Loose Fuse

[bobbyforeman]

An interesting fault. Finished work today, about to drive home and car wouldn't start. Lots of cranking but looked like fuel starvation, not even a splutter of life. Got out lifted bonnet, looked for something, well anything really, but all looked in order. Tried again, car started. Closed door and engine stopped!! Opened door, engine could be started and ran fine, closed door, engine stopped. Repeated this four or five times, always the same result. Driving home with door open would be drafty and probably attract the attention of the boys in blue so opted to phone Skoda Assist.

90 minutes later, help arrived and the Technician had a good look around before starting the car. Started fine, closed the door and ran okay still. Typical I thought. Next thing, the technician gets his laptop out and pulled off a panel under the dash to access the diagnostics port. As he did this, a fuse fell out in his hand and the engine stopped. The look up table showed it to be the fuse for the engine management system. Pushing it back in, he restarted the engine and hooked up his laptop. There seemed to be many 'sporadic' communications failures amongst electrical systems connected to the ECU. He reset the memory and declared the car fixed.

It ran okay on the drive home. Do you think it was simply a loose fuse or something else lurking?

New Fabia 3, 1.9TDi, 4,800 miles in four months, average 48mpg with spirited driving!

[Zebra]

Probably just a loose fuse.

There were quite a few on mine that were not pushed all the way in.

By the way, do you have a rattle from the passenger side of the dash when you're in first gear and moving off?

[Organist]

Happened to my Octavia. Loose fuse, dead car, M3, Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[bobbyforeman]

Probably just a loose fuse.

There were quite a few on mine that were not pushed all the way in.

By the way, do you have a rattle from the passenger side of the dash when you're in first gear and moving off?

That's sounds re-assuring and the car has behaived since Saturday. As for rattles, mine is totaly rattle free at present.

[stevearcher]

By the way, do you have a rattle from the passenger side of the dash when you're in first gear and moving off?

I do have a buzz that comes and goes, normally at low revs or driving on a poorly surfaced road - if I press (even gently) on the upper glovebox lid, it stops. Think it's coming from the upper right hinge.

Will take a look at it when I get chance in case it just needs something tightening or a bit of silicone grease applying (and check my fuse panel while I'm at it!)

Until then, just turn my stereo up.

[JSJ]

Mine died on sunday morning, ecy warning light started flashing and it went into limp mode.

Stopped, got book out and on a whim popped off the fuse cover, there was one fuse that was in really skewed, almost fully out on one leg actually, and a few others that could be pushed in.

Restarted the car and all fine, but I'm popping into the dealer anyway to get it checked.

[skodacol]

Zebra , we found that the passenger side airbag panel on the top of the dash vibrates at certain low rev ranges .Will mention this to my dealer next time we visit .

[stevehowes]

Just checked my fuses out of paranoia.. glad I did. One of them was just hanging in there :P