What can be the problem when 'power steering fault warning light symbol' comes up on dash whilst driving. The owners manual says refer to Skoda dealer, is it ok to drive with it on ? does fluid need topping up or can it be more serious?
Edited subject line to include new searchable menus - PU
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The power steering is electro-hydraulic which uses an electric motor to generate the assist rather than the pump on the engine. This motor also has an ECU to control the motor depending on the demand from the steering coulmn.
It might be that there is an ECU problem - it the light continuous or intermittent?
Does the steering stop giving assist? My father's Fabia kept losing assist and it turned out to be the alternator was faulty.
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Very interesting! I have just returned from the dealer where they were unable to diagnose an intermittent PAS problem on our 3 and 1/2 year old Fabia.
Over the last 2 weeks the light has been on intermittently. The fluid level is fine. Their computer reported various \'sporadic\' problems but didn\'t tell(!) them what to change.
\"Come back when the light stays on\"!
He did say that there appeared to have been an \'over-charge\', and on questioning he confirmed he meant electrical. The battery has never been charged (other than by the alternator).
The symptoms we have is that the light is more likely to come on when it is hot. On very hot days it has remained on from starting.
On other days it may come on after driving 30 miles and stay on. Later that same day (yesterday) I drove back 50 miles in the cooler evening, without a problem.
Generally, when the light is on there is no PAS, but I have had he light on with at least some PAS.
Does any of this sound familiar?
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Certainly my father's steering seemed to be more prone to tripping when it was hot - I mentioned the outside temperature to a dealer but he didn't think that it would cause a problem.
It may be that the ECU is actually detecting higher temperatures on the pump drive electronics - this will be influenced by the amount of assistance required and the ambient temperature. The higher temperature may cause the assistance to be reduced or removed.
I would be a little cautious of the over-charge. This over-voltage could be the cause of the system dropping out with the warning light illuminating. Get a check on the alternator.
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Do you loose all power steering, or just some of it? The light came on this weekend on my touran, along with the ESP warning light. This caused the system to go into "limp home" mode, a pain but some assistance was there (no feedback or self centering though). Plugging in a 1502 while the light was on showed an intermittant fault on the "steering angle sensor". This may be the same as your problem, especially as mine is "better" now its cooled down.
Joe
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We lost all assist. After a couple of weeks the light refused to go out and the pump was diagnosed as faulty and replaced - not a cheap option!
I stripped the faulty pump and found a mess which I photographed and reported to Skoda UK Customer Service.
It looked like hydraulic oil had seeped through the 'seal' between the reservoir and the body - there was heavy corrision of the alloy
case in the vicinity. I have no idea why the alloy should have corroded!
Also the seal between the two parts of the case had been hardened, and water and hydraulic oil had got inside close by the PCB.
There was similar corrosion inside the case.
Although VAS showed an intermittent fault on the G250 sensor, it wasn't replaced, and all has been well since, although it is still early days.
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Hi there,
A bit of a wild card in reply to Nigel's problem. But I heard of a similar problem and it was eventually diagnosed as this:
In the heat of the day, the power steering was none exsistent. However, mornings and evenings - fine! The problem was that as the motor for the eps got hot, the resistance of the wires would increase. Now as the voltage was constant and V=IR, the current was becoming less and less as the resistance got higher and higher. This would lead to the eps motor giving less and less assistance.
This was however in quite a hot country, and changes in temp were quite big.
Just a thought....
Andy
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I've just discovered this forum, having searched the internet to see if it was just my Fabia that had steering warning light faults all the time. Clearly not ! My car is a 1.9TDI, and is 3.5 years old. After about 1 year, the light was occasionally coming on, and the dealer never could find anything wrong (or so they claimed). It was only coming on about 3 or 4 times per year. Now it is out of warranty, it is getting worse. Has anyone else noticed the annoying flickering of the headlights ? When I wrote to Skoda UK some time ago, they denied that they knew about this problem - but some of you have suggested alternator / over charging faults as a cause, so perhaps they are indeed related ?
