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Fabia power steering problems?


Tech1e

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OK Thanks for that, I have something to work with now which is a good start. Have run out of time this afternoon to pull it apart so it's a tomorrow job now. Will update with progress asap.

 

Thank again 

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  • 3 months later...

Maybe somebody can help me out slighty.

 

I have recently replaced my power steering pump due to my mot comming up. 

Having replaced the pump everything works fine.

The other day while finnishing off some anti-roll bar drop links (lowlifeproblems) i had a mate come to clear the fault code on my dashboard.

We were unable to clear the code as the computer couldnt communicate with my power steering pump. 

I tried to see if the garage would turn a blind eye since my power steering still worked but he wasn't having any of it.

driving it back from the test centre i felt that the power steering still worked but was much heavier (better in my eyes i actually felt the road as opposed to how silly light it is standard)

Does anyone have any ideas of what may be the problem as my car has now run out of mot and this light is the only thing forcing a failure which is really annoying.

 

Otherwise who knows how to remove lights from a fabia vrs dashboard... LOL.

 

Many Thanks

Jack

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  • 8 months later...

Hello, 

 

I had to replace the pump 2 times in four months, the second time I'm trying to find out what was the issue...

 

Could start the car many times in a row burn the pump?

 

I had trouble with my starter motor, so after a trip of 200KM, I stopped the car and was testing the starter motor and started and stopped the car the car like 5 times in a row and the pump stopped working.

Edited by dm222
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Poor connection or earth is more likely I'd say

Imagine that you have a bad connection to earth, could that burn a pump or ir would only make the pump not work while the connection is not fixed?

Also where is the connection from the pump to ground? Is that cable that connects the pump to the chassis?

 

And also what kind of error would that generate? "Short to Ground"? "Short to Plus"?

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Quite a new people have complained about this since, well since the Fabia came out but I thought id complie a simple guide to what CAN cause PAS faults on the Fabia and a little background to how the system works. Please note all of this is from my head so please take it as advice and not the word of Skodagod. It is open to discussion and can and will be changed as it needs to be.

The Fabia PAS system is electro hydraulic. This means it has an electric pump the presurises the fluid rather than a mechanical pump driven by the engine. The pump is controlled by a control unit, this is mounted with the pump under the reservoir under the n/s chassis leg. Ballache is this is under the battery for most of the engine options with a few exceptions so that needs to come out to check the level sadly. The system itself is actually fairly simple, the motor have a main live and earth connection that powers the motor, three wires to a hall effect sensor and an ignition live. Add a couple of data wires to the dash insert for warning lights and thats about it.

PAS sensor

This little beauty pops up more than anything and probably these days fairly its unjustified. True the early PAS sensors were problematic, the plastic cased end ones used to get water in them and cause issues. These were replaced in service by metal ended ones. Usually logging a fault code along the lines of PAS sensor incorrect signal. The job of the sensor is simple, tell the ECU you are turning the steering wheel so the pump provides assistance. All of the vRS models and most from around 2003 onwards adpoters the latter sensor set up that uses the seperate sensor and lead and a twin pick up in the rack these very rarely give issue. The sensor can be viewed in MBV in diagnosis to see if the ECU is picking up movement, the rate of the movement and current draw etc.

Steering rack

Its a regular hydraulic power steering rack, nothing exceptionally special it just has a hall effect rotor on the pinion where the column bolts on. Two different types that I know of, single and twin, uses different sensors etc so the right one must be ordered. Watch out with pattern ones, quite often get the wrong one. Common issues the end seals leak into the rack boots, as these are sealed you dont notice the loss of oil so if its going somewhere, its a pretty good bet.

Pump

The pump as mentioned before is built in with the ECU and reservoir as one unit. Pretty much the last resort but using simple diagnosis its fairly easy to in down if the culprit of a failure. Water ingress is fairly common, was covered in a big foam jacket on earlier cars to quieten it down, however this just held a load of water in around the ECU so it was dropped (by the looks of it). Pump control unit does have a fair ammount of self diagnosis capabilities, also coding is required if replaced. Steering assistance can be altered on some pumps (vRS is normally already on the heaviest setting).

General diagnosis

First, fault code check, sounds obvious but it can save a lot of assumptions and wild goose chases changing random parts, also use MBV to see what the pump is getting voltage wise and if a signal is being picked up by the PAS sensor. They dont always log a code, but its worth checking.

