SKODA FABIA VW POLO Won’t Start, Key Turns No Crank “HOW TO REPAIR” 

One of the best instructional automotive videos I've ever seen by far! Helped me diagnose and fix this exact issue on my Fabia VRS all in an evening. Thank you!

Yep, was the same problem with my Fabia VRS MKI. Just fixed it. Thanks for the video mate 🤗

I’m a Southern Cal guy living in Germany and I’m accustom on working on cars since I was 17 (I’m not a mechanic). My first was a 289 67 Mustang. Now with all the plastic & electronic sh… stuff! Glad to have found You! Everybody (skilled mechanics) wanted > 200 € for the fix - without labor. Bless Your Soul.

I had the same problem with Skoda Fabia 1.2 htp, 40kW, 2006. A slightly different way of dismantling and the starter cable cover was very difficult to remove. Now it works perfect, thank you!

A TOP CLASS video Anton! Very clear and easy to follow! I was scratching my head a bit over the none starting issue and thought it was the battery connection. Skoda Fabia VRS MK1 TDi it has never let me down until this wire issue!

Just had this problem on my girlfriends polo, googled the problem and your video featured, watched it and began to take it apart and there was, Wire broken.... stripped it off, applied terminal and hooked battery up... Started up straight away! Top job, cheers for the advice 👍🏽

This is a brilliant repair video. We’re having the problem with my fabia where it won’t start even though all lights turns on and such. We’ve done a medium overhaul before having the Car inspected, fixing exhaust, breakes, etc. When we was working to figure out why there wasnt getting much heat into the Car (a pain in the winter for sure) and it wouldn’t turn on, we thought it might be because the Car hadn’t got enough power after being in the garage a couple of weeks, doors open on and off and being turned on without haven had a long ride to recharge the battery (in all honesty I rarely ride very far so it might not have been charged well getting in there already), but when we had the Car charged overnight and it still wouldn’t start, we were a bit at a loss. I’ll make sure to forward this to my dad so that we can give this a try. Weird coincidence how it would stop working when we were working on the car though; normally I would say that it had been something we did, but we haven’t been around the motor for anything but taking off the exhaust pipe and putting it back in I think. Anyway, Thanks for such a well constructed video, it really is classy when one is looking for possible fixes

Thanks so much! Had the same problem on my Skoda Fabia combi 2006. Managed to fix it without removing the battery! Its a bit of a struggle but doable even with big hands.

Thanks man! Just fixed my fabia vrs. Exactly this issue. Didn't have a spade connector so cut open the connector and soldered a wire on to extend it and jointed it. Caked it in solder and used very flexible wire, hopefully prevents it happening again.

Cheers mate for this. Followed your video took everything out and....wire was perfect. Nooo I was almost hoping it would be broke but my hand brushed off the earth wire and it came away. It was burned oway from the clamp..replace d it and jobs a good un. Sorted so thanks for pointing me in the right direction👍

Thanks........Simply and thoroughly explained........Well done.

PLEASE DON'T DISMISS THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS 'RIDICULOUS'! It worked for me on my VW Golf which I had just had for 2 weeks. I turned the key, motor didn't crank, steering wheel wouldn't turn, couldn't change out of P (park), horn wouldn't work, ALTHOUGH, radio did work. Basically, all the mechanisms for driving away were locked (I believe this is a safety feature designed to make it harder for car thieves to drive away if they hot-wire your car, so that's a good thing right. After waiting for an hour in the pouring rain for Roadside Assist to come and help, this is what they did, after properly closing the back door which I had not closed properly. THE FIX: PRESS 'LOCK' on KEY, then PRESS 'UNLOCK' on KEY. Turn key as per usual and hey, PRESTO! IT STARTED!! Hope this helps someone!!! Good luck to all of you who searched for this video!!!

Good teaching, now I know, I won't have to even think about buying a starter.

Thats great advice , I'll try this as Ive got these issues 👍

Hi, the key in my polo refuses to turn further after the lights come in the dash. Removing the key and engaging the steering lock and again disengaging the steering lock by wiggling the steering to the right side makes the key turn and the car to start. This takes multiple tries. What could be the reason?

Thanks fixed my Skoda Rapid.

Any idea where the starter relay is on a 64 reg polo 1.2 tsi?

Hi I got a fabia 1.4tdi battery go's flat in too days the battery on the car is new any ideas please would be most appreciated

you are a legend! saved me so much money !

Hey guys , i had my heater running for an hour or 2 in a vw polo 2009 old model being parked up, suddenly my car beeped and it turned off, and it wouldnt turn over, i bump started it and it drives but the power stearing goes first then it beeps and turns off?? Any clues? Thankyou

I check the connector but it wasn’t broken. I cleaned all the connectors to battery and to starter and still no crank. It only makes click sound when I turn the ignition. The only thing I can think to test next is to try boost the battery. Do you think that’ll fix it. I don’t want to buy new starter.

