Replacing the battery on a late Mark 1 Fabia vRS

[DRJ]

Here's my "how to do it" topic.

Elsewhere you'll find reference to the problems I was having last winter with my 2007 Fabia vRS - the battery seemed to be struggling in cold weather to start the car and the instrument lighting was flickering. Unfortunately I found this out just after the minimal three month warranty I'd got from Winner Cinderford ran out. The "magic eye" when inspected had turned black. On one occasion I had to put the battery on charge to boost it back up. However once last winter's cold weather had abated, starting was fine again although for the whole year the instrument lights have flickered at start-up - so the old battery remained in place. However this winter saw the engine start-up faltering - it felt as if it only just made it yesterday - so I decided to replace the battery.

BATTERY SPECIFICATION

The original battery (dated "07") turned out to be:

AKUMA 12V 61AH 330A DIN 540A EN/SAE

Part no 1J0 915 105 AD

Dimensions - 242 long x 170 wide x 190 high

The code that every internet battery site comes up with for a Mark 1 Fabia vRS is 096, but that's the earlier battery used from launch in 2003 until sometime around 2006 - probably the time the BLT engine was introduced which appears to have brought with it a smaller lower capacity battery and revised electronics integrated in a cage over the battery - which also look very vulnerable to moisture...

The generic battery code for the later battery turned out to be 027 and can be found on internet battery sites by feeding in Fabia 2006 2000cc Petrol.

After a lot of research I settled on an Exide Premium Battery 027 with 4 Year Guarantee rated at 64Ah and 640CCA. That's significantly more than the original battery (particularly the CCA figure) and seemed preferable to any of the Bosch batteries recommended by many on here in terms of performance figures. Even the top-of-the-range Bosch S5 is lower rated at 63Ah and 610CCA.

I bought mine through Euro Car Parts and it cost a very reasonable £51.62 after feeding in the special Briskoda discount code "brisk25".

The new battery interestingly also turned out to be marginally heavier than the old one:

TOOLS REQUIRED

Flat blade screwdriver

Socket set with 10mm and 13mm sockets and a long extension or two short ones

T20 and T25 star drivers - I started out with my "green key set" as shown but found that star bits and my mini socket set were easier to use

OLD BATTERY REMOVAL

Switch everything off and open the bonnet.

Remove clamp from negative terminal with 10mm socket and push away.

Remove clamp from positive terminal with 10mm socket.

Locate the three clips holding the cage on and using the screwdriver prise off each one. The one on the right is easy:

... the one at the back not so (and not easily photographed):

... and the one on the left easier if you remove the air intake hose at its forward connection - it just pulls apart.

The cage will now readily lift off - but only slightly and no way enough to get the battery out!

I found the only way to free it sufficiently was to both take the Bosch component off the right hand side using a T20 star bit - 1 screw:

... and when even that wasn't sufficient I took the air intake moulding off the front cross member using a T25 bit - 2 screws:

This made sufficient space to be able to pull the cage up and left sufficiently far to be able to get the battery out - but before doing that I used a 13mm socket on a long extension to take out the battery retaining clip at the front bottom edge:

Then I took off the insulating jacket and finally lifted the battery up and extracted it.

INSTALLING THE NEW BATTERY

Obviously this is essentially the reverse of the above procedure. The new battery is dropped in, carefully located by ensuring the back lug is properly located in the tray (push the battery rearwards) and that it is correctly located laterally (the retaining clip locates in a recess on the front edge of the battery - obvious when you're doing it).

The retaining clip can then be fitted - it's easier to do this before replacing the insulated jacket:

Then the jacket was slid back into place - again careful to locate it the right way round (the base cut-out is smaller at the front than the back).

I then connected up the leads to the terminals - positive then negative. I'd have used petroleum jelly here but try as I might I couldn't find mine and the old battery hadn't suffered from any corrosion build-up here so the clamps we perfectly clean.

The hardest part was getting the cage to click back down on the left. I had to push down hard to get it fully home.

It was then just a matter of replacing the Bosch component on the right of the cage and reassembling the air intake to complete the under-bonnet works.

Here's the green "Magic Eye" still visible through the cage.

The ultimate test - would it work when I tried to start it? YES! Success!

Then to sort out the things to do after battery disconnection:

1. The clock reset to 00.00 so I had to enter the correct time (turn and hold stalk to left for hours, right for minutes)

2. In theory the radio manual suggests the radio should work:

Comfort radio coding

When used first, the comfort coding stores the code number not only in the radio, but also in the vehicle. If the vehicle's voltage is now interrupted, the radio, when next put into operation, will compare the internal number with the number in the vehicle. If these two numbers agree, the radio is directly ready for operation without restriction. The code number is only queried if the two numbers do not agree.

