"Error: drive system. Please visit workshop" and unable to start car

[JamesParry]

Since I bought my Cctavia 2.0 TSi VRS in October, I've had a couple of occasions where the car will not start. It comes up with the following errors on screen:

 

• Error: drive system. Please visit workshop
• Error: Auto Hold

 

I've taken it to my local dealer, they have done a factory reset and software update but it continues to happen. Has anyone else had this problem or have any information that might help me resolve this?

[SteveTheElder]

I’ve not come across such errors so can’t help, sorry. Is your VRS a manual or DSG? Might help others track it down.

[JamesParry]

Thanks, it’s a manual

[Bechrissed]

I have had this warning last year when I was driving back from Austria (to Holland). Not nice to see this, when you still have 600km to go ......

 

I pulled over at the the next possible parking on the highway, read all sensors with OBDEleven. Saw nothing strange and reset it myself. Although I still have a million errors daily, this one has never been back.

What bothers me is that I still don;t know what the actual issue was or what event triggered it. My car is also the VRS 2.0 tsi and I have the DSG transmission. Could you post it here if you ever find out? Thanks!

 

Edit: i'm talking about the drivetrain error. Never had the Auto Hold error as far as I know.

Edited 4 January, 2023 by Bechrissed

[HenPen]

I have just started having this problem, with the warning popping up (and disappearing) whilst I am driving and nothing appearing to be wrong.   It's a 2023 DSG Octavia diesel hatch and I have gone 14,000 miles in it from new. The error never seems to affect performance and I haven't had any starting problems. The "Error: drive system" warning has popped up about a dozen times now, stays on screen for less than 3 seconds (sometimes just flashes on quickly) and then disappears.  The "Error: Auto Hold" has just started appearing today (twice).  Thankfully, I have had a service booked for this week anyway. I'll report back what the dealer says.

[walleex]

I think I have had similar on 1 occasion in early December. It eventually started after about 15 mins. Car had it first service since and workshop found no evidence of what happened. Their theory was that it could have been a once off upgrade that became corrupt. I posted about it here - 

 

 

[HenPen]

Just back from having the car serviced at the dealer. The answer I got: it is "a known software problem". They updated the software to the very latest version and told me to ignore the warning unless it comes up and stays there (if it comes back). They added that the fault memory didn't show that there had ever BEEN been a problem. I suspect that the issue is down to the VW group's notorious difficulty with software; the Skoda Essentials app frequently has major problems, I've found, and its cousin/replacement, "MySkoda" has a few glitches too.

[Sidknee353]

My car has been experiencing this on and off over the last 12 months, with no obvious routine, other than it normally errors about an hour into a journey, The error for me though doesn't latch on and pings on and off constantly, really tests the patience on a 3 hour trip to the South Coast. I could go 3 months with nothing and then two back to back journey within a week when it happens, and then nothing for 2 months. Needless to say I ignore it apart from the annoying tone being sounded every 5 seconds or so.  

I had it in to the dealer for other errors before Xmas, and they said they'd never seen this sporadic fault before, although they could see it in the log.

The outcome was that they needed the car to show the fault, and then plug in with diagnostics to be able to find a technical update. I let them keep the car for a week and of course it didn't fault. I had it yesterday on a 2.5 hour trip but haven't had it for maybe 6 weeks. 21 plate 150 Diesel, SE L Spec, DSG with 30K miles. It would be good to get this one sorted as after 2.5 years of ownership I've almost got rid of all the other faults.     

[HenPen]

This erratic error continues, with no real constant. I have noticed that every time it appears, the Adaptive Criuse Control is immediately disabled for the rest of the driving session. Cleaning the radar cover and re-starting usually solves it... for a time. I know tht the radar cover IS removable, and it might be an idea to remove it to try to clean the unit itself, but am wary of breaking it. Does anyone know how to detach it safely? (6 is the radar cover).

[HenPen]

Found the answer of how to remove the radar cover. It was right here all the time:

 

[jamwill]

I too have randomly had the error:drive system message. I've had the car from new (22 plate 2ltr 150 sel manual estate), and the problem didn't start until after a year of ownership last June. It's been back to the dealer 6 times in the past 10 months, and each time they say they can't find anything wrong and nothing showing in fault log. There's clearly a problem somewhere. The last time it happened I was towing a caravan, and the last 10 miles of the car every few seconds trying to go into 'Limp mode' was a bit unnerving and very frustrating. Pulling out at junctions was a bit hair raising too. Now the satnav resets itself and clears destination/favourites history everytime the car is switched off. The previous octavia I had was a lovely car, this one has had various  (mainly infotainment problems) almost from new. I wished I'd never bought it.

[HenPen]

During a trip to the Lake District the problem started appearing much more often, each time disabling the ACC and the Auto Start/Stop functions until a re-start. When I got back it sometimes seemed to bing away like a pinball machine on some twisty country roads. Yet the dealer and a VW Group specialist garage can find nothing wrong and no faults in the Fault Memory. This is really annoying! I am beginnning to wish, like jamwill, that I hadn't bought it.

Has anyone managed to find a solution?

[jamwill]

I haven't had the error:drive system message since Feb. But the car is going back to the dealer towards the end of May for a service and to have the error:drive system message and satnav problem sorted. They're keeping it for a week, I'll update when the car's back. My worry is the fault is so intermittent they still won't find the problem.

Edited 1 May by jamwill
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