Up until recently, when the light comes on, it seems to revert to "low" assistance so although quite heavy, there is some assistance. Yesterday, it degenerated to no assistance at all. Turning the engine off / on appears to reset it and restore it ! If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen.....
Rob
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I can't say about the low assistance feel but your other symptoms are EXACTLY the same that my father had on his Fabia. I remember being in the car when the headlights flickered and later noticed a brake lamp out - not sure if they are related.
Cycling the ignition returned the steering to full assist. His was the alternator over-charging. I would have thought that the ECU would have logged an over-voltage fault?
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I've experienced very similar symptoms to Rob on our 2000 1.4 Classic. The headlights flicker occassionally, I thought it was my eyesight, but obviously not. We've also got an intermittant fault with the power steering. Occassionally the warning light comes on but there is no loss of assistance. Sometimes the assistance reduces suddenly, but the warning light doesn't always come on. Often this happens as very slow speed when parking, just when you need power steering! Usually switching the engine off then back on restores the power steering. A local Skoda dealer said the loss of power steering was probably due to a faulty yaw sensor on the steering rack, but as these are £60 plus fitting and the car is out of warranty we're currently living with this occasional problem. I'll check the alternator output to see if there is anything wrong with the charging.
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Hi everyone,
Firstly, I am trying to gather some data on this from other Fabia owners - see separate Technical Matters post \"If you own a Skoda Fabia pls help !\"
Secondly, when I first saw the flickering (and also thought it was my eyesight), I challenged the dealer to check the alternator and charging system at the service (when it was still under warranty).
He told me he couldn\'t see any evidence of flickering lights, and that the charging system was OK. But I suppose it is my fault, because I did make the assumption that the Skoda dealer knew what he was doing.
Rob.
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Just to let you know, had the same problem with the light staying on. Rang the garage where I bought it from (Still under warrenty). They said it was either the battery or the sensor. Took it to the garage. Battery was OK so they replaced sensor. No charge & everything OK now
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My experience of this problem is as follows :-
Typically I start the car as normal and the Power Steering Warning Light Comes on and the Steering is extremely heavy.
I then select reverse and depress the footbreak, I then ride the clutch until the car almost cuts out, this causes the electrics to reset themselves. Now the Power Steering works as normal and the warning light has gone out.
I have lived with this problem for some months now and have to do this most times.
I'm confident that the problem is the Steering Angle Sensor, which apparently fails on a fairly regular basis.
There is a detailed replecement guide available via BriSkoda.net
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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 electrical fault seems to generate a faulty input to the ECU, which is re-set by turning the engine off and on again.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.
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Where do I start with my car.
I purchased a 2003 skoda fabia 2 years ago. The day after I bought it, the ESP system failed.
It went back to the garage 3 times until they managed to find the fault which turned out to be a faulty fan which was tripping the system. Luckily under warrenty so nothing had to be paid. (I then looked in my handbook and the corners of the pages on the warning lights where all tatty and thumbed - a sign of previous faults?!)
Then I took it back to the garage because the ABS comes on when the engine starts but then goes off - was told that some cars do that - nothing to worry about.
Last February (After the warrenty ran out) my power steering light came on when it was cold ie. frosty outside not during the summer, and I had a sensor replaced, this did not fix the problem as the day after, the light came on again and probably my own fault that I did not go back. During the summer it was fine but then winter came and it started to happen again. When I took it to the garage whilst it was faulting I was told to turn the car off as there were no engineers to look at it - of course this reset the electrics and they could not find the problem but they told me they were 90% sure that it was the power steering pump that was going and it would cost me £633 FOR THE PART ALONE!!!!
I took it to an independant garage and he says that it should not happen on a car this young and said it sounds like the motor to the pump or a diode inside the pump.
He is still checking up on it for me and says even if it is the pump he would not charge me what the dealer would have done.
