So I pull up to my house, park and an hour later I gotta go so I jump in my car, engine on and I start moving and suddenly realise turning the wheel is incredibly difficult. Power steering light is on. I think sod it, I can't wait for a garage to look at the problem and set off. After 75miles of motorway driving the PS comes back on! I arrive at my destination, park, switch engine off for 5 mins. Get back in and back to no PS again -.-

What can be wrong?

If you're about to say 'check the fluid level' - no idea how to do that. I've searched everywhere for the fluid reservoir... I found in the end, convinietly placed UNDER the battery holder compartment that appears to be bolted onto everything in sight -.-

I gotta admit I giggled when I found but in all seriousness, how do I get to it and is that even the problem.

I want to know what you think guys, if I take it to a mechanic he may charge me more than the car is worth so if I can do it myself, I will.

Let me know what you think guys!

thanks!

Skip to last post!

Edited 29 December, 201015 yr by Vinjy

Few issues that tend to effect PAS.

It'll likely be either:

1. dodgy/weak battery - maybe the cold finished it off? Do the headlamps dim as you turn the wheel when stationary?
2. dodgy steering angle sensor - very common fault. A search for 'steering angle sensor' should get you on the right tracks
3. failed/failing pump. More expensive, but not as likely
4. leaking rack. Unlikely if the PAS comes and goes.

I'd check the power from the battery is good (F1 autocenters do free health checks I think, so do Halfors IIRC). Maybe worth changing the battery anyway if it's old what with winter coming. If that's good/ not an issue, get it scanned by daignostic software. People on here may do it for free/ beer money if you ask nicely. That should tell you if it's the pump or the sensor that's at fault.

Hope that helps,

Joe.

Edited 24 October, 201015 yr by TriggerFish

I'd say most likely is the sensor, mine went on my mpi a couple of years back, although I tolerated the fault for a few months before getting it fixed.

Mine (in the 2004vRS) was 2 and 4 - cost around £600

That's a good price. I paid £700 for the rack (inc. fitting), all at cost for an offical rack.

That's a good price. I paid £700 for the rack (inc. fitting), all at cost for an offical rack.

I took it to Furrows, Oswestry (a Skoda dealer) - they offered an aftermarket or a Skoda one - the Skoda one was circa £200 more.

If it helps at all, the car has been pulling to the left for the past 2 years, very slightly.

The battery was changed January this year to a very nice new one, not the battery, I don't think. Will check out this sensor thing though.

The pulling to the left is supposed to be a "trait" of the car, I think most pull to the left a little bit.

Some peeps said it might be a fuse, think that's possible given that it came back on for a while?

If it is the sensor, think it's something i could replace myself? Is there a way to diagnose the problem for sure?

I heard of people gaining access to the car's computer and reading what the fault is from there, my model is from 2001, think I could do something similar?

get it hooked up to a vag specific diagnostic machine and it should of logged a fault code...imo id say its the sensor

Mhhmm, you guys are probably right, best start looking for a new sensor. About a month ago my rad and the cooling fan blew up and six months before that, my bettery. The car's bits are starting to fail, wonder if i should sell it before it all blows up :S

The garage initially said to me it was the sensor - only after they started the repair did they find out the rack needed replacing too...

Quick update, I did the following:

- unplug the battery

- wait a min

- plug it back in

- start the car up and PAS was fine, drove it arround the car park for a min and parked it

- turned off engine, waited a min, turned it back on and back to no PAS :(

So, definetly sensor then?

Think I should buy the sensor first and then take it to a garage and ask them to fit it or just take it to the garage and let them do all of it?

Edited 28 October, 201015 yr by Vinjy

Two types of sensor, so if you do buy it yourself, make sure it's checked off agaisnt your chassis number - a dealer should be able to get the right one.

Hmm, seems that if i start it up after it has been sitting there for overnight it allows me to use PAS. ^.^

No-One here got a garage arround Coventry/Warwick do they? Found a sensor I can get for £45 (used) but don't have the equipment to raise the car to change it :(

Before I buy the part, I just had a revelation....

