While pulling onto my drive today a light on the dash lit up, looking like a steering wheel with somthing under it. Asuming its the powerd steering failure light as when i tried to turn the steering wheel it was very heavy.

I turned the engine off, left it for a minute, started it back up which cleard the fault and the steering was fine, but i dont want to go on a long drive for the steering to fail. (can you even drive them without powerd steering?)

A few things to think about though.... Its lashing down with rain today, so maybe some waters got into a connecting somewhere and two, i have to drive up a curb to get onto my drive so maybe its knocked a sensor somewhere.

Its a 1.9 sdi classic with 143,000 miles on the clock. When i bought it, it has already had the powerd steering pump replaced once.

so what do we think, another powerd steering pump?

Steering angle sensor, or battery usually. Scan for fault codes. You should either get a steering angle sensor code, or +B Volts too low code. Sensor may just need removing and cleaning.

Steering angle sensor, or battery usually. Scan for fault codes. You should either get a steering angle sensor code, or +B Volts too low code. Sensor may just need removing and cleaning.

the battery seems fine imo.

any way to check it is the sensor apart from scanning for codes as i have no idea how im going to do that.

the battery seems fine imo.

any way to check it is the sensor apart from scanning for codes as i have no idea how im going to do that.

http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_GDVAG.html

Thanks, I'll get one of them orderd worth having really. Do you happen to know if they come with attachments to work on other cars?

Oh and just incase there's two differnt steering wheel fault lights on the dash, the one I'm getting is a yellow picture of a steering wheel with a ! Beside it, the lights just beside the glow plug light.

I've drove about 15 miles this morning in nice weather and it's been fine with no faults. Then about half an hour ago I popped out for 5 minutes to pick up a Chinese in the rain and again the fault came up.... but the steering seemed ok, maybe a little heavy but that might of been in my head when I seen the fault come up on the dash haha

I'm going to the scrap yard tomorrow to take a few bits of a fabia, what should I be looking to take off it to fix my little problem here... Thanks

like this???

there is a post here http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/186217-fabia-power-steering-problems/ - which explains all the common probs with the PAS on a fabia.

Mine was the earth cable to the PAS pump £15 to repair

Yeah the light on the left is correct. I've got a big pile of parts building up here to fit or change on my fabia... Just needed a free day to get round to fitting them all, so I'll check for any loose cables and see if I can locate the sensor and clean it, I'll check the battery and fluid levels also, thank you for all your help.

well i've checked the fluid and its fine, smells fine and got plenty in.

The light only used to come on when it rained... now over the past 2 weeks or so its on almost all the time and the steering is 100% going off, usualy only for a few seconds at a time.

i'd think its worth mentioning my car seems to have developed what i would describe as a "whooping" noise, you can hear it on idle at traffic lights with the radio off, happens every 10 - 15 seconds just like a little beep really but going "woop" sort of like new wiper blades really

my friend had a fault scanner for his Audi, i checked my car and it came back with no faults. As for the battery, i switched everything on i could see in the car, even the headlights on full beam and had a small drive around the yard (at night) and the car was exactly the same, Butttt when i pull up infront of the garage my headlights seem to have a little rave going bright then dim... i noticed the interior light does the same thing when the cars on idle.

Also... when stationary if you turn the wheel halfway and hold it (when the faults on the dash) the steering wheel seems to fight a little in my hands, nudging left and right constantly

I seem to be rattling on alot here but want to give you guys as much information as possible! Thanks for any help i get

Sounds like battery to me.

Information is good but to be honest without some proper diagnosis and actually testing or checking things your not going to sort it.

UPDATE: Looked for the sensor on eBay which gave me a idea where to look on my car for mine, I found it no problem so went to a scrap yard and took one of a 2004 1.4 mpi with 60k on the clock, cost me £5 was tempted to take it home and put it straight on eBay!

Anyway it fitted no problem and seems to have solved my problem, steerings fine, no more pas light and... Headlights don't dim anymore, £5 well spent!

Result, nice one...