Hullo All. Just got back from a journey in our Mk.1 Fabia 1.9 tdi during which the power steering light came on.

 

The steering itself doesn't feel any different (yet!). When the car is stood idling there's a lot of moaning from the pump when you turn the wheel, although you can't hear anything untoward at road speeds.

 

Can't see any fluid leaking underneath, but it's a bit dark out there now!

 

Is it likely to be simply a low fluid level, or is it something a bit more, like needing to replace the pump? I'm only asking because I assume it's a case of taking off the wheel arch cover to get at the unit, so it might be best to have everything to hand which might be needed.

 

The upside is that the washer reservoir keeps emtpying itself, so hopefully I can deal with that whilst I'm in the area!

 

PS We're off away for a couple of days tomorrow (not in the Fabia!), coming back Tuesday. So if I'm slow acknowledging replies please don't think I'm rude - just not near any wifi!

Pop out and check whether or not the battery light illuminates when you turn the ignition on.

Thanks Freedom,

 

Comes on with initial switch on, goes out when engine is fired up - exactly as it should be, in other words. Battery 9 months old and alternator 2 weeks old! I've found some other info on here since I asked the question, and low voltage gets mentioned quite a  lot, but it doesn't look like that's the problem...

Edited 29 October, 20169 yr by pete666

Double check the fluid levels. If the racks seals have failed they fill the gaiters and if the gaiters are good you don't notice the drop until the pump starts moaning.

Many thanks to everyone who has replied - sorry I've been a bit slow!

 

Since the last post things have changed a bit...

 

There is no moaning from the pump now - in fact, there's no sound at all! Neither is there any power assistance to the steering...

 

Could I be in luck here, and it's just the pump given up the ghost?

 

Would the wisest move be to have the brain interrogated as a first step?

Check the fuse in the top of the battery lid first.

Thanks - and sorry to be so slow - been without broadband for a week - the joys of rural living...

 

Nice one! Fusible link no.4 is broken -  not melted, just a clean fracture.

 

However, just bridging it has made no difference, so I'm assuming that this is a clue to something else?

 

An oddity I've noticed since: the warning light stays off at idle, and goes out when I slow to a stop, regardless of whether or not I use the brakes.

What's it like at starting from cold?

As far as I can see fuse 4 on the battery for your car is the glow-plugs.

Curiouser and curiouser... Cold starting is impeccable, and always has been!

 

'Course, dear old Mr. Haynes doesn't seem to tell you anywhere what these fuses cover: a full run down of the box inside the car, but not a mention of the 'big' ones.

 

By the way, I've checked no.7 in the interior box - hope that's correct - and it's okay.

 

I'm near enough certain the pump isn't working, as you could hear it shut down immediately after the engine was switched off, before it went wrong, that is. Whether it's bust, or it's simply not getting any power supply for another reason I wouldn't have a clue at this stage...

If you have the owner's manual/handbook, that should cover all the fuses, probably.

Edited 15 November, 20169 yr by Wino

Thanks Wino. The only mention in the Owners Handbook is the advice to go to a Skoda dealer if any of these fuses need replacing!

 

Anyhow, a mate with all the diagnostic stuff is going to interrogate it some time this week, so hopefully we'll know how to proceed from there.

there's a list of fuses, including those on top of the battery, for the 1.9ATD engine in the Fabia technical guides section

 

Power steering is Fuse 5 50A

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/294383-the-mki-fabia-fuse-layout-post-updated-with-bulb-types/

 

Like you I found no mention of these in Haynes. Only in the official Skoda workshop manual.

there's a list of fuses, including those on top of the battery, for the 1.9ATD engine in the Fabia technical guides section

 

Power steering is Fuse 5 50A

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/294383-the-mki-fabia-fuse-layout-post-updated-with-bulb-types/

 

Like you I found no mention of these in Haynes. Only in the official Skoda workshop manual.

 

Lee, when you found that info, did you check it against the order in your car?

Reason I ask is that in the current flow diagrams, there seems to be a shuffle of the order of fuses 3-6 between earlier cars up to April 2006 and those from May 2006 onwards.  It seems to be the latter that are correctly described by the list you found/posted.

 

Up to and including cars manufactured in April 2006, the fuse order is (allegedly):

 

1 Alternator

2 Interior

3 Power steering

4 Glowplugs or Secondary Air Injection (or empty)

5 Radiator fan

6 ABS

 

 

 

Best way to see which order any car has is to find the ABS wire, which is the only one that's red/green I think, and see whether it's going to fuse 6 or 4.

