A couple of times I've left key in car, closed door and gone to get something. When I get back, all the doors have locked! I understand this is a safety issue (to stop someone jumoing in and driving the car away) but it has caused me huge problems on several occasions. Is there a "setting" I can choose that stops this automatic locking from happening?

Auto locking should not happen after having opened a door. This suggests a fault with the door lock, or wiring to it, in whichever door you opened.

Hmmmm. Very strange. Trouble is, it has happened with both the Fabia's I have owned. The other one was an 08 Reg. The sequence on both occasions was as follows. Drive car. Stop. Get out, but leaving keys in ignition (engine switched off). Close all doors. Leave car for 10 minutes. Go back. All doors locked!

As far as I'm aware, automatic locking should only occur in two circumstances. 

1. Starting with an empty, locked car, you unlock using the radio remote button, but then do not open a door within about 30 seconds. Re-locking should happen, in case the button press was accidental when you were within range.

 

2. If the car is set up in this way, doors should all lock when setting off and exceeding some low speed threshold.

 

Check your owners manual to seeoif any other automatic locking is described.

 

Both mk2 and mk3 Fabia suffer from a poorly designed wiring bundle between front doors and A-pillars, so quite possible both cars had similar faults. 

Thanks again. In fact, my post was factually incorrect. It happened with my 2011 Skoda Octavia 1.6TDi (which I've now sold) and with my son's 08 Fabia Estate (not the two Fabia Estates). My reason for posting is that I now have my own Fabia Estate and I was wondering whether there was a setting that would ensure this never happened. I take your point that it could be same fault with both cars (bit spooky!), in which case nothing can be done. However, while my new(ish) Fabia is on the driveway (and I have 2 sets of keys), I will try and recreate the problem (I can still get in if it does lock with one set in ignition). If so - surely cant be a coincidence.

I'm confused about what you and the car are doing but If you are referring to a Fabia Mk3 then have a look at the Owner's Manual about SAFELOCK. -https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

Edited 26 November, 20232 yr by nta16

22 minutes ago, nta16 said:

I'm confused about what you and the car are doing but If you are referring to a Fabia Mk3 then have a look at the Owner's Manual about SAFELOCK. -https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Its not the SAFELOCK option. The issue is the doors all locking if I get out of the car, close the door(s) but leave key in the car - which means I'm stuck (unless I have spare keys with me).

UPDATE: Just tried now with 2 sets of keys (just in case). No problem. Doors didnt lock. Hurrah! Either I didnt fully recreate the sequence of events that ledt to the problem or, as an earlier person suggested, it was a "fault" that just happened with 2 cars I owned. I'd be interested if others have had some issue though.

20 minutes ago, Wingreen said:

Just tried now with 2 sets of keys

I was going to try that for you as the car and both sets of keys are easy available at the moment but we had a visitor so you beat me to it..

 

I wasn't just thinking of SAFELOCK but also reading other stuff in the book about the car's locking, have you looked at your locking settings in the menus.  I don't normally leave the keys in the ignition but often I've got out of the car and not locked it to do checks on the car and I can't remember having any issues if I've also left the keys in the ignition and at home I could get distracted and it take more than 10 minutes (all the time staying next to the car to prevent it being stolen as I'd never want that).  There are some PITA settings on the computers but I can't remember that being one of them.

 

Let's us know if you find an answer, good luck.

 

Looks like it was a red herring (or wild goose chase?). No issues when I tried, nor for nta16. (But Im not going to take any chances - in future, the keys come with me wherever I go).

Just thought of something (drip memory, or memory of a drip) if it happens again note how the red light in the driver's door is acting as it might (or might not) give info.

 

Wet weather can sometimes highlight wiring issues but personally I never rule out computer brain-farts especially with the over-complex VW programs (the amber triangle of doom no longer frightens my wife with its appearance).

 

Personally I recommend alternating, with whatever period you prefer, the use of the two sets of keys and fob to give the blades, batteries (and locks) more even wear plus it also means you know where to find the "spare" and that it works.

 

Another quick thought, are you with any sort of diet or full fat KESSY (for a knave)?

 

I'll unlock my wife's car, turn the ignition on for a short while then turn it off and exit the car shutting the door but leaving the keyblade in the ignition for say 15 minutes and see if it locks itself for you and report back here, of course our settings my be different to yours and ours isn't KESSY in any way.

 

ETA. I will of course stand guard over the car so there's no possibility of anyone helping themselves to anything in the car or driving it away.

 

Edited 26 November, 20232 yr by nta16

5 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Just thought of something (drip memory, or memory of a drip) if it happens again note how the red light in the driver's door is acting as it might (or might not) give info.

 

Wet weather can sometimes highlight wiring issues but personally I never rule out computer brain-farts especially with the over-complex VW programs (the amber triangle of doom no longer frightens my wife with its appearance).

 

Personally I recommend alternating, with whatever period you prefer, the use of the two sets of keys and fob to give the blades, batteries (and locks) more even wear plus it also means you know where to find the "spare" and that it works.

 

Another quick thought, are you with any sort of diet or full fat KESSY (for a knave)?

 

I'll unlock my wife's car, turn the ignition on for a short while then turn it off and exit the car shutting the door but leaving the keyblade in the ignition for say 15 minutes and see if it locks itself for you and report back here, of course our settings my be different to yours and ours isn't KESSY in any way.

 

ETA. I will of course stand guard over the car so there's no possibility of anyone helping themselves to anything in the car or driving it away.

 

OK. Ta. Swapping keys now and again seems a good idea.

Well, on this occasion at least, and all previous occasions that I know of and can remember, the car did not lock itself with the key left in the ignition and doors shut but not locked.

 

I had a quick look at the 'Car' menu (29.1 for those that follow mpg) not much in it for locking doors and I couldn't think how to get to anything about SAFELOCK.

 

43 minutes ago, Wingreen said:

Swapping keys now and again seems a good idea.

It's similar to checking the spare wheel tyre so that if/when you want/need to use it it's not under-inflated or flat and if you sell the car the next owner can have two sets of keys instead of the often (? used to be) only one, plus perhaps a fully inflated spare wheel.  😊

 

Sorry your issue to me, is as Toyah put it, it's a mystery. 

6 hours ago, Wingreen said:

Either I didnt fully recreate the sequence of events that ledt to the problem or, as an earlier person suggested, it was a "fault" that just happened with 2 cars I owned. I'd be interested if others have had some issue though.

 

Hundreds of people, failure or intermittent operation of the door lock microswitch is very very common, most people dont realise as it does not affect the courtesy light but will lock the keys in the car in the circumstances you describe, as most people remove the keys they are unaware until the worst happens.

Edited 26 November, 20232 yr by J.R.