What 'ampage' should my battery be? I think mine is 44AH, should I get a battery that's 60AH?

I'm a little concerned about fitting a battery that's too uhm.. 'powerful' for my lil skoda, and worried that it will fry all the circuits or blow fuses. Anything wrong with fitting a more powerful battery than I should have?

Before I buy the part, I just had a revelation....

What 'ampage' should my battery be? I think mine is 44AH, should I get a battery that's 60AH?

I'm a little concerned about fitting a battery that's too uhm.. 'powerful' for my lil skoda, and worried that it will fry all the circuits or blow fuses. Anything wrong with fitting a more powerful battery than I should have?

It's not actually any more "powerful" - it's a larger capacity so can cope with extended draws and extended downtime better. It's not as if you're increasing the pressure in your tyres which would improve the handling but mar the ride - rather it's like putting in a larger petrol tank...

The only downside is that it may be a little heavier? For comparison the one on my Atom is only 16Ah so I tend to put that on a conditioner if it's not being used for a period.

Edited 30 October, 201015 yr by DRJ

Let me just re-write the problem giving full details from what I have learnt in past few days.

- One fine morning I drove to the shops, came back home, parked and turned off engine. 2 hours later I get back in my car, start engine and I have no PAS.

- The PAS re-engaged after driving 75miles on the motorway but cut out again after I turned off the engine and turned it back on again.

- The PAS works fine after I start up the car, after it has been sitting parked overnight.

From the internet and posts on this forum:

- Could be that my battery is too weak.

+ My battery stats: 12V

CCASAE 380 Amp

AH(20h) 40Amps [does that mean my battery is 40AH?]

My old battery died last winter and I got the above new one in Jan this year. If it is the battery, how come it has not affected the PAS until now?

- Could be that the PAS sensor is buggered

+ Costs £46 + £50 to the mechanic (I suspect)

+ As I am getting the part from breakers yard, I am concerned that i will get the wrong part.

What I'd like is some advice on how to proceed to indentify the problem for sure and get the correct part.

Thanks guys

Could be a lot of things, most have been sudgested already.... Was it wet when you went out for a drive? this indicates a damaged PAS pump ecu, I thinks you may have to replace the PAS pump £279.00 ebay +filtting

If you need a new battery go here http://www.tayna.co.uk/

As for the PAS sensor there is a replacement guide here http://www.fabia-vrs.com/technical-info/pas-sensor-change/

Its a hard fault to diagnose (took dealer 8 weeks FFS) Start with the cheapest first and work your way up, hopefully it will be the battery (very common).

HTH

Hi guys, haven't posted in a while but here is an update on my situation:

- The PAS does not work when I first start up the car

- I have to let it sit for up to 5 mins idling (maybe rev the engine once or twice but not sure if this had any effect)

- The PAS returns!

I did at one point have to start driving without waiting for it and the PAS returned after 5mins of driving anyway.

Does this sound like a battery problem where a car has to get build up enough power in the battery to the pump/sensor/whatever powers it?

Looking forward to any help! Thanks guys

Happy New Year to all!

P.S. Took it to a mechanic begining of Nov and he said there is no problem because the problem did not manifest when the car was in his posession and it only started happening again begining of Dec when it got colder!

Edited 29 December, 201015 yr by Vinjy

Does this sound like a battery problem where a car has to get build up enough power in the battery to the pump/sensor/whatever powers it?

No - it wouldn't take 5 minutes to get going if it was the battery - more like a few seconds. Have you checked the fluid level?

No - it wouldn't take 5 minutes to get going if it was the battery - more like a few seconds. Have you checked the fluid level?

Not sure how, the fluid cap appears to be under the battery housing...

Was just thinking, is there any way to somehow test if it's the battery that is causing the problem? Like replacing it with a bigger, more powerful one? Or using jump cables hooked onto another car (with my battery disconnected ofc)?