Possible ECU problem

[intense]

Hi can anyone help. After watching the adversts "if only everything in life blah blah" I decided to buy a polo. Its a 2000 1.4SE. Paid and collected the car at 3pm and by 9pm had to call Green flag out to come and tow me home. He said the fuel pump was not working and wouldnt be a big job. Called the guy I bought the car off (had a month warranty) and he has just rang me to say that after getting it tested on a computer the reading showed either a problem with the coding on the key or the problem was with the ECU. He said hed call me staright back but that was an hour ago. Bit panicky here, does this sound serious? Have to confess my last car was a Toyota and never gave me a days troublw and i also have a mazda that has also never given a days trouble. I want to keep the polo but guess id like someone to tell me this is not a huge problem and will be ok.

Thanks Maria

[simo911]

hi maria
did car initially stop on you when driving? or did it not start when you got in it and turned key. simon

[intense]

Hi Simon, and thanks for replying. The car initially started without any problem at all. After about an hours driving my son was going through Macdonalds and the car cut out and would not re start. It had a few almost starts so he then called green flag. They said it was the fuel pump as he said it started with his fuel but would not accept the cars own (dont understand that bit ) anyways after contacting the guy that sold it t us he cam, collected the car and hooked it up to a computer, he said that showed the fault to be either the key, which it wasnt as the spare produced the same result or the ECU unit. However he now tells me it may be the ignition. I noticed from the previous owner this was changed last year. I am just at a loss as to what this guy is telling me. We have bought a car off him before and I would say he is a really decent guy, but what do i know? I still dont have the car back and it just seems that no one has given me a definate problem.

Maria

[intense]

oh and my son also thinks it spluttered a little bit as it cut out almost like running out of petrol. My son has only been driving a two months so hes not good with recognising symptoms. hope this helps

maria

[passat boy]

you dont watch watchdog do you Maria,sounds like dodgy fuel,has the car got any history?.your warranty is probaly worth less than a loo roll by the sound of things.first suspect is dodgy fuel as your green flag mans fuel seemed to help briefly so fill the tank and also change the fuel filter.go to the boot and get your son to turn the ignition on,dont start the car and there should be a brief whirr from the right of the boot and thats the pump activating the system.if you dont get anything it could be the pump but the fuel pump relay could be dud as this happens to many vw's of 1995 onwards.whats the condition of the coil(or coil pack etc)are they secure and clean and the airfilter.has anyone checked the rotor/distributor cap(centre spring in cap falls out)or even old worn plugs.but going on the green flag mans fuel starting the car id inspect all fuel related items from fuel tank/pump to injectors.ignitions rarely give trouble and the only polos(old&new)that came to the breakers i worked in never had ignitions replaced and we never sell them(never been asked for them as they dont give trouble)so why was that changed,try get a history from dvla or the previous owner as it sounds dodgy.changed ignitions need to be coded and it could be a stolen recovered car(insurance writeoff) which is why the ignition was replaced.

[simo911]

maria
if the car cut out when it was running it is def not a fault with key or immobilizer system it only req a coded signal to start the vehicle.once running it cant cause the car to braekdown. if the breakdown man got car running by substituting the fuel supply you have either a fuel pump problem .voltage supply to the pump or the injectors are not opening but i suspect either pump or voltage supply to it
hth simon

[intense]

Thanks to you both for replying, this is proving a pain in the **** and yes I suspect you are right. The car back after having god knows what done (the ignition meant to be). I now have two warning lights both according the manual as being this enginer management problems (i think thats what it said in the manual. I am tempted to take it to a VW dealer as thats what I will do when it needs servicing etc but the car is under a 30 day warranty so I think why should I pay to get it sorted. The guy I got the car from is a decent bloke as I have bought from him before I just think the garage he uses are useless (though no doubt cheap if he knows them). I did waht passat said and I did get a faint wurring before the car was actually started and it seems to be starting and running fine, I just have these two warning lights. One is some letteres E something i think and the other looks like similar to a battery sign and a line through it. This happened yesterday so I am still not really able to drive it.

I really appreciate your help

Maria