Hi. My '05 Skoda Fabia VRS cut out last Thursday and could not be restarted. The only light was the ABS light. The RAC guy could not access the control unit through his computer so towed it to the Skoda garage, who also cannot access the control unit.

They say it may be the relay switch? but if not it will be a new control unit (very expensive). Has anyone come across this before? I have read through a forum which seems to say that it's worth checking the wiring to the alternator and I don't know if the garage has done that.

Thanks for any help.

Hi. My '05 Skoda Fabia VRS cut out last Thursday and could not be restarted. The only light was the ABS light. The RAC guy could not access the control unit through his computer so towed it to the Skoda garage, who also cannot access the control unit.

They say it may be the relay switch? but if not it will be a new control unit (very expensive). Has anyone come across this before? I have read through a forum which seems to say that it's worth checking the wiring to the alternator and I don't know if the garage has done that.

Thanks for any help.

The first thing to check would be the relay that supplies power to the ECU, and all fuses, but I'd hope a Skoda garage would know that .

Edited 4 January, 201016 yr by cjb

I presume from what you've said that there's no power to ANYTHING other than the ABS light, rather than everything working fine except the engine not starting. The thing with the alternator wiring means that the battery does not charge (the 'exciter' cable), but the RAC man would have been able to charge the battery with his battery booster thingy if it had been that. As above, I'd get them to start with fuses and relays, then a new battery, and only then start looking at the ECU...

Thanks for your prompt reply. Hopefully the relay will fix it.