Hi all!

 

Intermittently we would get the warning on dash saying “SOS Error -Call workshop”. The screen will also not turn on during this time. This warning goes away when we switch off the car for a period of time after driving. 
 

Besides a yellow warning triangle on the dash and screen not turning on there are no other symptoms. We have not driven the car much lately so I suspect it could be down to low battery, and will get a battery conditioner to see if it helps. 
 

Is the battery in the Skoda an AGM battery? Any good recommendations for quick battery charger?

 

Also does anyone else has this issue? Seems intermittent and does not affect how the car drives. 

I'm currently suffering this in my Karoq. It went in for investigation about 6 weks ago and I had a sofware update. Only used the car once until we went to Austria and back. the alarm went off over 20 times in 14 days including about 6 times on the last day. The issue is that although it usually resets on stopping and restarting, sometimes it faults again immediately. We drove over 350 miles yesterday with no SOS system working, so if we had had a crash, ...... 

 

BTW, we get a triangle and SOS up on the dash (digital dash) and the telltale light on the overhead button goes from green to red.

I had a similar sounding problem last year with my car.  It is a software problem that causes the SOS system to fail.  You are getting the warning as you're effectively driving without the SOS system functioning.  My car was taken in to do a software update which cured the problem.  Audi have a similar problem as my son's girlfriends A3 had the same thing with her car.

Yes, it's very common.  Our 2017 car was doing exactly the same thing.  The e-Call (that's the generic nae for these devices, which are a legal requirement for manufacturers to fit, these days) module was replaced, with Skoda paying parts and us paying labour.  It worked for several months, but now it randomly goes off again.  They're a dreadful system!
 

I'm told you can re-set it by pressing and holding the emergency call button for 30 seconds.  I haven't tried it though, as it tends to re-set itself after a while anyway.

9 hours ago, Avocet said:

Yes, it's very common.  Our 2017 car was doing exactly the same thing.  The e-Call (that's the generic nae for these devices, which are a legal requirement for manufacturers to fit, these days) module was replaced, with Skoda paying parts and us paying labour.  It worked for several months, but now it randomly goes off again.  They're a dreadful system!
 

I'm told you can re-set it by pressing and holding the emergency call button for 30 seconds.  I haven't tried it though, as it tends to re-set itself after a while anyway.

 

Mine doesn't reset itself, you have to stop the engine and wait abot 30 seconds for the system to power down. Even then, occasionally the fault immediately recurs. It has already been in for an update which obviously didn't cure it. Part of the issue is that no faults are logged on the system, but last time one related fault was recorded which didn't fault to in the car. So off to the dealer agin in the next couple of days. 

Edited 2 October, 20232 yr by Routemaster1461

So 've been to the dealer. Part one is the update I've already had and part two is a replacement control unit. Unit on order and should be fitted 17th October.

 

Note: although this is the Kodiaq forum this applies to mu Karoq. It may also be true of other types. I'm nt sure whether there is somewhere on the forum where cross=type issues can be discussed.

On 02/10/2023 at 08:58, Routemaster1461 said:

 

Mine doesn't reset itself, you have to stop the engine and wait abot 30 seconds for the system to power down. Even then, occasionally the fault immediately recurs. It has already been in for an update which obviously didn't cure it. Part of the issue is that no faults are logged on the system, but last time one related fault was recorded which didn't fault to in the car. So off to the dealer agin in the next couple of days. 

That's interesting.  We'll be driving along, happily and then all of a sudden, we'll get the warning noise and a message telling us there's a fault in the e-call system and to contact a dealer.  At the same time, the e-call light in the roof console turns red and we get a yellow warning triangle on the instrument display.  Often, 5 miles or so later (and without doing anything with the e-call button or even stopping the car), the e-call light goes green again, and the dashboard warning triangle disappears!

Mine would never reset itself, so I had to drive from Surry to Folkestone along the M25, M26 and M20 without a working system. It went in on 17th for a new control unit, more software updates and a second new aerial (don't know whether it replaced the first replacement), all according to the service receptionist. Ran it 200 miles on Saturday with no issues.

Is it Skoda’s responsibility to pay for the fix even if out of warranty?

Pretty much all VAGs suffer from this (including my own Superb) .

As long as the light by the SOS button is green (if its Red then functionality not available) then personally (& pragmatically)  I just ignore the error  and treat it as a transient nuisance. It could be caused by temporary lack of mobile signal at ignition on or any other transient glitch in the comms protocols

Some people have , it appears , spent lots of time in & out of dealers  in attempts to get this fixed. IMHO any such fix is likely a placebo

I've seen this error on my Superb when the connectors on the back of the radio weren't in properly.

Has anybody tried a factory reset to fix it ?

I try everything to remove this emergency error on my Skoda Octavia 3 5E 2018. I was in workshop with the car. They told me the error appear due to one defective aerial base (antena).

SOLVED: I remove Fuse 17 the one that is responsible for Instrument cluster, emergency call.

