Electric parking brake: rear caliper and service mode
It does not show up on every car. Check before you buy.
expensive
severity
not available
mileage
4
sources
4 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
The piston of a rear caliper with an electric parking brake cannot be wound back by hand: the caliper has to be put into service mode with a diagnostic tool. Where that was bypassed, the actuator of the caliper is damaged, and soon after a disc replacement the caliper needs replacing too.
The other complaint that recurs on owner forums is the parking brake fault itself: an "electric parking brake faulty" message, sometimes together with faults in the related controllers (hill hold, hill start assist, stop-start). In that case it is not necessarily the brake that failed, but the sensor or the communication between the controllers.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Generations and models
6 generations.

Skoda
III
Octavia
M 93 / CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Skoda Octavia III
2013–2017
Skoda
III.5
Octavia
Skoda Octavia III.5
2017–2020
Skoda
IV
Octavia
Skoda Octavia IV
2020–

Skoda
III
Superb
Johannes Maximilian / CC BY-SA 4.0
Skoda Superb III
2015–2024

Skoda
I
Karoq
© M 93 / CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Skoda Karoq I
2017–2022
Skoda
I.5
Karoq
Skoda Karoq I.5
2022–
Checklist
Electric parking brake: rear caliper and service mode
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
Haynes Manuals United KingdomSkoda Octavia Mk3 DIY Repair Guide: Common Problems, Costs and FixesThe most common Skoda Octavia Mk3 (2013–2020) faults, which jobs you can do at home, what they cost, and when to call a garage. UK owner's guide.- briskoda.netElectric parking brake fault — Škoda Superb Mk3 (Briskoda)briskoda.net
- briskoda.netElectronic parking brake fault — Škoda Superb Mk3 (Briskoda)briskoda.net
- karoqforums.co.ukElectric parking brake failure — Škoda Karoqkaroqforums.co.uk
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.