Warning lights and dealerships - general rant
Discussion
I’ve had a Skoda Superb IV estate for the last couple of years - nice car but seems prone to bombarding you with random warning lights every so often.
Generally they disappear after one or two restarts but in the last couple of weeks this has been a lot more frequent and we’ve had the EPC light several times. From experience that one sometimes forces you to stop and restart as it does strange things to acceleration etc. (or it is telling you about those strange things happening - not sure if it is chicken or egg?). Anyway, as Mrs Foss is taking the car 250 miles away in a couple of days I thought I’d ask the dealer to have a look - I suspect just a software reboot would solve it as the car has only done 25000 miles, probably half on electric only.
Discussion with reception all went well until I was given a time they could look at it - September 18th!!! Is this really what’s classed as acceptable service these days? On suggesting that there might be safety implications I was told that amber lights are fine, only start to worry if they flash or turn red. Pointing out that the EPC one often seems to be accompanied by slightly hazardous driving characteristics (it terrifies Mrs Foss - because she says it feels out of control), the lady said that if that happened the car could be recovered to them and they would then look at it after 72 hours (exclamation marks again).
Am I being taken for a mug here or is this sort of stuff normal for a car that is still under warranty? Are warning lights really that unimportant and is it unheard of just to be able to turn up and have a (probably) simple fault sorted on the spot?
Generally they disappear after one or two restarts but in the last couple of weeks this has been a lot more frequent and we’ve had the EPC light several times. From experience that one sometimes forces you to stop and restart as it does strange things to acceleration etc. (or it is telling you about those strange things happening - not sure if it is chicken or egg?). Anyway, as Mrs Foss is taking the car 250 miles away in a couple of days I thought I’d ask the dealer to have a look - I suspect just a software reboot would solve it as the car has only done 25000 miles, probably half on electric only.
Discussion with reception all went well until I was given a time they could look at it - September 18th!!! Is this really what’s classed as acceptable service these days? On suggesting that there might be safety implications I was told that amber lights are fine, only start to worry if they flash or turn red. Pointing out that the EPC one often seems to be accompanied by slightly hazardous driving characteristics (it terrifies Mrs Foss - because she says it feels out of control), the lady said that if that happened the car could be recovered to them and they would then look at it after 72 hours (exclamation marks again).
Am I being taken for a mug here or is this sort of stuff normal for a car that is still under warranty? Are warning lights really that unimportant and is it unheard of just to be able to turn up and have a (probably) simple fault sorted on the spot?
I feel the pain.
My F-Pace went in for a service where they changed a NOX sensor, and a week later the EML popped up. Phoned the dealer, and the earliest they could get it in was 10 August, 10 weeks after the fault appeared.
They changed the EGR valve and DPF (for the second time in just over 2 years).
4 days later, the EML light up again.
Phoned the dealer, and was told it was another 6 weeks before they could see it, or I could call Jaguar Assistance. They came out within 2 hours, which was great. They had a look and said it needed a new NOX sensor!
I can’t wait to get rid of it, but can’t while playing warning light bingo.
My F-Pace went in for a service where they changed a NOX sensor, and a week later the EML popped up. Phoned the dealer, and the earliest they could get it in was 10 August, 10 weeks after the fault appeared.
They changed the EGR valve and DPF (for the second time in just over 2 years).
4 days later, the EML light up again.
Phoned the dealer, and was told it was another 6 weeks before they could see it, or I could call Jaguar Assistance. They came out within 2 hours, which was great. They had a look and said it needed a new NOX sensor!
I can’t wait to get rid of it, but can’t while playing warning light bingo.
Normal due to limitations and availability of techs sadly. Equally it could dedicated diagnostic techs sometimes as well.
The problem is made worse sometimes with only specific techs qualified to work on EVs.
The exception to that in recent experience has been AM ironically...truly superb service most of the time they squeeze me in the day or two after.
The problem is made worse sometimes with only specific techs qualified to work on EVs.
The exception to that in recent experience has been AM ironically...truly superb service most of the time they squeeze me in the day or two after.
I had the Superb (2018), purchased with approx 30k miles in August 2020 and took it up to 170-180k.
You’re right, they love to throw up a few warning lights, usually bombarding you with multiple at the same time. It got to the point where I started to carry a cheap OBDII reader in the car, a quick reset and the car was as fine for another 10-12k (baring in mind 10-12k is Approx 8 weeks of driving for me, it became annoying)
You’re right, they love to throw up a few warning lights, usually bombarding you with multiple at the same time. It got to the point where I started to carry a cheap OBDII reader in the car, a quick reset and the car was as fine for another 10-12k (baring in mind 10-12k is Approx 8 weeks of driving for me, it became annoying)
Dads Taxi said:
I feel the pain.
