Alhambra: ESP warning & radio not working

WorkToWindsurf

I have a 2009 Seat Alhambra
Some time ago the ESP warning light came on, and around the same time the radio stopped working.
I thought is was probably just a fuse, but checked the one for the radio and it was fine.

Took the car to our mechanic and his diagnostic kit identified the clock-spring as the problem.
This was duly replaced, but the warning light remained on.
They also checked the Radio, and it appeared to have power, but just would not work.
We replaced the radio with a second hand one, and with one that definitely works, but no joy.

Speaking with his spares dealer, they suggested it could be the 'central control unit' £1,500!
So we took it to the local Seat dealer for diagnosis.

The Seat dealer also came back with the clock-spring, and when we explained it had been replaced, checked it again, "checked all the relays and earthing points". Seat believe it is a wiring fault, and estimate £500 plus to go through the whole wiring loom

I'm not convinced - would this also explain why the radio is not working?
And our mechanic still suspects the central control unit...

So has anyone seen this kind of fault before?
Any ideas?
I read somewhere about there being TWO fuses for the radio - does anyone know if this applies to the Alhambra Mk1?

markudman

How old is your Car?
ESP = Electronic Stabilisation Programme
in my experience this is normally a brake light switch problem, easy to check do your brakes lights work?
yours seems a little more complicated, The stealers (dealers) will usually swap a part from another car and see if it works, if you get the dealer to fix it make sure you tell them you will not pay for parts that have been fitted just to test,

Radio
depending on age the radio from another car will be coded to that vehicle, so may work probably best to try an after market and see if that works, ( not the most professional way) also remember you may have 2 lives to the radio one permanent and ignition feed, if you have both lives and a earth its the unit.

Clockspring
Anyone can get a fault code from a vehicle, it will only point you in the right direction, was the clock spring new or second hand?
what was the actual code?

I would find a local auto electrician to test it, and i would look around the ignition switch to start, but not having the car in front of me its hard to diagnose.

most people can guess what is wrong, but can they fix it?