Pantalaimon
16-11-2004, 02:14 PM
Hi all, just wanting some advice really. Despite apparent lenght of post, this is not really a gripe!!
I bought a 99/T Mk IV Golf 3dr 1.4S from a VW dealer in May of this year. The car was purchased with an extended warranty, as even though it it over 4 years old it had just over 40k on the clock when I bought it. It was repaired under warranty in July due to a major internal oil leak, where my cam covers and a gasket had to be replaced (quite a big job-dealership were excellent, gave me a spanking new '04 FSi Golf as a courtesy car and delivered mine back to me when the job was done). Over the last couple of weeks, my car hasn't been starting properly. It turns over fine, but fails to actually kick in until you've tried a couple of times. The general ride quality is poor-lots of "rough" feeling to the drive and a frequent tendency to lose power suddenly in second and bunny hop once it sorts itself out. It then has a bizarre and extremely disturbing habit of cutting out-this has not happened in idle, but rather whilst motoring at reasonable speed, then decelerating down to change to 1st or second. The most alarming incident was last Friday, when the car cut out at 45 mph approaching a three lane motorway roundabout at rush hour-not amusing. The car failed to start until the third attempt after it had cut out.
I am covered by VW Assistance, and a technician duly came out the following day. Techy guy again very nice (although his first question was "do you just take the car to the shops once a week or do you drive it often? Mechanics seem to assume that being a young woman, I only ever take my car to tescos on Saturdays! I explained a drive over 50 miles a day, every day, so no, it isn't lack of use, yes I know how to check levels and hey presto I do know where the bonnet catch is! :p). No electrical fault was found, battery, alternator etc are in peachy condition. Only fault detected was a cracked valve on the purge cannister, although he said this wouldn't really explain the problems with starting or cutting out.
The Purge Cannister Valve has been fixed at a different (now my nearest) VW dealer yesterday under warranty-again I have to say that the dealership were very good. However, the mechanic then took my car for a quick road test to see if this has solved the symptoms. In his own words "It drives a bit rough, definitely not right". Major discussion between myself and the tech guys who were all very decent. They have all agreed that purge cannister valve wouldn't be responsible for the stuff I've had going wrong. General concensus from VW mechanics as of today is that my problem is one of the following:
EITHER: Timing belt-fault likely to have been caused by engine deconstruction for the oil leak in July
OR: Fuel injector problem-most likely apparently. Neither makes the car immediately unsafe to drive, but could lead to serious issues in future, so advice would be to get this looked at ASAP. So I am going to have to pay up front for the investigation work to be done to find the fault, and just hope that it is a warrantable repair, for which I can claim back my money after it's sorted. I have also driven the car with my spare key, just in case it was the transponder in the key unit causing the problem (which it isn't).
I have read a lot about various Mk IV Golf owners reporting engines cutting out, ignition coil problems, HT Lead failures and the like, but no fuel injection related problems. Please can you offer some insight as to the types of symptom I am experiencing, and if any fellow Golf drivers have had similar probs? If so, what have been the main common faults causing these types of problem, and why "when everything in life should be as reliable as a Volkswagen" do I feel the need to utter a short prayer when having to start my car or slow it down? I love my motor, it's a great little car (had to settle for a gutless engine though, as insurance too prohibitive on GTi or V5 versions)
Sorry about length of post! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I bought a 99/T Mk IV Golf 3dr 1.4S from a VW dealer in May of this year. The car was purchased with an extended warranty, as even though it it over 4 years old it had just over 40k on the clock when I bought it. It was repaired under warranty in July due to a major internal oil leak, where my cam covers and a gasket had to be replaced (quite a big job-dealership were excellent, gave me a spanking new '04 FSi Golf as a courtesy car and delivered mine back to me when the job was done). Over the last couple of weeks, my car hasn't been starting properly. It turns over fine, but fails to actually kick in until you've tried a couple of times. The general ride quality is poor-lots of "rough" feeling to the drive and a frequent tendency to lose power suddenly in second and bunny hop once it sorts itself out. It then has a bizarre and extremely disturbing habit of cutting out-this has not happened in idle, but rather whilst motoring at reasonable speed, then decelerating down to change to 1st or second. The most alarming incident was last Friday, when the car cut out at 45 mph approaching a three lane motorway roundabout at rush hour-not amusing. The car failed to start until the third attempt after it had cut out.
I am covered by VW Assistance, and a technician duly came out the following day. Techy guy again very nice (although his first question was "do you just take the car to the shops once a week or do you drive it often? Mechanics seem to assume that being a young woman, I only ever take my car to tescos on Saturdays! I explained a drive over 50 miles a day, every day, so no, it isn't lack of use, yes I know how to check levels and hey presto I do know where the bonnet catch is! :p). No electrical fault was found, battery, alternator etc are in peachy condition. Only fault detected was a cracked valve on the purge cannister, although he said this wouldn't really explain the problems with starting or cutting out.
The Purge Cannister Valve has been fixed at a different (now my nearest) VW dealer yesterday under warranty-again I have to say that the dealership were very good. However, the mechanic then took my car for a quick road test to see if this has solved the symptoms. In his own words "It drives a bit rough, definitely not right". Major discussion between myself and the tech guys who were all very decent. They have all agreed that purge cannister valve wouldn't be responsible for the stuff I've had going wrong. General concensus from VW mechanics as of today is that my problem is one of the following:
EITHER: Timing belt-fault likely to have been caused by engine deconstruction for the oil leak in July
OR: Fuel injector problem-most likely apparently. Neither makes the car immediately unsafe to drive, but could lead to serious issues in future, so advice would be to get this looked at ASAP. So I am going to have to pay up front for the investigation work to be done to find the fault, and just hope that it is a warrantable repair, for which I can claim back my money after it's sorted. I have also driven the car with my spare key, just in case it was the transponder in the key unit causing the problem (which it isn't).
I have read a lot about various Mk IV Golf owners reporting engines cutting out, ignition coil problems, HT Lead failures and the like, but no fuel injection related problems. Please can you offer some insight as to the types of symptom I am experiencing, and if any fellow Golf drivers have had similar probs? If so, what have been the main common faults causing these types of problem, and why "when everything in life should be as reliable as a Volkswagen" do I feel the need to utter a short prayer when having to start my car or slow it down? I love my motor, it's a great little car (had to settle for a gutless engine though, as insurance too prohibitive on GTi or V5 versions)
Sorry about length of post! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!