Problem Power steering and traction control

[51MM3]

Hello!

I bought a Skoda Fabia 1.9tdi 2007 1gen about 9 month ago it has done 136000km atm.

It works fine except for the power steering.

The problem shows mostly when I turn and apply the brakes at the same time.

The power steering cuts out or start working against because it's almost impossible to turn when it happens. When I release the brakes the power steering comes back to life slowly during a couple of seconds. If I keep turning it might take longer. It scares the sh** out of me some times when I suddenly have to brake and turn fast like avoiding a collision . Sometimes it cuts out when I steer left right left right fast or turn really hard to do a u-turn or reversing.

Oh yea, it doesn't happen if I'm stationary... It's really strange.

I post here a link to a video I made of how the voltage changes when I perform dirrefent maneuvers. Every time I stop I break and the power steering cuts out but no dip in voltage. At the end of the video when I park you can se how it dips when I steer on idle and it does the same when brakes applied and steer.

Www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13Mk5WpBkw

Also after driving for 10mins (almost exact every time) the stability control deactivates and give me a warning light. Abs still works fine and power steering works as good or bad as before. Before the light comes on the stability control works fine and if I turn the car off and on again it works for 10more mins.

This problem started like 5-6 month ago and I haven't got any fault code of it when I checked with vagcom.

I don't have any idea how the brake system relates to the power steering if it even does.

And I haven't been able to google someone with the same problem.

I can add that I haven't checked the fluid yet but then if it was low I should have same symptom all the time more or less but when driving slow and smooth there is no problem.

Thanks for the help

Best regards Simon

Edited 27 May, 2014 by 51MM3

[51MM3]

No one? :(

[Neily03]

Have you checked the power steering fluid level?

[Phil-E]

With your ignition on and engine off do you have a battery light on the dash?

 

Phil

[sepulchrave]

It has to be a lose wire or a bad connector which is being affected by sudden changes in inertia, you need to get under there and start waggling wires and checking connectors.

[51MM3]

Hi and thanks for the response! I haven't checked the fluid level yet but I will do soon. I experience the same problem if i use the ebrake to stop so it might be low level and when braking the fluid goes to the front of the tank, and the pipes are lokated at the back maby?

I used vagcom and I get fault code p1857 Load signal error message from ECU after the ESP light came on. Have been googling around and some say it is alternator but I get 14-14.3 volts all the time on the battery. What I also read is that it can be the air mass sensor.

Does anyone have experience with this problem?

[Breezy_Pete]

Haven't experienced it myself (yet?) but from reading this forum, it seems that about 95% of Fabia electrical problems are caused by a broken alternator load sense wire.  Check it, check it well.

[51MM3]

Where is the cable you are mentioning? I have removed the alternator regulator (not sure if it's the right term in english) because i only got like 12 volts i removed the regulator and put it back also i put an extra cable from the alternator to the battery first to see if the cable was the problem. I might have to go to a alternator repair shop and ask them to test it to see. I would like to get it sorted asap as i yesterday bought a octavia vrs tdi and need to sell my fabia

[Breezy_Pete]

Similar to what is shown and described here: http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=209472

[51MM3]

Oh is see! I will take a look at it today! Thank you very much for sharing the thread!

I'll come back with update layer when I have checked the cable

[Breezy_Pete]

If you do find a problem there, and fix it, take some (Fabia-specific) photos and make a "how-to" thread for this site, and you'll be famous!

[51MM3]

ESP problem SOLVED!!I have now found and sorted the esp problem! It was a broken wire as you linked to! The wire and connector is located behind the radiator. You have to remove the plastic cover under the engine but in my case is it missing so i found it dangeling immediately. I realized that I saw it a few month ago when the car was at the yearly safety inspection.

how to fix it!

I just removed the connector and put a straight cable between instead

I post a few pics so you can see

[51MM3]

About the power steering. I checked the fluid and it's way below min level so I wilk fill it up and hope for the best

[51MM3]

Power steering problem is not sorted yes but I checked the fluid level and it is way under minimum so I will fill it up and hope that is the issue