I am waiting to pick up my new (to me) car from the dealer. It was to have some work done, MOT'd and valeted before I get it (it was just in minutes before I test drove it).

On the test drive the ABS light came on. When I spoke to the dealer yesterday he said ABS light showed up as low voltage, so they have fitted a new battery and since then it has been fine.

Does this ring true to you?

A witnessed scan of the ABS module (after a little test drive just in case they clear it prior to your arrival) showing no faults would be much more convincing, in my opinion. A printout or screenshot of the previous scan showing (just) this low voltage problem would be reassuring too, but I doubt it will be forthcoming.

 

 

3 hours ago, Jocko said:

Does this ring true to you?

More likely to be a goosed wheel sensor. Particularly if the traction control warning is also appearing.

That is certainly my experience in the past, but there was no traction control warning in this case.

Just now, Jocko said:

That is certainly my experience in the past, but there was no traction control warning in this case.

OK. Any issues with ICE, ventilation, PAS...?

Not as far as I no but I have only had a test drive so far. ICE wasn't on but Climate control was working and PAS felt great.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

5 hours ago, Jocko said:

Does this ring true to you?

Yes possibly, low battery can cause unexpected issues and warnings even if the car starts and the lights seems bright enough, the power steering would feel fine without warning bells and whistles on your test drive with normal driving and unless you were doing low speed parking, three-point turns or trying to pirouette on one wheel.

 

BUT - you are buying a car, and from a Dealer, in the UK, take note of all the advice already given.

 

You now have a new battery fitted and should have some kind of warranty so keep your eye on the ABS light area if it shows up you'll know what to do.

 

Edited 21 December, 20223 yr by nta16
ETA: Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

Did come accross this once before and indeed a new battery cleared this fault, but have also seen this type of fault with belive it or not rusty or clogged up castleations on the drive shaft cv joint a good clean with a wire brush and a spray with WD40 cured it, try not to get wd on the driveshaft rubber it will make it swell and floppy

Thanks guys. The car was MOT'd today and passed with no advisories. The dealer does not do his own MOT's which to my mind is always a good thing. It is a local car sales and gets good reviews so I am ever hopeful. It is just to get valeted so hopefully I will get it tomorrow or Friday. I still have my Jazz up until the 27th so my intention is to SORN the Fabia until the start of January and just do without a car for the few days, until the DVLA comes back from their holidays.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

18 hours ago, Murdockman said:

and a spray with WD40 cured it, try not to get wd on the driveshaft rubber it will make it swell and floppy

Instead of WD-40 Multi-Use get a can of GT85 as it can be used on rubber, contains PTFE and does what WD-40 does and more, and is a better and longer lasting lubricant and better penetrating/releasing fluid.  (Note the company that now owns and makes it.) - https://gt85.co.uk/gt85-original/

 

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

14 hours ago, Jocko said:

SORN the Fabia until the start of January

Good thing it got a new battery then, also check the windscreen washer fluid has sufficient antifreeze rating to it as there's been a few threads on here with frozen washer systems.

 

Even if you're not driving it yet you can still learn a lot about it, and know more about it than many long term owners, by reading the Owner's Manual and referring to it when required.  You can resolve a lot of minor issues by referring to it.  If the car doesn't still have its paper printed copy you can still download a pdf copy from the following link. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Good luck.

 

Edited 22 December, 20223 yr by nta16
speeling and stuff

If the battery goes flat after 10 days - until I put the car back on the road - then perhaps a Fabia is not for me.

Regarding the windscreen washer fluid, I just took delivery today of 5 litres of this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154921481365

Hopefully that will do better than my previous winter screenwash. The concentrate froze in the container, in my garage, last week!

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

The previous battery might have, and you are in the frozen north.

 

Wot!!  That's not premixed, you must have a degree in Chemistry or Physics!.  😄

 

"3:1 solution down to as low as -10 deg C." - toot will know, I can't remember, but I thought they used to be more diluted and went lower but we get so few nights or days anywhere near that here that it's rarely a worry.

 

 

It is not that cold here. We are less than 4 miles from the sea and only 84 metres above it. And I would never dream of buying pre-mixed screenwash. Why pay good money for water?

It can get cold enough that -10 is not going to keep it liquid if you happened to venture a bit from tropical Danderhall.

 

But likely you will not want to spray it anyway at -9*oC.  Maybe just in error.

 

 

Edited 22 December, 20223 yr by toot

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

It's been to minus 13, and I think lower, here before and we are well sheltered normally, just up the road second highest UK temperature at 40.2c this summer.  We're at about 120m and town centre river is about 60m so a bit more exposed and blowy up where we are.

 

It's not just the paying for the water it's the paying to transport it, water is heavy and bulky, but then some pay for it in plastic bottles when they can drink it out of taps in their homes.

 

I get a kick out of the con that is Scottish Whisky.  

Water and a few cheap ingredients and kept in a bond for a minimum of 3 years then lots of tax and duty added and still sold at a very large profit.

 

I get delight from the fact that the H20 that comes out my taps is just the same as what is bottled for Strathmore Springs. 

The container says you can use it neat as a de-icer. They say 1:10 for -10°C but I will probably mix it 1:1 or 1:2. I'll see how it goes.

I used to work in a place where Isopropyl alcohol was freely available and I use to use that in my windscreen washers. Good down to −89 °C.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

13 hours ago, Jocko said:

The container says you can use it neat as a de-icer. They say 1:10 for -10°C

I wasn't able to see the label and the eBay posting text is contradictory, 1:10 for -10°c sounds more like it I'll go for some of that once the Xmas and New Year madness is fully over, thanks.

 

18 hours ago, nta16 said:

water is heavy and bulky, but then some pay for it in plastic bottles when they can drink it out of taps in their homes.

Let me know when you start getting sparkling chilled water out of your taps without processing like a Qoocker.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

31 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Let me know when you start getting sparkling chilled water out of your taps without processing like a Qoocker.

 

I can get chilled water out of the taps, very chilled at the moment ,but personally I'd never want sparkling, to me it always seems to make the water seem less of it and burp and pee sooner and more.  I don't like chilled drinks as that often means very cold.  Anyone can drink whatever they please but seems a bit odd to me that some buy dozens of bottles of still water from a supermarket take them home offload them often near to a tap that provides water transported there already at considerably less cost all round.

 

Qoocker 🤣  I don't even like ceramic taps (turn the rubber washer around after 30 years for me).