AnnoyingPentium

Thanks for the information. I'll keep it in mind should the cable I've ordered for VCDS not tell me what's wrong and I'll have to use my brain again...

Thanks for that information, Keith. I had been recommended to use a Bluetooth device with the car on another forum so have sent away for a wee one of these devices to connect my smartphone to. I was once able to bring the EPC light on at one point but it never came back on when driving the 15 miles back to the house. Once again, cheers.

Cable bought from Gendan. Also went out and removed, checked and reseated the fuse but still the readers don't work on the Fabia. Car was no issue on the journey home but I'm not convinced yet.

About to buy the cable from Gendan as we speak.

I didn't. I gave up in the end because I didn't think I'd need it... I spoke too soon. I think Jaspire is my nearest with VCDS, so might need to get in touch with him. Will do. Thanks.

Aye, I've seen a couple of Classics with the bump strip so I don't know if it was an option from the dealers as it doesn't show up on my 05/06 brochure.

Tried the pair of code readers on my Grampa's Insignia and they both work fine. Just not with the Fabia.

Didn't the poster of that make a post that it was still running? I'm not too sure though.

Today all ground connections at the strut/inner wing were removed, cleaned, reconnected, and checked with the meter for continuity. Didn't take readings from the alternator but we have progressed in terms of faults... The EPC light is on permanently. When driving about it just goes to switch itself off and doesn't allow for acceleration etc. Two code readers were tried (one worked earlier but found no codes before the light came on) but now both say the same "LINK ERROR!" message all the time, not allowing me to connect to the car. Any help is appreciated.

I wouldn't say Sep was bitter. Straight talking with a no-nonsense approach perhaps, which isn't a bad thing. Means you don't get a sugar-coated response. We have all given you answers to your question in some way or another. It's up to you to decide what you want to do with the car now.

Hi and welcome to Briskoda!

I've got a mid-80s Sharp boombox/ghetto blaster kicking about in a wardrobe, but my "main" one is this, a fairly later Sony with a CD and cassette. SW radio too, which is neat. It's also rather dusty as it's been lying about and recently got disturbed to sit on that unit/get used.

Well there's your answer then! As Sepulchrave says, just drop the AUB in the car and then do whatever you like with it.

Thanks, Pete. Will go about tightening and cleaning up all the terminals and contacts as well, just to rule that out.

Went out a wee walk around the village with the dog tonight. Got this spooky feeling photograph on the grounds of a housing estate that once was. If that photo was taken a couple of years ago you wouldn't see it for 4-in-a-block flats.

Listening and watching, all too much and too fast for me, but now you've pointed it out and I've replayed it twice (can't watch both dials at once) yes I did see it, well both. Fair enough. Tell your Grampa you've been told to put a shilling in the meter. All the best for Saturday it'll be interesting to see what you find and what it turns out to be, good luck. Thanks Nigel. I'll report back if anything is found, or even if it isn't, all in the name of exploration.

I should have emphasised that if you look at the dash cluster in the video then you can see the EPC, ABS and Check Engine lights come on again for a brief moment. It wasn't picked up well, if at all in the video but there was a momentary pause in the starting when I was filming that. It done it twice from cold today, and I had a momentary flash of the lights when I put the clutch pedal in when changing gear. It hasn't properly "conked out" since Tuesday morning (touch wood). I'm not too concerned. I've been driving it just about all week like this but am just now making the post since it's getting nearer the time for doing something about it as I'll have better tools at my Grampa's should any job require anything else.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised, Lee. Think it's out to get me.

That's scary. So far I've been going round the Bankfield/Queen Margaret Roundabout in Ayr before saying to myself "christ this steering is heavy" and I've went to set off at a roundabout and the car has turned itself off.

2.0... took 'em like a king. If you're that attached to the car, then keep it and drive it as is. Use the savings for petrol, or for a "project" car.

Multi-meter. I'll double check it on Saturday when I've got access to one as I can't remember what I did with my own one! No. I didn't. I'll sort that on Saturday as I'm at my Grampa's then. Nope, not in some time at least. It really could do with being checked again as the inner wing on had to be redirected, and was substituted with two, one on the strut tower, and one down towards the PAS pump. This was a result of the inner wing one shearing clean off, but had always been problematic. Yes. The fluid was replaced when the two rear brake cylinders were replaced to get it through an MOT test. I have no issues selecting reverse or other gears now, it's smooth as butter. I won't rely on fault codes entirely though if there are none. I don't think having your engine cut out along with your PAS when turning onto a junction is quite a dream, a nightmare perhaps. I bet my panicking is probably on the dash-cam.

Honestly? It's probably not worth all that effort, and a better idea to swap for something quicker. But it's your own money to spend. Any ECU changes will need dash clusters etc IIRC. Additionally Marelli (also found on AUBs) ECUs cannot be remapped or flashed AFAIK. Mibbie no quite what you're looking for, but I hope that helps.

What about using some of that 'Back to Black' stuff for trim? I don't know if that'd work, but it might be worth the gamble.

Well, I'd like to see a month where I'm not ready to perform a John Cleese on my Fabia. It's aging somewhat like milk that's been left on a windowsill on that one warm Scottish July day. This time I'm seeing something I've never seen before in that my car cuts out sometimes when the clutch is depressed or it'll threaten to before picking back up. It seems to be doing this when I start the car too (only when cold), which is outlined in the video below. It's also rather inconsistent as it doesn't do it constantly and when it does choose to do this, it's often turning off smoothly enough for me not to notice, which is "fun" at roundabouts so far. I've also got a mildly dicky driver's front electric window in that it goes so far up, then goes back down before having to be brought up by holding the button, thinking this is coincidence and caused by something sticking though. First time it happened did annoy the electrics though and caused the whole car to spasm. 20220317_100755.mp4.9b2f5d14fbb78d6632b56b9c459d16ce.mp4 Anyway, I've not got anything on Saturday, so some prodding shall be done, checking the usual suspects: Hoses and various pipework. Double checking the battery (already checked and was okay voltage-wise, both when running and when the engine is off) Fault codes that may be stored, if there is any. Spark plugs, which will be replaced ideally. I believe them to be original... which isn't good. Plus I've been planning to do them for ages. Is there anywhere else I'm missing? My hypothesis so far is that the clutch pedal switch (these Fabias have one, right?) is on its way out and is causing this thing to have fits, but it may be something deeper and more of a pain in the arse than that, so thought I'd check here first before running head first and playing 'parts darts'. Ta in advance lads and lady lads, Ryan

They all disappeared very quickly. It was bizarre.