Second up the really obvious one, power! Its an ELECTRO hydraulic system so requires a good healthy battery. The pump can draw up to 60amps so I was told (probably a bit less that that to be fair) but add that to the other things you might be running such as lights, heater, HRW and you can see why it may struggle. Cars fitted with the 41ah batteries will always struggle a little more, my advice would always be if you end up having to replace it at some point do yourself a favour and go a size up to something like a 60ah. Dont forget that your power supply is only as good as the earth return so these also need to be in good order. I have seen quite a few older Fabias having issues with the battery earth leads and had good results in renewing them, bonus is they are pretty cheap and will help the whole electrical system nt just the PAS. Check the charging system paying special attention to the common DFM wire fault, if the battery isnt charging the PAS wont work. DFM wire fault is easy to verify by switching your ignition on, does the battery light come on? If it doesnt, pretty good bet the wire has broken, usually at the two pin connector in front of the gearbox. So if your fuse on top of the battery is ok, you have a healthy batter and a good 12v+ at the pump, a sound earth (which goes up on to the chassis leg, very short lead and can come loose or corroded) its all pretty good here.

Fluid level is also crucial, the light in theory wont come on if the level is low, it will however come on if the pump overheats which is can do with insufficient oil so can do in a round about way.

It should in theory be fairly simple to resolve any issues, not saying it will be cheap mind if you end up having a rack and pump it can be quite a shock but it doesnt happen very often.

I will update this as I think of more and hopefully a mod will make it a sticky, hope this helps a little.

Hi

My skoda fabia 2000 power steering was not working after a short trip. As I was on holiday, the car was driven after two weeks rest. The power steering light was on, and I thought it may be bacuse of low battery charge(I was on holiday).

So kept the car running for half an hour on my drive way and then drove around my place for half an hour also.

The power steering light went off, but the steering is heavy.

I went to garage and he said that it may be because of pump failure. But he cannot assure it.

The fault code he gave to me are

00532

01233

01309

00906

00566

 

It has driven only 46000 miles in 15 years. except this steering problem it is a good car, and I like it very much.

If I have to change the PAS or ABS, I don't know which one to change, it may cost me £1300.

 

Can you guide me what can be the problem. Any fuse problem? any wire problem? any alternator problem?

 

I got my car back from garage, he suggested me to show it to an electrician.

 

Thanks

Edited by aatel123
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Hi there

My skoda fabia 2000 1.4 , power steering was feeling heavy. I tood to one garage, he gave me the error codes,

00532
 
01233
 
01309
 
00906
 
00566

 

saying there is some electric problem and advised me to take to an electrician.

 

Next garage, told me that the power steering pump/motor is not working.

part no. 6Q1423070

 

and told me it would cost, 710 + 132 , + VAT =£ 1010

 

I am confused, what to do.

 

Please advice.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi

 

I got so many offers for used power steering pump with 2 or 4 months warranty. Can anyone tell me where I can find some information about the location of powersteering pump and how to change it, with some pictures if possible. 

My friend is a mechanic, but he couldn't find it in my car!

 

Thanks

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Hi

 

I got so many offers for used power steering pump with 2 or 4 months warranty. Can anyone tell me where I can find some information about the location of powersteering pump and how to change it, with some pictures if possible. 

My friend is a mechanic, but he couldn't find it in my car!

 

Thanks

 

Some mechanic..lol

 

The PAS pump is located behind the front bumper under the n/s chassis leg. Follow the PAS pipes.

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Okay I have read through all the posts and NOBODY from what I can see, appears to have had my problem. I don't get any PAS lights on my 01 Fabia Classic 1.4 mpi however over the last month or two I have noticed the power steering acting strange. At first it was so so subtle that my step dad drove the car and didn't notice anything. The problem is the power steering seems to be working on and off. No HUGE changes but enough to be a bit... Scary going down the motorway. The steering with be stiff ish at speed (which I assume is normal?) but occasionally it will loosen a bit and the car will steer ever so slightly, so I have to correct then it stiffens up again so I put the wheel back to where it was. These are MAJOR movements in the wheel but enough to give me the odd sensation of going sideways (like with strong crosswinds) without the crosswinds. 

