Hello All,

I have a bit of a story to tell so I trust you will be patient and hopefully be able to help me at the end of it!

Two months ago the windscreen wipers seemed to be operating more slowly than normal but intermittently. At the same time the dashcam, plugged into the cigarette lighter socket, kept switching off. I suspected a problem with the alternator and intended to check its output when I got home, but I forgot!

The next time I was out in the car it started and ran normally for a couple of miles and then the power steering failed, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree at the same time. Then the drive failed, it's got a semi-automatic gearbox, but the engine was still running. I got to the safest place I could just rolling and parked. I called my breakdown company and arranged for the car to be picked up and taken to the main agent in Canterbury rather than my usual local garage that cares for the car. My reason was that it looked like a major issue and possibly beyond the capabailities of the usual guys. In the meantime after an hour or so with the hazard lights on, the battery failed. It was eleven years old and I knew it was on its last legs.

The following day a call from the main agent to tell me that they would have to replace the battery to which I agreed. Then another call a while later to tell me that they felt that the alternator was the cause of the problem and had to be replaced. Apparently a genuine Skoda alternator was not available, on back order, so another suitable one was fitted. This failed to solve the problem, apparently there were still loads of alarms on the dashboard! Another more expensive alternator was fitted and appeared to solve the problem as all the alarms went away.

Six weeks and 302 miles later there was not a nice sound from the brakes as I rolled the car off the drive at home followed by ABS, traction control and tyre pressure alarms on the dash! I convinced the main agent to run the car through some tests and was told that the O/S/F ABS sensor was the likely cause. They reset the alarms and I drove the car home. The next time I started it all the alarms were back! I took it to the local garage I use and they confirmed the diagnosis and replaced the ABS sensor but the alarms remain!

Does anybody have any ideas as to what might be going on please? I don't have much faith in the main agent, two alternators and north of £1k spent on the car thus far! The local garage guys are upfront and honest and don't want to spend more of my money without being confident that they can solve the problem.

Shad

Check the strip fuses in front of battery. My sons ABS one had a hairline crack in it and it randomly put on alarm/warning lights. ABS/brake warning etc They may look ok but when I removed it it split in two. Look carefully as the crack on his was almost invisible.

Thanks Alasdair, I'll have a close look!