I am at my wits end with it and am starting to think about getting a different car. I have looked at all these posts and if it is a "simple" problem to fix then I am very dissapointed with Skoda for the fact that they were going to rip me off. Also very dissapointed that the engineers at the dealer's did not know how to fix it either.
I shall be telling the independant garage about other people's problems and get him to check the battery etc.
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I had a Fabia for 3 years and the power steering light came on occasionally for all that time. not once was it anything to worry about. Apparantly it is a common problem accordong to these boys www.briskoda.net
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Where do I start with my car. I purchased a 2003 skoda fabia 2 years ago. The day after I bought it, the ESP system failed. It went back to the garage 3 times until they managed to find the fault which turned out to be a faulty fan which was tripping the system. Luckily under warrenty so nothing had to be paid. (I then looked in my handbook and the corners of the pages on the warning lights where all tatty and thumbed - a sign of previous faults?!) Then I took it back to the garage because the ABS comes on when the engine starts but then goes off - was told that some cars do that - nothing to worry about. Last February (After the warrenty ran out) my power steering light came on when it was cold ie. frosty outside not during the summer, and I had a sensor replaced, this did not fix the problem as the day after, the light came on again and probably my own fault that I did not go back. During the summer it was fine but then winter came and it started to happen again. When I took it to the garage whilst it was faulting I was told to turn the car off as there were no engineers to look at it - of course this reset the electrics and they could not find the problem but they told me they were 90% sure that it was the power steering pump that was going and it would cost me £633 FOR THE PART ALONE!!!! I took it to an independant garage and he says that it should not happen on a car this young and said it sounds like the motor to the pump or a diode inside the pump. He is still checking up on it for me and says even if it is the pump he would not charge me what the dealer would have done. I am at my wits end with it and am starting to think about getting a different car. I have looked at all these posts and if it is a "simple" problem to fix then I am very dissapointed with Skoda for the fact that they were going to rip me off. Also very dissapointed that the engineers at the dealer's did not know how to fix it either. I shall be telling the independant garage about other people's problems and get him to check the battery etc.
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Where do I start with my car. I purchased a 2003 skoda fabia 2 years ago. The day after I bought it, the ESP system failed. It went back to the garage 3 times until they managed to find the fault which turned out to be a faulty fan which was tripping the system. Luckily under warrenty so nothing had to be paid. (I then looked in my handbook and the corners of the pages on the warning lights where all tatty and thumbed - a sign of previous faults?!) Then I took it back to the garage because the ABS comes on when the engine starts but then goes off - was told that some cars do that - nothing to worry about. Last February (After the warrenty ran out) my power steering light came on when it was cold ie. frosty outside not during the summer, and I had a sensor replaced, this did not fix the problem as the day after, the light came on again and probably my own fault that I did not go back. During the summer it was fine but then winter came and it started to happen again. When I took it to the garage whilst it was faulting I was told to turn the car off as there were no engineers to look at it - of course this reset the electrics and they could not find the problem but they told me they were 90% sure that it was the power steering pump that was going and it would cost me £633 FOR THE PART ALONE!!!! I took it to an independant garage and he says that it should not happen on a car this young and said it sounds like the motor to the pump or a diode inside the pump. He is still checking up on it for me and says even if it is the pump he would not charge me what the dealer would have done. I am at my wits end with it and am starting to think about getting a different car. I have looked at all these posts and if it is a "simple" problem to fix then I am very dissapointed with Skoda for the fact that they were going to rip me off. Also very dissapointed that the engineers at the dealer's did not know how to fix it either. I shall be telling the independant garage about other people's problems and get him to check the battery etc.
Dealers don't employ engineers-just fitters or if you're really lucky,a mechanic.
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Hi
I was reading the posts about skoda fabia pwer steering fault.
What sensor did the garage replace.
Thanks
Davy
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The Fabia flicker, and the eventual Steering light activation are due to some problem with the Steering angle sensor.
I had this problem with our Fabia, flickering lights, dead battery, steering light et.c.
I also had the symptom that you could hear a motor whine whenever the lights flickered.
