Mike_R
15-09-2006, 10:09 PM
I've been having problems with my 99 1.8T Passat for the last four months. The car would stutter when warm, stall when idling and then be very reluctant, or refuse, to start.
It's been to a VW specialist, the local main dealer (four times), a very good local mechanic and, finally, spent three days with an auto electrician. Before I say any more I should say that the local mechanic and auto-electrician only charged me for a fraction of the time they spent working on the car and didn't charge me for the parts they fitted.
The parts changed so far are: ignition coil amplifier, crankshaft sender unit, coolant temperature sensor, relay no. 372 (fuel pump relay I think) and the throttle body (got one cheap second hand). The main dealer tried a new ECU at one point but that didn't fix it either. Everybody diagnosed "no spark" but couldn't find the cause, so I had a car that car was pretty much undriveable.
Having spent over £700, I decided to get rid of the car and buy something reliable - like an Alfa ;) but I decided to take this afternoon off to see if I could find what was wrong with it. Apart from looking at the Haynes manual and lurking here I know next to nothing about how the car works!
Anyway, I decided the problem had to be a bad connection, which got worse when the car was warm. As everybody else had concentrated on the engine and sensors I started in the fuse box. Immediately I noticed the sweet, sickly smell of ozone and decided something was sparking. I removed the trim from below the steering wheel, started the engine and within seconds noticed sparking from a screw terminal just under relay 372. I tightened up the nut and hey presto problem fixed! This took me just over half an hour - why oh why didn't I try and fix it myself before now?!!
Anyway, I'm now a very happy bunny - apart from the £700+ I've paid out! :D:D:D
It's been to a VW specialist, the local main dealer (four times), a very good local mechanic and, finally, spent three days with an auto electrician. Before I say any more I should say that the local mechanic and auto-electrician only charged me for a fraction of the time they spent working on the car and didn't charge me for the parts they fitted.
The parts changed so far are: ignition coil amplifier, crankshaft sender unit, coolant temperature sensor, relay no. 372 (fuel pump relay I think) and the throttle body (got one cheap second hand). The main dealer tried a new ECU at one point but that didn't fix it either. Everybody diagnosed "no spark" but couldn't find the cause, so I had a car that car was pretty much undriveable.
Having spent over £700, I decided to get rid of the car and buy something reliable - like an Alfa ;) but I decided to take this afternoon off to see if I could find what was wrong with it. Apart from looking at the Haynes manual and lurking here I know next to nothing about how the car works!
Anyway, I decided the problem had to be a bad connection, which got worse when the car was warm. As everybody else had concentrated on the engine and sensors I started in the fuse box. Immediately I noticed the sweet, sickly smell of ozone and decided something was sparking. I removed the trim from below the steering wheel, started the engine and within seconds noticed sparking from a screw terminal just under relay 372. I tightened up the nut and hey presto problem fixed! This took me just over half an hour - why oh why didn't I try and fix it myself before now?!!
Anyway, I'm now a very happy bunny - apart from the £700+ I've paid out! :D:D:D