Weird issues with my electrics

**aslsw** · 20-08-2012, 04:14 PM

I had been having problems with the electrics for some time, particularly with the stereo, and the local dealer tracked it down to the ignition switch which was replaced under warranty. However, since then more 'weirdness' has crept in, but I would like you advice/suggestions on these because I'm not sure whether it's just because I don't trust the electrics in the car any more and I can't remember what it was like when it was new.

Here are a few things I have noticed (feel free to tell me if I'm hallucinating on any of these) since the ignition switch was replaced:

the fuel gauge sits on zero for a 20%-40% of the time even after I have filled up. I know this must be a problem with the sensor, as the readout on range is empty,
the car reports the left trailer light is out, even when it is actually on and working,
the stereo doesn't 'remember' the volume settings when playing through the MDI. For example, I can turn the stereo off to chat to my wife, and when I turn it back on the volume is all the way down,
rear doors only occasionally unlock when the driver exits the vehicle - I notice this as I tend to put my work gear on the back seat, and often have to unlock the rear doors even after I have got out of the car. I admit this one might be in a setting somewhere,
the foot setting on the heater blows hot air out of the side dash vents,
inconsistent auto headlight functions. Sure, they always come on at night but they rarely come on in dim conditions (eg. Canberra's legendary foggy mornings),
windscreen wipers coming on at weird times. For anyone who knows Canberra, usually this happens on Erindale Drive between the Sternberg roundabout and Mugga Lane turnoff in the mornings - something to do with the sun??

I can definitely prove the first two items, but with the others I don't know whether it is my paranoia which has altered my view of what is 'normal' or if there is a genuine issue.

Thanks for any suggestions.

PS. I really do love my car. Even if all of these were an underlying fault, nothing will stop me from going back to buy another Skoda when the lease is up!

PPS. Just re-reading this before posting I definitely feel like I'm paranoid!

**DunlopRS** · 20-08-2012, 05:39 PM

re the wipers, this happens to me too (in Canberra but I am sure its not ACT related......) and I only put them on auto when there is rain about. I also think its correltated to the angle of the sun and perhaps a dusty windscreen (sensor).

**K1W1** · 20-08-2012, 06:42 PM

I would not worry about the lights or wipers from what I have seen Skoda auto wipers and lights work to a tune that exists only in the cars computer brain.
In fog auto lights will often not come on as fog even though visibility is zero can actually be very bright in terms of available light. This happened on my car over the weekend and the manual light switch helps. Another issue I have is that I drive west to go to work. In the summer in bright glaring sunlight (from behind) my auto lights often come on and stay on. I can only assume because the bright light creates dark shadows and the sensor must be in shade. This does not happen in winter when it is generally duller with less dark shadows.
The auto wipers are seemingly random. Unless its actually wet I leave mine off as the will often do one or two two wipes for no apparent reason. Maybe they get some over spray form surrounding cars windscreen washers or maybe it's just some random thing but its annoying and easy to turn off unless you are happy with the odd dry wipe to smear stuff over the screen.
Under the Comfort settings for your MFD there is an automatic or manual setting for locking the doors. Unless you are paranoid about being car jacked in Canberra I would set this to manual for a while and see what happens. All doors should unlock with the key and stay unlocked until you manually lock them again.
A far as the other issues are concerned you mentioned trailer. Do you have a factory trailer kit and who installed it and did you have problems before it was installed? Skoda forums are littered with people having issues with electrics after trailer wiring has been installed and that is where I would be starting with my diagnosis.
Another thing that you may want to do is reset all the MFD displays to factory setting to eliminate any strange things that are happening that might be because you have changed something. At least when you go back to factory setting you will know what "should" be happening.

**dArK5HaD0w** · 20-08-2012, 09:37 PM

as K1W1 said, in the "Convenience Menu", you can control how ur doors behave:-

**aslsw** · 20-08-2012, 11:26 PM

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

In the morning, I will reset all of the settings back to the factory defaults first and see what happens after that.

