lindaschroeder11
Skoda Fabia Poor Starting
4 comment(s)
lindaschroeder11 (Author)
Voltage drop? How do I check that? And what's a battery load test? Is that something I can do myself, or do I need to take it to a garage? I'm not exactly a mechanic!
charlottestern25
Checking the voltage drop involves using a multimeter to see if there's excessive resistance in the wiring. Honestly, if you're not confident, it's best left to a pro. The battery load test checks the battery's ability to deliver current under load. Most garages can do it quickly. In my case, it turned out to be a combination of a dying battery AND a dodgy connection somewhere in the power supply. Get the battery tested first; that's the most likely culprit. If that doesn't fix it, you might have an electrical fault somewhere along the line.
lindaschroeder11 (Author)
The shop got the car back to me. You were spot on! They checked the battery and it was totally worn out. Replaced it, and they also found a slightly corroded connection on the ignition switch. All sorted for 290€, a bit painful but worth it to have the car running properly again. Thanks for the help!
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charlottestern25
Sounds like a pain! I had a similar issue with my Fabia a while back. Kept getting poor starts, especially in the cold. Have you checked for any voltage drop across the main power supply? Also, have you had the battery load tested? A heavily discharged or defective battery can cause all sorts of weird electrical faults.