I wonder if someone here has knowledge of the cars electrics?

 

So I bought a 08 Fabia Combi MK2 a couple weeks back and have found a few problems with the car.

 

First the internal boot light is not working, so I changed the bulb, and checked the fuse (Number 23 as far as I could tell, 15A fuse in place). No joy, still no light.

 

Also noticed the glove compartment light was blown, changed the bulb and it works........ but it doesn't turn off when the compartment is shut. Is there a timer? I put my phone on record and put it in for 10 - 15 seconds. Light never went off.

 

Finally, my electric windows are quite intermittent from the driver side control. They run backwards, they jerk or just not respond at all on some occasions.

 

I'm hoping these issues are not related and part of a bigger problem with the car as I'm really happy with it otherwise.

 

 

The door window problem is related to broken wires in the drivers door loom, very common.

 

Boot light is controlled by switch in lock assy, might just need "using" lubricating. Does the boot "open" appear on the dash ?

Further info, the boot lock assy controls the earth path for the boot light, so "assuming" the central locking works on the boot (has it been checked) ? then it should operate,

although sometimes my RS sits in the garage for a few weeks at a time and when I come to use it and open the boot the light "sometimes" does not work, or comes on after a few seconds, but a couple of operations of the boot seems to sort it.

 

if the central locking on the boot does NOT work, this "could" be attributed to the wiring issue in the drivers door as thats the "master" lock.

 

The glove box light has it's own simple push switch, so should go off when closed, check the switch it located correctly / not broken / dislodged.

 

 

You are definitely right about the door loom, I only had to touch it and the car tried to activate the central locking itself.

I must look for a tutorial on how to fix it, I'm assuming there is one as it's a common issue.

 

Regarding the boot, the central locking works fine, boot locks/unlocks. The boot open indicator on the dash is working too.

 

I must put a voltmeter to the light and see if its getting any power at all. And try rule out a bad earth.

 

I cant seem to locate the glove box switch.

The switch is located "outside" the glovebox.....

 

Below is the location, it states to remove the centre dash panel, now that means remove trim around radio, remove radio and then the dash part that houses the radio (next image) ...... however, im not sure that if you remove the glovebox whether you would see it or not.....

 

 

 

 

 

Its not clear which side it is as the images are often based on Left hand drive, another option to check would be remove top glovebox (couple of screws) and tug out, then again you may be able to see the switch

and even check its integrity...

 

 

The boot light issue is solved!! I was a pesky dead diode in the light assembly.

 

The glove box will have to wait till next weekend when I've a couple hours free.

 

I don't even want to think about the loom issue, but I have to sort that soon.

 

Thanks for all the help Urban

Good morning all,

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I was searching for good/any earth points in the instrument panel as I am adding some extra electrical items like a USB socket and a 5V adapter to connect to my phone. Obviously I need to power these items up. I will use a piggyback lead for the +ve, but need to find an easy fix for the ground.

Again, do not mean to hijack this thread, but would the ground for the glovebox be OK, or would that overload the circuit? The pictures show my progress thus far. I've put the negative out through the hole in the back but it can be brought back 'in' to anywhere. Question as well, the large torx screw in the lower right of the first shot; does that screw into metal? It's quite a heavy screw for plastic.

 

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by Skoda_newby
clarity

There is actually 3 main earth points behind where you are........If it was me I would use it's "own" earth, probably just need a ring terminal to connect to the existing earth studs.... see image below

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by UrbanPanzer

12 minutes ago, UrbanPanzer said:

There is actually 3 main earth points behind where you are........If it was me I would use it's "own" earth, probably just need a ring terminal to connect to the existing earth studs.... see image below

 

How does one obtain these repair/workshop manuals? Are they available for free or paid service?

You can "probably" download it somewhere nowadays for free, not sure, but I purchased it from Ebay, it's runs on whats called a virtual machine on another software (windows XP "inside" Windows 10) and take a little time to setup, but it came with good instructions by whoever "ripped" it.

 

Is just as important to me as a good set of spanners !!

It's called ELSA Win, it covers ALL VAG vehicles.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELSAWIN6-0-2019-Workshop-Service-Repair-Manual-FOR-VW-SKODA-AUDI-SEAT-VEHICLES/352541145401?hash=item521516f939:g:yZEAAOSwEvZcDuEW:rk:2:pf:1&frcectupt=true

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by UrbanPanzer

1 hour ago, UrbanPanzer said:

There is actually 3 main earth points behind where you are........If it was me I would use it's "own" earth, probably just need a ring terminal to connect to the existing earth studs.... see image below

 

Thanks so much! Could you clarify where that earth point is? Is it adjacent to the cupholders, or shifter? How would I get to it? Do I need to remove many trim items?

 

Actually I now see where it is pointing to. Is there an image of what is behind that panel?

 

Many thanks again.

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by Skoda_newby

They are underneath the centre console, located on the tunnel........ maybe a few ways to access....

 

1. remove stereo and have a look down behind (not sure if you will see them.....)

2. remove centre console

 

I would probably go console, it does not take long to remove...even less time if there is no armrest...

 

CLick on image for full size......

 

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by UrbanPanzer

Thanks again. Whilst you have the application open, can you please tell me what you think that torx screw (in my picture) is mounting into? 

The software doesn't happen to have a wiring diagram for the drivers door by any chance?

OK, just for anyone that's interested, the end caps of the instrument panel come off and there are mounting/earth points there as well. The side vent pops out super easy!

Dela, You might want to do the door loom as you don't want intermittent wires making/breaking contact as it might end up blowing fuses. Plus, you might find that by correcting the wiring, the glovebox starts to function correctly. It may need a completed circuit to operate. This may be a red herring but you can't really lose by fixing the loom, its a fairly simple, if slightly fiddly thing to rectify. Just a simple in line connector to re-join the wires will make a good temporary fix and often, these temporary fixes end up being permanent!

I did just that and its working well still. Eventually, a new loom might be required but thats the long term and that too, will start to fail one day, unless they improved the quality of the wires.

On 30/01/2019 at 20:41, DelaChorcai said:

The software doesn't happen to have a wiring diagram for the drivers door by any chance?

It does, but I'm not sure you need it....

 

If there is broken wires, then simply rejoin the same colours back together.

 

Personally, its quite tight enough inside the door loom "boot", so to do a decent repair would be fiddly.....I would be tempted to replace the loom, but each to their own.

The loom does have "strain" relief on the back of the connector / boot on the door side, I can only think that some of them are slightly tie-wrapped in the wrong place from new, hence not enough strain relief and they break after so long.

So I had a go at fixing the loom, it was quite fiddly as you said it would be. I soldered the one broken cable and I taped up the 3 or 4 that had cracked insulation. My issue seemed to be compounded by there being a bit of a puddle in the rubber boot itself, giving the cracked wires a medium to short out. Next time it causes issues I will have to de-pin the connector and replace the offending cables up to a point where they don't flex.

 

Also, this issue must have existed long before I got the car as the window switch housing came out with only the slightest pull. All the clips were destroyed by the previous owner :(