Hi Guys

I had this problem with my old 1.4 mpi and the sensor was easy to locate and fairly easy to remove and replace, this model however is completly different and im not sure where the sensor is located futhermore on the 1.4 mpi the plastic engine cover was easy to remove with obvious little plastic caps hiding a couple of bolts and hey presto the cover just lifts off, this cover is different with no obviouse bolts and i dont want to force it for fear of snapping the plastic.

I bought the old sensor and housing online from the Jorily site but this appears to be down for maintenance and this is bound to be a different part anyway.

Can anyone help me with the above?, and secondly where else may i obtain the parts.

Once again its a Fabia 1.2 HTP classic estate.

Thanks to everyone for their time in this matter.

Steve G

Engine cover (if it says 12V on it anyway, not sure the 6-valve version has one) just lifts off vertically, no fixings to undo. There are a couple of air hoses that need to be disconnected before you can completely take it away. Both on UK passenger side, one nearer the front just a push-fit, easily removed from cover. The other hose a little further back is a tad fiddlier to unclip, but if you don't succeed, it's easy to remove the other end from the cam cover if you rotate the engine cover over clockwise once it's free so you can see what you're doing. The cover is fairly solid, as far as plastic goes, so just wrestle/jiggle it a bit upwards, and it will eventually release without damage. Grease the fixings it sits on before refitting, for an easier experience next time...

For the temperature sensor, follow the radiator top hose back from radiator to engine head. Joins a black plastic housing which has the two-wire temperature sensor just above the top-hose attachment, and the thermostat further back. Both can be obtained and fitted without replacing the whole housing. Temperature sensor in the teens of £, thermostat a bit more.

What problem are you trying to solve?

Hello Wino

And thank you for your prompt reply, i thought i had replied to you yesterday evening but on checking tonight my reply does not show as having been posted, can't think why.

Anyway i have a problem with the tempreture gauge it fluctuates before settling in the mid range position and sometimes just drops like a stone to zero, this is then accompanied by the engine management indicator showing on the dash, however if i pull over and turn the ignition off, wait a few mins and then turn the ignition on again the tempreture gauge re engages and moves to its correct position and the engine management light goes off.

I had exactly the same problem with exactly the same symptoms on my previously owned 1.4 MPi which turned out to the sensor so i replaced both the sensor and the housing at the same time which was fairly straight forward and not too difficult to do, however the layout on the 1.2 HTP looks a different ball game and i am unsure of its location or even what it looks like.

I purchased the part for the 1.4 online from jorily but the site appears to be down for maintainance, i would be gratefull if you could point me in the direction of where else i may be able to purchase one of these and also for any futher information which you may think might help, even if you can't thanks again for taking the time to reply to my original post.

Thanks again Steve G

Ps both these faults occurred on or shortly after reaching the 17000 mile mark coincidence or common ??

I just wonder if the sensor being referred to is the one the gauge and ECU uses, or just the one the cooling fans use. I'd expect these sensors to dual devices so 3 or 4 leads - one sensor for ECU and one sensor for gauge.

I'm wrong I think, if you are having gauge fluctuation issues and MIL indicator on, then you should check this sensor - or probably easier just to replace it.

For the record, sensor resistance at 30C should be 1500-2000ohms at 80C sensor resistance should be 275-375ohms.

BTW you can get this part from any VAG dealer as they all (1.2 engines and more) use the same sensor.

Edited 29 December, 201213 yr by rum4mo

Sounds like you're targetting the correct sensor to me.

If it's only an intermittent fault though, there's a possibility of dirty contacts or wiring breakage, so have a good look around before blaming the sensor itself.

I bought a spare off Ebay, this auction http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170785535072?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D170785535072%26_rdc%3D1

Seemed like a good price, not sure how much more it would be from Skoda, if at all. Shouldn't be too much coolant lost during swap if you're organised and quick.

I'd have to say, that intermittant okay operation could also be a duff sensor. VAG are usually very good wrt plug/socket moisture ingress and/or lead support, although cable length is sometimes an issue!

Hi Wino and Rum4mo

I opened the ebay link you provided and that sensor looks exactly like the one i purchased for the old 1.4 mpi even the clips are the same, The last time i did this i changed both the sensor and the thermostat complete in its new housing, i did this on the advice of some other very supportive people from this site, the advice being to change them both as the problem may be a sticking thermostat and not necessarily a faulty sensor so by replacing both you improve the odds of solving the problem, it turned out to be excellent advice and the problem was solved.

Since i am now experiencing the same problem with exactly the same symptoms i thought i would follow the same advice but as i said the layout looks different and i am unsure of the thermostat and its housings location.

Thanks again guys much appreciated.