Skoda Fabia - flat battery and no power steering

[aaydjrlb]

Hi,

 

I have a 2004 Skoda Fabia.

 

A few weeks ago the power steering light came on and it was a bit heavy to drive. A couple of days later I turned the engine on and I couldn't turn the wheels at all. It wasn't a locked steering wheel, I think the power steering had completely failed so I couldn't drive it. 

 

I tried the car a few days later and it drove completely fine, the power steering was normal. Then the next week I got in the car and the battery was flat. I jump started it, but the power steering again wouldn't work. 

 

I've bought some tools to take the battery out this morning and it's currently on charge. Does anybody have any ideas of what is wrong with it? I would take it to my local garage as I know nothing about cars, but currently I can't even drive it anywhere! 

 

My friend said it could be a number of things: battery problem, problem with the alternator, angle sensor, belt tension, exciter wire?! The car itself is worth about £900 and I'm looking to sell it ASAP so I don't want to have to spend a lot of money on it. Not sure what my best option is!

 

Any advice would be really helpful. Thanks  

 

 

 

 

[TMB]

The battery needs to be good as the power steering draws a lot of current. The cold weather might have caused a failing battery to finally throw the towel in. Also check if the battery light illuminates with the ignition turned on (engine not running). If it doesn't it points to broken load sensing wires which stops the battery being charged - very common.

[Aleskoda]

@TMB occasionally my battery light doesn’t illuminate is it worth replacing the sensor. How complicated is it to replace with a basic tool box and cost I had a similar problem  with my sdi, turned out aux belt tensioner was just bouncing around and not actually doing anything. Might be worth just a quick visual inspection on the belt and tensioner when engine is running keep an eye out for any slipping and excaessive movements on the tensioner ? @aaydjrlb

[TMB]

28 minutes ago, Aleskoda said:

@TMB occasionally my battery light doesn’t illuminate is it worth replacing the sensor. How complicated is it to replace with a basic tool box and cost I had a similar problem  with my sdi, turned out aux belt tensioner was just bouncing around and not actually doing anything. Might be worth just a quick visual inspection on the belt and tensioner when engine is running keep an eye out for any slipping and excaessive movements on the tensioner ? @aaydjrlb

 

Check the load sensing wires if the battery light sometimes doesn't work. They are near the bottom of the gearbox at the front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 9 December, 2017 by TMB

[Aleskoda]

How’ve Skoda gotten away with making such an important sensor with barely any protection lol 

[Breezy_Pete]

Not a sensor, just a pair of connectors where two separate looms join.

[Fobba]

When the alternator stops running while driving.
This happened to me 40 miles from home. I did not remember order but these stopped working. ABS, ASR, power steering, heater, headlights, radio, dashboard lights, fuel gauge, thermometer, speedometer and last rpm gauge. The car was still running !! and I got to drive home !!!

 

[FabiauserKari]

Similar problems exist with all Skoda, VW and Seat cars.
No problem resolution response from the car factories, that can be found in the WEB.

Since this same problem concerns probably hundreds of Skoda, VW and Seat users, the factory should be charged to fix the problem once and forever.

 

Typical symptoms are:
- Driving lights flickering during drive
- Power steering warning indicator coming on intermittently during drive
- Power steering effect changing dudring drive
- Front window electrical lifts changing operational mode intermittently - sometimes automatic shut/open, sometimes just pressing the switch continuously to get window opened or shut

- Power Steering not activating at all, after the short stop when warmed up
- Cold start after long park, typically starts power steering, just for once.
- Some users report opposite symptoms, cold car doesn't activate power steering, heated up does.

- Power steering oil reservoir - if over filled? Could this be the problem? Nobody knows.
- Battery or alternator grounding cables? Symptoms as well.
- Steering angle indicator, some comment mentioned, that disconnecting steering angel indicator fixed the lack of power steering, but left the warning indicator on at the dashboard.

Funny, that this kind on typical manufacturing product problem is not even identified, reported and corrected by VW factories.

 

Cheers