How to: Fix broken Load Signal cable from Alternator

[AwesomeAl]

If your Traction control or ESP warning light comes on after about 10 minutes of driving and won't go off until you turn the engine off, then there is a Strong possibility that your "Load Signal" cable has snapped.

Unfortunately due to a slight Design flaw in the wiring loom, it seems to be a common fault for this wire to snap, so I have taken the liberty of creating a bit of a guide to fixing the fault:

The relative Connector plug is held onto the front of the gearbox by a bracket and can be seen by looking up from underneath the car with the under tray removed. It is located about 3 inches back from the bumper towards the nearside of the car just above the longer radiator hose. It is a Two wire connector block in which my case, BOTH wires had broken off.

Here you can see the connector in its "home" position with no wires attached on one side.

Here's the culprit! Two bare un-connected wires!

As you can see by the state of the connector the wires had quite literally clean snapped off!

I found myself One blue and white and a light blue length of wire Just enough to extend the loom so that lateral movement would not cause the problem again. I removed the wiring plug and used 4x standard red butt connectors to join the loom extension making sure the connect wires were connected to each other.

I then re-loomed the wires together using black electrical tape and used a bit of orange silicone rubber to stop the metal bracket chafing on the new loom. Enough slack was left on the side that had broken for any lateral movement not to cause the same problem.

Hopefully this rough guide to how I fixed mine with the photos will help some of you guys out in the future

Would like to give a big thank you to everyone who has helped out in this matter!
Cheers guys

 

[DIFT]

Spot on... much better bodge than the one I did

Still its been going for 2 years, so I couldn't have done too bad. Wish I had this to hand when I had the problem!

 

[AwesomeAl]

Here's a couple of Related fault codes:

Section: Engine
Error code: 18265 - P1857 - 000
Description: Load Signal: Error Message from ECU

Section: ABS
Error code: 17911 - P1503 - 35-10
Description: Load Signal from Alternator Term. DF: Implausible Signal

 

[RUM4MO]

I think if anyone is hell bent in improving this way of fixing this problem, then I'd suggest reading off the connector VAG part number and ordering in a new one, it will come with no connector pins, but, if you just crush the body of the old connector carefully in a vice, then you will break up the insert and that will release the pins for re-use in the new connector. Splice in using solder, extra lengths of wire and seal up using heatshrink tubing, then refit the pins into the new connector - and then slide the horse shoe retainer across to provide extra locking effort. If you are really handy with small pins and/or drills, you can get away without buying a new connector - but that means unlocking the horse shoe slide then depressing the retaining tang on each pin so that the pins can be removed out of the rear of the connector. I'd also think that a smear of RTV over the length of heat shrink tubing before wrapping the new leads up in cable tape would mean that this repair would last longer (it would keep the water out). This is just meant as a useful embelishment to the original guide and not a critism of it as I've been luck and not suffered this problem - maybr because I have a petrol engine.

 

[Gorynych]

Cool!
Simple and firmly!

 

[Neo]

Just found this!

A friend of mine used his VAG-COM on my car a couple of weeks ago, and we had the load signal fault code, but everything seemed to work fine so I did`nt read too much into it... then the other day when I was looking for a air-con wiring fault (turns out I need a new compressor) I found the green/purple wire broken in exactly this place! I just did an in-line crimp as it was only the one wire broken and I managed to free up some slack to the wires.

If I had found this guide before I would have looked for it sooner, but there you go!
Good guide to tackling a common fault!

 

[seat_rich]

Think I've got this fault on mine, but I'm driving to France TONIGHT, and don't have time to check the wiring.

Is there any harm driving with this light on for a couple of days?

 

[techie]

One really quick way to check this is switch the ignition on, if that load wire is broken the battery light doesnt illuminate.

Also happening on the 1P Leon also.

 

[RUM4MO]

One really quick way to check this is switch the ignition on, if that load wire is broken the battery light doesnt illuminate.

Also happening on the 1P Leon also.

That comment remonds me of a guy that used to work beside me, he was ex-army proper trained officer's driver. He had a Sierra which was okay until it filled up with old lunch wrappers, then, it had trouble starting - flat battery! I said "is the battery getting charged?" his answer was "I don't know because the ignition warning light stopped working a few months ago" - the bottom line was the alternator had failed - and with all his training he just ignored it - clever eh?

 

[techie]

Oddly enough its quite often missed, because normally when an alternator failts the light stays on. When it just doesnt come on then people miss it.

 

[jamieruck]

gd guide happened on my coopr tdi very easy fix soon as you drop the engine cover you can see the broken wires couple of tube conectors from mapplins, couple of lenghts of wire and insulation tape for protection job done one of the cheapest fixes

 

[ibizaluke]

this may seem like a silly question but what model is this guide for cause ive got a problem with my abs on my 2001 Ibiza Cupra

 

[d.kenny]

this fault has been doing my head in as it would not come up on a code reader that is excellent thanks!!!

 

[AwesomeAl]

Glad I have been of some assistance!

Luke, I'm not sure if the same thing applies on the Mk3 cupras, but I've been told by some of the guys on here that other models have similar issues.

Have you had your car fault code read? If not, that'll be the number 1 place to start!

 

[simmy600]

You're the best Awesome Al, My missus has just text me from the haurdressers saying the power steering is playing up on her car (she has had it a couple of times but then forgotten about it when it didn't do it again) wasn't looking forward to the bill from Seat(robbing Hobin Preston bar stewards). It's the first thing I'll check when she gets back.

Bugger, it wasn't the wire, altho with the connector in the proper place it was bloody tight. Uncliped from the holder and unconnected and reconnected and tested. Didn't do it that time. We shall see how it goes.

 

[AwesomeAl]

No worries mate.

This particular problem shouldn't really affect the power steering at all.

 

[bald_eagle]

No worries mate.

This particular problem shouldn't really affect the power steering at all.

just a quick note i had this and it can affect the power steering just after starting the car not every time on mine just occasionally,basically you have no power steering,a quick rev too over 2000 rpm kicks the charging circuit into life and power steering is back.

 

[Dom1988]

AwesomeAl, think you may have just saved me a few hundred pounds. Well hopefully, will only find out tomorrow when i take this information to the garage.

 

[J20ROBO]

Cracking thread mate, worked a treat my dash is now warning light free

 

[Kernowbeeza]

Hi guys, had exactly the same fault as described on here, noticed it yesterday, sure enough got under the car today and there were the 2 broken wires!
Turned the ignition on, we have a battery light!

After taking it for a test drive, for around 15 mins, the damn TCS light is back on (after 10 minutes) However the battery light is now illuminated every time with the ignition on/engine off. Anyone got any ideas?!?

Haven't got access to a VAGCOM unfortunately...

Cheers