buying a 2004 golf tdi any common problems

[anilkumar]

hi im lokking to buy a mk5 golf tdi 1.9 is there any comon problems that i should look for are threre any engine problems lokking to get one with arond 80-100000 miles on the clock.

[smiffy86]

Hi!

Selling mine if you're interested/local.

Had the cambelt, water pump, clutch and flywheel changed and has done 86k.

Let me know if you're interested.

[peteo]

I am no expert but, if you search the various threads on this site, you will find a lot of info about the "Police Siren" noise from the Turbo.

Best to avoid any car making this noise. It's noticeable at lower revs, accelerating or decelerating. It has also been compared to a hooting owl but the police siren following you is the most accurate description.

MIne has been doing this for some time but most expert advice seems to indicate that the turbo is shot indicating a £1500 plus repair.

When test driving - keep your ears out for this noise.

[taurus_tem]

Peteo, you beat me to it lol. Golf turbo sucks big time, i would avoid the car! in the near future, turbos will fail, costs roughty £1000 to fix by VW.

[peteo]

Peteo, you beat me to it lol. Golf turbo sucks big time, i would avoid the car! in the near future, turbos will fail, costs roughty £1000 to fix by VW.

They don't all make this noise. My old Bora 1.9TDI had done over 100k and the turbo was completely quiet which makes the noise mine makes all the more worrying.

My local dealer replaces 6 to 8 Turbos a year and, considering dealers tend to service mainly newish cars, this seems an unacceptably high failure rate.

Needs emphasising that this is not just a VW issue - many other makes have this problem.

[HiTorque]

hi im lokking to buy a mk5 golf tdi 1.9 is there any comon problems that i should look for are threre any engine problems lokking to get one with arond 80-100000 miles on the clock.

Common problems are: stuffed ERG valve/flap motor and damaged electrical harnesses, the same problems were reported by owners in UK, US, Australia.
http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f15/...ing-46214.html

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f15/...age-43490.html

Ours in Australia were made in South Africa, but I think US have them made in Mexico so it's a global...

[skard]

Peteo, you beat me to it lol. Golf turbo sucks big time, i would avoid the car! in the near future, turbos will fail, costs roughty £1000 to fix by VW.

£1865 my local dealer quoted for a new turbo fitted. my tdi is making the siren noise so i'm taking no chances.

i'm having a brand new garret turbo fitted by a local VAG specialist for about 60% of the cost of VW.

[peteo]

£1865 my local dealer quoted for a new turbo fitted. my tdi is making the siren noise so i'm taking no chances.

i'm having a brand new garret turbo fitted by a local VAG specialist for about 60% of the cost of VW.

When I sent Crasher a pm about my issue, he told me that the 105ps engine as fitted to the 1.9TDI is "extremely" prone to failure.

These things blow up all the time and the conseqences are absolutely dire especially if it happens at speed. Worst case, it could wreck your engine as well.

Personally I would avoid all turbo charged diesels in future. There is an unacceptably high risk of failure. It wouldn't matter if it was a cheap fix but it isn't.

That wouyld apply to any make of car - some beemers are even worse.

[peter cresswell]

How about immobiliser
Turbo and I quote my local expert that there are so many complaints about the 20 Turbo engine tubo problems that he cant keep up he recons 20-490 a month.
Tracking has yo be done to 4 wheels @ £120
drinks oil at £10 per litre
apparently the starter is a common fault and gives the appearance of poor starting - just done mineeasy but £150 for the part
Becauase of the power / auto box it also eats brakes for breakfast.... and lunch... and tea... and dinner, ditto tyres which incidentally wear oddly and need constant rotation to avoid vibration and noise

I love the car but it is definately no more reliable than my Citroens and Renaults were and a lot less reliable than a string of company Vauxhalls and Fords that were punished mercilessly.
I have a faulty fuel pump (lift pump) at £300 form the part and I am sick of replacing headlight bulbs. Note if one blows the other is subject to a surge and will blow very soon after so change them 2 at a time.

The tubo is now suspect and this is a common problem. Personally I have driven over 1000000 miles in TDi's and have never had a turbo problem and I think someone is talking tosh, but how to sort out an elctrnically governed turbo my self is daunting. The gasket set is £40.

I was warned that on the DSG models the electronic control unit will fail at around 60000 miles by a garage owner who would not take the car in PX against a manual.

Oh an dby the way if you break the wing mirror prepare to take out a second mortgage

Other than that the car seems fine.......

I wish I did not like driving it so much

My heart felt advice is buy somehting else.

Peter

I am no expert but, if you search the various threads on this site, you will find a lot of info about the "Police Siren" noise from the Turbo.

Best to avoid any car making this noise. It's noticeable at lower revs, accelerating or decelerating. It has also been compared to a hooting owl but the police siren following you is the most accurate description.

MIne has been doing this for some time but most expert advice seems to indicate that the turbo is shot indicating a £1500 plus repair.

When test driving - keep your ears out for this noise.

[phil miller]

alturnator pulleys sieze for a past time its a £32 part and takes 10mins to fit, as for turbos imho if you change the oil and filter they do last, and a re con turbo from someone like A&R turbos is £400, its a 3 hr job tops, as for drinking oil mine has used less than half a litre in 6,000 miles, as for tyres the main problem is rear tyres going out of shape but once the 4wheel allignment is done this wont be a problem