So the story is...

2001 Y Fabia 1.9Tdi Comfort with 120,000miles on the clock. Parked up fine on Friday night and not used since due to the weather and having a conservatory built (so using the MX5 as it needs to be out of the garage anyway!). Came to use it yesterday morning to go to as site meeting (MX5 not insured for business use) and no PAS.

No fluid leaks under the car and the steering angle sensor was changed a few years ago for the modified version that was less susceptible to water (but it hasn't rained recently anyway!).

I'm guessing angle sensor (again at £65 + fitting), or pump (please not at £305 + fitting) or alternator exciter wire (usually shows via the PAS turning off first as the voltage drops and patched previously)...

Any further ideas or ways forward (gonna try and do a fault code check with some borrowed gear tonight)?

Could it be the battery has gone flat after not being used for a while, causing the steering issues? Something cheap and easy to check at least.

^^If it is that then just leaving the engine running for a short while would fix it.

So the story is...

2001 Y Fabia 1.9Tdi Comfort with 120,000miles on the clock. Parked up fine on Friday night and not used since due to the weather and having a conservatory built (so using the MX5 as it needs to be out of the garage anyway!). Came to use it yesterday morning to go to as site meeting (MX5 not insured for business use) and no PAS.

No fluid leaks under the car and the steering angle sensor was changed a few years ago for the modified version that was less susceptible to water (but it hasn't rained recently anyway!).

I'm guessing angle sensor (again at £65 + fitting), or pump (please not at £305 + fitting) or alternator exciter wire (usually shows via the PAS turning off first as the voltage drops and patched previously)...

Any further ideas or ways forward (gonna try and do a fault code check with some borrowed gear tonight)?

Our power steering sensor was replaced twice, at 54k and110k miles, then the power steering pump went at 117k miles, but we've been ok since then (now on 274k miles). With the sensor the problem was intermittent, but with the pump it was continuous.

Our power steering sensor was replaced twice, at 54k and110k miles, then the power steering pump went at 117k miles, but we've been ok since then (now on 274k miles). With the sensor the problem was intermittent, but with the pump it was continuous.

Hmm... Sounds ominous - this is continuous!

My laptop was dead last night and I didn't have a long enough extension lead so still awaiting a VAG scan...