Evening all,

 

Got a sporadic issue where my power steering feels like it’s failed for a second or Two then comes back to life...... Scanned with a cheap code reader no faults, haven’t inspected the power steering fluid (start cheap work to expansive) as it’s designed location beggars belief!!!! Battery and charging absolutely fine..... So I guess my question is does anyone have any pointers, has this happened to them ? It’s a Skoda Fabia 2006 vrs, well looked after example. Cheers People 

Look at the fusible strip on top of the battery for signs of damage, you may have the dreaded but quite common cracked fuse.

Thanks for the tip I’ll have a look! Why dreaded expensive and difficult ?

3 minutes ago, Whit3Knight said:

Thanks for the tip I’ll have a look! Why dreaded expensive and difficult ?

 

20 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Look at the fusible strip on top of the battery for signs of damage, you may have the dreaded but quite common cracked fuse.

 

Blimey Charlie, I think you need to clean that mess up with a toothbrush and some alcohol.

I think it's the second fuse up in that pic, and there's the vaguest hint of crack there, but it could easily just be dirt.  Try poking it gently downwards, if cracked it'll break.

 

Someone squirted spray grease around the same area on ours before our ownership, no idea why.

19 minutes ago, Wino said:

I think it's the second fuse up in that pic, and there's the vaguest hint of crack there, but it could easily just be dirt.  Try poking it gently downwards, if cracked it'll break.

 

It was just dirt 👍🏻

 

16 minutes ago, Wino said:

Someone squirted spray grease around the same area on ours before our ownership, no idea why.

Just a case unscrewing and cleaning ? 

23 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

Blimey Charlie, I think you need to clean that mess up with a toothbrush and some alcohol.

Just a case of some cleaner and unscrewing each fuse, I’ve got some glue and tar remover 

Just now, Whit3Knight said:

Just a case of some cleaner and unscrewing each fuse, I’ve got some glue and tar remover 

 

Ideal.

The grease will do no harm at all, I'd just leave it.

Steering angle sensor ? Only got a cheap code reader but not showing any faults ?

Does the battery light come on with ignition?

9 minutes ago, Wino said:

Does the battery light come on with ignition?

Yes it does ?

OK, that's good; just ruling out a charging system fault (very common one).

 

Whereabouts are you based? Could do with hooking up VCDS to it.

Edited 30 October, 20205 yr by Wino

1 hour ago, Wino said:

The grease will do no harm at all, I'd just leave it.

 

If it's grease then ok, I thought it might be sulphate corrosion from battery fumes.

1 hour ago, Wino said:

OK, that's good; just ruling out a charging system fault (very common one).

 

Whereabouts are you based? Could do with hooking up VCDS to it.

Checked battery sold 12v and 14.2v running, what’s the common fault ? And I’m located Rotherham 

I’ll clean it up anyway, ain’t gonna do it any harm 

55 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

 

If it's grease then ok, I thought it might be sulphate corrosion from battery fumes.

I’ll clean up anyway, ain’t gonna do any harm 

4 minutes ago, Whit3Knight said:

 what’s the common fault ?

 

The alternator wires snapping at the plug near the gearbox.

7 minutes ago, Whit3Knight said:

Checked battery sold 12v and 14.2v running, what’s the common fault ?

 

That battery voltage is much too low, it should be nearer 12.7V.

Bit of an update, no fluid (or not very much at all in power steering reservoir........ battery and fuses fine! So either been slightly leaking, or bit of a big leak? Getting some fluid now and topping up. 
 

Question is...... Any common places for it to leak from, can’t see any obvious traces of leaks, but not removed engine bottom tray cover 

It'll leak from the rack into the bellows.

Fixable ? Easy to spot ? I’m no expert but will have a go...... worst location ever to get to fill it up 😳

@TMB has experience of this scenario. I believe his leak was into at least one of the bellows as mentioned, but with a 'just refill and assume it's only a very slow leak' policy I believe his is still going strong some time later, with no other corrective action than to empty the bellows and re-attach (as far as I recall).

13 hours ago, Wino said:

@TMB has experience of this scenario. I believe his leak was into at least one of the bellows as mentioned, but with a 'just refill and assume it's only a very slow leak' policy I believe his is still going strong some time later, with no other corrective action than to empty the bellows and re-attach (as far as I recall).

 

Yep, into the passenger side bellows. I only discovered it because I was replacing the bellows. It's still fine

 

 

Edited 10 November, 20205 yr by TMB

Hello, I have the exact same issue as WhiteKnight and have tried the steps mentioned above without any luck (battery, battery fuses, fluid level, fault codes). Does anyone have any other suggestions for what it might be? 

For some extra info, it's a 2004 fabia vrs and seems to happen when turning sharply at low speeds. It has fully cut out a couple of times too. Requiring the car to be turned off and on again.

Any help would be much appreciated!