I recently bought a Fabia 1.9 SDI and found that the headlights/sidelights and dash lights all flicker. The Power Steering Warning light came on a couple of times and went away after I switched the ignition off. The Power Steering can at times be exceptionally light and once when in reverse there was no power steering. Having bought the car from a Skoda dealer with a 6 month warranty, I was told that they thought the power steering pump was drawing off more power from the battery than it should and because thealternator could not cope, the power to the lights suffered. I was told that Skoda Warranty would not accept any claim unless I appeared in the garage with the warning light showing. The warning light has appeared twice, once on a Sunday and another time when the garage was closed. Has anyone any suggestions as to how to rectify the problem or has anyone had a similar problem with a Skoda dealer?

Thanks

Tony :eek:

Hi

had the same problem with my 05 VRS but also got the ABS & ASR warning lights on to.Then they all went off but lights etc kept flickering.Then when it got dark i turned the lights on and the power steering warning light came on and stayed on.Took it in last week and they are replacing the power steering sensor tomorrow apparently it can develop a fault and suddenly start drawing to much power/current which in turn causes the other problems but we will see when i get it back on Saturday.

mike

I've had similar issues, they seem to be related to the fact that the electrical power draw of the power steering pump is very high. Unless the battery and charging system are in tip top condition, any use of the power steering dims the electrics (e.g. lights) and if there isn't enough juice in the electrical circuit (like if you are about to stall by being in too high a gear) then the power steering light will come on. Get the battery/charging systems checked out (one of those fast fit places will probably do it for free). It cost me about £100 for a new battery fitted by the Skoda main dealer (the advantage there is that they can hook the car up to the Skoda computer to preserve the radio code). If this doesn't solve it, it may be related to a faulty steering position sensor - search elsewhere on this forum for plenty of stuff about that!

i agree with the above comment about the battery and charging system

This has been a constant problem for me with a 2001 Fabia 1.9tdi

The problem was traced to a faulty power cable, apparently running from the starter motor to the battery complex. It has a tendency to wear due to a long routing and not very clever design. Replacing it has worked twice for me, but I'm just starting to get the usual symptoms - lights flicker when using indicators, intermittent power steering failure - cured by stopping & starting the engine. The last one was fitted in Oct 2006, so it's still under the 24 month warranty given by my VAG dealer on genuine parts fitted by them.

Have just taken it in to the Skoda dealer as the power steering light came on. They have said it is the power steering sensor and are replacing it on Friday, 18th. Hopefully this cures the flickering as well, will keep you informed. Thanks to you all for your responses, greatly appreciated.

Tony:eek:

Well- maybe - I hope it's that and that sorts it for you.

Originally my dealer replaced the sensor under new car warranty, [only 12 months here], the second time it occurred I paid them for a new one - third time they said the PAS pump had failed and were proposing to fit a new one for shed loads of money. I soldiered on as the problem disappeared for a few months. Eventually it re-occurred and again they fitted a sensor under their repair warranty for the paid for sensor. Within 10 KM of leaving the dealership after the new sensor being fitted the PAS failed!

I struggled back to them with no PAS (I knew if I stopped the engine it would be "cured" for a while). I left the engine running in their yard and demonstrated the problem. It was only then they actually found the root cause. The power cable was wearing out and sending incorrect signals to the ECU, which caused not only the failure but inaccurate fault codes!

As from today my fathers Fabia has started to intermittently loose its power steering. Sometimes you start the car and theres no power steering so turn it off then turn it on again and the power steering is okay.

The battery has got very low and lethargic and really needs replacing.

Do you think a new battery would rectify this?

As from today my fathers Fabia has started to intermittently loose its power steering. Sometimes you start the car and theres no power steering so turn it off then turn it on again and the power steering is okay.

The battery has got very low and lethargic and really needs replacing.

Do you think a new battery would rectify this?

a new battery could fix the problem as the PAS system draws a lot of current when operating , also get the alternator and wiring checked between battery and alternator

Hi

had the sensor replaced on mine last friday and all seems well at the moment fingers crossed.

mike:thumbup:

Hi All . Same problem with mine (fabia 2000) today. Does any body know if this cable :-

" The power cable was wearing out and sending incorrect signals to the ECU, which caused not only the failure but inaccurate fault codes! "

, can be repalced DIY . And also the sensor ?

Cheers

I'm not a techie, so can't answer that! The time to replace the cable is around half an hour, I believe. The sensor is probably more complicated, but I'd try the cable first as it's not expensive.

Thanks , I'll take a look this weekend .

i have the same problem with my vrs during cold weather. The sensors been changed so i assume its something else. What do you mean by the power cable. Is this the cable from the sensor or a cable from the alternator. Battery seems fine as it cranks over lovely when starting

We got our car back today - eventually!

This time the problem was the cable from the alternator to the battery - last time it was from the starter motor to the battery!

t seems that the electrics are a real problem on VAG cars as every time there is the slightest breakdown in electrical conductivity the ECU coughs and splutters with varying results!

The cable cost 41.28 Euros + VAT, fitting it was 8.90 Euros + VAT [0.20 of an hour]and removing and refitting the battery ( a bigger job than one would think) was 13.34 Euros + VAT.[.30 of an hour] Total, all in 73.68 Euros or around £53 GBP.

The labour rate - just to make you aware is, 44.48 Euros an hour + VAT @16%

Hi All

well , got a sensor today and fitted it , so now I know how to do that but still the problem exists . Start engine and power steering light stays on with no 'power steering ' . Turn engine off . Start again then repeat this process until finaly it goes out and power steering is present.

Looked at the other cables in the unit behind the fog lamp on the pump.

found a little dampness within the plugs which we cleaned away.

Problem still exists.

Checked the main red/black which I assume is the main power feed , at the battery . OK.

Would like to check the brown , I assume ground to chasis connection but cant find out where it goes. Any body help ?

I'm coming to the conclusion thats its the Pump or ECU ( which I assume is the big siver box mounted on the passenger side on the wall .

Has anybody got any other ideas ?

Thanks for the help

smudge

PS The one thing I haven't done is clear any fault codes as Fabia-vrs.com - Replacing the Fabia PAS sensor (thanks good info) states . Does this realy have to be done ie it doesn't clear the fault itself with a new presumably new sensor fitted ?

Now I'm getting the flickering lights:mad: - what's going on all of a sudden?

So far I must admit that it's only the flickering lights I've got, the steering seems OK. Though strangely when I first got the car a few years back I did occassionally get the steering light on the dash - hasn't done that in over a year though! I also found that occassionally I could 'beat' the power assistance with very quick, sharp steering inputs though the steering's been perfect for ages now - just seemed to sort itself out.

I'm now in a quandry as to where to look next for the cause. The car's had a battery and alternator about 2 years back.

I hope to hook up to Vagcom tomorrow - with any luck it'll have logged a fault somewhere. I'll post any progress I make.

i know its an old thread but try this if u buy a cheap electric meter put it on the battery positive and on the body work when the lights are flicking the DC reading goes from about 14.24dc about normal charge to about 12.30dc (rapidly) when the lights stop flickering stay constant at 14.24dc so what is being said about the cable sound like a cheaper place to start. as had new battery on about 2 month ago??