Hi,

 

I have Octavia TDi 2011, and it started blowing fuse #14 in engine compartment fuse box randomly. This is called "ignition" or something like that. Sometimes this happened once a month, and sometimes daily. When fuse blows, the engine stalls. But it can be started normally after fuse is replaced.

Skoda service replaced the fuse box 3 months ago claiming there was water inside the box, and the problem disappeared then. Now this weekend the car stalled three times within 5 minutes, and every time the same fuse was blown again. So the problem returned. There was a guess that wiring harness is broken somewhere and causing short circuit between wires, but it might take any amount of days to locate the problem in Skoda service.

 

Has anyone faced the same or similar problems? Where did you find the cause? Any hint is helpful.

 

Thanks!

The symptoms sound like an intermittent short to body. Likely to be a wire trapped over a sharp edge which has worn away the wire insulation. Follow the wire along its length, looking for bends in the cable or loom and especially for sharp edges. If the wire is in a plastic hose, look for wear on the outside. It is not easy to do but the only alternative is to put in another wire to replace the wire that blows the fuse, and that would need physical protection to prevent the same problem again.

If the problem disappeared for three months, I recon they were near to the issue. Has water ingress happened again? If so, is there any way to seal where it comes from with say, silicone sealant? I have seen motorcyclists use all sorts of things to prevent water or damp, such as rubber gloves or most noticeable, a condom over an electrical item, sealed with a cable tie, to stop the damp penetrating. You could try electrical cleaner or water dispersant on the fuse box but be sure to let the residue dry completely prior to starting up or switching on as you won't want any solvent being hit with an electrical spark!

Hi,

I have an Octavia Scout TDI 2011 which has also blown fuse 14. It first did it 3 months ago when it refused to start which I traced to this fuse, It then stalled yesterday after travelling about 100yds with the same problem.

Did you find a solution please?

Thanks

Graham