However mine was saying "SAFE" in the display. Fortunately there was a sticker in the front of the radio manual showing the code so I followed the procedure in the manual:

Lifting the electronic barrier

Remember in the following steps to observe the right sequence and to enter the correct code as directly as possible. Read and observe page 4 of "comfort radio coding" also.

~ Turn on the radio. The display shows "SAFE".

~ After about 3 seconds "1000" appears in the display.

~ Use the station button number 1 to enter the first digit of this code number.

~ Repeat these steps with the station buttons 2 to 4 until you have entered the code number completely.

~ Confirm the entry by depressing the control button > (for about 2 seconds) or by pressing the control button >>.

The radio is now ready for operation.

3. To complete I then reset the one-touch operation of the electric windows. I've found in the past on my 2004vRS and today with this one that the method some people suggest by holding buttons down doesn't work - so I successfully sorted this with the procedure in the manual:

Electrically operated power windows do not operate

If the battery of the car has been disconnected and then reconnected, the electrically operated power windows do not operate. The system must be activated.

Proceed as follows in order to re-establish the function:

~ turn the key in the lock of the driver door into the closing position and hold it there until all of the windows are closed,

~ release the key,

~ Once again insert the key and turn it into the closing position for about 3 seconds.

Hopefully that will be the end of my troubles. At least the instruments aren't flickering now. Let's see if it starts with alacrity tomorrow morning...

Time taken equals approximately the same time as it took to write this article!

If anyone has any constructive comments, corrections or enhancements to make to the above please PM me and I'll effect changes.

EDITED 23/02/12 - to correct corrupted characters following the forum software upgrade.

Edited 23 February, 2012 by DRJ

[DRJ]

The car started instantly this morning (after the glow plug light had gone out) so the switch was worth it. However it was relatively warm at 2degC despite the snow and ice so a true test will have to wait until it's cold again.

[NICNAK]

Well I must say you have done a good job on the step by step guide, my only critism, I did prompt you before you fitted the battery, and that was to check the power steering fluid because to check, you have to remove both battery & tray, I did check mine, and luckily for me, it was only just on the very tip, so needed topping up, and power steering pumps aren't cheap.

[gac]

I knew there was something else I meant to do while I had the battery out on mine, although it was snowing so I couldn't remember what it was and didn't want to waste time remembering!

Out of interest, what's the Bosch plug on the right of the battery for? I don't have one, and now I'm not sure whether that might be a problem or not...

[DGW]

Do you mean the relay-looking part with the number 038 907 281C? That is specific to the BLT engine and is the 'control unit for glowplug'.

[gac]

Ah, that explains it. I'm an ASZ with the older (and simpler!) battery tray

[vRS Joe]

Very good guide! Thanks.

[VWD]

Nice guide. i had to change mine ,last October on my 1.4 oilburner( 04 ). Same battery. I just took off the top cover, removed the conections, took off the front cover ,with leads, removed the bottom clamp and battery came out .Dead easy ,even for an old 64 yr bloke. Replacement was a reversal . Bonus is that now I know where the front cover is , changing NS headlamps is now a lot easier .

Did look at Haynes ,who make it look a lot harder . Times I wonder how Haynes would tell folks how to make an omlette .

Edit - and thanks to those nice blokes at Skoda, no programming needs to be done on anything,even radio (Ford etc -take note)

Edited 22 February, 2012 by VWD

[DRJ]

...my only critism, I did prompt you before you fitted the battery, and that was to check the power steering fluid because to check, you have to remove both battery & tray, I did check mine, and luckily for me, it was only just on the very tip, so needed topping up, and power steering pumps aren't cheap.

I realise you said that - but I didn't bother.

If your fluid is going down that means there's a leak - it shouldn't use any during normal operation.

[vRSAnt]

Interesting, I'm soon to replace my batter with a similar exide just bought

But I got mine from Tanya and its an even higher crank -760 cc !!

067TE Exide Car Battery X-Tra Plus (XTra X)

http://www.tayna.co.uk/067TE-Exide-Car-Battery-X-Tra-Plus-XTra-Plus-XP07-P7499.html

Still a good price

I'm sure you will find it is 278mm not 242mm ... or your car isn't as late as mine

On ECP a lower spec battery is over £80 and not even in stock...go figure, the obvious choice for me in that case was the Tanya instead

[DRJ]

Not sure to whom you're replying there - but the late vRS is DEFINITELY a 027 battery - and that's around 242mm long. And mine's a very late one since it's an SE...

