The following is going to sound like I have a clue what I'm talking about but I don't, I've had an awful lot of help to get me to this point so I'm hoping you guys might be able to get me a bit further.

I've only had the car 2 weeks today and the dealer is saying he wont cover electrics so I'm trying to get as far as I can diagnosing this so I can either go back and shout lots or not get ripped off trying to get it fixed.....any information you could share would be gratefully received,

I've got a problem with my 1.4 16v Fabia. While driving the PAS light came on, though the PAS still worked, and after stopping the car wouldn't turn over. Fitting a new battery fixed this temporarily, but the problem is back.

Testing the car cold, the battery seems OKish, showing 12.5v, and 13.5v when running.

When the engine is run for a while, the battery voltage starts to drop- as low as 9v, and at that point the accelerator stops responding. Turning the ignition off doesn't affect the drop, but disconnecting the battery earth lead makes the battery voltage recover- reconnecting it produces a decent-sized spark, so it's clearly quite a drain. Is this the steering angle sensor, or something else altogether? If the car is left to cool, it will recover enough to restart.

The VCDS Log shows a few errors, with several complaints about the low voltage- most of them cleared, but the engine controller is incorrectly coded- can anyone advise correct coding for a manual elegance? The EPC light is now permanently on.

Disconnecting the lead pictured at the engine compartment fusebox removes the drain, but leaves most electrics dead.

Can anyone suggest what to look at?

VCDS Log:

VCDS Version: Release 11.11.2

Data version: 20120126

Saturday,03,March,2012,13:43:54:23633

Chassis Type: 6Y - Skoda Fabia I

Scan: 01 02 03 08 09 15 17 19 25 37 44 46 55 56 76

VIN: TMBMD46Y0Y30xxxx Mileage: 140530km/87321miles

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 01: Engine Labels: 036-906-034-APE.lbl

Part No: 036 906 034 BK

Component: MARELLI 4LV 3335

Coding: 00095

Shop #: WSC 28035

VCID: 5CBDE14CCC30A63

TMBMD46Y0Y3045251 SKZ7Z0Y0502825

No Faults Found

or DTCs not supported by controller

or a communication error occurred

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 6Q0-907-37x-ABS.lbl

Part No: 6Q0 907 379

Component: ABS 5.7 FRONT V00

Coding: 00044

Shop #: WSC 13765

VCID: FAF107D4E6C4F83

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 08: Auto HVAC Labels: 6Q0-820-045.lbl

Part No: 6Y0 820 045

Component: Klimaanlage X0740

VCID: F2E12FF4BEB4803

1 Fault Found:

00818 - Sensor for Evaporator Outlet Temperature (G263)

30-10 - Open or Short to Plus - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 09: Cent. Elect. Labels: 6Qx-937-049-B.lbl

Part No: 6Q1 937 049

Component: BORDNETZ-SG. 1S30

Coding: 09394

Shop #: WSC 13765

VCID: F8F51DDCD8C8EA3

3 Faults Found:

00920 - Heated Outside Mirrors; Driver Side (Z4) / Passenger Side (Z5)

28-10 - Short to Plus - Intermittent

00906 - Horn (H1)

28-10 - Short to Plus - Intermittent

00975 - Heated Rear Window (Z1)

28-10 - Short to Plus - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 15: Airbags Labels: 6Q0-909-605-VW5.lbl

Part No: 6Q0 909 605 H

Component: 04 AIRBAG VW5 0004

Coding: 12340

Shop #: WSC 13765

VCID: 3C7D41CC2C70863

4 Faults Found:

00532 - Supply Voltage B+

07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent

65535 - Internal Control Module Memory Error

00-10 - - - Intermittent

01312 - Powertrain Data Bus

37-10 - Faulty - Intermittent

01299 - Diagnostic Interface for Data Bus (J533)

49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 17: Instruments Labels: 6Yx-9xx-xxx-17.lbl

