The trusty Ute, £600 off e-Bay about three years ago is still happily trogging along at 93,000 miles and an invaluable part of the fleet.

BUT

The other day I was helping somebody with some electrical work and a 12V/240V inverter seemed to go duff. So I plugged it into the Skoda to check with no result in terms of the inverter.

Except, when I got back in to drive home my phone wasn't charging, and the clock (Huge thing, sits where a rev-counter would be on a more elaborately equipped car) had stopped round about the time I tried the duff inverter.

"Ah.. Fuse" I thought

Checked here and whilst the fuse layouts I have seen don't tie in exactly with my car I assumed I'd be looking at a 15A fuse, a suspicion compounded when I find that 15A was the one rating that no spare existed for in the box.

Off to Halfrauds and part with £1.79 for two new fuses.

Regrettably some early swapping around outside the store achieved nothing so I drove the still warm engined car home.

Later that evening I need to go to the pub, always a use for the Skoda which attracts less notice than my other car

Turned on the ignition. The little 'curly wire' light didn't illuminate, and now, the cold-engined car won't start. The first time ever in 3 years it has ever let me down.

Went out this morning with a meter, checked every 15A fuse, all perfect.

Now, had the 'curly wire' fail happened at the same time as the cigar lighter / clock fail I would have assumed a relay issue.

But the consecutive failure, and the fact I can't find a duff fuse have me baffled.

Any ideas?

R

It does sound like a fuse, I can't remember offhand which one does the clock tho,

there is a 50A fuse for the glowplugs fitted along with the glowplug timer relay under the bonnet near the battery and I would check that first.

could be a couple of fuses in the fuse box too I think but have you tried unplugging the temp sender and seein of that puts the curly wire on?

Thanks for that help. I had a mixed sort of a morning.

Went and checked the fuses for the glowplug and there are two, both checked out fine with the meter.

Then I had an attempt at disconnecting the temp sensor, but it is coated in gunge and I couldn't easily see a way to disconnect it, though I tugged and pulled at it for a minute or two.

So, getting a bit ****ed off by then I sat in the car and switched the ignition on and Yay! the curly wire is back, car started a treat. At least I am no longer V.O.R.

So back to the clock / cigar lighter. I painstakingly removed each fuse from the fusebox and tested it (Not the 1 amp, I am assuming you wouldn't put a 1 amp in a lighter circuit?) All are absolutely fine. Tried the cigar lighter again - nothing :-(

Any ideas for a next step gratefully received

Edited 22 January, 201214 yr by Ute