hi ,can anyone help.

just purchased a 2001 19sdi fabia. heres the problem, car runs and starts ok, then maybe parked for 20min. go to start and the battery seems drained,also steering light comes on. charged battery, and started car left running for ten minutes same thing happened again. had battery checked and all ok. tested output from alernator and is putting out 14 volts. but some times when i start the car, the alternator doesint seem to work, give it a good rev then it outputs 14volts. Could the car be running witbout the alternator working. could the alternator be working intermitently. any help would be great.

thanks

Yes, a car can run off just the battery (especially a diesel with no requirement for sparks), and yes it does sound like the alternator's playing up. When you say 'just bought', how long do you mean? Is it worth taking it back to the seller (assuming it was a retail purchase...)

thanks apogee, cant take the car back. puzzling why the battery is draining so fast,is this due to the powersteering pump being electric. if say the alternator wasnt working for ten minutes, would the battery drain this fast. i would have thought once the alternator was turning it would output current imediatly. even though the battery tested ok,could these testing machines be wrong,ie a cell in the battery working and then not.

thanks

Have look here, and here.

thanks cjb, that seems to be what is happening to my fabia... a good rev each time the car is started should hopfully excite my alternator... yahoooooo

thanks again.

It really is worth having an auto electrician fitting a bridge link of wire for the alternator sense lead, past that horrid connector on the gearbox casing. If doing it DIY do NOT use those horrid Scotchlock connectors, but solder a bridge wire each side of the plug/socket.

discharge problem sorted, well sort of..... tested the charging system last nite on my fabia, and sure enough, the regulator doesent kick in untill 2900revs. put a volt meter on the cigaret lighter,hole, and read 12.8volts with engine switched of. started engine and voltage dropped to 11.2v, causing the battery drain. reved engine to 2900 and voltage up to 14volts and holds there at low revs, sorted. i also noted that the battery light has blown, i think this causes the same problem. my next step is to replace bulb and check the blue wire next to the gear box.

thanks for your help, im now a happy skoda driver again.....

discharge problem sorted, well sort of..... tested the charging system last nite on my fabia, and sure enough, the regulator doesent kick in untill 2900revs. put a volt meter on the cigaret lighter,hole, and read 12.8volts with engine switched of. started engine and voltage dropped to 11.2v, causing the battery drain. reved engine to 2900 and voltage up to 14volts and holds there at low revs, sorted. i also noted that the battery light has blown, i think this causes the same problem. my next step is to replace bulb and check the blue wire next to the gear box.

thanks for your help, im now a happy skoda driver again.....

I'll bet it's the connector, not the lamp itself.

I've got exactly the same problem as Hoperrr — charge bulb blown, alternator needs 2900rpm to get cracking. But the two links that CJB thoughtfully provided don't work any more. Could someone re-post them, please? Thanks!

I've got exactly the same problem as Hoperrr — charge bulb blown, alternator needs 2900rpm to get cracking. But the two links that CJB thoughtfully provided don't work any more. Could someone re-post them, please? Thanks!

Charge bulb is actually an LED and they very rarely if ever blow. Your problem will be the alternator sense wire where it goes to a socket on the gearbox. The wire breaks and the alternator does not charge the battery. The socket in question is just below the battery tray.

Your problem will be the alternator sense wire where it goes to a socket on the gearbox. The wire breaks and the alternator does not charge the battery. The socket in question is just below the battery tray.

Had this problem back in the summer. Just a case of rejoining the wires. Finally got round ot doing it after I got fed up jump starting it. No problems since