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2004 Skoda fabia, power problems, battery light not showing

cocat2517

By cocat2517
in Skoda Fabia Mk I (1999-2007)

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Hi,

While driving home from work today I started to experience power related problems on my Skoda Fabia 1.4TDI (Comfort) hatch.  It was about 1pm, driving in the rain on the M25.

 

First the ABS light came on, then the airbag warning light came on, I turned off the headlights and the warning lights went out, but came back on again when I turned the lights back on.  Then the power steering light came on.  Then my wipers stopped working, so I turned the headlights off again and the wipers worked again, although they were going slower than they should.  The wipers would not work at the same time as the headlights. Then I lost power steering. I drove the rest of the way home with ABS, airbag and powersteering lights on, wipers working (slowly) and side lights on (they were turned on, whether they were working or not I don't know).

 

When I got home I parked up and turned the engine off. I tried to restart but nothing, completely dead. After 20 mins I went back out and tried to restart and it started fine.  However I drove the car for about 30 seconds and the warning lights came back on and I lost power steering again.

 

We noticed that when trying to start the car (whether it starts or not) the battery light does not come on.  All the other lights appear to come on ok as they do their start up checks, but not the battery light.

 

Have checked battery terminal connections and all seems ok, although it is dark.  Could it be a grounding problem? Going to pick up a multi metre tomorrow and check the battery and alternator.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Pete

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Thanks, will take a look tomorrow morning. Would a multi metre reading help diagnose a faulty load sensor wire?

I tried starting it again earlier, wont start at all now and the radio has reset.

Edited by PeteJC21
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ilikeradios Collaborator

ilikeradios

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We noticed that when trying to start the car (whether it starts or not) the battery light does not come on.  

 

Had this exact problem on my daughters Fiesta..turned out to be sticking brushes in the alternator.

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NathanG Rising Star

NathanG

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Continuity? You know the beep test put a prong on either end of the wire if it beeps you've got continuity if it doesn't you may have a broken wire.

 

Thats how i found mine as i replaced the wire where it 'usually' breaks but i still had nothing.  I had to do a test from the start of the wire to the end of it (alternator to control module).  I had continuity form the alternator to where the wire disappeared into the loom under the battery tray, my break was else where further up.

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Alternator came back ok. Had the car plugged in & read for error codes. Nothing current came up, however it had a stored error from a short while ago that was to do with the load sensor wire. The guy who did the test said it was probably either a minor break in the wire and where we previously messed about taking the alt out, checking cables etc we pushed the wire back together (car was fine when i drive to the garage and was starting ok) or it was still the alternator, but a problem with the control module or something on it that may have started to intermittently malfunction. Going to replace the alt and see what happens. Think it will need the wire doing as well.

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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DIY.  get involved with the search button.  Be covered loads of times.

 

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=209472

 

This is the original link that everyone uses.

 

 

Okay thanks for the guide. I noticed the comment about the battery warning light not working if the load wire was broken, my battery light still isn't working despite everything else being ok (for now). Going to give the alternator a try first, mainly because it's convenient. dad is very busy and wife is not well, so I figured this would be an easier thing to try than the wiring.  I'm not holding out much hope though, so will likely get her to do the wiring once she's better.

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Okay, before replacing the alternator I had a look over the engine one more time to check for breaks in the wiring, I couldn't check everywhere as I don;t have a suitable jack to get it high enough to check underneath.  However I did find some rather manky looking wiring that appears to go into the dashboard.  Its a group of wires that leads to the lights and a few other things.

 

It looks like it's corroded? Could this be related to my problems and why the battery light isn't coming on at all?

 

Picture1.jpg

 

 

photo.jpg

 

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Pulled out the battery and case to check the wiring underneath. Couldnt spot any obvious breaks. Replaced the altinator ok, hasnt solved anything.

Will get it in asap to have that wiring replaced and see what that does.

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theezenutz Experienced

theezenutz

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Pulled out the battery and case to check the wiring underneath. Couldnt spot any obvious breaks. Replaced the altinator ok, hasnt solved anything.

Will get it in asap to have that wiring replaced and see what that does.

My mate had a similar problem with his Corrado. Any way cut a long story short I cleaned up his chassis earth points, problem solved.

 

Maybe worth a look chap.

 

Top-tip. Put vaseline over bare terminals aka. Battery, earth points ect. It'll keep em from corroding. Or you can use proper stuff, depends on you really mate.

Edited by theezenutz
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theezenutz Experienced

theezenutz

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Thanks. Things are looking a little grubby in there so ill have a clean up on all the connectors. Ive got vaseline, grease and KY! Its booked in at a friends garage to have those corroded cables looked at too.

Nooooo. Don't use the KY! KY has way more important use's :giggle:

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Medivac Enthusiast

Medivac

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i had the exact same problem, no battery light and intermittent power steering on start up.  it was the alternator load wire. It was broken at the front drivers side, had to jack it up to get access. Start the car or jump start it if it wont start and run a volt meter across the terminals, when my wire was broke it was reading 11.8v while idling, i the rejoined the wire and got 14.5 instantly. 

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cocat2517 Enthusiast

cocat2517

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Just heard from our friend at the garage. Yep, load sensor wire from the ECU to the alternator was broken.  On first inspection it appeared all okay, the wire cover etc was not broken, but when he looked further and opened it all up he found that it had in fact broken. He's replaced and extended it all and it's all good now.  It had broken somewhere near the starter motor and you could only get access to it from underneath.

 

Thanks for your help everyone :) Picking it up tomorrow!

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