[CW2]

Well, just had a crash in my iD.4 which pretty much seems to have wrecked the front, the front compartment and steering. Ignoring the details of the accident and potential repairs/write off, attempted to use the SOS call for recovery. I got notified of a call and then some almost inaudible and incomprehensible noises, which might have been speech, or something recorded, or a computerised voice (my phone call to emergency services was working ok through the car system). Nothing resulted from this. So, just wondering if anyone else actually has any experience of the SOS module doing something useful, or what it should do. On a sample of one, it seems useless.

(Nobody injured in either vehicle; just wrecked cars)

 

[6652]

Well, just had a crash in my iD.4 which pretty much seems to have wrecked the front, the front compartment and steering. Ignoring the details of the accident and potential repairs/write off, attempted to use the SOS call for recovery. I got notified of a call and then some almost inaudible and incomprehensible noises, which might have been speech, or something recorded, or a computerised voice (my phone call to emergency services was working ok through the car system). Nothing resulted from this. So, just wondering if anyone else actually has any experience of the SOS module doing something useful, or what it should do. On a sample of one, it seems useless.

(Nobody injured in either vehicle; just wrecked cars)

Sorry you’ve been in an accident, but glad to hear everybody is ok! 😳

I believe the car will automatically call the emergency services and send its location in the event of an airbag deployment accident, did any of your airbags deploy?

When my car had a red light on the overhead console and I was trying to get it to reset, I left my finger on the button for too long, and I got a warning that it was making an emergency call.

In a mild panic, I hit the button some more to try to end the call, but it did put me through to the 999 call centre. At that point I thought I’d better stay on the call and let them know it’s a call they don’t need to respond to, and the lady who answered was very kind and after confirming I didn’t need assistance briefly mentioned they ‘get a lot of cars calling now’ before saying goodbye.

The manual mentions this is what’s supposed to happen;

It can be initiated manually in the following way;

 

[TomH]

Well, just had a crash in my iD.4 which pretty much seems to have wrecked the front, the front compartment and steering. Ignoring the details of the accident and potential repairs/write off, attempted to use the SOS call for recovery. I got notified of a call and then some almost inaudible and incomprehensible noises, which might have been speech, or something recorded, or a computerised voice (my phone call to emergency services was working ok through the car system). Nothing resulted from this. So, just wondering if anyone else actually has any experience of the SOS module doing something useful, or what it should do. On a sample of one, it seems useless.

(Nobody injured in either vehicle; just wrecked cars)

It's great that everyone is OK. Still a huge shock though!

Not used the SOS button in anger but we had a "what does this button do moment" in the first few days. Had a very quick response from a lady in a call centre followed by profuse apologies from us.

 

[CW2]

I believe the car will automatically call the emergency services and send its location in the event of an airbag deployment accident, did any of your airbags deploy?

Got all the manual information; maybe I made the mistake of calling 999 directly.

No the airbags didn't deploy, which I thought a bit strange. Hope they were working! But we decelerated relativel slowly running over the verge with undergrowth and bushes. The aairbags in the other vehicle deployed, maybe because they hit directly, but us from the side.

 

[6652]

Got all the manual information; maybe I made the mistake of calling 999 directly.

No the airbags didn't deploy, which I thought a bit strange. Hope they were working! But we decelerated relativel slowly running over the verge with undergrowth and bushes. The aairbags in the other vehicle deployed, maybe because they hit directly, but us from the side.

Yep, airbags won’t deploy unless they have to, the energy of the crash was probably mitigated by the nature of it and the other passive safety built into the car.

Having been involved in an airbags deployed accident, it’s not to be recommended unless you need it! 😳

 

[Paul-in-Kent]

I had exactly the same experience as Tooks in trying to work out why the light was on all the time, though the person on the other end of the line was rather more firm in their response! It took a few days for my dealer to sort it out by replacing the module. Haven't had any trouble with it or need to use it since.

 

[A_Camera]

Well, just had a crash in my iD.4 which pretty much seems to have wrecked the front, the front compartment and steering. Ignoring the details of the accident and potential repairs/write off, attempted to use the SOS call for recovery. I got notified of a call and then some almost inaudible and incomprehensible noises, which might have been speech, or something recorded, or a computerised voice (my phone call to emergency services was working ok through the car system). Nothing resulted from this. So, just wondering if anyone else actually has any experience of the SOS module doing something useful, or what it should do. On a sample of one, it seems useless.

(Nobody injured in either vehicle; just wrecked cars)

I don't know the VW, but my BMW manual describes the function pretty well. It explains also that an automatic call will be initiated on certain events, but it also says that if a call was initiated, keep on talking even if the sound on your side is bad quality, they might hear you even if you don't hear them. Also, even if you can't speak, the rescue will be sent out since they receive the position information from the car, assuming the GSM reception is fine. Regarding the differences between your own call and the automatic call, the sound problems could have been caused by a speaker damage, or by the simple fact that each call is unique, so a different connection might result in a totally different sound quality.

I am sure that your conclusion is incorrect regarding that the system is useless. It is highly probable that they would have sent out a rescue team at a higher alert level if they wouldn't have been able to talk to you at all, because in that case they have no real idea of the situation, how serious it is, how many involved, how many injured, how serious injuries and so on. By default, they take these automatic very seriously. Of course, if they can hear you and you say that no one was hurt then they might lower the alert level, but that's up to their judgement of the conversation. I am pretty sure that the system is NOT useless, not even in your case.

But it's good that the air bags were not deployed and no one was hurt.