Formentor System Errors

AndyCupra93

Active Member
Apr 21, 2021
296
127
Call back from Cupra customer care today - they basically reiterated what the garage had told me - faults log was reset and no new fault codes resurfaced after numerous stop/starts and 50 or so miles driven so they have nothing to go on.

I tried my best to politely point out that they clearly DO have diagnostic information from the previous two failures and that should be enough for them to derive some sort of technical solution. Besides that, the fault originally took 1100 miles/3 weeks to surface, and then again within 20 miles/1day of receiving the car back from SMC - so there’s absolutely no telling when it will rear its ugly head again!

Made it clear that it’s one thing for garage technicians to come to this conclusion, but not for SEATs supposedly “technical” team to suggest the equivalent of “try turn it off and on again” - any average Joe tries this as a first attempt, this is in no way a reasonable technical response!

They will get back in touch with SMC today (they’re going to try more things to make it fail - I reserve no hope for that), then call me back tomorrow, but they made it clear that the courtesy car expires tomorrow unless the garage extends it. The problem I see here is that SMC don’t want a car sitting in their possession that does not fail, and that they are not sanctioned by SEAT to attempt a repair, and therefore make a warranty claim, on (e.g. replace the BCM/Gateway module).

I will be trying hard to escalate this within SEAT/Cupra to get their technical team properly involved (or higher up to an engineer actually worth their salt who cares enough about their job to investigate)!
 
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Cupradev

Active Member
May 10, 2021
169
100
Call back from Cupra customer care today - they basically reiterated what the garage had told me - faults log was reset and no new fault codes resurfaced after numerous stop/starts and 50 or so miles driven so they have nothing to go on.

I tried my best to politely point out that they clearly DO have diagnostic information from the previous two failures and that should be enough for them to derive some sort of technical solution. Besides that, the fault originally took 1100 miles/3 weeks to surface, and then again within 20 miles/1day of receiving the car back from SMC - so there’s absolutely no telling when it will rear its ugly head again!

Made it clear that it’s one thing for garage technicians to come to this conclusion, but not for SEATs supposedly “technical” team to suggest the equivalent of “try turn it off and on again” - any average Joe tries this as a first attempt, this is in no way a reasonable technical response!

They will get back in touch with SMC today (they’re going to try more things to make it fail - I reserve no hope for that), then call me back tomorrow, but they made it clear that the courtesy car expires tomorrow unless the garage extends it. The problem I see here is that SMC don’t want a car sitting in their possession that does not fail, and that they are not sanctioned by SEAT to attempt a repair, and therefore make a warranty claim, on (e.g. replace the BCM/Gateway module).

I will be trying hard to escalate this within SEAT/Cupra to get their technical team properly involved (or higher up to an engineer actually worth their salt who cares enough about their job to investigate)!
Hope you get what you want with that mate. Intermittent faults are the absolute worst. For both parties.
 

Peyton

Active Member
Jan 20, 2021
495
240
Can someone tell me what happens if you leave your car in Cupra mode with gearbox in S. Does the car start up again in Cupra mode with S gearbox?

I am asking because I feel my car worked like that, but now it usually starts up with gearbox in D (I didn't shut off my car with gearbox in D).
 

Cupradev

Active Member
May 10, 2021
169
100
Can someone tell me what happens if you leave your car in Cupra mode with gearbox in S. Does the car start up again in Cupra mode with S gearbox?

I am asking because I feel my car worked like that, but now it usually starts up with gearbox in D (I didn't shut off my car with gearbox in D).
I think most cars these days revert back to the “normal” settings when ignition switched off. Which would be D for gearbox and Comfort for drive mode.
Think WLTP has driven this. Pardon the pun.
 

Peyton

Active Member
Jan 20, 2021
495
240
I think most cars these days revert back to the “normal” settings when ignition switched off. Which would be D for gearbox and Comfort for drive mode.
Think WLTP has driven this. Pardon the pun.
Drive mode stays in Cupra, only gearbox seems to revert. Not sure if this happens to everyone or is a bug with my car.
 
Last edited:

Cupradev

Active Member
May 10, 2021
169
100
Drive mode stays in Cupra, only gearbox seems to revert. Not sure if this happens to everyone or is a bug with my car.
Really? That’s great news. The drive mode staying the same, not the gearbox. I’d been told that the new generation of MQB cars didn’t “remember” their previous drive mode. 👍🏼
 

IanH72

Active Member
Jan 20, 2019
301
126
Drive mode stays in Cupra, only gearbox seems to revert. Not sure if this happens to everyone or is a bug with my car.
Hi Peyton, the drive modes on all VAG groups cars regardless of which mode they are in when turned of resort back to the standard/normal mode when started again for engine and gearbox. The cars will still say they are in which ever mode they were in when shut down but will only be in the same DCC, steering and sound mode. So if the car was in Cupra mode with gearbox in S when turned off when you turn it on again it will still show Cupra mode and sound the same, be in the same DCC mode but the engine mode and gearbox modes will be in standar/normal.
 

