Hi everyone. I just got my Octavia second hand. First time I used it the car showed error selector lever, drive on but visit workshop. Sometimes it comes on and other times it's off. I know there have been a few threads on this but wanted to get an updated set of views on this as I've seen conflicting messages. Is it a major issue? Also, do you know if it needs to be repaired by a Skoda garage or can other dealers do it? I have a warranty that requires me to use a Vauxhall dealer. Thank you. Charlie

Edited 13 October, 20241 yr by charlie1980

What is your Octavia model? There are a couple of threads for standard models 

but mine is PHEV and the solenoid contacts so much blamed for this issue is not so easy to reach on these.

I have this issue since August, same way as you coming on and off, but since than everything works fine.

did you finally get this sorted? any update?

Edited 17 December, 20241 yr by santr

no, I didn't. It is still alarming me sometimes, but no issue, everything works just fine. Maybe a false alarm.

Where the solenoid should be, I have a module with aluminium case with radiator fins and can't remove unless all the central tunnel removed.

Beneath, others have some sponge, I have a rubber membrane also not accessible. Maybe my solenoid is under the rubber membrane.

I have the same issue in my 21 TDI RS. It was diagnosed in Skoda service 2 weeks ago and tomorrow they will replace some parts, after that I can let you know what was done. My car is still on warranty (extended 4years) so at least I don't have to pay for it.

Ok, let me know what was it

I had mine sorted under extended warranty. They just said the gear selector mechanism was replaced but didn't go into much detail. Mine started as the occasional error but eventually ended up being a daily occurrence. Didn't have any issues driving but occasionally had a loud clunk when changing from parking to drive after a while.

Just FYI

I have the same issue of "Error: selector lever.  You can drive on. Please visit workshop.", which comes on and off every other day. Car is Octavia PHEV.

Had the dealer run diagnostics today and straight forward answer from their side was that 5WA713033CE needs to be replaced which is 380eur just parts, + ~200eur labor. 

When I've asked if I can drive, any risks etc, they just shrug it off and don't comment, "up to me", only recommending to get it fixed. I'll wait until after the holidays and so on and we'll see if it comes back on. Otherwise will get a second opinion from some non-dealer workshops.

Edited 19 December, 20241 yr by santr

Thanks for info, I thought that they won't struggle to repair or replace only the solenoid from the whole part.

It is a pity that they charge so much only for the contacts of the solenoid that can be repaired easily once this part is removed or only get access to the solenoid.

Once removed all the parts and get acces to solenoid, it can be easily removed and in a few easy steps strengthen those contacts.

I suspect the contacts once weakened the signal is not always firm and returns error to computer.

I also noticed that the error comes on almost every time when the car sits in colder weather so this fact again confirms we are dealing with contact material temperature dilatation. It seems these contacts were not designed well, so these common errors.

If you talk to others, maybe you could ask how to get to the solenoid, which parts have to be removed in order to get access to it

Edited 20 December, 20241 yr by axw

Gotcha. Just to be clear - the fix you're referring to is that arabic video posted in another thread, or? As in - that's the solenoid that the guy takes out? And it's different and more difficult to reach in the phev?

This is the original instruction translated from Russian. Yeah, it is a piece of cake to fix it in a non-phev version but I still haven't found  how to get to solenoid on a phev.

As I have explained before, it is easy to remove the upper cover containing the lever but after that you come across a part with aluminium fin case which is harder to remove.

I guess the solenoid should be beneath that part somewhere. The labour from this point seems to be more complicated.

I just hope to find somewhere how to continue the removals.

 

Octavia IV selector lever repair.pdf

Gotcha, and thanks for sharing.

 

And I assume you would not find these instructions in the official repair manuals? As they just replace the whole thing. Perhaps someone on the forum has access to those.

I don't have the manual unfortunately. If you ever find out or get the manual please share.

if manual is available, there is surely instruction on how to replace your part that dealer want to replace, and that is enough for us to get to solenoid.

From there we are done.

Hi,

Any progress on this issue?

I also get an error on my PHEV OIV iv when the weather is colder.

Were you able to access the solenoid, or did you have to take it to a service?

Hi,

I tried several times to no avail. The access on PHEVs is different, needs to disassemble a lot of stuffs there.

At the end I got it to dealer. Even if I could access the solenoid, it seems the contacts are factory designed errors or material is not so reliable so I decided to take the whole new version subsystem that contains the solenoid because dealer said the new version has been updated and the issue is eliminated. New part was 300 euros around and the service another 300 around. So far so good..

2 minutes ago, axw said:

Hi,

I tried several times to no avail. The access on PHEVs is different, needs to disassemble a lot of stuffs there.

At the end I got it to dealer. Even if I could access the solenoid, it seems the contacts are factory designed errors or material is not so reliable so I decided to take the whole new version subsystem that contains the solenoid because dealer said the new version has been updated and the issue is eliminated. New part was 300 euros around and the service another 300 around. So far so good..

Okay, thanks for the update.

I'm already in contact with the dealer. I was just interested in hearing about other experiences with this problem.

Mine got changed by the dealer as well, paid similar price.

Error was showing up more often and ultimately was present all the time, as well audible struggle by the gear selector/shifter to move into D or P.

15 minutes ago, santr said:

Mine got changed by the dealer as well, paid similar price.

Error was showing up more often and ultimately was present all the time, as well audible struggle by the gear selector/shifter to move into D or P.

Hmm, the problem started about a week ago for me. Everything was fine until then. In the summer, I noticed a brief message about a transmission problem, which only appeared twice and then disappeared. Now, with the colder weather, a random selector error appears. It's usually in the morning; in the afternoon, when it's warmer, it's fine. The car runs normally. It seemed to me that I heard a different sound when shifting from P to D, just as you describe.

I called the service center, and they said there are two options: either a flash update (Skoda has apparently released some new firmware for the transmission) or replacement of the entire unit.

I don't know the price yet, I'll deal with it in two weeks at the earliest.
I'll let you know then in this topic.

this behaviour is exacly the same like on mine, so a factory issue obviously. So many people have it.

I doubt a firmware update would solve this issue, however it is possible if the error is only due to the much discussed solenoid contact.

The software may interpret a not firm contact as a transitory event even if in the end the contact is well established.