Hi, Great tutorial thanks - I'm getting that clicking sound when trying to start the car. Car won't start and dash lights go off on key turn. All electrics are good(lights, ewindows etc)and battery good. Wondering if this fix applies in my case. Dont want to mess with this if not likely to be my prob 😣. TIA 👍

Thanks. Had the same problem and managed to fix it by using this video. However, afterwards there appeared orange engine light in dashboard. Any ideas if this is related or perhaps wrongly connected the wires?

My car has a struggle to crank, will always start on the third go. One time it had the dash lights but wouldnt crank over, not even a click. It was the earth strap to the starter has corroded. I mqnaged to fix it and woukd continue to stat third time, sluggishly try to turn but couldn't until the third turn. Then today, the same symptoms. Ive checked the strap i fixed before, checked with multimeter and all seems okay. I didnt check this bloody wire though!! Could this wire being damaged caise the sluggish starting for the last two years? And now maybe finally gone completely? Kind regards Craig

Do you need a terminal?

Would you get a check safe lock with this starter wire problem causing ingition lights on yet no engine start or is that a seperate problem for vw polo 2013

So started motor not cranking even though the wire is attached? What would your diagnosis be?

My 1.9 bora cut out whilst driving im getting the same thing as you here turn the key and nothing, could it cut out whilst driving because of this wire? I think i stalled it and maybe the jolt of the engine has finished the wires life off??

Do the Fabia IIs got the same problem? I got here a 2012 1.6TDi with the same problem, it didn`t crank a few times for the last months and we push started it, today it cranked once in the morning then stopped completely.

Im having the same problem.I put in new battery and starter.worked for a moment then it won't start again like in the video.

I have this same problem,I checked the wire and it's ok,any ideas welcome

Skoda Fabia. Last November (yes, almost a year ago) the clutch went. Changed the clutch and was told to drive around for two days and come back for some checks. It also had a new battery installed at the same time. That day, started the car, drove 150m to stop at the pharmacy and when came back to the far-reaching it wouldn't crank. Just like you are showing, lights comes on, but on turning the key all I get is a low hum somewhere close to the fire wall in the middle of the bonnet. My mechanic, since it was still on the guarantee after clutch change said it must be something g silly and promised to tow the car to his and have it done. 7 months ago. I'm a very patient person. Had another car in the meantime but I want to do at Skoda now and sell it. Question: could it be the repair of the clutch or replacing the battery causing the problem with the wire as you showed?'I'm going to take everything off tomorrow as you showed but wonder if fixing the clutch could have break off that wire?

My Skoda Fabia is the 2006 hatchback with the 1.4l 16v engine and the 4 speed auto transmission, left hand drive. I followed the steps of this nice video but when i lifted the battery tray i couldnt find the starter! Am I missing something or just getting old? Would it be possible to get some help on the location of the starter on this model? Thank you !

Was it the same on polo6n2 1.0 2001?.thanks

I have a 2011 polo gti is this the same ?

I have a Skoda Fabia 1.4 Tdi. I had the same issue last night where all the power components worked but it would not crank whilst I turned the key. I tried a few times then I got out of the car, locked it and came back after 2 minutes to try again and it started. After that I drove for about 20 miles and stopped to check again and it would not start again. So I gave it a few tries and it started up and it is fine up till now but I would want to know what actually caused that problem. Could it be the wire that is going bad? Or Ignition Key Barrel?

Great job

My Skoda Fabia does a half crank,, doesn't start and then dies and rear wiper comes on . Battery is fully charged and it jump starts. I accidentally broke the plastic positive terminal cover off ( just the bit that goes over the terminal, not the full plastic wire box cover ) which dropped into the workings somewhere. Could this have snagged something to stop it starting? I haven't found the plastic piece that dropped into the car workings somewhere down the right side of the battery. It was kind of on a shelf which when I tried to reach it, it dropped further in and I can't see it, hasn't dropped on the floor. Though I have driven the car around the block without seeing it fall out. I wish my dad was still around, this was his car and he was a mechanic. I think I've broken my dad's car. Or could this be because there's now no plastic cover over the positive terminal? I don't want to take it to a garage for them to take the mick with pricing and me not being too mechanically savvy.

Just saved me buying new starter motor

This is happening to my car, but the car shut off at 70mph? Would this cause the car to cut off?

What if it crancks starts then cuts out?

Odds on you doing this for me? I’m being serious. I’ll drive to wherever you’re at, my mechanic changed the starter and still can’t figure it out. Now it starts sometimes and other times it won’t even crank it’s a polo 9n

VW in general seem to have longstanding problems due to going cheap on wiring.. is this down to the engineers or the accountants? (I'm a cost accountant btw).. I've had a few over the years.. never any probs with the engines but it is the utterly crap electrics that always let the side down.. imho they are only just marginally worse than Renault

What’s your gamertag on PS4?

Doesn't look the same as my 1.4 polo 9n3 under the bonnet i mean.air box doesnt look thr same or thr batter compartment/tray..

My polo 6n2 mpi not start boss

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