My incredibly faithful and reliable 2002 Fabia (model as above) - which has done 190,000 trouble-free miles from buying new - has started to do something a bit odd.

After starting, the glow-plug warning light (amber coil), SOMETIMES flashes throughout the journey. When it does this, there is nothing untoward about the drive, as far as I can see; the light continues flashing until the engine is restarted. At the moment, this is happening once in every five or so drives, I'd say.

What has also happened - more rarely, though - is that the amber key verification light (icon of car with a key in it) has come on at start AS WELL and, when this has happened, the car has just fired and died; luckily, so far, restarting has always solved the problem: light doesn't come on and engine starts perfectly (with or without the coil light blinking, as described above.)

I feel a bit vulnerable, as I'm now living permanently in France and haven't found a good Skoda dealer or good garage as yet; furthermore, the Fabia is my sole form of transport for the next few weeks (when I'm hoping to take delivery of a Yeti.)

When the glow plug light first came on (the other fault hadn't then started) the brilliant Ali, of Unit 18, suggested it might simply indicate fault brake lights, but this isn't the case.

ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'm rubbish at doing anything myself, but it would be good to have an idea of whether I can continue driving or am likely to break down and also something I could suggest to a local mechanic, if I need to go to a garage where I'm unknown.

Thanks to anyone who reads and, especially, responds.

The glow plug light i'd put down to the coolant temp sensor..

As for the key symbol (immobiliser related) it may be something to do with your keys, have you got a spare key you could try to see what happens? There isn't much that could cause the key symbol.. ECU Lock out, Immobiliser i.e. starting the car with the wrong key and possible instrument pack issues.

Off hand I can't think of anything else

Thank you, Lew_VRS.

Forgive me if it's a stupid question, but, if it IS the coolant temp sensor, is it (A) a big/expensive job to replace it and ( is doing so urgent (by which I mean, can the car continue to be used for a few hundred miles)?

On the spare key, we are only just beginning to unpack after moving here, but I'm pretty sure there will be one, somewhere, so will try this...

Again, thanks very much.

Keep other views coming, please!

Edited 30 September, 201213 yr by Paul_Bowden