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Quill
09-10-2007, 12:48 PM
I have a MK 3 Driver 1.8 Auto that suffers from complete electrical failure at any speed.
It starts fine , runs fine has had new sensors, leads etc.

when the power fails, everything dies. No engine, no lights ,no radio , nothing!
Leave it for five minutes and everything comes back on and the engine starts first turn of the key. Any ideas please?

herby0001
09-10-2007, 01:03 PM
Similar, but not so extreme problem on my Mk3 1.6CL (ABU engine). If the engine stalls, the clock in the dashboard is reset. Can restart straight away. Other than that no other electrical problems. Anyone have any ideas as to what the cause could be?
Thanks.

notquitecornish
11-10-2007, 04:07 PM
I suspect it might be a short in the internal electrics... I heard somewhere that Mk3 Golfs tend to get more water than you'd expect in the block in heavy rain, maybe it's linked to that?

zedmeister
14-10-2007, 12:17 PM
I had a similar problem on an old Merc - not sure if the Golf has a similar thing but it turned out to be a relay - check all the relays in particular the over voltage sensor relay if you have one. Electrical problems tend to show up when things get warm, especially dry joints on boards, etc as the joint loses contact as it expands. When it cools down, it makes contact again and all is fine.

chrisvrscrx
14-10-2007, 12:24 PM
I had exactly the same on my honda crx. It was a fuse and the blades had corroded and sometimes it conected and some times it didn't. Also check all electrical conections in perticular the battery ones they could just be lose.

andrew.butler57
17-10-2007, 08:34 PM
definatly electrical problem you have there! check main battery terminals and earth terminals to the body for corrosion, also power supply relay!

michaelodonnell
02-08-2009, 08:26 AM
It might be worth checking the earth & +ve leads. I had a similair issue for about a month until I discoveredone of the ends of the earth lead had corroded. you can bypass them using a jump lead for a simple test.

simondhopkins
29-12-2009, 12:41 PM
Also check earth bond strap to the engine.

Leon R
29-12-2009, 01:20 PM
Sounds like a wiring issue, which is easy and free to check, definately check your fuse board for any water or burnt out contacts. If all is ok I'd stick an ignition switch in it, approx £10 from GSF or ECP and a slight pain to do if you haven't done one before.

SammoVWT
29-12-2009, 02:02 PM
Sounds a bit daft but check the battery terminals are on tight, if you get a slight disconnect and a spark on the reconnect it will shut off the ecu and the car will just come to a dead stop (no engine, lights, ecu, dash etc)

Happened to me before - could be something else but worth checking for!

TheIconHBK
01-01-2010, 02:30 AM
I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago on a mark 2 Ford Fiesta... ok don't laugh! It ran... kind of!

Anyway, i took it to a friends of a friend yadda yadda who was a qualified auto electrician.

The fault was as follows...

a section of the main loom off the engine to the battery (or vice versa if you prefer) had corroded so, about 6 to 8 inches of wiring had to be cut out and replaced. Cost me a few pints at the time... should've been £60 through the books as it's a pretty slow and long winded process soldering one end then another and covering it over etc etc etc :(

Yours could be similar but do everything the guys and gals have said... chech fuses, boards, terminals, the lot. If that leads (no pun) to nothing, have a word round with mates and see if you can get it checked on low budget. If that's a no-no, then it's looking like a paid-to-be-checked-out jobby. Either way, you'll soon have a clue as to what's what.

Anyway, that said, i wish you all the best and Happy New Year!!! :D