Stu did a technical guide on his site, here:

PAS Sensor Change fabia-vrs.com - The Comprehensive Fabia vRS Resource Site

It's pretty easy to replace, provided you've got some axle stands to hand..

I'm not sure, but I imagine a persistent fault with the sensor could harm the battery, as it's effectively making sudden, repeated but momentary drains on the power from the alternator / battery, as it sends spurious signals to the PAS pump...

thanks for this.

it's strange that the car was driven for a long time, which should mean the battery is fully charged. Then it won't start at all this morning. Perhaps the sensor sends out signals when the car is turned off? that seems unlikely though doesn't it?

Odd that the car will probably start first time later one. I do wonder if there could be a problem with the battery that is actually affecting the sensor rather than the other way round?

Any ideas?

simon

To be honest, intermittent failure to start was the death-knell for the battery on my wife's car, but nothing more. But then, if the sensor's causing a 'peaky' load on the battery, then it could be causing all sorts of harm... Certainly, if you're getting warning lights on the dash and flickering (not just dimming) headlights, then it's pretty reasonable to assume that it's PAS angle sensor failure.

In terms of the sensor fault not causing the battery to drain when the car's off, all bets are off unless the battery's physically disconnected, I reckon.

The part's not particularly expensive, and you sound like you're happy / competent enough to look at replacing it yourself, so I'd just give it a go and see what happens. It's one of those 'timebomb' parts, so I wouldn't feel like I'd lost out too badly if I replaced it, and it turned out to be something else. The one thing I would suggest, though, is seeing about getting a fault scan done - either at a garage, or by a local member with VAG-COM (there's a map on here somewhere). That way, you'll have a better idea if it's the sensor or something else before you start the work... You might end up needing a new battery too, but I guess that's not the end of the World, either.

yeah good idea - will get the codes read off.

i guess I could also check the drain on the battery after stopping, then pull the fuse/ relay (if there is one) for the PAS and sensor. If there's a decrease in draw then I might have everything under control ;-)

Thanks for the input.

simon

This was happening my car for a while. My battery had been a little dodgy for a while, before my sub killed it totally. I bought a new battery and i havent had this problem since!

I got the part today. 105 quid from dealer. Could have got one cheaper on ebay, but only saving £35. Also postal strike sure to create delivery havoc.

Once I can get the car in the air I'm going to pop this new one in.

Very strange symptom today. Car wouldnt start yesterday (for my wife). I tried it this morning and it fired up first time. I wiggled the steering a bit with the lights on - just to show my wife that the lights were dimming. I kept the revs at 2 1/2 K. Turned the engine off and 15 minutes later - flat as a pancake. Wouldnt start.

Now something odd is happening here. Either I have something wrong with the charging system (load test wsa ok though) or....

Could it be that the turning of the steering wheel was enough to flatten the battery leaving the battery virtually dead, even after revving the engine?

Now..how does this sound as a theory? when i parked the car yesterday I didnt leave the wheels centered. Then having driving for 30 minutes I turned it off. Im assuming here that the battery at the point of stopping the engine had achieved full capacity. I walk away from the car. Is it possible that somehow the sensor and the ECU are still "talking" to the PAS pump and thus draining the battery?

In the morning I get in the car to start it and nothing as the sensor is now trying to take amps for the PAS (which is due to a poor sensor)? Having then given up on starting the car, I leave it for 20 minutes. On the off chance i then get back in the car and hey presto it starts first time !!

The car hasnt moved so a dodgy earth cant be in play? The only thing that can be happening is that during the point when the car won't start, I am somehow stopping the sensor talking to the pump and then during the 20 minute period the sensor is working properly and not asking the pump to draw amps - hence the car starting later.

Is this a fairy story or does someone think this is plausible?

Simon

Tried to move this thread out of Technical Guides (as it's a question not an answer) and into the generic Fabia forum, but something went wrong...

In answer to your question, though, pulling the fuse for the PAS and/or disconnecting the battery are going to be the simplest ways to ensure there's no drain on the battery...

ok - update time.

New sensor fitted. Photos helped (especially the first one of the end by the foglight panel.)

I managed to find a handy "pit" for the work and I have to see it's a nightmare job without having plenty of space to work in. Also, when you near the end by the actual sensor, I found some aluminium/ tin sheeting which conceals the cable. I had to bend this up a bit and then bend it back after. No way to do the job without doing this.

All in all I reckon its an hour tops to do this. If I do it again it's about 20 mins.

So all new spangly sensor fitted and .....no good.....

The PAS works in the same way it did before, but out of 3 starts I had to turn the ignition off and on again to get it to work. This is the exact same problem I had beofre the new sensor. Actually, the sensor I removed was metal and identical to the new one, but hey there you go at least I know it wants the problem.

So I'm back to square one now. I completely cleaned my negative battery terminal and applied plenty of the the special grease stuff to protect from further "green" corrosion. I also checked the battery and pyut it on trickle charge. It was already fully charged according to the charger and started first time, sytraigh-away.

My wife got in the car this morning and the damn thing won't start again ;-) Really don't know what to try now. Tightened up the earth wire etc. Something is draining this battery overnight.

I will hunt for some battery help on the forum, but anyone with any ideas? I'm assuming this must be linked to the PAS problem (seeing as it draws so much power), but it may be 2 distinct problems.

Thanks for any help.

Simon

That's a really expensive way to find out it's not the problem - sorry to hear it...

The only way to determine if it's the battery rather than some unidentified drain is to disconnect it overnight, of course - but that would be my recommendation before you spend any more money... :(

ok, now I'm completely beaten by this.

quick recap - car was flat as a pancake this morning.

My wife just rung me and told me she had tried it again a few minutes ago. Started first time. She kept it running for a bit then turned it off. Tried to start it again and nothing, dead as a dodo.

What in the name of god can that be?

Seems little point in leaving battery disconnected overnight now. Also, it can't be running flat in 20 seconds can it?

help ;-(

Immobiliser? :confused:

hi everyone

im new here and i have the same problem power steering goes and comes as it pleases.

from that i presume that the pump works and from what i have read it may mean that it sensor is faulty.

does anyone know where i could get a new metal sensor from. i tried to get one online but i dont know where or what the exact name for it is (that may sound stupid but typing Pas sensor does not work)

hi everyone

im new here and i have the same problem power steering goes and comes as it pleases.

from that i presume that the pump works and from what i have read it may mean that it sensor is faulty.

does anyone know where i could get a new metal sensor from. i tried to get one online but i dont know where or what the exact name for it is (that may sound stupid but typing Pas sensor does not work)

Get it from the local Dealer.......they might charge a refundable surcharge on the new one for the return of the old one. Make sure it is in one piece and all ok and clean when you take it back, and not broken, bashed, etc. Sensor around £110ish with additional £45ish surcharge on top...well thats what my local dealer charged me for the PAS sensors for the two cars that I have done this year!

Ive done two of these, both times it was the battery, it draws a lot of power more than it takes to start it, charged what i thought was a good battery, started fine ran ok for half a day, then starts ok but no steering new battery cured it

anyone know why the link isn,t working need to to change my pas

thanks