Hi,

I have a Fabia, 2000, 1.4 MPi.

Recently I have noticed that the headlights are starting to flicker whilst driving, and the power steering warning light also comes on intermittently. I am anticipating that this is likely to be the power steering angle sensor, which im told is a very common failure on early fabias.

I am right to suspect this?

This is the weird bit...I phoned my local garage (not a dealership), told them I wanted a angle sensor, and they phoned skoda to order the part. Apparently Skoda told them that this was a rare failure and that they had never had an order for an angle sensor before?!!

Can someone please put my mind at rest and confirm to me that the angle sensor is indeed the most likely source of the problem, and that it is the common failure it would appear to be (judging by the number of threads on here) Thanks.

Yes, more than likely that sensor.

This might help: Fabia-vrs.com - Replacing the Fabia PAS sensor

I'd also look at the battery.

I'd also look at the battery.

i agree with the expert above

Also check your earth connections for tightness/corrosion etc

Hi

I have a May 2001 Fabia and it started to do about the same.

I have checked the battery:

12.7v (car off)

13.7 - 14.5 (car running) alternator working fine

moving steering and voltage goes down under load and it still is fine at around 13.5v - With lights on too!

I also have sometimes (well, more often now), intermittent steering clicks - you can hear the pump going on / off fast and that is when lights flicker.

This has gone on now for over a year and most of the time is ok.

So, I believe it may be the sensor - being most probably the early type.

I checked Fabia-vrs.com and the part that is not clear to me is the beginning.

It says:

To start remove the nearside bumper grill trims and fog light if fitted.

How do I do it? Please help.

Is the sensor on the right side (as I suspect) or left side (looking at the front of the car) ?

Fabia's Haynes manual is crap, as suspected when I purchased it - bad images, no larger views to 'easy' identification of areas.

Any souls to help me?

I read about Barmoor Garage Ltd - what is the charge to have it replaced - anyone used them. I have read good thing s about them

Thanks

PS I had today free from work and I have concluded nothing until now!

Must go out at around 14:00 - dentist!!!

I would put money on the battery!. On my year 2000 Fabia (original battery) I had to put a new battery on 6 months ago ,after having problems where the steering pump was'nt working every time. This was noticed when the car had been standing for a few days. I thought the fitted alarm was draining the battery. Car starting motor speed was low as well. After the car had been driven 1/2 hour , the problem went.

I put it down to the battery capacity because when checked with a meter ,voltage was OK . The best advice I can give is buy the best battery you can ,you be well rewarded. I got a VARTA one which a capacity of 75 Ahrs (original one fitted 70 Ahrs) (Ahrs (ampere hours), for those who are unsure what it means . Example

75 Ahrs at a 10 hour rate (discharge for 10 hours ),will give 7.5 amps ,or approximately 75 amps for 1 hour, this 2nd example is not quite obtainable due to battery efficiency .

Just to finish I used my knowledge to solve the problem , and wonder if todays Engineers or Technicians have this knowledge ,or just rely on diagnostic equipment too much.

Think about this , for the problem to be correctly diagnosed correctly first time my car would have had to carry the modern testing equipment around for a week or more!!

I'd go for the sensor mine does exactly the same and I have had all the wires, pump and battery checked.

Rather strangley mine seems to have stopped doing it recently.

hi mate mine did this and it was the power steering pump that needed replacing dealer said it was a big job suppsidle

First post so hows it going,please help! Recently bought a 51 plate Fabia 6 weeks ago and was told that i would need to buy a new battery as seller spend time working month on month off working offshore and had trouble when he returned.

4 weeks ago power steering light came on and engine stalled after sitting in traffic for 45 mins. Put it down to dead battery as it wouldnt have charged whilst sitting in traffic. next day got a jump start and all ok. Failed again week later so replaced battery. Today power steering went again, came back on then car wouldnt start again at petrol station. Got a jump start and thinking battery issues it would start again after a few miles but went 150 with no PS. Stopped car then started again an PS was ok.

Could this be an engine management system, i know the PS is powered from the battery and if it is flat there will be no PS but surely with a new battery and after driving 150 miles it would be charged. Loose connection, where do i start? Low oil?