[vindaloo]

Interesting, I'm soon to replace my batter with a similar exide just bought

But I got mine from Tanya and its an even higher crank -760 cc !!

067TE Exide Car Battery X-Tra Plus (XTra X)

http://www.tayna.co....XP07-P7499.html

Still a good price

I'm sure you will find it is 278mm not 242mm ... or your car isn't as late as mine

On ECP a lower spec battery is over £80 and not even in stock...go figure, the obvious choice for me in that case was the Tanya instead

Tayna will have you buying the wrong battery if you've a late Fabia. Their site doesn't know any different. They always recommend an "096" type, where an "027" is the right one. If I was you I'd get a tape measure out and carefully check the size of the battery box. Nothing wrong with a bigger battery.... if it'll fit!

J.

[vRSAnt]

Maybe mine isn't quite late enough then....it's a 56 but sure appears to be the longer battery

I will find out for the first time tommorow when I try and fit it ! If it don't fit then it will be back to them which I am sure they wont have a problem with

Edited 24 February, 2012 by dominorising

[DRJ]

Is it a BLT engine?

[vRSAnt]

Yep its BLT

It fits (just about) but like you say the standard battery was indeed 242mm

So for a heads up, its not that Tanya are per se "wrong" but it doesn't match the current battery.

However it does fit in the tray so it will accept the overcapacity battery, thankfully.

I haven't fully fitted it yet as I pulled everything out as I forgot to check the steering fluid but it all aligned more or less ok and would have gone back in I'm sure if I hadn't needed to pull it back out;

Another quick question - Steering fluid - half way on the dipstick means best to top up gently up to top ? Or would it ok to be left as is it ?

[wilsy7]

Used this today, thanks. Instead of removing the intake from the slam panel I just removed the engine cover and allowed me enough to get it off.

Was going to check the steering fluid but light is failing fast so decided not to. I did however see the cover, has anyone removed the battery tray before to check? How many of those nuts needing removing as it looked a bit of a pain

Ps. I can't get my windows working again, DRJ did you have any trouble doing this? I followed your guide. Tried it with the car already locked, opened, Locked with the key etc and still no luck, my Car dosent seem to like these things as I've still got the service spanner up too!

Thanks

Jordan

Edited 19 November, 2012 by wilsy7

[m-davey]

try lowering the windows with the key in the door and leave it turned to open for about 5 seconds after fully down the do the same closing the windows that usually resets auto windows so im guessing will reset the windows so they work

[Dunkuk]

I spent a while looking around for the best price on batteries, currently Euro Car Parts has an offer code of Battery15 which gives 15% off. Alternatively carparts4less.co.uk is the same site as euro car parts but is delivery only and is good value.

[gac]

Don't forget EuroCarParts also do a 25% Briskoda discount (I'm not going to repeat the code because when it was originally set up they wanted it kept in their private, non-guest-viewable forum to try and stop it getting too widely known). When I bought my battery that code was certainly valid, so will give you 25% off rather than 15%.

[trebormint]

Anyone thought about installing a lightweight battery such as the Braille B14115? http://lindenbatteries.co.uk/braille-batteries/

[VRSD30]

Excellent guide here, I'm sure i'll use it in the future, the Exide battery's look pretty ok as well plus that bit more capacity for power. Would it be a good idea to check the power steering fluid level when the battery is removed?

[wilsy7]

Excellent guide here, I'm sure i'll use it in the future, the Exide battery's look pretty ok as well plus that bit more capacity for power. Would it be a good idea to check the power steering fluid level when the battery is removed?

I was going to but the battery tray looked a pain to remove, anyone done this?

[wilsy7]

try lowering the windows with the key in the door and leave it turned to open for about 5 seconds after fully down the do the same closing the windows that usually resets auto windows so im guessing will reset the windows so they work

Ok mate thanks will give that a try, I'll wait a day or two as my windows are freshly polished inside and out and don't wanna ruin them lol

On another note got my service indicator reset! Lol

[gac]

I was going to but the battery tray looked a pain to remove, anyone done this?

Yep, there's four nuts IIRC, two on the back holding it to the airbox, one down the side near the washer fluid reservoir, and one in the middle of the tray which is easy to get to but very recessed. From memory that's all there is, then it just lifts straight out.

[vindaloo]

...check the feeble wires on top of the starter too, if you're going to that trouble...

NB: Leave plenty of light/time in case it's banjaxed.