The old battery was a bit feffed (no green indicator and even after a full charge still not indicator) so I changed it today and I noticed quite a large improbement in the PAS. I haven't EVER felt the steering so light when at a stand still since I got the car months ago. However it appears when the engine gets warm, the PAS starts doing its "weird thing" again, only since changing the battery it does it a lot less noticeably. The only other issue (I thought before reading this thread) I thought was responsible, was that the serpentine belt is a bit glazed on the top on one edge and the rubber is a bit soft again at said edge. The only reason I considered this was because A. I thought the PAS was belt driven and B. I have wondered if it was the belt getting hot/soft causing slippage (also we think we noticed too little tension on the belt. I have been taught to believe the belt should have about 1/2 inch of play up and down (if your not fancy with proper gauges and tools to test it) but it appears to have a bit more than that. I would say nearly an inch up and down (when warm) but the belt has no cracks. 

So anyway, any ideas? I have checked fuses. I have replaced the negative lead ground cable today and I really need to get around to checking the other ground connections (2 year old and 8 month pregnant partner mean I'm not allowed to "mess around with the car" much), also checked the battery voltage and all fuses on battery and in driver side. Also checked the fluid level though I am thinking about double checking it whenever I am allowed time to work on the car as when I checked last it was darkish and I was VERY tired after spending 36 hours removing from a scrap yard and refitting lower wishbone + bearing hub housing + housing + suspension as car failed mot for a "rough bearing" but all was seized. As far as I remember there was a "bead" of fluid on the tip of the dipstick, fluid looks good and clean though. STUPID place to put the PAS fluid though! 

Thanks

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Yeah I figured that out after changing the battery. Got my vag com cable today, scanned and got 2 faults for AUTO HVAC (anther thread another issue) and 2 for PAS:
 

Address 44: Steering Assist        Labels: 6Q0-423-156.clb
   Part No: 6Q0 423 156 E
   Component: Lenkhilfe           0001  
   Coding: 00110
   Shop #: WSC 00000  
   VCID: 316F639FFBAB8896243-50E6
 
2 Faults Found:
00566 - Steering Assistance Operation 
            27-10 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
01288 - Terminal 30; Steering Assist 
            07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent
 
 
Though I strangely also got a code for central electrics, and this is weird because first time I scanned, and I saw a few old error codes I am sure I fixed recenty. SO I cleared the codes and checked again, and the Central elec code only appeared on the second scan. 

Address 09: Cent. Elect.        Labels: 6Qx-937-049-B.lbl
   Part No: 6Q1 937 049 B
   Component: BORDNETZ-SG.        1S31  
   Coding: 09242
   Shop #: WSC 13765  
   VCID: 3A7D44B326DD4BCE959-5072
 
1 Fault Found:
01598 - Drive Battery Voltage 
            07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent
 
 
So any more ideas? Am I going to have to go and start checking the steering position sensor? No doubt as its 2001 this car likely has the infamous plastic one. 
I should maybe add the battery could be a bit low because the interior lights were on for quite a while yesterday as my fuel filter sprung a leak and so I had to change it in the middle of the night. Think I had already lost about £20 worth of fuel before I realised where the leak was. I spent a week wondering why my fuel economy was so crap and how me fixing the thermostat had made it worse (My old thermostat LITERALLY fell to pieces inside the housing) 
 
Edited by Crimsonknight3
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Would a 41 mah battery be sufficient for the skoda fabia 1.4 mpi hatchback? The battery on it (that I have just got rid of) was 40 mah but it was shot and not fully charging. I can say with tentative certainty that the alternator is fine because that battery I JUST installed this last weekend was ALMOST totally dead, it REALLY struggled to start the car when first installed. After running the car for a  mile journey, I have never heard the car so eager to start, it starts SO much easier now! So could the problem simply be the battery isnt powerful enough? (Just FYI in Halfords on their list for which battery to which car for my car it indicates a battery that is 40 mah £49 and a 61 mah is their "performance" battery that costs £90) 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Had power steering problems  for a couple of years on 2004 1.9 TDI. Only ever have the problem when the car has been standing and worse in the winter.  Sometimes takes a couple of minutes to get up pressure. Once there is pressure, it's fine. Skoda have checked out the system a couple of times and not found any faults.

 

I want to sell the car, if the power steering where to fail "mid manoeuvre" as it were, would that be dangerous? This has never happened to me, and given the car's age it's the sort of fault one can live with, as long as there is no danger.

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When it flags a fault with overheating I would guess.

 

I have another situation, I don't have a reading on measure block 4.3 (it's blank), but 3.1 seems normal. Doesnt have any errors, but could the sensor be bad?

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I have a 2013 fabia with steering issues...... Can any one tell me how the system works as there is no sensor on the rack , does it just rely on the steering angle sensor to activate the pump ?

Thanks in advance

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