re-route, to the point route guidance had to be turned off.

5. On at least one occasion the issue has also broken CarPlay, and SmartLink wasn't working at all (see IMG_5656).

 

Other than some issues with the climate sync, bluetooth connection on start-up and issues with the Matrix LED lights I've not had too much trouble for the past 6 months. Although when I took the car into the dealer for the 3 issues above they didn't manage to fix any of them, despite saying a software update had fixed them all. I hadn't gone back to the dealer as I considered myself lucky that my issues were minor compared to what others were experiencing.

 

I'll need to call them again, because this is now at the point where standard features of the car are simply not working, or are failing consistently.

 

 

I had multiple issues until major SW Upgrade 1896. The other issues were rectified but now I have all the issues you have above instead. Additionally I now have daily periods where the Infotainment just shows ‘Loading’. Restarting or rebooting the Infotainment has no effect. During these periods I have no: navigation, Smartlink (Apple Carplay in my case) Radio Stations, SOS. My car retains all basic functions accessible through dedicated switches under the infotainment. The instrument panel continues to work. I suspect a faulty eSIM module which I believe several others on this forum have had replaced. Skoda UK has promised to get back to me about my ongoing complaint in a few days. I have the same model as you Octavia (Combi) 4 SEL First Edition. 

[PoloPaul]

On 28/08/2022 at 22:27, Jmagee said:

So my car was in for software on the 19th and still has the SOS error. 

Got wireless Android auto though 😂

 

Really not happy that after being without the car for two days they haven't achieved anything! 

What Software version is now showing?

[Joss1733]

has there been any ota updates in the last week or two

[phh683]

Yes, I had one yesterday on 30/8 at 1300hrs. It did not say what the update was for.  I must say over the last month or so there has been lots of updates. I will tell you a funny one. Booked my car in for its first service for tomorrow,  had a call from the garage today to cancel service due to Skoda's computers are down.

[PoloPaul]

😂 So IT not a company strength of  then. 

[JamesK]

I called my local dealer this afternoon, and they have requested to have the car for a week to properly investigate the issues.

 

What did surprise me is that they apparently now charge £23/day for the use of a loan vehicle. I've never come across this before, is this a new thing for car dealers to charge for loan vehicles?

[PetrolDave]

5 minutes ago, JamesK said:

 

What did surprise me is that they apparently now charge £23/day for the use of a loan vehicle. I've never come across this before, is this a new thing for car dealers to charge for loan vehicles?

For several years both dealers and independents I've used in Hampshire, Devon and Wiltshire have charged £10 day for a loan car "to cover insurance".

[Greezy56]

Mine was called in for 3 days , free loan car. Had 1896 installed and she now works the way she should have done from new. No POP POP. Insist on 1896 or higher as my dealer hadnt heard of till they contacted Skoda UK HQ.

 

The system boots faster and now is a joy to use 

[JamesK]

8 minutes ago, Greezy56 said:

Mine was called in for 3 days , free loan car. Had 1896 installed and she now works the way she should have done from new. No POP POP. Insist on 1896 or higher as my dealer hadnt heard of till they contacted Skoda UK HQ.

I’m sure I read somewhere that my car cannot take the 1896 software due to the “B” revision hardware installed. The system information screen reports the part number as 5E3035816B, hardware H56, software 1668.

 

I’m also concerned that the dealer doesn’t seem interested in me providing them with dashcam video of the car making the popping noises, or screenshots of the dash display, which doesn’t fill me with confidence for them wanting to investigate and resolve the issue.

[Felix2021]

9 hours ago, JamesK said:

I’m sure I read somewhere that my car cannot take the 1896 software due to the “B” revision hardware installed. The system information screen reports the part number as 5E3035816B, hardware H56, software 1668.

I don't think that's correct. As far as i know all versions can be upgraded to 1896, but in case you have older version now, they first need to upgrade to some other version (17xx?), and only after that they can upgrade to 1896.

There was a picture of TPI concerning issues fixed by 1896. IF you can find it, just go to your dealership and report one of those issues (for example ACC not allowing you to overtake on the right side, or sat-nav not remembering your favorite destinations). This way they will have to upgrade according to TPI.

[varooom]

2 hours ago, Felix2021 said:

I don't think that's correct. As far as i know all versions can be upgraded to 1896, but in case you have older version now, they first need to upgrade to some other version (17xx?), and only after that they can upgrade to 1896.

There was a picture of TPI concerning issues fixed by 1896. IF you can find it, just go to your dealership and report one of those issues (for example ACC not allowing you to overtake on the right side, or sat-nav not remembering your favorite destinations). This way they will have to upgrade according to TPI.

From what I know you are spot on, the actual hardware change should be either Gateway or the OCU needs replacing on the older cars.

Once you get to 1896, all updates should be OTA for all.

[Jmagee]

On 30/08/2022 at 16:59, PoloPaul said:

What Software version is now showing?

It's the latest one 1896 I think. Rang Skoda and they've another car in this week with the same problem

[Ianrally]

My VRS Estate was up graded to 1896 on 23 June. All issues seemed to have been resolved.......well for the first two weeks then once again I had the double tap noise on four or five occasions and then the dreaded "SOS fault, please visit workshop".

Sometimes this gets reset after start up and sometimes not. I have had this double tap scenario about twenty times since the upgrade to 1896 and after every four or five times the SOS error comes on. In these instances, the Columbus sat nav or the sat nav via Apple Car Play both go haywire and have no idea where the car is on the planet. The radio and phone are both inoperable when this happens.

