Hi all,

Had a 19 plate Kamiq for a year and a bit now and in the last year the SOS light comes on every time. At first it came on then would go off, now its just consistently on. Were aware it doesn't really have much function unless we roll the car etc, but is there a fix for this that doesn't involve a hefty bill from skoda? Or is it a case of bite on a piece of wood and just take it from the stealership?

The SOS module is a know issue with all VAG cars. There are TSB's about it so it should have been fixed ages ago.

The fix is normally the SOS module but sometimes involves a change of steering wheel but this is usually only on VW cars with haptic controls.

I'm waiting to take my Karoq in for the 8th time. There seems to be many potential reasons for this issue. The first thing they claimed causes it is that, as it first happened in Luxemboug it was something to do with moving between phone systems, but it subsequently did it in the UK. Since then, I I have had 4 new aerials, a software update, they have attempted to replace a cable on suggestion of Skoda Technical, but couldn't fit it because the cable was too short. I haven't had the module changed, and no-one has suggested this as a cause. The problem is that the fault is very intermittent. Some days you get the fault several times, and it virtually always resets when you stop the engine and restart after a minute or so. Other times you can drive hundreds of miles with nothing.

Thanks for the reply, sounds like your having a bit of a mare from skoda with it. Is your car in warranty? The wifes sos used to come on then go off but its just consistently on now, weirdly the car doesnt seem to allow any over the air updates so not sure if the sos is blocking it? It looks like the module is behind the infotainment screen but not sure if its a plug and play? Needs coding? Do i need a specific one? This is why im thinking im stuck with the stealership.

Hardly anything VAG related is plug and play now. You'll almost certainly need coding. The fact that it resets and then works suggests the module or the software rather than something physical. Try to make a note of the location where the fault happens to see if it is random. Electronic signals have been suspected as a possible cause.

Re the OTA updates. VW is mad keen for these, we get them for the Golf about 4-5 times a year. Skoda seem to be a bit more reluctant and prefer you to visit the dealer. On the plus side the dealer should have all the TSB's and should be able to have an idea how to fix the issue. I have access to some of the VW TSB's but not any of the Skoda ones.

21 hours ago, Routemaster1461 said:

I'm waiting to take my Karoq in for the 8th time. There seems to be many potential reasons for this issue. The first thing they claimed causes it is that, as it first happened in Luxemboug it was something to do with moving between phone systems, but it subsequently did it in the UK. Since then, I I have had 4 new aerials, a software update, they have attempted to replace a cable on suggestion of Skoda Technical, but couldn't fit it because the cable was too short. I haven't had the module changed, and no-one has suggested this as a cause. The problem is that the fault is very intermittent. Some days you get the fault several times, and it virtually always resets when you stop the engine and restart after a minute or so. Other times you can drive hundreds of miles with nothing.

All my visits have been covered by warranty. I bought 2 years extended warranty when I bought the car. The only issue was that, in a discussion on the sos fault with a dealer I didn't buy the car from, he told me that it wasn't on the computer system, despite me having it on the invoice. It took a lot of effort for my normal dealer and Skoda to sort it out. I still have 1 year left, and I would argue that as the issue occured in the first year of ownership and has never been fixed, it should all be covered by the original warranty. But chances are they would say they fixed it and its a new fault.

Pre-existing faults notified are faults no matter how long it takes the dealer to fix them. The law is clear on this point.

This video might be useful to some folks. Yes I know it's a different car!

VW SOS System Fault - Diagnosed and Fixed!

Quote

"Electronic signals have been suspected as a possible cause"

I've had this suspicion for a while but it's the random happenings that baffles. As routemaster says, you can drive hundreds of miles go 3, 4, 5 months without any happenings then it'll fault twice in one day. This happened to me 3 weeks ago, nothing for months, then twice in one day.

Interesting a few times, I was alongside a fire station it triggered, I was near an ambulance, it triggered I've been stood at roadworks traffic light controls it triggered. On the other hand I've been just driving down motorways or on a country road and it's triggered. I just wish I could pinpoint what could cause the SOS to trigger and why it's so random. It must self fix itself if it was broken, but what's broken to put it simply. Well nothing I'm guessing, I'm no expert or I guess I could have fixed it.

I'm erring on the side of it's something interfering with the signals, the electronics in this module thing, airwaves, mobile phones.

My info display sometimes asks me what I want to do, something triggered her to speak up and butt in on my conversations and ask questions, another trigger and it's not triggered by any particular word, she can't understand bugger off either my wife says.😁

Edited 11 November, 202511 Nov by MickA

It's really easy to wake Laura up if you are not careful. She has a lot of trigger words.

9 hours ago, Aldfort said:

It's really easy to wake Laura up if you are not careful. She has a lot of trigger words.

Can she be put to sleep for good, never used that, don't feel the need either?

I think there is a setting somewhere in settings. Look under voice control.

my SOS light has been on the last two months with the warning and red light

however it works. today have it a try and made a call...connected me all the way through

also in the my skoda app there is no errors being reported

anyone else experience all this but still get the warning light?

2 hours ago, jesperss said:

my SOS light has been on the last two months with the warning and red light

however it works. today have it a try and made a call...connected me all the way through

also in the my skoda app there is no errors being reported

anyone else experience all this but still get the warning light?

What did they say, something like not again?😆

The SOS warning light can be due to a module fault or to the software. The dealer should be able to tell you which.

Just because the call connects does not mean the system is working. Remember that it can trigger automatically in the event of an accident. If this feature is not working you'll get the warning light.

Edited 20 November, 202520 Nov by Aldfort

1 hour ago, Aldfort said:

The SOS warning light can be due to a module fault or to the software. The dealer should be able to tell you which.

