Anyone have any ideas???

Driving home yesterday, whilst sat in traffic, noticed for the first time that the dash/stereo lights slightly flicker intermittently. It appears to have nothing to do with power steering as still occurs when sat still, and with the engine off.

It is an ever so slight intermittent flicker, doesn't completely flicker off, just slightly dims, then returns to normal, stereo volume is silent, so not volume related??

Can someone help??

Does it do it when you move the steering wheel slightly?

The only time I get any variation in the lights is when the PAS takes up some juice, usually when stood still though.

Hope its not your alternator starting to get a bit wayward.

Does it do it when you move the steering wheel slightly?

The only time I get any variation in the lights is when the PAS takes up some juice' date=' usually when stood still though.

Hope its not your alternator starting to get a bit wayward. [/quote']

Nope, also does it when the engine is OFF, so surely not alternator related??

Nope - can only really be battery related if the engine is off - Its the only thing supplying the go-go juice then. :( Might be worth a trickle-charge? But IF the battery is going a little wobbly, it might not be getting charge from the alternator which could be indicative of a problem with it? Not 100% sure though.

To be honest, it's not even a flicker, it's more of a momentary dim of the dash lights. I thought it would be power steering related, but it occurs when the engine is off, no other electrical probs in car apart from this. It's a slight dimming too, but it defo occurs. It looks exactly like a powerful amp is draining the power and making the dash lighting dim, but again it occurs with the stereo either on low volume, or off:confused:

Someone must have had this happen to them......anyone:confused:

Power steering does not work at all with the engine off I thought.

I used to have the lights dim when I was running 2 12" subs, and they dimmed in time with the bass. However, that was a serious RMS wattage. A head unit alone could never draw any similar levels of power.

I can only keep going back to the battery itself - Maybe a dodgy cell or something.

Power steering does not work at all with the engine off I thought.

I used to have the lights dim when I was running 2 12" subs' date=' and they dimmed in time with the bass. However, that was a serious RMS wattage. A head unit alone could never draw any similar levels of power.

I can only keep going back to the battery itself - Maybe a dodgy cell or something.[/quote']

You are rifght, the power steering doesn't work with the engine off.........who said it did:confused:

I read another thread whereby someone said their headlights AND dash lights dimmed during a journey, and the replies put it down to time of year and amount of electrical load (rear screen, heater, cd etc etc). Now, this theory is credible BUT........and let me clear this up once and for all.......my car suffers the usual HEADLIGHT dim when turning the steering wheel, this problem is NOT what I am talking about. I am talking about the DASH/CD illumination intermittently dimming momentarily and ever so slightly BUT for no apparant reason. It happens with the engine on, or off. No other electrical issues, everything else spiffing.

So, any ideas??? Could it still be battery related, should it bother me, would it bother you??????

Only with the engine running but yep, I've experienced a very slight intermittant dimming but only so little that it would take someone as picky as me to notice it! It seems to be the whole lighting circuit as I get it with the interior light and side lights too - when stationery at idle as well as manoeuvring. Hey, wiggly amps can be spooky - as long as they don't go out altogther!

Hi Carefree. I had the same problem with my Furby. Lights in the dash and even the headlights flickering.

The cause was a faulty steering sensor located on the steering column. It transmits signals to the control unit of the servo pump.

Try contacting a dealer and ask about the problem. If it is a known problem in Denmark (yes, im a dane) it should also be known to Skoda in the UK.

Well from what you've said, (yes I realise it does it with the engine off) I'd start by checking the dash dimmer control, it sounds like it could be faulty or have some dirt in it, potentiometers sometimes go like that ?

I know this problem is often associated with a faulty steering angle sensor but as yours does it with the engine/ignition switched off or on that seems unlikely in this case.

If it's not the dimmer switch then if the power supply to the dashlights is regulated (dunno?) I'd guess the fault lies there ?:confused:

Good luck !

Thanks chaps, I'll take a look:thumbup:

Another thing to check, is anything else switched on. The dip could be caused by something else drawing current , maybe the fuel pump keeping the system primed ready for starting. or another electrical system.

At the mo almost everything, cd, heater, windows up and down BUT again it does it with the engine off, cd off, heater off. Could it be that with this long winter we've had the battery has taken a pounding and needs time to recharge???

I'm not overly worried, as the lights haven't cut out completely, and it is ONLY a very slight flicker.

My 56 Reg Fabia VRs has just started doing the same thing.

The dash lights started to flicker off, quickly to start making me thing it was just the shadows from the street lights.

Then it just went off leaving me only the "Airbag Off" light and "Headlight" light on.It now comes on and off as it pleases, but I have noticed that having the dimmer turned right down makes it happen more often. And when using the dimmer switch it no longer dims the dash lights, they are either on or off now.

Have contacted my local dealer so I will keep the thread updated with info.

Just to add, i had to charge my battery last weekend cos the car was stood for a few days, when i started it it did labour a bit and the dash light dim so slightly, when i put it on charge it said it was only 25% charged, left it all day saturday and sunday morning then checked and was at 100% then.......might be worth a top up any ways.....

spevie

Hi Carefree. I had the same problem with my Furby. Lights in the dash and even the headlights flickering.

The cause was a faulty steering sensor located on the steering column. It transmits signals to the control unit of the servo pump.

Try contacting a dealer and ask about the problem. If it is a known problem in Denmark (yes, im a dane) it should also be known to Skoda in the UK.

Just reading through this thread and was thinking mine does the same and is usually followed by the power steering warning light coming on, and the computer and trip counter resetting itself. Turning the car off and on again sorts ou the light, but obviously something is amiss and it sounds like the above in my case anyway!!