Part No: 6Y2 919 870 B

Component: KOMBIINSTRUMENT VDO V06

Coding: 22442

Shop #: WSC 19411

VCID: 458B24285FBAC7B

TMBMD46Y0Y3045251 SKZ7Z0Y0502825

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 19: CAN Gateway Labels: 6N0-909-901-19.lbl

Part No: 6N0 909 901

Component: Gateway K<->CAN 1S30

Coding: 00014

Shop #: WSC 13765

VCID: F0E525FCB0B8B23

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 44: Steering Assist Labels: 6Q0-423-156.lbl

Part No: 6Q0 423 156 AB

Component: LenkhilfeTRW V270

Coding: 10111

Shop #: WSC 06402

VCID: 6FE7A6802D862DB

1 Fault Found:

01288 - Terminal 30; Steering Assist

07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 46: Central Conv. Labels: 6Q0-959-433.lbl

Part No: 6Q0 959 433 C

Component: 0J Komfortgerát 0003

Coding: 00258

Shop #: WSC 04938

VCID: 3B7F42D0297E81B

Subsystem 1 - Part No: 6Q2959802

Component: 0J Tõrsteuer.FS TFK 0002

Subsystem 2 - Part No: 6Q2959801

Component: 0J Tõrsteuer.BF TFK 0002

Subsystem 3 - Part No: 6Q0959811

Component: 0J Tõrsteuer.HL TFK 0002

Subsystem 4 - Part No: 6Q0959812

Component: Tõrsteuer.HR TFK 0002

No fault code found.

End ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday,03,March,2012,13:46:32:23633

VCDS Version: Release 11.11.2

Address 01: Engine Labels: 036-906-034-APE.lbl

Control Module Part Number: 036 906 034 BK

Component and/or Version: MARELLI 4LV 3335

Software Coding: 00095

Work Shop Code: WSC 28035

Additional Info: TMBMD46Y0Y304xxxx SKZ7Z0Y0502xxx

VCID: 5CBDE14CCC30A63

3 Faults Found:

18020 - Engine Control Module Incorrectly Coded

P1612 - 35-00 -

16785 - EGR System

P0401 - 35-00 - Insufficient Flow

17972 - Throttle Actuator (J338)

P1564 - 35-00 - Under-Voltage during Basic Setting

Readiness: 0000 0000

Thank you in advance.....

There are a few things I would suggest you check first, some you have done.

Battery voltage at rest

Battery voltage when charging

Battery voltage when charging under load

Battery drain, looking at no more that 0.1amps ideally, less if possible

Battery test (with appropriate equipment)

We have VAS 6161 for this

Also what size is the battery? If it's a smaller 42ah job then I'd advise beefing it up to a 60ah or so this will normally increase the CCA of the battery to. But to be honest if the voltage is dropping down to 9v at any point it sounds like the battery has had it anyhow.

Erm - ok I'll be honest I don't know the new battery size but it was a brand new battery and the old one that we replaced behaved in exactly the same way even after a full recharge in the house (which is why we replaced the in the first place)....

Right, so as you say it looks like you have a drain possibly unless the alternator isn't charging but by the looks of the figures it is.

So you need an ammeter (or multimeter) connected inline or a meter with an amp clamp and see where the drain is coming from.

Hi

I'm one of the ones that helped out with this. Battery voltage at rest was around 12.5V when we started- a little low, but not disasterous. Starting the engine gave 13.5, which stayed stable with headlights on, so I'd say the alternator charges, and that's when I ran the VCDS scan. After the engine was running for a while, error's started to occur- PAS light came on, battery voltage dropped like a stone, so it looks like somehting fails as it gets warm.

I was wary of putting an ammeter inline, purely because the drain looks pretty big, and it might fry the meter :-), as I only have a cheapy 10A multimeter.

One possible thought was the PAS pump, as we were thinking along the lines of 'what can present a big load and not blow a fuse'. Can anyone suggest which cable from the engine compartment fusebox feeds this, so we can isolate it?

