Power Steering Fails (Sometimes there sometimes isn't)

[speedyp848]

Hello All,

Just wondered if anyone has any advice or has experienced this themselves.

I have a Fabia 01 - 1.4 16V ... At the moment I am experiencing a loss in power steering, and then it will come back again and then go again etc. All the lighting in the car flickers as if the pump is constantly trying to engage or surging.

This is constant, and sometimes the power steering warning light comes on to join it.

Thanks in advance for your posts.

[DEAN0]

Hello All,

Just wondered if anyone has any advice or has experienced this themselves.

I have a Fabia 01 - 1.4 16V ... At the moment I am experiencing a loss in power steering, and then it will come back again and then go again etc. All the lighting in the car flickers as if the pump is constantly trying to engage or surging.

This is constant, and sometimes the power steering warning light comes on to join it.

Thanks in advance for your posts.

Fluid low - no sensor on the fabia or ibiza range. reservoir is hidden under the battery !!!!!

[Soot1e]

Fluid low - no sensor on the fabia or ibiza range. reservoir is hidden under the battery !!!!!

More than likely the Battery is on it's last legs if it is the original. Also check the battery terminals, leads. Something is loose or failing in that area.

[Soot1e]

Not only but also, The power steering warning light is not linked to the PS fluid level. It's telling you the battery is low voltage or other electronic PS problemo. Coupled with your flashing lights, thats why I think it is a battery, leads problem.

[DavidY]

Also worth checking the power steering sensor that breaks quite often (is it the Angle Sensor??)

I know that when mine broke, it caused some weird problems...

[TriggerFish]

Does it only happen at lower speeds? As at higher revs, the battery should be recieving more power (as I understand it) adding to the weak battery theory.

Fluid low - no sensor on the fabia or ibiza range. reservoir is hidden under the battery !!!!!

Happyily, on the 16v's it's not - it's adjacent to it.

[Bodie]

get the car on vag-com

If its a angle sensor I will have a second hand one available in a week or so once its been posted back from Skospares

[faboka vrs]

Check the cables from the alternator to the battery. Mine broke which is common on the pd130's.

[devonutopia]

I say angle sensor.

Right now, the battery on the mongrel is on its last legs - struggles to start first time often - and I have had no resulting PAS issues. However, with a good battery I had the same symptoms as the OP when my angle sensor was dying. Eventually it just died and the PAS warning light came on, and it was time for a new one.

[scunnyfab]

Hello All,

Just wondered if anyone has any advice or has experienced this themselves.

I have a Fabia 01 - 1.4 16V ... At the moment I am experiencing a loss in power steering, and then it will come back again and then go again etc. All the lighting in the car flickers as if the pump is constantly trying to engage or surging.

This is constant, and sometimes the power steering warning light comes on to join it.

Thanks in advance for your posts.

How did you sort this problem? i have fabia 2001 1400mpi power steering lights come on and i also noticed that the lights were flickering the other night.. please help

[Tommy Matthews]

My Son's first Fabia had the same problem, we ended up sourcing a power steering pump from one of the major breakers...£400 ish!

Ouch!!

I didn't know about this forum when we did the deal but my garage that does our servicing (he's a neighbour) couldn't find anything wrong other than the pump and he couldn't get it cheaper through the trade.

[leopheard]

Same has happened on my 1.2 Fabia.

The PAS pump is at the front under the bumper. Mine has gotten wet (we live in England!) and god knows why they put it somewhere so close to the road.

The dashboard keeps cutting out, because the PAS pump connections are wet and surging the rest of the car. Replacing the unit may work as it's probably fried, but what's to stop it happening again?

I'm considering civil action against Skoda. On the civil law balance of probabilities, is it probable that I have suffered a financial loss (repairs etc) as a result of a poorly placed/car design. I think so. Whether that works is another thing.

[mogwye]

Battery.

Db