Hi all!

 

After a debacle with a Mazda I'm back in the Skoda family! I picked up a 2008 Fabia estate which I'm really happy with, the pd105 is remarkably more responsive than the 90bhp I used to have. It has recently had loads of new front end parts (ball joints, arms, discs and pads, lower arms) and is great to drive

 

The car does have a few (hopefully small, I think) issues though, and I wondered if anyone would be able to shed some light on them, and if any are connected.

 

1. When I turn the key to start it, the dash lights flicker on and off sporadically and there is a fast clicking sound before the engine fires.

2. The radio has quickly blacked out (audio loss also) and then immediately turned back on once or twice, not long after starting

3. The headlights and all interior lights dim considerably when the wheel is turned, especially on full lock. Headlights generally pretty dim

4. The ABS light has come on, with a loud 4 or 5 note pinging sound once or twice not long after starting but not reappered when driving

5. the check engine light is on, but not constantly (code was read and found to be something to do with throttle actuator?) and the car has a bit of vibration at idle. Could this possibly be a misfire due to something to do with EGR? 

 

also, 6. The steering wheel vibrates a bit at motorway speeds, but I'm hoping that will be cured with a wheel balancing. the car had wheel alignment a month ago just before I bought it

 

I've had a bit of a look around on the forums and found people saying stuff about steering angle sensors possibly causing the flickering lights. If anyone has any theories as to what's causing some / all of these faults and whether or not some might be related, please pipe up!

 

Thanks in advance

It's more likely that you have voltage issues, check battery volts with the engine running and also with it stopped.

It sits at 12.2 engine off and (I think, will need to check again though) 13.5 with engine running 

That's low on both counts, suspect the battery is not charging properly and may be on the way out, try trickle charging overnight and see if the voltage comes up then check again with engine running.

Ok cheers I will try that, I suppose that suggests the alternator is at fault though? Especially if voltage dips when electric steering pump is running? 

I would also check the earth to body, I had a similar problem on a Volvo, with dash lights. Turned out to be a rusted earth connection.

32 minutes ago, hebdenwill said:

Ok cheers I will try that, I suppose that suggests the alternator is at fault though? Especially if voltage dips when electric steering pump is running? 

Nowhere near enough evidence to blame alternator yet. Recheck voltages, charge battery fully, check again.

Thanks mpm, earth to body likely to be where? 

 

If the battery was dying would it still show those symptoms? Even after a ten hour drive? Surely if the alternator was fine the batt would be charged just as well as any trickle charger can after such a long drive? 

 

Follow the connection from the battery earth to the body, it's usually short. You will also find other earth's from the engine to the body. Bad earth's can cause all sorts of problems, dash lights flashing dim, lights dim, not starting. You can measure resistance with a meter from battery earth, to earth connections, it will show if any are dodgy. 

3 hours ago, hebdenwill said:

Thanks mpm, earth to body likely to be where? 

 

If the battery was dying would it still show those symptoms? Even after a ten hour drive? Surely if the alternator was fine the batt would be charged just as well as any trickle charger can after such a long drive? 

 

Not if there's a bad connection between alternator and battery, or if the battery itself is in poor condition. Is it the car's original battery? (Skoda part number on top surface usually suggests this, few people replace with genuine).

5 hours ago, hebdenwill said:

Thanks mpm, earth to body likely to be where? 

 

If the battery was dying would it still show those symptoms? Even after a ten hour drive? Surely if the alternator was fine the batt would be charged just as well as any trickle charger can after such a long drive? 

 

 

12.2V is too low, it suggests the voltage is dropping like a stone under high current loads such as the power steering, unless the battery is in a very low state of charge it's kaput, after a ten hour drive the battery would indeed be fully charged yet yours isn't.

If the alternator is faulty then that's why the battery's dead, however you'll still need a new battery so start there.

One problem at a time and no guessing please.

Ok cheers folks, you've been very helpful! I'll start with the earths and see how they look, then new battery then test the voltage into the new battery to see how the alt is. 

 

Now I think of it, when I quickly checked the charging before I set off to Scotland, with the engine running the voltage from the terminals was something like 12.8, but when I plugged a coolbox in it shot up to 13.5. could that mean anything? 

Do you know how old the battery is?

Do you own or can you borrow a battery charger?

Those observations only make any sense if the numbers are swapped.

With those numbers swapped, it does suggest a poor connection between alternator and battery.  Clean up both positve and negative cable terminals. The (earth/negative) one that connects to the starter motor mounting bolt would be my first suspect. Do not do anything with the alternator's positive lead before disconnecting either battery negative or the fuse end of that lead.

Edited 14 September, 20205 yr by Wino
Added safety tip

It doesn't look that old, at least I don't think it's the original one. I'll have a look at all that then, is the starter motor earth strap bolt fiddly to get to do you know? 

Well, I had a look around when it wouldn't start today (lots of fast clicking) and straight away noticed a large strap connected to the positive battery post which was pretty loose. I loosened the 10mm nut holding it *pictured below under the red diode end*, cleaned the base where it screwed down (with my fingernail, not properly, I might do it properly another day) and screwed it down nice and tight.

 

Since then I have had only very slightly flickering headlights when using power steering, no weird ABS light, no radio restarting, and no clicking on turning the key!! Oh, and the check engine light went out and hasn't come back on, fingers crossed that stays away! 

 

I've attached a picture of the batt. voltage with engine running. It sat stably between 13.79 and 13.81v with various different electrical loads, including turning the wheel to full lock. I should note this was after tightening up that wire (I also checked for any loose suspects in the area, didn't see any but should have a proper look)

 

So, it looks like some tentative good news at first! 

OK, that's good news.

Numbers are still on the low side, but will probably improve as the battery now charges itself up for the first time in a while.

What is the voltage if you move the negative test lead to the other end of the earth cable?

Good shout @Tech1e.  Try also with the negative probe on some clean engine metalwork.

Not sure as I don't have a multimeter, will have to check in a couple of days, thanks for the pointer 

Ok, I got the multimeter on it and the numbers have improved even more! 

 

12.59 volts with the engine off, with the negative lead on the battery and the same with it on the end of the lead to the earth bolt on the suspension tower. 

 

Voltage settled at 14.23 with the engine running, but with high beams on it went down to 14.12. 

 

Other good news is that the auto window up and down (the second click on the button) is working all of a sudden, no return of any weird bugs, engine light not reappeared, and it's also stopped vibrating at idle! (Maybe down to a fast run on the motorway) 

 

it's fixed, well done.