As I say sometimes all this is reset after starting the car but on number of occasions, I have resorted to resetting everything myself by pressing the SOS button for approx. 30 seconds with the car stationary and the ignition turned on. On two of these resetting attempts, the emergency services have been called and both time i have said it is a fault with the car and if they have any issue with that, to call Skoda UK and complain to them.

Other intermittent faults displayed on the dash that come and go are "Front Assist Not Working" or "Adaptive Headlights Not Working" and sometimes the radio loses all volume even though the volume indicator bar is showing volume. 

 

The car is back in the dealers today (9 Sept) for its fifth visit with this same SOS issue, it is only six months old and I am now heartily sick of it. Who can I contact at Skoda or Skoda Finance to get my money back? It is obviously not fit for purpose.

[Alan7690]

Car booked in on the 6th Oct for a service and software update and they knew about this issue. Free loan car as well while it's in

Edited 12 September, 2022 by Alan7690

[WhiskyJamJar]

Mine is booked in for tomorrow for the same pop pop SOS issue as detailed by people in the thread, was going to leave it until the service was due in a few months as it wasn't much of a issue to me (used android auto for GPS, etc) but when it decided it was going to just dial the emergency services of its own volition I decided to book it!  See what story I get told, theres a few other things playing up too, the Adaptive cruise control thinking it's in Europe so braking in the fast lane, the air con just straight up ignores the control to stop blowing cold air even when it's already colder than Climate control states, and also inexplicably the wee plastic vent on one of the passenger side means I can't close the vent anymore, no idea how that could have possibly happened. 

On 31/08/2022 at 22:01, JamesK said:

I’m sure I read somewhere that my car cannot take the 1896 software due to the “B” revision hardware installed. The system information screen reports the part number as 5E3035816B, hardware H56, software 1668.

 

I’m also concerned that the dealer doesn’t seem interested in me providing them with dashcam video of the car making the popping noises, or screenshots of the dash display, which doesn’t fill me with confidence for them wanting to investigate and resolve the issue.

Mine was "B" and was upgraded to "F" during its last routine service, it's also what got Android auto wireless and a number of other things resolved (and seemingly opened a new can of software worms). I was only upgraded to 1810 at the time though but dealer didn't say any hardware was replaced directly for the Infotainment but I did get a new windscreen as the camera/radar/rain sensor thing had come loose and as it was a heated one they had to replace it (?).

[JamesK]

My car is in the with the dealer this week, they wanted to have it all week, and are going to be looking at the following list of issues:

• SOS System "Popping" & Restarting
• Full Matrix LED Lights - when the system is activated I am getting constantly flashed by oncoming drivers.
• Climate Control SYNC function not working properly after car is switched off
• Bluetooth telephone connection does not always connect to phone when car is started
• ACC system sometimes complains when overtaking cars on right, but not on the left
• ACC often tells me to "Brake!" when there's nothing in front of me
• Columbus forgets destinations that are added to favourites
• Tailgate rattling – may need adjustment
• Electronic Child Lock Fault 

I've not had any kind of progress update from them yet.

 

For a hire car they've given me a 72 plate Karoq SE L, which I'd never driven before and is actually quite nice. It looks like it uses the same software platform that my 18 plate Octavia vRS used, and I have to say that it's nice driving a car where all the software "just works". I get in the car knowing that the phone will automatically connect to Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay will be set-up, rather than the lottery I have in the Octavia of "will bluetooth auto connect? If it does will it enable CarPlay or will I have to manually do it?".... Also the navigation on the car just works.

 

 

 

 

[PoloPaul]

Hello JamesK

 

 I have had all those issue also, bar none. I am surprised to learn that the ‘same’ (?) Columbus Infotainment in two different Skoda models behaves so differently. My SEL FE was registered in September 2020 and I was told that it had been manufactured 5 months earlier. It was the showroom Octavia 4. I wonder when your 2021 registered Octavia was built as I assumed that FE models would be the earliest production Octavia 4s. I guess that infotainment and modules produced in the following production year may have benefitted from further development and that could explain  why the Columbus in the 72 plate Karoq works as it ought to. 

 

My Columbus Infotainment SW was updated to 1896 in May of this year and this solved most problems except Pop-Pop SOS ‘Take your Car to a Workshop’. I will also have a replacement ‘Control Module’ (?) fitted in 4 weeks which I am told will address the Pop-Pop SOS issue. 

 

I presumed that  all FEs had  been produced in the ‘first year’ of Octavia 4 production 2020-21 (hence ‘First Edition’) I would be interested to know if further FEs were produced in 2021-22. 

 

My navigation system is  poor under voice control and it is easier to simply type in an address or postcode.  I find that AppleMaps or GoogleMaps via Carplay are both far more responsive to voice input. 

[JamesK]

The Karoq is still using an older software platform, that my previous Octavia mk3 used. I think it’s called MIB3. It does look a little dated, but it works quickly and flawlessly. I think the Karoq works as it should because it is still using the older software platform that’s tried and tested.

 

The dealer provided me the build data for my car. It was built end of July 2020, and delivered to the dealer in May 2021.

 

I do know my car hasn’t been driven since I dropped it off with them on Monday. I’m hoping it’s in a locked, covered garage as it is currently unlocked with the windows open!

 

I do like using the Columbus navigation as being able to have the navigation display on the virtual cockpit is great… right up until Pop,Pop,SOS events occur and immediately stop that view from working.

 

With the Matrix lights I don’t use them in auto mode at all now. In April the dealer told me there wasn’t any fixes for them, despite people on here having the same issue and fixes subsequently applied.

 

I’m hoping the dealer does give me a full report of what work has been carried out this time.

 

 

[scoobyguy]

Im interested in buying a used First edition but am worried about the software issues,  How many FE owners here have managed to get their car updated to 1896 ?.