Beyond that, is it a case of pulling fuses in the internal box one by one? Any other items that could drag it down that much? We isolated the starter, in case, no change.

I've been told this *could* be an issue with the immobiliser - does that sound plausible - I haven't a clue and everyone has a different opinion :S

I wouldn't expect the immobiliser to be able to drain that much current, plus it's working and shows no errors.

Anyone?

The engine coding doesn't look correct, my information is:

Coding 00071 for a petrol engine with ABS and air con.

The removed lead (fuse 2) supplies power to the interior, fuse 5 does the PAS. It is feasible that the steering angle sensor is telling the PAS that the steering wheel is getting turned, the pump then demands a full 60 Amps which is dragging the electrical system down. You can check the steering wheel angular velocity in the steering measuring blocks.

The absence of address 56 from the scan suggests an after market radio, is it wired correctly?

As for the dealer not covering electrics, unless you purchased the car for spares or repair, it has to of reasonable quality and you have consumer rights under the sales of goods act.

There is an aftermarket radio. Essitam, does the radio go on/off with the ignition, and keep it's station settings? If so, it is probably correctly wired. I'd expect it to go up in smoke if it was draining the battery like we saw, anyway. Might be worth disconnecting fuse 5, reconnecting 2, and seeing what happens? If the drain then goes away, it's probably time for a new steering angle sensor, I'd say.

As far as the engine coding goes, I'll gladly fix that for you once the battery problem is cured, now fordfan has provided the correct coding (thanks!). Think I was reading the coding screen wrong, which is why I couldn't get it to accept it.

Radio has stayed tuned in as far as I'm aware but I'd only had the damn car 10 days before is started playing up and as I only passed my driving test yesterday it's hardly been used other than a few accompanied drives for practise.

I'll show your suggestions to Rob CJB he's the one that knows his way around the engine - but I had thought you'd checked all the fuses one by one - I'm fast approaching just getting a mechanic to look at - I genuinely know nothing and it's so frustrating having a car I can't use starting to wish I hadn't bought it!

:-(

There's a fusebox *inside* the car as well as the one we looked at, right-hand end of the dash- open the drivers door & remove the panel on the dash end. See what Rob says, if he fancies putting some more time in then look at that, otherwise, or if you get too impatient, pay someone to look at it....

Found a mechanic who was highly (and repeatedly recommended locally) who willing to look at the car and if he couldn't diagnose the problem he wasn't going to charge (lovely man) so we let him look at it...

He couldn't work it out at the side of the road so took the alternator for bench testing as he thought it could be an intermittent problem with this, and this is why it was so sporadic and it's come back that the regulator is faulty!!!

- He's going to fit a new regulator tonight and only charge for the part fitting time despite spending nearly 2 hours on it diagnosing and testing.

As long as this fixes it I am very very happy with this!

CJB once this is done (and hopefully this will be all) could I impose on you further to look at the coding and I'll buy you a bottle of whiskey to say thanks!!

Steph xxx

Edited 9 March, 201214 yr by Essitam

Found a mechanic who was highly (and repeatedly recommended locally) who willing to look at the car and if he couldn't diagnose the problem he wasn't going to charge (lovely man) so we let him look at it...

He couldn't work it out at the side of the road so took the alternator for bench testing as he thought it could be an intermittent problem with this, and this is why it was so sporadic and it's come back that the regulator is faulty!!!

- He's going to fit a new regulator tonight and only charge for the part fitting time despite spending nearly 2 hours on it diagnosing and testing.

As long as this fixes it I am very very happy with this!

CJB once this is done (and hopefully this will be all) could I impose on you further to look at the coding and I'll buy you a bottle of whiskey to say thanks!!

Steph xxx

Heh. No need for alcohol :-)

Glad you're sorted. The alternator must have been failing only when warm then, as both Rob & I checked it first. The guy did the right thing, taking it away to test. Shouldn't be too expensive, unlike my Leon's ABS controller :-(.

Chris