I have just joined and read some of the info regarding ESP problems and am now worried.... my 06 estate has been great, however I lost my reversing lights the other week. Fuses and bulbs seem ok ... then lost one rear fog light ... fuse and bulb fine.

Yesterday my girlfiend drove the car and as she was parking up the car stalled .... and wouldnt start. The ESP was showing switched off and the warning on the dash was on.

I waited a while and then it started. I took it out but it didnt feel right and then the light came on again. It NEARLY cut out as I slowed down for a tight turn. It later stalled and wouldnt start for some time. I waited and eventually it started ... then failed again, with warning lights coming on. The fan also came on although the engine was quite cold by then. I couldnt turn it off. Eventually it went off after I switched ignition on then off again.

Is this an ESP problem or could it be something to do with the battery ? ... any help would be appreciated before I contact a garage.

Thankyou Alan

Hi 'chunky' welcome to the forums,you would normally start with a VCDS scan of the computers onboard to see if anything has been logged as a fault,if you can give us more info about the car that would help,I presume its petrol ? cheers - Stuart

Hi 'chunky' welcome to the forums,you would normally start with a VCDS scan of the computers onboard to see if anything has been logged as a fault,if you can give us more info about the car that would help,I presume its petrol ? cheers - Stuart

Hi Stuart and thanks for your welcome .... It is a 1.9 diesel, six speed box with around 106000 miles on board and with full service history, although not all by Skoda dealer.

I am going out to try see if it starts today. I will also see how long it runs for and if the same problem occurs.

Cheers Alan

Tried to run it, but he same thing happened .... only ran for one minute then cut out. The fan then continued to run for a while and I managed to switch it off eventually. As I left the car the fan has come on again ..... Im lost with this problem. Will go try turn it off later.

THe ESP switch is saying it is off and the light on the dash confirms this. After a rest it goes out, the switch shows on and all looks fine....

Problem now is I cannot even run it to a garage ... think a mobile auto electrician could help ?

Tried to run it, but he same thing happened .... only ran for one minute then cut out. The fan then continued to run for a while and I managed to switch it off eventually. As I left the car the fan has come on again ..... Im lost with this problem. Will go try turn it off later.

THe ESP switch is saying it is off and the light on the dash confirms this. After a rest it goes out, the switch shows on and all looks fine....

Problem now is I cannot even run it to a garage ... think a mobile auto electrician could help ?

whereabouts in Fife are you? If there is no one nearer then I might be able to come and scan it with VCDS for you. Have a look at the VCDS members map and then see if anyone is in Fife and might be able to help. If no one else can then let me know and we can see what we can figure out.

whereabouts in Fife are you? If there is no one nearer then I might be able to come and scan it with VCDS for you. Have a look at the VCDS members map and then see if anyone is in Fife and might be able to help. If no one else can then let me know and we can see what we can figure out.

Hi domhnall, Thanks for your suggestion. I have tried to contact a guy from Fife on the list. I will let you know if I get sorted.

Thanks for helping a lost newcomer.

Regards alan

Hi domhnall, Thanks for your suggestion. I have tried to contact a guy from Fife on the list. I will let you know if I get sorted.

Thanks for helping a lost newcomer.

Regards alan

no problem. Hope it gets sorted but if not then let me know

no problem. Hope it gets sorted but if not then let me know

Thanks and incase help is needed later, I am in Dunfermline. So Im sat waiting not knowing what I can do ... infact, is there anything whilst I wait ?

Cheers Alan

An update on my broken down car .... I had the guy from my local garage call round earlier and he said at first my car wasnt giving anything out to his reader ... then it said it was the ECU ... then gave other problems one after another ... he said he collect car Monday and take it to his garage to check through each problem one by one, as it couldnt be all of them !

I havent a read out but will try get one Monday when its on his main setup in the garage. But is all this expeced when the ECU is broken ?

Is this all worth while ? or would time be better spent removing the ECU and for me sending it away to be rebuilt. Leaving me waiting another three or four days. Or .... can I just buy a new one, cheaply would be good. Any ideas welcomed.

