Hey just started driving a Skoda Fabia 1.4 16v about 3 weeks ago and having a few issues with it.

First off I had 2 minor issues which I have already sorted. Radio not working and no brake lights.

The real problem I am having is losses of power. I can tell when this is going to happen because as I reverse out of my drive the car will cut out and also the needle on the rev counter will move erratically usually from just under 1000 to just over 1000 very quickly. As I am driving the car particularly when coming to a stop or taking off again the revs will be erratic again and it is as if the accelerater doesn't work at all nothing in it. Turning off the engine solves the problem but it can happen again and again or sometimes not for days. It is becoming very annoying and a bit worrying at times as it is making me nervous at junctions and roundabouts. I am thinking it must be the map sensor but a few things are bothering me. For example this problem mainly happens when it is raining or the fuel tank is above half way. Does that make any sense or pure coincidence?

Another problem I have had today is that the battery light came on on the way to work. I got there no problem and disconnected the battery and charged it assuming the alternator is gone. I had to drive 50 miles home and after about 30 miles the light went off and I thought to myself that is very odd. As I got home I went to a shop for a drink and as I started the car I realised that the battery light actually no longer works at all. What I am wondering is if it's possibly the alternator is not gone as it did seem pretty hot when I got home and also the fan belt is fine. Do dash board warning lights come on if the light is about to fail?

My third issue is that the wiring plugged into the ecu no longer has a cover over it and there definitely should be a cover there. There is no actually exposed wire but is it possible damage is being done to it?

The engine warning light is always on as is the EPC light and since Friday the abs light too. I can feel that the abs is not working but the regular breaks are still strong other wise.

My previous cars have all been ford fiestas and I never had problems like these only ever straight forward ones. I also really don't have money to be endlessly putting into fixing things on this car.

Also the car only passed the nct on 2nd of June so none of these problems were even detected but have been there pretty much all along.

You're going to need to get the codes read before we can help, suggest you buy a cheap VCDS lead and install VCDS Lite on a laptop and go from there.

Where are you based? Could get some one to scan the car for you?

With the battery light not coming on, i think Fabias are prone to having a wire break near the alternator.

Defo need to disconnect the battery for 30 mins & do an ecu reset..................

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/201016-how-to-reset-the-engine-ecu/

 

old post I ages ago.

Thanks for the responses guys. So I have an update.

Today the battery appeared to be about to die as all warning lights came on and power steering stopped working. When I turned the car off it wouldn't turn back on so I left it there assuming the battery was gone.

I tried charging the battery at home but it didn't appear to be registering so I put it in my van and it started the van no problem.

I then went back to the car and it started but only a few hundred yards down the road experienced the same thing again. I can only describe it as a total system failure tbh.

Clearly the ecu has been the problem all along. Will the reset solve this or would a new ecu be required?

No, it's the charging system, the battery alone cannot keep up with the current consumption of the PAS which can top 60A.

 

The alternator isn't charging, but as stated this could easily be down to a snapped load sensor wire.