My F-Pace went in for a service where they changed a NOX sensor, and a week later the EML popped up. Phoned the dealer, and the earliest they could get it in was 10 August, 10 weeks after the fault appeared.
They changed the EGR valve and DPF (for the second time in just over 2 years).
4 days later, the EML light up again.
Phoned the dealer, and was told it was another 6 weeks before they could see it, or I could call Jaguar Assistance. They came out within 2 hours, which was great. They had a look and said it needed a new NOX sensor!
I can’t wait to get rid of it, but can’t while playing warning light bingo.
I don’t really get it. If these warning lights are so unimportant then why are they there? The data (even if genuinely about dodgy sensors or whatever) could just be checked and the problem addressed at the next service.My F-Pace went in for a service where they changed a NOX sensor, and a week later the EML popped up. Phoned the dealer, and the earliest they could get it in was 10 August, 10 weeks after the fault appeared.
They changed the EGR valve and DPF (for the second time in just over 2 years).
4 days later, the EML light up again.
Phoned the dealer, and was told it was another 6 weeks before they could see it, or I could call Jaguar Assistance. They came out within 2 hours, which was great. They had a look and said it needed a new NOX sensor!
I can’t wait to get rid of it, but can’t while playing warning light bingo.
Why not leave warning lights for real emergencies like loss of oil pressure, coolant or brake fluid?
CKR83 said:
I had the Superb (2018), purchased with approx 30k miles in August 2020 and took it up to 170-180k.
You’re right, they love to throw up a few warning lights, usually bombarding you with multiple at the same time. It got to the point where I started to carry a cheap OBDII reader in the car, a quick reset and the car was as fine for another 10-12k (baring in mind 10-12k is Approx 8 weeks of driving for me, it became annoying)
That sounds like a useful suggestion.You’re right, they love to throw up a few warning lights, usually bombarding you with multiple at the same time. It got to the point where I started to carry a cheap OBDII reader in the car, a quick reset and the car was as fine for another 10-12k (baring in mind 10-12k is Approx 8 weeks of driving for me, it became annoying)
I keep an OBD Eleven code reader (the best one for VAG cars) in the glove box of my golf, they are very handy things to have and let you know if it is something minor or requires action earlier.
Despite decades of driving and never seeing an EML on a large variety of brands, I've had two on the golf within a year.
Despite decades of driving and never seeing an EML on a large variety of brands, I've had two on the golf within a year.
Bad planning and horrific business decision by the dealers themselves have caused this.
Used to be you start at the bottom and worked your way upto master tech.
Now the bonus systems in place reward spinning filters and up selling discs and pads.
In our place a service and mot tech if hit bonus every month can earn more than the master tech.
On top of that lack of new recruits I'm 31 and the 2nd youngest in the workshop the youngest is 24 and can't do s
t else more than prep cars and servicing.
The older techs have either left or won't be long to leave others have left for better paying roles result chronic shortages of good quality techs which is even smaller amount that are willing to do the diag.
Also dealers hate warranty work/diag as it doesn't pay that well.
Put in COVID with lack of dealer training most of the tech centres were closed for good 18 months-2 years created a issue with limited training slots for regular courses and even more limited supply for ev training.
The group I work for has over 130 tech positions to fill across the various marques and it's the same for all the others.
I feel sorry for public in having to put up with dogst service and scummy tactics in up selling etc.
Can't wait to leave the industry.
Used to be you start at the bottom and worked your way upto master tech.
Now the bonus systems in place reward spinning filters and up selling discs and pads.
In our place a service and mot tech if hit bonus every month can earn more than the master tech.
On top of that lack of new recruits I'm 31 and the 2nd youngest in the workshop the youngest is 24 and can't do s
t else more than prep cars and servicing.The older techs have either left or won't be long to leave others have left for better paying roles result chronic shortages of good quality techs which is even smaller amount that are willing to do the diag.
Also dealers hate warranty work/diag as it doesn't pay that well.
Put in COVID with lack of dealer training most of the tech centres were closed for good 18 months-2 years created a issue with limited training slots for regular courses and even more limited supply for ev training.
The group I work for has over 130 tech positions to fill across the various marques and it's the same for all the others.
I feel sorry for public in having to put up with dogs
t service and scummy tactics in up selling etc.Can't wait to leave the industry.
Had similar issues last year with our Kodiaq. Dealer said they couldn't take the car for 6 weeks so called Skoda Assist who came out to the house, recovered the car to the same dealership and gave us a rental car from Enterprise for a week until it was fixed. Apparently vehicles recovered by Skoda Assist have to be fixed within 48 hours otherwise the dealership gets penalised.
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