Hi,

 

Wondering if you can help please?

I've got a Skoda Octavia 1.6 petrol, 59 plate which has done 92k miles.

 

The car has been good for the last 8 years, but I've had an op on my knee which has meant that I haven't been able to use the car so it hasn't moved for 3 weeks.

 

When I tried to start it the other day, the power steering warning light came on straight away, and beeping. After this, the handbrake light was also flashing.

 

In an attempt to start it, the engine revved, then died straight away. Then any subsequent attempts it didn't start at all. (If I wait and try again, it does the same with the engine revving and dying.

I've taken out the battery and put it on a slow recharge, put it back in and had the same problem.

 

When recently trying, the usual flashing warning lights on. Would appreciate any help at all please?

Cheers

 

Power steering warning lights are usually associated with dead/dying batteries. 8 years old and lack of use for 3 weeks might have killed the battery. Check the battery voltage after its been stood an hour or more, if its much less than 12.0 volts, a cell has probably died. Any battery selling place will do a load check on the battery for free.

Edited 15 November, 20178 yr by xman

Cheers, I'll look at taking battery out and checking it out 

My previous car an Octavia Mk 2 1.8Tsi did something similar at about 6 years. Previous owner had car for about 5 years and had done less then 22 000 miles.

I had car for a few months.

Left care home after visiting Mother. Slightly long time to start engine, but then OK.

Stopped at supermarket did shopping came out started car, lots of flashing symbols including steering, but would not start, did not turn over

Headlights seemed to work, but difficult to gauge brightness.
Called out breakdown company. Diagnosiswas  battery cell gone, replacement battery fitted, car started fine, drove round car park to check and cleare steering warning light.
then off home.
Suspect from your description something similar.

hope this helps

thought I'd give an update as a friend / mechanic arranged to pickup and diagnose the problem. The inside of the car is soaked wet through and this has got to the BC module, which is knackered. He's attempting to dry out, and then refit and see what happens. If this fails options are to get hold of a replacement module, these are approx 400 new, but I've found one on a cerain internet auction site with the correct model numbers.

 

How did it get soaked through?

Apparently, a leak somewhere. The rear is also soaked in the spare wheel housing. Seems a relatively common problem (googling after its happened)