Hi, looking for some help with an ongoing issue I'm having with my Skoda Fabia Mk2 (2007) if anyone can help please.

 

My car has good days and bad days - sometimes it's absolutely fine with no problems. Other times I will turn the engine on and within a few seconds it will cut out, the car will just turn itself off and the battery light comes on until I restart the car. Sometimes it will be fine once I've restarted it, other times it will take 5-10 cycles of me turning it on and off before the problem stops. I've put a new battery in since this started happening but that didn't fix the issue, so I got a new alternator fitted but the issue still remains. I've also had the glow plugs replaced.

 

Another issue that has coincided with this one is that the glow plug light often appears flashing on and off, along with the engine management light. These lights come and go at the same time as one another. This problem is intermittent and usually lasts for a couple of days, then I will get in the car later on and the lights have just disappeared again which makes absolutely no sense to me 😬

 

I have tested the battery, alternator and all other relevant points with my multimeter and everything is reading fine so I don't think wiring is the problem (at least on the surface) so I'm really confused as to what could be causing this issue. Mechanics have not yet diagnosed the problem correctly so I would like to see if anyone here has any better suggestions and hopefully I can look to fix the issue myself rather than spending even more money!
 

Thanks for your help 🙏🏼

What error codes have been found?

 

Intermittent like this would make me think of electrical (computer system side perhaps) when you were doing your multimeter checks did you wiggle connections, is there a pattern to when the issue is worse (hot, wet, parked up or not, etc.).  Have you disconnected and check the electrical connections were/are all clean, secure and protected, followed wires back and checked for splits, unsecured, etc..

 

Have you looked at the strip fuses on the battery with a good light and magnifying glass to checked they're not cracked, that seems fairly common from what I've seen here.

 

Have you checked other stuff in the engine bay, what has been checked done already, more info might be helpful.

 

Hopefully now I've posted others will be along with more idea and ideas.

 

Hey thanks for your response. When I last had a look at the error codes it was showing crankshaft and something else I can't remember, a friend did say the codes together indicated electrical issues. I did wiggle connections but will have another go. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to the issue, it's completely random. I haven't checked electrical connections, wires or strip fuses etc. as you advise so will do that next.

 

Thanks for your help.

You do need an updated a VW specific scan tool to get more than the generic info and then some scan tool programs are better than others with their programs, a second different scan record can sometimes be useful.  Also a more specific scan tool can sometimes offer more diagnostics and tracking down issues more sometimes   Here's a list of VCDS owners that might be able to help if you need it. - Briskoda VCDS Owners Map (click me)

 

If the car is not as factory standard or previous owners have added things or changed/replace items, particularly involving any electrics then strange work can give strange results.

 

Always worth checking and rechecking the basics though.  Good luck.

 

Similar problem have been advised to look at fuel pump relay fingers crossed same symptoms as your self will post when part arrives and is fitted

Turns out we have a carbon build up problem in the throttle housing will let you know how this goes

3 hours ago, del66 said:

Turns out we have a carbon build up problem in the throttle housing will let you know how this goes

Yes lots of car servicing, maintenance and repairs often boil down to clean and lubricate.  The rush is to go for sexy tools like scanners but the basics of timely regular full and proper (rather than Dealership, some garages/mechanics) servicing, maintenance and repairs on the whole car and to include further or longer term cleaning and lubricating where required.

 

I've been told on this site by some that things like cleaning sensors and throttles (unless lots of age and miles) will do not much when my experience is the opposite usually.

  

On 26/04/2024 at 22:15, nta16 said:

Yes lots of car servicing, maintenance and repairs often boil down to clean and lubricate.  The rush is to go for sexy tools like scanners but the basics of timely regular full and proper (rather than Dealership, some garages/mechanics) servicing, maintenance and repairs on the whole car and to include further or longer term cleaning and lubricating where required.

 

I've been told on this site by some that things like cleaning sensors and throttles (unless lots of age and miles) will do not much when my experience is the opposite usually.

  

Absolutely agree with you there 

 

I personally recommend regularly using, how regular is up to the individual, something like Shell V-Power diesel or petrol, but particularly diesel, for the added cleaning packages in them to help and bit with cleaning and as a bit of preventative measure.  And/or two tankfuls before and during a service and/or MoT, and a tankful after, so three tankfuls in all. 

 

ETA: I saw the good results of using Shell V-power Diesel with my wife's previous car in my rear view mirror, light grey cloud of smoke off roundabout and booting it a bit as apposed to dense black cloud doing exactly the same with the standard fuel.

 

Easy, clean hands work, which is the only way I like to do any work on a car if I can.   Car work is usually, filthy, grubby, unrewarding work to me, a necessary chore.  New(er) neighbours somehow often had the idea that I liked doing stuff on our cars, they soon learnt differently. 🙃   

Edited 29 April, 20242 yr by nta16
ETA:

Throttle valve caked absolutely caked new one fitted and car now starting and stopping on the key every time good fuel only from now on and system cleaner on a regular basis 

3 hours ago, del66 said:

new one fitted

The most drastic cleaning of all. 🙂

 

Good news.  Don't forget the air coming in too, clean,  replace really the engine air filter, VWSkoda's every 4 years is far too long for my wife's Fabia especially as the car is outside 366 of the year.

 

You might find other improvements from this 'drastic clean' too.  Good luck.