After replacing the battery and alternator (at the local garage fot £120 instead of at the Skoda deala for £480) still no joy. After the garage offered to replace the alternator under guarantee to no avail. But they then unplugged the alternator to find no flicker, but when they unplugged the Steering pump...
The bad news is that a Steering pump costs £500, the good news it isn't the pup that is at fault.
Following up on some web research, including this discussion, I took a punt on the Steering Angle sensor, which cost me another £125 (fitted) at the same garage. It worked a treat not a flicker since.
Skoda dealer 0 MOT City 10.
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Hi,
I have had the same problem for 3 years now. I have read a lot about it on the internet and am wondering if the Steering Angle Sensor fix that you had done really is the answer. If it is then I will bite the bullet and get it fixed.
Regards
Skoda Sam
SNIPQUOTE!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/04/2008 at 01:53
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No it isn't - I have spoken to my independent garage and it turns out that it is the power steering pump - faulty batches and all that so it is a manufacturers problem but Skoda aren't recognising it as one. He is looking to get a second hand one from a different batch or a mate of his makes power steering pumps for Skoda and makes them at a cheaper price. BONUS.
Also now have noticed that my steering wheel has started to creak when when going slowly, especially round a corner. It is intermittent but eems to be related to the pump. I can't hear it creak but feel it through the steering wheel.
If anybody else has had this problem I would be grateful for any advice I given.
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I'm very confused - anyone got any advice?
I had all the usual problems with the flickering lights and intermitent PAS. I changed the steering angle sensor and it all worked perfectly - for two weeks.
Then the light came on and for the last three days, all for one quick journey on the first day of noticing it, it has stayed on. A complete pain.
I have taken the sensor out again and given it a quick clean and put it back in ensuring the connections were tight. But no joy.
Does anyone know what could be wrong? I have wondered about the ECU needing ressetting and the fault being cleared, or horror of horrors a fault with the pump. But that would not explain why it all worked perfectly for two weeks, including a long run from West Yorkshire up to Keswick in the Lake District and back.
Any help would be much appreciated
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If you are not too worried about the warning light being on,then try using the car with the steering angle sensor disconnected.You may find that the pas works perfectly adequately.hth
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Thanks for the suggestion - it may yet come to that!
The symptoms I had before the change of the angle sensor was flickering lights, no assistance at low speeds and too much assistance (very light handling) at high speeds.
Now the only problem (as well as the warning light being on) is heavy steering at low speeds.
I am wondering whether I need to reset the codes on the ECU (although if so why would it have all worked for two weeks?)
The car pulls to the left. Could this be connected? I'm having the tracking done next weekend.
Thanks for any help
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I read all messages related to this faulty power steering light issue since 2004 and the latest one is dated July 31, 2008. I wonder if there has been any more recent information on this issue. I was with my daughter in Belgium a few days ago for Christmas 2009 and the very same symptoms arose on her 2000 Skoda. It was a very scary proposition seeing her suddenly struggling to control the steering of the car in heavy rain. I would appreciate any updates. Thank you.
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Hi All,
I have also had several of the problems mentioned above, and have had several expensive trips to a local Auto electrical engineer...... it's pretty obvious that there is definately a common fault with these cars and Skoda must be aware of the fault, surely there must be a onbibusman/tradeing standars authority that could take this to Skoda and hold them to account. They should be forced to make a recall on all the affected models as this is a serious fault, god forbid that this fault does not occur when someone is driving causing them injury or death..... but then it usually takes something like that to shake these companies into accepting their responsibilities!!
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I bought a new Fabia in 2001, the steering pump failed completely after 4 years and had to be replaced. I have had intermittant problems ever since - flickering lights, pas light coming on, pas failing etc. It seems to be worse when stuck in traffic and the car is crawling, it is better whilst travelling at a reasonable speed. I have taken it to 5 different garages and had a different diagnosis each time - new battery, alternator, sensor, new pump needed, nothing has worked. The latest is that the pump is 'labouring' and using all the juice hence flickering lights at al. All these faults including the (almost) loss of control when the car becomes 'light' can happen at any time. I too will print this and take it to my current garage before deciding on a fix.
