Hi guys,

I want to run a 12v feed to the boot of my Fabia. There are lots of spare fuse locations on the fusebox, so I'm thinking I can insert an appropriate fuse into one of them, wire one terminal with a 12v feed from the battery, and the other with a wire off to the boot.

I have 3 problems.

1. I don't know how to get at the rear of the fusebox where all the wire connect.

2. Are there any 'spare' wires with +12V on them that I can connect to one side of my new fuse, or do I have to run a wire all the way to the battery?

Obviously I am going to have to disconnect the battery whilst I do all this. Anything I need to be aware of such as central locking/immobilisers going haywire?

It's for some towbar electrics which I've decided to wire using a bypass relay. I need the 12v feed to power the relay. In the owners manual, one of the spare fuse bays is listed as "towing equipment", although I've found nothing in the boot suggesting there's anything pre-wired. It's this fuse location I am intending to use.

As an aside, does anyone know how to remove the internal trim so I can neatly run a wire to the back of the car?

Cheers,

Robert

I had this problem because all of the blank fuse sockets are just that! None of them seem to have contacts in them. I used a 'Skotchlock' connector to tap into an existing 12v feed and used an inline fuse holder. I got at the rear of the fuse box by removing the trim below the steering wheel. It's held by various torx screws and clips - bit scary but nothing too difficult. Use a test lamp or multi meter to find a permanent 12v live feed. If you're careful you shouldn't need to disconnect the battery; just take the fuse out from the fuse box for the feed that you intend to use and connect to the wire coming from the the non live side of the fuse socket. Your new wire will only be live when you put the fuse back in. Also leave the inline fuse out until you've got the new wire to the boot. I managed to prise the plastic trims below the sills sufficiently to push the wire up behind them. I didn't remove the trims. Best of luck!

Thanks for the advice Bert.

I found all the screws holding the trim below the steering wheel, but it seemed to be clipped or screwed in about 2" to the right of the wheel. I had a feeling the pulling it would unclip it, but like you say, a bit scary. Then I too discovered (without managing to get the trim off and look directly) that there were no connectors in the spare fuse bay, so devised Plan B.

I eventually decided to tap into the wiring to the 12V socket in the boot, and run a wire from there to the N/S light cluster where I have located all the towbar electrics gubbins. This was much easier, and like you say it's possible to shove the wire under the trim to make a neat job. The socket is rated at 15A, so it should be fine to power some trailer lights provided I don't plug anything into the socket at the same time.

Just have to test it out now and see if it actually works!

As an aside, when Iw as trying to work out how to dismantle the lower dash, I removed the little pocket under the steering wheel (it's just held in by a plastic clip). I was very surprised to find a purple connector socket with about 12 holes (only about half seemd to have contacts on them) behind the pocket. What is it?

Cheers,

Robert

Congratulations. You just found your OBD-II connector.

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OBD-II connector - aka diagnostic port - aka VAGCOM plug etc ... you (or your dealer) can plug a third-party (or VAG) computer in and see lots of nice things about the state of your motor - fault codes, stuff like that - can also be used to remap or "chip" the engine management system

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=92 refers

[/less_obsure_mode]

Cool, I thought that might be what it was!

All I need now is a cheap laptop and a copy of VAG-COM

Robert

I was going to suggest tapping into a 12v feed in the boot then I remembered that my wife's Fabia doesn't have one. The strange thing is that a Polo she had before did have a 12v socket in the boot. My Passat has two 12v sockets in the boot so it was very easy to wire for a caravan.

I think you only get the 12v socket in the boot on Estate models, and possibly even then not with Comfort trim, I can't remember now.

Just hope my somewhat amateurish wiring is up to the job. Don't know what I'm going to say if a Skoda garage looks behind the carpet panel covering the light clusters

The brochure say a 12V power outlet is fitted to the Comfort and Elegance versions of the Fabia Estate.

The brochure say a 12V power outlet is fitted to the Comfort and Elegance versions of the Fabia Estate.

Sorry, I meant to say Classic rather than comfort.