As for the trailer lights, BEFORE I took the car back to get the ignition switch replaced it would intermittently report that one of the indicators was out. The dealer says they tested it and found no fault, so their view is that it is a fault with my trailer. But AFTER the ignition switch was replaced it's one of the tail lights ie. the ones linked to the headlights. It was a factory fitted towbar, and the trailer doesn't have LEDs.

The car definitely has to go back for the fuel gauge (it's happening more often now) and also a problem with the parking brake.

But as I say, I do tend to get a bit paranoid when things start going wrong!

**K1W1** · 21-08-2012, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by aslsw

The car definitely has to go back for the fuel gauge (it's happening more often now) and also a problem with the parking brake.

The fuel gauge sounds like a sticking float. You may find that they have to drop the fuel tank out and check how the float is working so make sure that there isn't a lot of fuel in there when you take the car in.

**PassatB6** · 21-08-2012, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by aslsw

I had been having problems with the electrics for some time, particularly with the stereo, and the local dealer tracked it down to the ignition switch which was replaced under warranty. However, since then more 'weirdness' has crept in, but I would like you advice/suggestions on these because I'm not sure whether it's just because I don't trust the electrics in the car any more and I can't remember what it was like when it was new.

Here are a few things I have noticed (feel free to tell me if I'm hallucinating on any of these) since the ignition switch was replaced:

the fuel gauge sits on zero for a 20%-40% of the time even after I have filled up. I know this must be a problem with the sensor, as the readout on range is empty,
the car reports the left trailer light is out, even when it is actually on and working,
the stereo doesn't 'remember' the volume settings when playing through the MDI. For example, I can turn the stereo off to chat to my wife, and when I turn it back on the volume is all the way down,
rear doors only occasionally unlock when the driver exits the vehicle - I notice this as I tend to put my work gear on the back seat, and often have to unlock the rear doors even after I have got out of the car. I admit this one might be in a setting somewhere,
the foot setting on the heater blows hot air out of the side dash vents,
inconsistent auto headlight functions. Sure, they always come on at night but they rarely come on in dim conditions (eg. Canberra's legendary foggy mornings),
windscreen wipers coming on at weird times. For anyone who knows Canberra, usually this happens on Erindale Drive between the Sternberg roundabout and Mugga Lane turnoff in the mornings - something to do with the sun??

I can definitely prove the first two items, but with the others I don't know whether it is my paranoia which has altered my view of what is 'normal' or if there is a genuine issue.

Thanks for any suggestions.

PS. I really do love my car. Even if all of these were an underlying fault, nothing will stop me from going back to buy another Skoda when the lease is up!

PPS. Just re-reading this before posting I definitely feel like I'm paranoid!

A lot of those things sound normal to me.The first two are an issue but the rest look like they are normal or just you learning how the car works.

**Scarfies** · 23-08-2012, 02:12 PM

Hmm. Recently, but seemingly not for the last couple of weeks, our radio (bolero) has randomly restarted on mix106 (puke). It does this from both abc news radio and triple j. It seemed to mostly happen if you restart the car fairly recently after having switched off while the radio was playing. Does it to me and my wife. Seeing as it's stopped now we're hoping it was just some random gremlins. Getting serviced on Monday anyway, I'll mention it then.

Wipers, ditto to everyone else. Mostly ok but occasionally loopy.

Door locks have been fine, I think (we have them on auto, and remote only unlock drivers door on first 'plip').

Once or twice we've had 'check lights' come up, so we did. Only once was one out -front low beam (annoyingly they didn't exactly level it or match it to the other side, I had to take the car back. Bit of a no brainier I'd have thought).

**Inego** · 23-08-2012, 03:14 PM

Interested in this one. Ours restarted on WS a couple of times last week, having been on FBi or MBS. For some reason the TIM function has been engaged, but that may have been the kids doing something. Not sure whether the two are related?

**dArK5HaD0w** · 23-08-2012, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Inego

Interested in this one. Ours restarted on WS a couple of times last week, having been on FBi or MBS. For some reason the TIM function has been engaged, but that may have been the kids doing something. Not sure whether the two are related?

that's a lot of accroynms & wat do they mean?!?!
WS?
FBi?
MBS?
TIM?