My 54 plate 1.9 Tdi Fabia Elegance very intermittently gives three warning beeps on start up but with no warning lights to say why? Also when gently braking to a stop the ABS pump intermittently gives a single pump and vibration through the pedal. Does anyone have any ideas what this is all about? I'm wondering if it's a wheel sensor gone down?

My 54 plate 1.9 Tdi Fabia Elegance very intermittently gives three warning beeps on start up but with no warning lights to say why? Also when gently braking to a stop the ABS pump intermittently gives a single pump and vibration through the pedal. Does anyone have any ideas what this is all about? I'm wondering if it's a wheel sensor gone down?

The handbook is typically brief on the subject:

A fault in the ABS

The system is not functioning properly if the ABS warning light ïª does not go out

within a few seconds after switching on the ignition, does not light up at all or lights

up while driving. The vehicle will only be braked by the normal brake system. Visit

a specialist garage as quickly as possible and adjust your style of driving in the

meantime since you will not know how great the damage is.

Three additional warning tones will sound if there is a major fault in the ABS.

The handbook is typically brief on the subject:

A fault in the ABS

The system is not functioning properly if the ABS warning light ïª does not go out

within a few seconds after switching on the ignition, does not light up at all or lights

up while driving. The vehicle will only be braked by the normal brake system. Visit

a specialist garage as quickly as possible and adjust your style of driving in the

meantime since you will not know how great the damage is.

Three additional warning tones will sound if there is a major fault in the ABS.

I know the manual is useless. The ABS light self checks when starting up and goes out as normal so the car obviously does not know there is an issue with the system! I also get dimming headlights whilst manoeuvring at slow speed (ie parking) and have seen bits on the web about weak batteries causing lots of electrical glitches. Has anyone had any such issues like this?

I'm surprised no one's yet said "get it scanned" so I will !!!

Check battery and charge output from the alternator (14.2V). Alternator sense wire prone to breaking at connector on gearbox.

I know the manual is useless. The ABS light self checks when starting up and goes out as normal so the car obviously does not know there is an issue with the system! I also get dimming headlights whilst manoeuvring at slow speed (ie parking) and have seen bits on the web about weak batteries causing lots of electrical glitches. Has anyone had any such issues like this?

the dimming of the headlidhts whilst manoeuvring at slow speed is coz of the power steering its has an electric motor on it mine done it its coz of the power drain

I know the manual is useless. The ABS light self checks when starting up and goes out as normal so the car obviously does not know there is an issue with the system! I also get dimming headlights whilst manoeuvring at slow speed (ie parking) and have seen bits on the web about weak batteries causing lots of electrical glitches. Has anyone had any such issues like this?

the dimming of the headlidhts whilst manoeuvring at slow speed is coz of the power steering its has an electric motor on it mine done it its coz of the power drain

Just an update. Have sorted the slow speed dimming headlights. The battery was knackered and the fluid level in the PAS reservoir on minimum. However my ABS is still intermittently kicking in during light braking just before you come to a stop. All brakes were new back in June time and all tyres are exactly the same with the same amount of tread and it has only recently started to do it in the last 2 or 3 weeks? If you brake harder to a stop it is fine and it is only intermittent with just a single pump through the pedal. Has anyone had similar issues and what was it? I don't really want to have to spend the £80 diagnostic charge at my local dealer if I can help it.

Just an update. Have sorted the slow speed dimming headlights. The battery was knackered and the fluid level in the PAS reservoir on minimum. However my ABS is still intermittently kicking in during light braking just before you come to a stop. All brakes were new back in June time and all tyres are exactly the same with the same amount of tread and it has only recently started to do it in the last 2 or 3 weeks? If you brake harder to a stop it is fine and it is only intermittent with just a single pump through the pedal. Has anyone had similar issues and what was it? I don't really want to have to spend the £80 diagnostic charge at my local dealer if I can help it.

Check each wheel sensor with a ohmeter. The resistance values should all be pretty close together. If one has a much differant value this might be interpreted has a locking wheel and the ABS kicking in, particularly as the signal will be different in light and firmer braking.

I don't really want to have to spend the £80 diagnostic charge at my local dealer if I can help it.

Take a look here then. Someone will scan it for a pint or two, maybe less!

Just noticed that the rear brake pads are not flat to the disk! Towards the inner edge the pad is touching the disk. However towards the outer edge of the disk there is a gap that you can pass a match stick between? It had new disks and pads only about 4k ago fitted by myself so I know they went on ok (ex VOSA tester and Senior Tech) Anyone else have rear disk brakes like this? I'm sure my old identical Fabia was not like this. Also does anyone know what the plastic rings between the driveshaft and hub are for? They seem to just be rubbing on the hub! I never worked on VAG cars when I was in the trade and I see now that they have some funny design features!

The pads have a leading edge taper, are you sure it's not this you are seeing?

The pads have a leading edge taper, are you sure it's not this you are seeing?

The pads were completely flat with no taper out of the box. They are physically sitting with the inner edge touching the disk and the outer edge with a gap. It looks like they will only be braking using half the pad however the disk is clean with no indication this is actually happening!

The pads were completely flat with no taper out of the box. They are physically sitting with the inner edge touching the disk and the outer edge with a gap. It looks like they will only be braking using half the pad however the disk is clean with no indication this is actually happening!

Weird, assuming the caliper is sitting square to the disc, and thus the face of the piston square as well, it can only be bad pads.

The pads are not genuine VAG components but they were a known make from an aftermarket supplier. I'm not convinced that they are causing my ABS issue though. I still need that sorting!

Bought a scanner and read all the ECU memories. No codes stored anywhere. Anyone got anymore ideas on the ABS issue?