Hi there I have a skoda fabia comfort 2003 for several months the power steering light has been coming on for shorts periods of time  steering was still fine but as of the last week it has pretty much stayed on,  the steering is OK upon having to make a sharp turn or turn around it becomes heavy. I have charged the battery fully, and that seems OK. The light was still on. I've also checked the level, it was slightly low. I have topped it up and checked it daily, and so far, it's still ok. So what I've read it could be connections, battery, or the pump itself, does anyone have any input on what it could be or advice on where to start looking. Thanks 🙂

Try to get (and post) a nice, sharply-focussed photo of the strip fuses in the holder above the battery. Sometimes a near-invisible hairline crack in the power steering one can give such symptoms.

Do you mean like this? 

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No, the all-metal strips that the four or five thick wires connect to, nearer to engine on that fuse board. It's not obvious that they are fuses, at a glance.

 

 

 

These. I think power steering is the fifth one from left. Thicker of the two red/black wires goes to it.

I just realised what you meant  haha sorry  you mean this? 

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Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Natalie1982
Added picture

That's them. Looks like some previous bodgery at  positions 5 and 6 with wrong-fitment fuses, but your power steering one looks to be in position 3 from left.  See if you can get a sharper pic of just that one. I think I can see a hint of a line across it very near the middle of the necked bit.

 

Like this?

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Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Natalie1982

@Natalie1982 When the PAS light was coming on, were you also seeing the battery light flickering, even dimly? @Breezy_Pete may well be right about the strip fuzes (but what is a heic file?) OTOH it might also be a bad power connection, or a weak alternator or battery. I'm guessing a bit here, but would advise that a good auto electrician will help; in particular they'd deep load test the alternator and battery for free conditional that they got the business if either needs replaced.

Yeah, good pics, but still can't really see if there's a crack there.  May be worth getting a pack of assorted fuses from Halfords, which will include a 50A one which is correct for there, and hopefully a couple of 40A ones which would suit where the two ill-fitting ones have been put. 

Halfords Assorted OTO Strip Fuses 30>60 Amp (FUSE133) | Halfords UK

Could use a 30A one for  the fans which is position 5 on your fuse board. Looks like there's only one of each value in the Halfords variety pack.

On second thoughts, leave the bodged ones as they are, if there's no problem, don't fix.

Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Breezy_Pete
typo

@Paws4Thothi its just the format my phone takes pictures in it's High definition and no battery light not even slightly. I have other lights on abs and handbrake but that's for another day. Breaks are fine though 🙂. 

@Breezy_PeteI will do that and update here thanks 🙂👍

1 hour ago, Natalie1982 said:

I have other lights on ABS and handbrake

Well, the ABS light will almost certainly throw a fault code you can read with VCDS or OBD II, and the most likely faults relate to the wheel sensors, so the brakes will work normally unless you're on a slippery surface. If it's not a wheel sensor, it could well be low voltage for the ABS control unit.

The handbrake light staying on might well be the switch being adjusted too low so that the lever doesn't press on it. You may be able to see that down the side of the lever.

@Paws4Thot I bought a second-hand abs pump from the scrap yard because the abs light was on. Swapped the abs pump over the light came back on a week later but this time it was the hand break light aswell the mechanic said it was showing low voltage abs pump no erros show for handbrake light. Been to halfords and alternator is fine battery needs replacing its 42% so I'm guessing that's why the power steering light is on now to find a battery 😀

ABS fault might be the bodgy fuse in position 6.

@Breezy_Pete i took the car to halfords its at 42% I need a new battery I also bought the fuses,  the alternator is fine. fingers crossed that will sort the power steering out once battery is replaced now to find a suitable battery. 

7 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

ABS fault might be the bodgy fuse in position 6.

Is that a 30amp? I did try looking but I can't see what it says. I bought these 

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40 Amp for ABS strip fuse, there's also at least one other, probably that 25 Amp blade fuse from your first photo (also a red/green wire, from memory?).

On a train just now so can't check for a third, but will do later.

These are 2 batteries I've found which should I go for or does it not really matter? The 5000 is better, but I didn't think by much.https://www.gsfcarparts.com/za042635 https://www.gsfcarparts.com/za042665

Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Natalie1982
Spelling and link

7 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

40 Amp for ABS strip fuse, there's also at least one other, probably that 25 Amp blade fuse from your first photo (also a red/green wire, from memory?).

On a train just now so can't check for a third, but will do later.

Ok thanks

Fuse 25 in the cabin fuseholder is the other one.

Fingers crossed that it's all just down to the battery.

Is it a diesel or petrol engine? 

Does the battery symbol light up when you switch ignition on, before starting to turn the engine over?

 

Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Breezy_Pete

16 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Fuse 25 in the cabin fuseholder is the other one.

Fingers crossed that it's all just down to the battery.

Is it a diesel or petrol engine? 

Does the battery symbol light up when you switch ignition on, before starting to turn the engine over?

 

Do you mean in side car on the side of dash? Yes it is on cars not running also is a petrol. There is a 5amp fuse if you mean in car.

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Edited 2 April, 20242 yr by Natalie1982
Added info

Yes, the fusebox on the end of the dashboard.

Good, the battery light should come on and then go off as the engine starts. There's a common wiring fault, especially on the diesels where there's more vibration, that results in charging problems due to the alternator excitation wire breaking. If the battery light comes on, it's fine. 

19 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Yes, the fusebox on the end of the dashboard.

Good, the battery light should come on and then go off as the engine starts. There's a common wiring fault, especially on the diesels where there's more vibration, that results in charging problems due to the alternator excitation wire breaking. If the battery light comes on, it's fine. 

Yeah it does. Going to buy a new one tomorrow so fingers crossed its just the battery.

2 hours ago, Breezy_Pete said:

Yes, the fusebox on the end of the dashboard.

Good, the battery light should come on and then go off as the engine starts. There's a common wiring fault, especially on the diesels where there's more vibration, that results in charging problems due to the alternator excitation wire breaking. If the battery light comes on, it's fine. 

 

2 hours ago, Natalie1982 said:

Yeah it does. Going to buy a new one tomorrow so fingers crossed its just the battery.

As Pete says except that you can get the alternator exciter wire pulling off the contact without breaking. Been there, done that; Knew the base problem and had the car in the local garage at 08:00, back repaired at 17:20, and bill was ~£20 for 30 minutes work (minimum charge),