Edited 20 November, 20169 yr by Wino

Lee, when you found that info, did you check it against the order in your car?

Reason I ask is that in the current flow diagrams, there seems to be a shuffle of the order of fuses 3-6 between earlier cars up to April 2006 and those from May 2006 onwards.  It seems to be the latter that are correctly described by the list you found/posted.

 

Up to and including cars manufactured in April 2006, the fuse order is (allegedly):

 

1 Alternator

2 Interior

3 Power steering

4 Glowplugs or Secondary Air Injection (or empty)

5 Radiator fan

6 ABS

 

 

 

Best way to see which order any car has is to find the ABS wire, which is the only one that's red/green I think, and see whether it's going to fuse 6 or 4.

Yep, Red/ Green ABS wire you describe is going to Fuse 6 (1.9TDI ATD engine 2003/ 53 plate, Elegance spec. Manufactured I believe in late December 2002 (according to DRG who did a chassis number check))

 

Found a sticker under the battery cover also with some module part numbers if they help anyone. A couple missing due to to the age of the paper.

 

Yep, Red/ Green ABS wire you describe is going to Fuse 6 (1.9TDI ATD engine 2003/ 53 plate, Elegance spec. Manufactured I believe in late December 2002 (according to DRG who did a chassis number check))

 

Found a sticker under the battery cover also with some module part numbers if they help anyone. A couple missing due to to the age of the paper.

 

 

Looks like your rad fan fuse (5) is blown?

 

If I grub around in the current flow diagrams and get the info for battery fuses 7-12 as well for each 'era' of Mk1 production, may I PM you with it and ask you to add it into the fuses and bulbs post?

Looks like your rad fan fuse (5) is blown?

 

If I grub around in the current flow diagrams and get the info for battery fuses 7-12 as well for each 'era' of Mk1 production, may I PM you with it and ask you to add it into the fuses and bulbs post?

ermagherd so it is Thanks for spotting that!

 

Yes by all means send me a message and I'll gladly update the fuse topic. More info the better :thumbup:

Check blade fuse no. 8 (30A) under the cover on the right of your photo, that one does the low speed fan(s) operation on your car. The strip fuse is only high/full speed function. 

Maybe have a browse around this post too.

Apologies to the OP for off-topicality.

Check blade fuse no. 8 (30A) under the cover on the right of your photo, that one does the low speed fan(s) operation on your car. The strip fuse is only high/full speed function. 

Maybe have a browse around this post too.

Apologies to the OP for off-topicality.

Well I'll be buggered

 

It was blown lol

 

Went to Skoda for the first fuse and they said *inhale breath through teeth* 'you'll need the whole module, that's £34.95 I said 'you sure, it's a fuse. I don't need a whole module for that!' Said sod it and left. Went to TPS accross town and bought the single fuse element from them for £4.15. Still a bit steep so next time I'm at the scrap yard I can see a pocketful of those fuses being redistributed

 

Thanks, Wino for suggesting to check that blade fuse :thumbup:

I don't think the OP will mind us rambling as he traced and fixed his problem lol

I presume your A/C isn't working then?

I presume your A/C isn't working then?

Well, the AC light on the button illuminates when I turn it on and it's been blowing out ice cold air all summer so I presume it does work

With both those fuses blown it should only work briefly until the refrigerant pressure gets too high, then switch off, I think.  In cold ambient conditions it may work for a while I guess, due to passive cooling of the condenser due to motion of car through air.

So it will now be a bit of looking at that fan motor etc before replacing these fuses!

 

Edit:- multi fuse links, progress?

Edited 21 November, 20169 yr by rum4mo

So it will now be a bit of looking at that fan motor etc before replacing these fuses!

 

Edit:- multi fuse links, progress?

Er, no   Replaced the fuses and hope for the best lol

I'll run the A/C and check the fuses periodically for a couple of weeks. Sod trying to remove any fan motors haha

Is it single or twin rad fans Lee? 

 

Table of fuse positions/values for all battery box fuses for all ages is nearly ready, just needs a healthy dose of checking.

Is it single or twin rad fans Lee? 

 

Table of fuse positions/values for all battery box fuses for all ages is nearly ready, just needs a healthy dose of checking.

Twin rad fans, Wino. What are you thinking?