New to this forum-maybe someone can help. Wife has a 5 year old fab 1.9tdi elegance (only had it 2 months!) which gave up the ghost the other day (while she was driving it). Engine spluttered to a stop & wouldn't turn over when trying to re-start. Managed to push start the car and the following lights illuminated on the dash:

ABS

Traction control

P/Steering

Airbag

Handbrake light - blinking 3 times with 3 beeps, then on for a while, then blinking and beeping again! And no, the handbrake wasn't on!

Suspected the battery had died although dealer said it was replaced when we bought the car (unknown make). What batteries are standard on fabs? Bosch or Varta? Tested with a 70Ah Bosch silver battery (bit tall for the holder so it's out of the car again) & the car started first time.

To the crux of the matter - dealer is being a bit shifty as to the Assist package - said the car is too old. Not prepared to send anyone over, and not prepared to replace the 'non-standard' battery that they installed! Told me to drive it over to them with the battery that's in there (with no ABS, no p/s and no lights - don't think so!). Any suggestions? Cheers.

hello mate, dont know if this helps but i had a mkIII golf tdi doing pretty much the exact same thing. happened while driving and very scary/dangerous indeed. the problem turned out be a relay in the fuse box after much frustration and arsing about under the bonnet. my mum drives the car now and 16k later not a peep. im not sure which one it is on yours but ive attached some pics if anyone can help? cheers joe. - sorry if they're a bit poor quality im at work but if you need me to take more just let me know

hang on i havent attached the pics have i?! lets have another go.............. ok it doesnt want to add the pics. ive posted them previosly though

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/fabia/sudden-death-1-4-16v-100bhp/81340/

hope it helps mate.

I think Varta are standard on the Fabia but I replaced mine (my 1.9 TDI Elegance was 4 years old at the time) with a Bosch one. The battery on mine failed after running the engine for about a minute and then switching off and attemtping to restart. Usual dash lights came on when the ignition did but they gradually got dimmer and faded to black.

If it failed while you were driving along, I'd probably not suspect the battery but if it's the wrong spec for the car, then that's not going to help and should be changed by the supplying dealer!

Chris

Thanks for the answers! Dealer won't come out to check/change the battery saying we need to get the car to them, and there's no way the car is safe enough to drive (pc plod would have a field day with my licence!). I could get a Bosch battery put in because I know the car will be driveable (although as mentioned I'd need to get any faults diagnosed), but dealer refuses to pay for it. Pretty certain that if I had fitted a non-genuine or non-OEM quality part then the warranty would be invalidated! :grumpy:

Dealer aftercare has been pretty shoddy to be honest - over 2 months since buying the car, and they haven't sent through any warranty or breakdown info! Contacting Skoda customer service to see if they can put the pressure on. I've basically lost faith in 2 dealers with poor aftersales "care" in the London area (although my father-in-law is using Farmers in Leicester for his Felicia and they are spot on), but I suppose a Skoda warranty which I still haven't received approves taking the car to any VAG dealer (e.g. Citygate (formerly Ryemill) in High Wycombe who provide very good aftercare!)?

Are you in the AA, RAC, etc. give em a call and get it checked out or towed in for free!

Do you bank with Lloyds TSB most of their accounts come with breakdown cover, this would also give you a free check and tow if req.

Did you get a warranty with it?

Perhaps you could find somone local with VAG-COM to have a look for you.

Thanks for the replys. Car's still stuck off the road until I can get it to a workshop. Checked with customer services who said the car should have a warranty with Car Care Plan. Rang them up to check as we haven't received any bumpf. Think the dealer must have been in touch before me, because there was a big pause before they said that the car is under warranty and can be taken to any VAT registered garage (sigh of relief!). Big question now is - take it back to the selling dealer, or use an independent specialist that I trust?! Have bought, so far at my cost, the correct battery for it: Bosch trade number 7GN. Still, is a cold-test current of 610A too low for a 1.9TDi battery which the dealer installed? The Bosch one I've got is 640A and is alleged to have enough start power at -18oC!

Just thinking about this... it might be worth getting the dealer to check the wiring to the alternator as it sounds very similar to a problem we had at one stage. It wasn't a dodgy battery in the end (I've since recharged it with no issues) but the exciter wiring and is a known problem on VW group cars (Golfs especially). Apparently the wiring is tucked away underneath the alternator/battery and is covered by an undertray or something so is not easy to get it. It isn't supported very well and hence over time can vibrate and break leading to the battery going flat and loss of electrics etc. starting with the power steering. The repair is apparently very easy and a repair kit is available from VAG I believe.

Update: Dealer's picking up the car on Monday & leaving a (new?) fabia for the missus to drive whilst her one's being diagnosed/fixed. So I'll let everyone know the outcome as and when. Thanks for all the help!

Update: Knackered alternator, replaced under warranty by an OE one (thankfully!). Just hope the wiring is ok too. Car back, wife happy, looking forward to many years of trouble-free motoring! Also, dealer has honoured the 12 months warranty & assistance. So if anyone's buying an approve used over 3 years old, make sure you get this included before you buy because it will save you shouting at people afterwards!