Peyton

Active Member
Jan 20, 2021
495
240
Hi Peyton, the drive modes on all VAG groups cars regardless of which mode they are in when turned of resort back to the standard/normal mode when started again for engine and gearbox. The cars will still say they are in which ever mode they were in when shut down but will only be in the same DCC, steering and sound mode. So if the car was in Cupra mode with gearbox in S when turned off when you turn it on again it will still show Cupra mode and sound the same, be in the same DCC mode but the engine mode and gearbox modes will be in standar/normal.
Thank you. I'll make sure to change the mode.
 

AndyCupra93

Active Member
Apr 21, 2021
296
127
I was forced to pick up my car today from SMC Aldershot as SEAT decided to end the hire car.

They couldn’t offer anything further, just repeated that technical have had the final say on the situation - they can’t do anything because the fault hasn’t been repeatable.

I told them I cannot fathom this lackadaisical attitude towards a faulty vehicle; they have been given fault logs and video evidence of the dash warnings, the same fault has occurred twice - if that information does not point you towards a possible technical solution then you should be extremely concerned that your vehicle can fail in such a manner and is undetectable!?

I work for an electronics company, and if something comes back faulty we investigate the problem. If it repeats itself again and we can’t find a solution then we replace the product - we don’t hand it back to the customer and tell them sorry, roll the dice...

Since there appears to be no one else I can speak to at SEAT, I have no option but to complain to the lease funder, Arval. I don’t know what my rights are, will need to read the contract, however I’ve heard that you legally only have to give a vendor one chance to fix something before you have grounds to reject it...

Overall, I’m not happy and not the least bit confident in taking the vehicle anywhere long distance. For the time being I will just drive it to work which is a couple of miles away and around town...
 

Filipp

Active Member
Nov 16, 2020
20
9
We are on the same boat....
My car was delivered in nov 2020. Since then I was visiting dealer once a month. All updates were made but beside front assist and radar issues, nothing changed - infotianment was still failing - bluetooth problems, carplay, ambient lights etc. In April i got to the point where i left the car with the dealer and agreed that my car will sit there till final resolution - dealer is really helpful (they gave me demo car to ease all the burden). They were straight and told me that they can not do anything without Cupra/Seat approval. After 2 months the only advices they are having from Cupra HQ is to disconnect battery / reload the software :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: they are playing that game since April, none of the hardware was changed (being an engineer I'm impressed how persistent they are following one direction without positive outcome o_O). In the meantime I got law office involved and prepared nice letter to the Dealer/ Cupra that i want to return the car or a replacement - I'm shocked how carefree Cupra is....at this point if I will have to open a case in court i will do that.
 

AndyCupra93

Active Member
Apr 21, 2021
296
127
Hi Filipp,

That sounds awful, have you had the fail to start issue that I have, or just various other software issues?

It would be nice to point towards evidence of other people with exactly the same fault (unfortunately Gwynneth’s was allegedly caused by a tracker fitting company - pure coincidence it resulted in the same fault...??).
 

Filipp

Active Member
Nov 16, 2020
20
9
Andy,

nope, nothing from engine side (luckily) only repetitive faults for whole infotainment system - rear view camera / park assits / sensors....like its living its own life :oops: At this point I'm pretty sure headunit replacement can fix the problems...but i understand that cupra enigneers have their KPI's and headunit is not included :LOL: I also offered my help in troubleshooting and beta testing the vehicle (giving them my hour rate) but Cupra wasn't intereted :ROFLMAO:
 
May 2, 2021
136
51
Had my first system errors today, car has only done 350 blooming miles.
1. Tyre pressure warning, great I thought, puncture in less than a month but it didn’t feel flat so when I stopped I checked the system again and it was showing fine. I think they’re a bit temperature sensitive as my Leon 290 used to do this regularly.
2. Full on hang on startup. Was fine next time car was started.

I also learnt today that when paraded in the sun, the AC slide controls get hot enough to burn the tips of your finger.

I’m not really in love with this car yet, doubt I ever will be. Looks nice, goes ok, but actually it’s quite boring and soulless.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CupraCraig

Active Member
Mar 5, 2021
132
57
Had my first system errors today, car has only done 350 blooming miles.
1. Tyre pressure warning, great I thought, puncture in less than a month but it didn’t feel flat so when I stopped I checked the system again and it was showing fine. I think they’re a bit temperature sensitive as my Leon 290 used to do this regularly.
2. Full on hang on startup. Was fine next time car was started.

I also learnt today that when paraded in the sun, the AC slide controls get hot enough to burn the tips of your finger.

I’m not really in love with this car yet, doubt I ever will be. Looks nice, goes ok, but actually it’s quite boring and soulless.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would agree with boring and soulless.
 
May 2, 2021
136
51
And another alert on the app
b297109f0621043af035ddefee624d5f.jpg



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Ricknffc

Active Member
Feb 20, 2021
464
301
Did you turn the lights off?
I've had this before when I've manually had the lights on when I've left the car the lights however weren't on as the car turned them off ( I'm guessing due to design to avoid battery loss etc) but the app still said my headlights were on.
 
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