Hello all you fabia owners.

Can anyone help diagnose the problem with my Fabia Vrs. I've got absolutely zero mechanical knowledge so could use all the help I could get.

I've had the car for nearly 3 months and in that time I’ve had no issues at all.. However on Sunday whilst driving back on the M1 from my parents the car just lost all power the battery warning light came only. It was pretty scary trying to stop on the hard shoulder having lost power to the brakes and the steering having locked up luckily I was on the nearside lane of the hard shoulder so phew!!

The AA guy who came out could not get the car started again, at first he thought it was the alternator but then said he thought the turbo had gone as he could see a little oil "in there" the car is now parked on the road and without knowing what might be wrong it looks like I’ll have to get it towed to a Skoda dealers to have it repaired. It won’t start at all, the warning lights come on when you turn the key and it seems like its firing up before all the lights on the dash go out again. If anyone knows what’s happened and how to fix it I would really appreciate your help. THANKS

Dead alternator leading to a dead battery?

Would it crank/ "seems like its firing up" then though?

Good point. If the battery was below about 12.3 volts it wouldn't even crank.

I've just remembered something though. MK4 golf have a tendancy to do this.

Most of the time it's a faulty fuel pump relay.

Would it crank/ "seems like its firing up" then though?

HI

It wont crank. My lights come on and the cd/radio works so i think the battery might be ok.

I'd pretty much guarantee it's your fuel pump relay.

P.S. the radio and lights will work even with a pretty shafted battery.

HI

It wont crank. My lights come on and the cd/radio works so i think the battery might be ok.

Nah, sounds like the battery to me. The likes of your stereo and lights require much less current to run them, so will still work even though there's not enough to turn the engine over.

Hold on a second.

So is it turning over or not?

Hold on a second.

So is it turning over or not?

Hi

I’ve just tried starting it and it makes a noise for about a second like it’s trying to start then nothing. I forgot to mention that the AA man said the battery was ok. Sorry for not mentioning earlier.

.

Edited 26 April, 201115 yr by Crocket

a noise?

what sort of noise?

a noise?

what sort of noise?

Hi

The noise is similar to when you cant start the car for first time and it takes a few goes except its not that loud. sorry i'm not sure how else to describe it.

Sorry, you've lost me.

Could the noise you mean be the fuel pump priming? Like a whirr and a squelch almost?

When you turn the key to actually turn the engine over is there any noises from the starter or engine bay itself?

Like the noise this makes just as it starts? The noise that's there for a second or so just BEFORE the engine starts running?

Is the wiring to the starter motor OK?

Sorry, you've lost me.

Could the noise you mean be the fuel pump priming? Like a whirr and a squelch almost?

When you turn the key to actually turn the engine over is there any noises from the starter or engine bay itself?

Yes i think the starter is the noise i'm hearing, like you would hear normally except that now it only lasts briefly before it stops.

OK so the starter is turning?

but the engine isn't?

Are you getting a flashing immobiliser light or anything in the dash?

OK so the starter is turning?

but the engine isn't?

Are you getting a flashing immobiliser light or anything in the dash?

Hi

When i try to start the car,the lights in the dash all go out and i dont get any warning lights flashing.

Perhaps take a video using your phone and post it up...?

If everything is going out there's a power supply problem.

First and easiest test is to try jump leads and see if it starts. Or if you can check the voltage in the battery with a multimeter.

Then, the next step would probably be a new power supply relay or ignition switch. It's hard to try and diagnose it without having it in front of me.

Perhaps take a video using your phone and post it up...?

Yes i'm going to try and do that. It might explain better than me.

Like the noise this makes just as it starts? The noise that's there for a second or so just BEFORE the engine starts running?

Yes. It makes that noise. The noise before the engine starts.