Hi all, I had a problem recently with my Fabia vrs 2004. I tried searching everywhere for my problem but didn't manage to find anything. Thought if anyone else has similar problems then this might point them in the right direction.

 

Some of the problems I would be getting when I was driving are as follows:

 

* What felt like a wierd juddering through the brake pedal under normal braking, as if the abs was activating. 

 

* Engine revving itself up when in neutral and coasting. Then in gear when you take your foot of the accelerator it would speed itself up. Very scary!

 

* After about 10 minutes of driving the ABS, ASR and brake warning lights would come on and all those problems went away! Probably the car disabling these?

 

Put it on a scan tool and it threw up this code 00597 - Wheel speed impulse deviation - intermittent 

 

So I though could have been a dodgy wheel speed sensor.

 

First time I took it into the garage they thought the engine revving was down to turbo problems, but that couldn't explain why the revving stops after the clutch is pressed in. They suggested taking out the ABS fuse so I could at least get the fabia back home safely. That stopped both the wierd brake juddering and the engine revving!

 

The garage now says it could be a suspected wheel bearing failure. Thank goodness not turbo problems XD

 

Took it to a garage the second time to have the hubs stripped down as they couldn't tell which side the problem was coming from and it turned out the front left wheel bearing was on its way out. Which also took out the ABS magnetic pick up ring.

 

Had the bearing replaced and problems all gone! Just got to have the other side replaced soon hopefully so they both get done around the same time. 

 

I'm not saying this is the fix for everyone's problems but it might help someone who is going through this with their fabia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good bit of advice there - Obviously the speed sensor wasnt reading at times due to the play in the bearing !

 

Thanks for the heads up

 

 

Ah thanks, no worries

...I have the occasional abs light come on (Coding said rear left) and swapped the sensor twice, with genuine new ones. Temp solution but issue returns. I spoke to a guy I know (Mechanic) And he said a similar thing... If not the actual sensor, then most likely a wheel bearing. The wheel bearing/reluctor ring in these is combined. The pita of this is he also said upon fitting a new bearing, a new sensor SHOULD be fitted, too! I said I had a very, very new one fitted but he said after fitting the bearing, start with a new sensor. (Penny wise-pound foolish, was his mantra).

That's because a damaged reluctor can damage a new sensor if they touch due to a collapsed wheel bearing.