Hello to all, my first post on this rather excellent forum.

I bought a Fabia 1.9 TDI about two years ago. It gradually killed it's battery which I dutifully replaced. Seemed fine for a while, then it began to kill that one. After months of lugging around a spare battery and jump leads in my partner's handbag I called in an auto electrician. He spent a couple of hours, popping panels, pulling leads, plugging computers and swearing. He finally concluded ( rather unconclusively ) that it "may" be the alternator.

I paid him and duly went to the local suppliers who by now greeted me on first name terms.

I put on the new alternator and battery ( both loverrrly and shiny ). Car seemed fine for the first week and then slowly began going back to it's old ways. The new alternator pushes out more juice than the old one and the battery is good for about 5 days but any longer than that and you risk that dreaded lame lurching sound coming from the dying throws of the starter motor and my credit card starts slipping into a cold sweat.

Anyway here is the technical stuff if anyone can help;

There are no obvious drains on the system, no lights on etc. The battery warning light has never lit up ( never noticed until the auto electrician spotted it ), however if you turn on the sidelights and then turn the key the battery light flashes for a split second. The blue lead to the alternator is not broken and delivers 2.5v to the alternator even when ignition is off. There is a faint buzzing from the alternator even when ignition is off and the 'D' plug is detached. Alternator kicks out 14.5v and charges battery well. There is a current drain on the battery, which falls within the 'permitted Skoda' tolerances.

If anyone has the magic wand of electrical knowledge for this annoyance please wave it in this direction. Or should I just give it a good Sunday wash and wipe and flog it? (only joking it's a good car).

All comments gratefully recieved.

Paul

Oooh , it could be the same issue I had with my car

When the engine is started , do you get the battery light on for a second or so after you have started it?

If not , then it could be that the common wire has broken

It is the wire near the gearbox

This goes from the alternator to behind the dash , if the light does not come on , then that is the issue , it is quite common

Hope that helps

Welcome to the forum.....

Sarah

Paul stick a post on the Fabia 1 forum. You should get some help there.

Welcome by the way!

Oooh , it could be the same issue I had with my car

When the engine is started , do you get the battery light on for a second or so after you have started it?

If not , then it could be that the common wire has broken

It is the wire near the gearbox

This goes from the alternator to behind the dash , if the light does not come on , then that is the issue , it is quite common

Hope that helps

Welcome to the forum.....

Sarah

Beat me to it. I'll bet it is that....

Hi

Mark here , I repaired Sarah`s one and can give you a bit more info;

Right you need to jack up the front of the car ( safety first and all that ) and remove the plastic under tray ( 10 million torx screws ! ).If your follow the wiring harness back from the rear of the alternator you will find in front of the gearbox a wiring harness plastic plug with two wires ( alternator DMF wire and one other) if you check the alternator DMF wire you will find it has snapped or been worn by the wiring sleeve.Repair as ness and you are good to go.

Mark ;-)

Thanks Mark,

I did check it before, but I think I'm going to have another go at it today.

Paul

Thanks Sarah,

I will look into it and use all my detective skills.

Paul

Good luck

Hope you manage to get it sorted

It was Lummox who helped me when it happened to me , bless he is a gem

Sarah

welcome to briskoda