I have a 2005 Fabia 1.9Tdi Elegance. The traction control warning light comes on intermittently so I bought an aftermarket 409 diagnostic cable which I am running with VCDS-Lite on Windows Vista.

It connects to most of the modules OK but when I try to connect to Module 24 - Anti Slip, I get a message that it cannot get a connection. Has anyone had this problem, and any ideas how to get round it?

Also any suggestions on what is causing the warning light problem would be appreciated. The light comes on after you have driven for about 5 miles. Switching the ASR switch off and on makes no difference but you can clear the warning light by stopping and then switching the ignition off and on. However the warning light will come on again after a few miles.

Thank you in anticipation.

Emerlist

Check all of your tyres are the same profile. If they are, it is most likely one of the ABS wheel speed sensors.

The MK 1 Fabia doesn't use address 24, it's all through the ABS controller 03, see what faults are shown there.

Thanks for the responses.

I don't think that it is the tyres. They are a matching pair. I have had the problem for a while, and it has continued after I got a pair of new front tyres.

The info on the traction control is really useful. I will stop trying to get it to register on Vag Com and look at ABS instead.

I have found a fault on the ABS module - 18265/P1857/006231 - Load Signal: Error Message from ECU

I found a fault code table which said that a possible symptom is 'malfunction indicator light active' which is certainly what I have got. The possible cause is a fault code stored in the Engine Control Unit,

I checked the ECU and found two faults

17911 - Load Signal from Alternator Term. DF: Implausible Signal P1503 -- 35-10 - - - Intermittent

16956 - Cruise Control/Brake Switch A Circuit: Low P0572 -- 35-10 - - - Intermittent

The suggestion for 17911 is faulty alternator, voltage regulator, wiring or connections. I could not find a listing for 16956.

This is the first time that I have used Vag Com so I am not very sure of what I am doing. On the basis that all faults are intermittent, I took a note of the details and then cleared them. I will see if this makes a difference to the problem, and will also check in a few days and see if the faults have come back.

Any comments on whether or not this is the right way to proceed will be very welcome.

Alternator sense wire will be broken at the plug on the gearbox. This results in poor battery charging and causes a load of spurious faults to be logged. Just trace the thin blue wire from the alternator to the gearbox plug.

Thanks.

The light came on again today and when I checked I found that the ABS fault and the ECU fault about the alternator have come back. I was thinking of having a look at the wire at the gearbox, but your reply makes me confident of finding the fault there.

I have come across this twice before - I have a Seat Ibiza 1.9 Tdi Sport (ie a Fabia VRS in a party frock!) and the alternator stopped charging, unless you revved it up first. The SEAT dealer could not sort it, and told me to keep on revving! I carried on for two years doing this.

Then my daughter bought a Fabia Estate earlier this year, and it had the same fault. She mentioned it to a mechanic friend (from a BMW garage) who told her what the problem was. I sorted her car, and then repaired mine. I suppose it was only a matter of time till this Fabia (my wife's) had the same problem.

Anyway it is really helpful to get the advice, so thanks again.

I will have a look at the weekend, and post to say how I get on.

Good diagnosis.

Checked today and found broken wire.

Thanks for the help

Edited 12 September, 201015 yr by Emerlist