Just because the call connects does not mean the system is working. Remember that it can trigger automatically in the event of an accident. If this feature is not working you'll get the warning light.

I know all that thanks👍

I'm not going to the dealer for a fault that probably won't be present when I take it in. It resets itself, whether that is actually resetting the system and clearing a fault who knows. I've read folk have had a software update and possibly a module update and still the SOS fault triggers.

I'm thinking (no expert here) that it has a trigger point, something sets it off, a signal. It's wasn't a coincidence when I was next to a fire station when it triggered once, or an ambulance going past another time, but it is usually random. Is that a fault in the module, the software, I don't think I'm about to shell out at a dealer to find out. Over 50 years of driving I've been ok, lucky, fortunate some may say, I don't really need an SOS system, my other car (reasonably modern) hasn't got it.

You're welcome.

Back on this again, boring as it is.

Yesterday going past a fire station, a different one this time, SOS triggers. Hmm that's a coincidence, not really. Also this has triggered again, this time when I approached temporary traffic lights, another coincidence, not.

I can definitely say, something at or near those locations triggers my SOS module. The fire station with their communication systems yes I can understand, temp traffic lights, of which there are plenty around us, yes it does seem to go off 3 or 4 times now when I've approached them. Interesting, bloody annoying, piece of tech.

As mentioned before, lots of people who drive VAG products have mentioned this. I can remember years ago the remote unlocking on a Golf not wanting to work in one spot in a carpark.

The only thing you can do is have the dealer ensure the software is up to date when the car is in for a service. If the module goes fully bad then dealers seem to know how to fix that. The random gremlins that infest modern car electronics, not so much.

1 hour ago, Aldfort said:

As mentioned before, lots of people who drive VAG products have mentioned this. I can remember years ago the remote unlocking on a Golf not wanting to work in one spot in a carpark.

The only thing you can do is have the dealer ensure the software is up to date when the car is in for a service. If the module goes fully bad then dealers seem to know how to fix that. The random gremlins that infest modern car electronics, not so much.

I might have to bite the bullet and go in the dealership, I do all my own servicing.

1 hour ago, Aldfort said:

As mentioned before, lots of people who drive VAG products have mentioned this. I can remember years ago the remote unlocking on a Golf not wanting to work in one spot in a carpark.

The only thing you can do is have the dealer ensure the software is up to date when the car is in for a service. If the module goes fully bad then dealers seem to know how to fix that. The random gremlins that infest modern car electronics, not so much.

I might have to bite the bullet and go in the dealership

4 hours ago, Aldfort said:

As mentioned before, lots of people who drive VAG products have mentioned this. I can remember years ago the remote unlocking on a Golf not wanting to work in one spot in a carpark.

The only thing you can do is have the dealer ensure the software is up to date when the car is in for a service. If the module goes fully bad then dealers seem to know how to fix that. The random gremlins that infest modern car electronics, not so much.

I've got my Mazda in for a recall next week, ok it's not an electrical fault/gremlin but a safety issue, fuel pipe. That's 11 years old this year, so my Kamiq and many, many other VAG vehicles will be suffering with this SOS bug/fault, mine was just over 3 years when it started to fault. Is that a safety issue in itself, for your safety it's installed i believe on most motors now for that reason. I suppose the costs involved to replace the modules will deem it not that big a problem to Skoda, unless of course owners are willing to pay replace it or at least pay to diagnose the problem

Edited 20 February20 Feb by MickA

Ask if there are any technical service bulletins relating to the issue. This means Skoda know of the problem and should, as a minimum, offer a goodwill gesture.

47 minutes ago, Aldfort said:

Ask if there are any technical service bulletins relating to the issue. This means Skoda know of the problem and should, as a minimum, offer a goodwill gesture.

Thanks I'll try that.

Do you know what the going rate/average is for a Skoda dealers diagnostic? I know from past experience, many years ago, first thing they say is, book it in for a check first.

Some folk are happy to take their cars to a dealer, understand that with warranty and all that or they just can't work on cars. Me I can't think of a worse thing to do than book in to a dealer for work to be done, that's me though, bad experiences in the past, I guess most of us have been there with cars in the past.

Local garage, who are pretty clued up on most mechanical stuff as you'd hope say, take it to Skoda as you probably end up there on our advice anyway.

Edited 21 February21 Feb by MickA

Ah, the famed "diagnostic" I've seen number ranging from £150 to £250. Frankly it's BS unless they offer to get to the bottom of the problem. I've experienced the "that SHOULD fix the problem" only for it to recur a few weeks later. Now I ask for written assurances and a warranty.

The real issue with this fault is that there are several possible causes. I have posted on this subject many times as Skoda suggested several possible solutions and it seems difficult to diagnose which will be successful. After being initialy told that it was probably the switch between continental phone providers, and me telling them that it happened in the UK as well, it changed to faulty aerials. I had four new aerials, and it still persisted. I was told, some time between the aerial changes that it needed a software update with also failed to cure the issue. Eventually last autumn, after the issue had persisted since summer 2023 (iirc), a fairly long investigation concluded that it was a faulty cable connecting something near the back bumper to something else at the front of the car. Even this became an issue as the part number that Skoda Tech supplied turned out to be a cable approx 4 metres too short. Eventually the dealers had to make one up. So it allseems well now. We've not used the car much since but thankfully it is now seems OK.

I don't write this to worry other owners. I just want to point out that there are many potential ideas about what the cause of the issue is. The only potentail cause I have seen online that has not been mentioned to me is a failure of of the control unit. Luckily for me the entire issue has been covered by my warranty and extended warranty so the only cost to me has been the inconvenience of taking the car in and collecting again and the time that it has taken, with at least 2 visits taking a week in the workshop. As it was a fault, they comped the loan cars.