Regards Alan

Sounds as though it could be as simple as a fuse gone or a loose connection poss above the battery where there are some main fuse links. cheers - Stuart

An update on my broken down car .... I had the guy from my local garage call round earlier and he said at first my car wasnt giving anything out to his reader ... then it said it was the ECU ... then gave other problems one after another ... he said he collect car Monday and take it to his garage to check through each problem one by one, as it couldnt be all of them !

I havent a read out but will try get one Monday when its on his main setup in the garage. But is all this expeced when the ECU is broken ?

Is this all worth while ? or would time be better spent removing the ECU and for me sending it away to be rebuilt. Leaving me waiting another three or four days. Or .... can I just buy a new one, cheaply would be good. Any ideas welcomed.

Regards Alan

loads of prob's sugests low voltage or bad earth

Thanks to every one for their help and advice .....The garage forgot to come so its only today gone in for a test ..... and I have just heard back from the garage and its not good news. Seems the fan coming on was the first clue/signal to show something was wrong.

The garage now needs to add to the fan/wiring loom, a "one harness" ? At a cost of around £80.00. Thats the good news. The bad news is, as I didnt know about the fan as a major problem, it has now damaged the ECU and that now needs to be replaced at a cost of between £300 and £800, depending on the type and model fitted to the car. I will be told exactly how much its going to cost tomorrow when he accessess the part.

I have also just been told that in 2009 Skoda issued a technical bulletin regarding this problem coming on randomly and which caused " spikes" in the electrical system and drains the battery. The "spiking" eventually damages the ECM. Garages were advised to add a "one harness" to solve this problem. It would have saved a lot of trouble had Skoda made a recall or something like that !

Obviously as I only recently purchased my second hand car, I havent ever heard of this problem, nor of the easy way to fix it.

Is there a list I can sign to make Skoda aware of this problem or indeed is there some way of Skoda covering the cost,which had anyone known about would be costing only £80 which is quite a lot less than its going to cost now.

I hope that me writing this may save someone else having this problem. It is after all an easy fix.

Thanks for reading, Alan

Thanks to every one for their help and advice .....The garage forgot to come so its only today gone in for a test ..... and I have just heard back from the garage and its not good news. Seems the fan coming on was the first clue/signal to show something was wrong.

The garage now needs to add to the fan/wiring loom, a "one harness" ? At a cost of around £80.00. Thats the good news. The bad news is, as I didnt know about the fan as a major problem, it has now damaged the ECU and that now needs to be replaced at a cost of between £300 and £800, depending on the type and model fitted to the car. I will be told exactly how much its going to cost tomorrow when he accessess the part.

I have also just been told that in 2009 Skoda issued a technical bulletin regarding this problem coming on randomly and which caused " spikes" in the electrical system and drains the battery. The "spiking" eventually damages the ECM. Garages were advised to add a "one harness" to solve this problem. It would have saved a lot of trouble had Skoda made a recall or something like that !

Obviously as I only recently purchased my second hand car, I havent ever heard of this problem, nor of the easy way to fix it.

Is there a list I can sign to make Skoda aware of this problem or indeed is there some way of Skoda covering the cost,which had anyone known about would be costing only £80 which is quite a lot less than its going to cost now.

I hope that me writing this may save someone else having this problem. It is after all an easy fix.

Thanks for reading, Alan

yikes, sounds like a nightmare. At least you know what it is now I guess. (trying to find the silver lining here)

Is there any more information on this problem such as which models and years may be effected and what is the likelyhood?

Should I assume that if the cooling fan starts misbehaving, I should take it straight to the garage for a new one harness?

This is panic setting in.

Is there any more information on this problem such as which models and years may be effected and what is the likelyhood?

Should I assume that if the cooling fan starts misbehaving, I should take it straight to the garage for a new one harness?

This is panic setting in.

Sorry to cause you worries ... I thought its better to give a heads up regarding this problem, which my car, an 2006 Octavia 19tdi 4x4 estate is having. I really dont know anymore than I have written earlier. I was told Skoda issued a bulletin in 2009 .. I dont know where they put this though or where we could find it. I am trying to find out more as I write and have also written to Skoda.

Good luck.

Sorry, girlfriend misheard ....its a wiring harness ... NOT one harness .... which is being fitted.

My ECU is now being sent off for repair and a wiring harness is being fitted.

Hope to drive it again next week .... Regards Alan

Did you get it sorted Alan ?