I try to start the engine but in two seconds the car stopped.

I insert back Fuse 17 in the socket than i start the engine.

Now the SOS led is green but the error still there, and a lot off errors appear (airbag, assist, etc).

With VCDS i have made a full scan and allmoust all modules was in error.

I have cleared all the errors and now the error is gone.

I repeat: This work on Skoda Octavia 3 5E, after other solutions fail and also after in the workshop they start eat my money.

This error message has happen to me twice in the last 5 years (far enough apart that I forgot how I cleared it the first time😂) Anyway, I used an OBD eleven device to read and clear fault codes. Error cleared and been fine for 5 months + now (touch wood). Hope that helps.

I had this problem on my Karoq.

I confirm that it can be solved, when it happens:

- turning off the engine for about 30 minutes (it resets everything)

- pressing the SOS button 1-2 times

- pressing the SOS button for 1 minute

The first option is not viable if you are traveling.

The other two are, and they mean that after 1-2 minutes a call is made to the VW emergency call center (not to the Police/Ambulance, to be clear).

Just press Stop Call on the display when the call is made.

Sometimes the button doesn't work, so when the operator answers just say it's a mistake.

Magically the light turns green again.

I also noticed that when it happens the car microphone stops working (so if you are on a call they can't hear you anymore) and I think the volume also stops working, which no longer goes up but only goes down.

If you try to restart the infotainment by pressing the radio power button for a long time, it gets stuck on "loading profile".

In the workshop they updated my OCU firmware in September, since then it has only happened 2 times, months apart.

Quite shameful that they don't find a definitive solution, given that it is a problem of the entire VW group...

I managed to resolve this myself on my 2020 Skoda Karoq. I appreciate that this post is a couple of years ago, but I did some extensive research to try and find a solution, so I thought I'd share my answer.

Apparently, when the backup OCU battery health is crap, the SOS system comes up with an error, which doesn't affect your driving but knocks the signal out for your satnav, interferes with the microphone on calls, and has a very irritating warning light. Mine reset when I left the car off for a while, or held the SOS button for 20 seconds and made an emergency call, and cancelled it again, but it always came back.

I found this was a possible issue and found the OCU backup battery here: Volkswagen / Audi / Skoda Battery For Emergency Supply 3G0915089A - LLLParts I called a local dealer to confirm it was the right fit for my model, and it was, then just bought it from that site as it was about £45 cheaper than the dealer.

Then you have to take out the unit, which for me was behind the headlights control. I removed the panel under the steering wheel with a hex screwdriver, and used a 10mm socket wrench to take off the Gateway Unit (part number, which I could see when I took the panel off was 3Q0 907 530 AG). Then the OCU was stacked on top of that (part number 5WA 035 284 B). Swapped the battery in the OCU with the one I bought, popped everything back in, and never had the issue come up again.

Notes!

• There is a recall on certain Skodas I found out for this issue, sadly mine was not one of them, it's worth calling and checking if your car is part of this, as a software update can sometimes fix it if this is the case.

• Remove the negative terminal on your battery before doing any of this, so you don't blow any fuses or get a bit of a shock!

Well this is weird. I had a spurious "SOS" error several years ago which I cleared and ignored. Today, at pretty much the same place (A5 westbound approaching Shrewsbury) I suddenly had multiple warnings - stability control, parking assist, headlights, ABS, hill-hold, tyre pressure and maybe more. Car drove normally otherwise.

I got home OK and have cleared the faults with an OBDEleven.

PS ... I searched on one of the error codes (U112300) the OBD found, and Google AI says one of the possible causes is "Low Battery/Key Fob: A weak 12V battery or dead key fob battery can cause communication errors".

Now I did get a couple of "low fob battery" warnings last week but they had stopped. I'll change it anyway. I had no idea it could cause multiple system errors while you were driving (if in fact Google is right).

PPS Confirmation here.

Edited 23 January23 Jan by Nimby

If you have ObdEleven

It is possible to reset the learned values for the battery (and thus the rSoH) without having to install a new battery (cost approx. €350-500).

It is suspected that VW Group does nothing different in the TPI.

Instructions for OBD11 Pro:

1. Open the hood and leave the driver's door open
2. Connect the OBD11 dongle to the OBD port in the driver's side footwell + start the software.
3. Select control unit 75 / Telematic
4. Check error code: B1916F2 / Backup Battery critical
5. Live data: If Backup_Battery_rSoH <= 50%, then the SOS message is active on the display and the LED is red.
6. Basic settings: Activate the emergency call battery history reset (press the green checkmark). OBD11 may not provide any confirmation of the reset. Simply go back and complete the remaining steps.
7. Error memory: Delete error B1916F2 (press and hold the trash can icon)
8. Live data: Request Backup_Battery_rSoH: 100%
9. Ignition off / Ignition on (Warning message is now gone and the status is green again)

Enyoj ...