Hi,

 

I wondered if anyone might know what this could be.

 

In the past week i've been driving to work and back, and on some journey's the ABS and handbrake light will flash on and off and make a beep noise 3/4 times.  Friday i was getting in the car to go to a shop and i pulled out of my street, the Power steering decided to stop working, so i managed to pull in and turn the engine off.  I turned it back on and the power steering came back and everything was fine until today, when the ABS and handbrake light flashed on and off again with the beeps a few times.  It seems to be when its been damp this week, but it managed to get through all the code damp wet weather in winter without having any of these issues so i'm dubious to it being the damp causing the problem?

 

Thanks for your help in advance!

Well, if the ABS warning light is flashing, it's throwing fault codes, which should still be in memory. If you have a laptop, freeware VCDS plus a cable should give up those codes.

Hi Ken, thanks for that

 

I have a laptop yes but i don't have the cable required to link my laptop to the car.  Do you know what cable i would need?

 

I have one of these : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxiscan-MS309-Diagnostic-Scanner-Reader/dp/B00JA0LNQQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1437925192&sr=8-3&keywords=car+fault+code+reader

 

I've read it with that and there are no fault codes...

 

Thanks,

Adam

Edited 26 July, 201510 yr by Reigns1989

Check your brake fluid level.

See if your battery light comes on with ignition and goes out again as the engine starts up.

Code readers don't read all the codes, usually just the engine and EMS block ones, and these are probably in the ABS block.

 

No idea which cable you need since year of car not stated; put model + year + VCDS cable into a search engine.

You need something like http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KKL-VAG-COM-409-1-OBD2-OBD-II-USB-Cable-Auto-Scanner-Diagnostic-Tool-Interface/321762768324?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20141212152715%26meid%3D472afd7943524b47960f4b46f061d4a1%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D13%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D161755546545

 

usually refered to as vag usb 409.1. kkk

 

They are all refered to as differant things, but that gives you a start.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

I had already checked the break fluid btw, it looks fine.

 

i'll take a look at the battery light Wino thanks.

check the PAS fluid. Had this in mine - that fixed it for me but i think the system had been running dry for a bit too long along with the pump being covered in water which eventually got the beeping to remain constant and me have no PAS or ABS etc.

Hi Aaron,

 

Cheers for that i will have to check the PAS. It's right under the battery in my car though, brilliant place to put it, need to work out how to get it, probably will have to remove the battery.

 

Thanks,

Adam

Hi Aaron,

 

Cheers for that i will have to check the PAS. It's right under the battery in my car though, brilliant place to put it, need to work out how to get it, probably will have to remove the battery.

 

Thanks,

Adam

 

They are all like that on the MK1. You need to remove the battery and the battery box/tray as well.

They are all like that on the MK1. You need to remove the battery and the battery box/tray as well.

Not quite all.

1.2 12V AZQ has battery box far enough back that the PAS reservoir cap is easily accessible, due to the airbox being integrated with the engine cover.  Not sure on the 1.2 6-valve? Probably depends on which style of airbox is used.

I suspect 1.4/16V engines in the Fabia may also be like this wherever this same airbox style exists?, pretty sure it is the case in my Polo with BBY engine.

 

Which engine does the car have, Adam?

^ Ah, OK. I think his car is a TDI Diesel.

Not quite all.

1.2 12V AZQ has battery box far enough back that the PAS reservoir cap is easily accessible, due to the airbox being integrated with the engine cover.  Not sure on the 1.2 6-valve? Probably depends on which style of airbox is used.

I suspect 1.4/16V engines in the Fabia may also be like this wherever this same airbox style exists?, pretty sure it is the case in my Polo with BBY engine.

 

Which engine does the car have, Adam?

 

Confirming my AUB has enough room between the battery box and the headlight to comfortably reach the PAS fluid cap to check the level, topping up is still tricky and messy though.

My 1.4 BBY has plenty of room to reach down past battery.

Hi,

 

I wondered if anyone might know what this could be.

 

In the past week i've been driving to work and back, and on some journey's the ABS and handbrake light will flash on and off and make a beep noise 3/4 times.  Friday i was getting in the car to go to a shop and i pulled out of my street, the Power steering decided to stop working, so i managed to pull in and turn the engine off.  I turned it back on and the power steering came back and everything was fine until today, when the ABS and handbrake light flashed on and off again with the beeps a few times.  It seems to be when its been damp this week, but it managed to get through all the code damp wet weather in winter without having any of these issues so i'm dubious to it being the damp causing the problem?

 

Thanks for your help in advance!

 Some times the ABS sensors can get dirt and muck on them and as they work off a magnetic pulse, any rust from your brake disks can end up sticking to the magnetized sensor tips, this in turn causes even more fine debris to build up and the sensor then starts to lose contact with the driveshaft castle ring, putting your ABS light on, even dirt or grease getting onto the castle ring can confuse the ABS sensor as it works on a constant pulse. 

Hi guys.

 

Sorry for the late reply i've been moving into a new home so i've been pretty hectic.

 

Update on the above, i left it for a few weeks after taking it to the garage and them telling me there were no codes.  Everything seemed fine until this week when the abs and handbrake light have started flashing again.  I was in Devon and there was a lot of rain so it's as if the damp is effecting the sensors or something.

 

That said, I have also lost the power steering twice, and turning the engine off and back on gets it back.

 

Now this has all been since i installed an aftermarket radio by Sony.  I went to Halfords to get it sorted as i couldn't get it to work, and he put a new fuse in the car and this was when the airbag light appeared (which still hasn't gone so i will have to get that reset.)  He also cut a wire, a blue one possibly from memory, on the back of the radio.  Could any of this be related to the issues i am having?

 

Appreciate your help

Edited 13 October, 201510 yr by Reigns1989

Ah, at that rate we need what wire the monkey cut confirming!

Hi.

 

So i took my car to the garage yesterday.

 

Turns out it needed a new alternator and battery. Been driving it last night and today and everything is back to normal.  my radio signal has even strangely improved.

 

Just thought i'd let you know the outcome.

 

Thanks for your help all.