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well where do I start, ive had my 2000 fabia since june 2008 and have had endless problems with the steering since ive had it. I had the steering rack refurbed and replaced in 2009, then last year we had the steering angle sensor replaced, and then again this year weve had to have the steering rack done again, we brought the car for £2000 and i think weve spent nearly the same amount again getting it fixed, sadly this time it hasnt fixed the problem and the garage we took it to seems to think that it could be the pump which will cost us about £400 again to fix, which i cannot afford. Inbetween the problems with the steering we havent had any problems with the car and it has been very reliable.
The pas light is now contiously on, the garage think its the pump, but i dont know i wish i were a mechanic sometimes so i could do it myself and not have to pay out ridiculous sums of money to get it looked at.
Anyone got any idea ????
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I have a 2003 skoda Fabia 1.4L 16V.
Couple of days ago i noticed this Power steering warning light coming up. There was not difference of ride quality.
I restarted my car and it was all good.
Today, i left my car for an hour and when i came back, i was not able to start. I tried everything. I got help from a local garage, they had to jump start my car as the guys at garage told that my battery is flat.
This is strange as i had driven my car all day (around 15-20 miles). Has this got something to do with alternator?
Any suggetions and pointers welcome.
Cheers, Nebu
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Good evening all. This discussion seems to be some 8 years old, but it also is clear that the same problems keep coming up. I have a 2001 Fabia TDI estate. my problems started with the power steering light coming on and staying on intermittently. Then all of a sudden the car wouldn't start. This checked out to be a flat battery, this was replaced, no change so then I had the alternator reconditioned. Alas, the problem didn't go away. During this time, the steering did fail at low speeds. My garage has checekd everything they know how to and thinks it's either the ECU or a wiring fault, but unable to get hold of a wiring diagram!! My husband has fitted a temperory switch which kicks the alternator in to working, which is so much better than running with another battery back feeding from the rear. The power steering is ok now and that light has gone out, although this is now replaced with the ABS light and Airbag light on all the time and the glow plugs sometimes. I now experiance a braking problem when they feel like they are crunchy sometimes and does not want to stop, i also did have the headlights flickering and do get the electric window switches swapping sides, thought I was going mad. I love the car, other than the obvious safety issues at the moment. Would love to know if anyone else has changed the ECU, as this is my next best option. After spending the last 4 months, carrying spare batteries to jump the car when needed, I couldn't do long journeys as eventually I would loose all power including the fuel pump, I hope to get this finally sorted.
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I have a 2001 fabia and a couple of months ago while driving at 60mph the car cut out and was totally dead. It went straight to the garage and the power steering pump was changed, It was fine for a week and then happened again with no PAS all the warning lights on. Turned out it was a broken wire. I am now having problem with flickering headlights and the PAS light intermitantly coming on. Seems to be a common problem. At low speed the sterring is heavy and at normal speed very light. HELP!!
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Hello everyone :)
(sry my english skill. i try do my best..)
I got this same light 2 days ago. (vw polo 1,9 tdi) Sometimes it goes off if i re-start car and sometimes not.
Battery is ok same is alternator ( if you have flat battery and ESP light come on ) then you might be have problem whit wiering..Alternator dosent charge under 2000rpm but onec you step over 2500rpm it start to charging... (you might have some wiring problem)
One easy way to chek it out in diesel car ...do you get battery picture on dasboard when you but inginiton pover on?? IF not then you got this wiring problem. It is quite easy to fix and dosen cost much at all ( ido that my self and it takes 15 min and cost me under 1 euros...
My steering is totally dead now but tommorow i will chek fuse nuber 3 (50amps top on battery) and wiering battery to pump and ground connections too....
And if you do not have skill and time to fix these kind things go locol dealer and ask them to read fault codes they can tell you then what is problem...I mean is it steering angle sensor or steering pump or somthing else...
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