V6 4-Motion - Known Issues?

[faaaaast]

Hi All,

Currently looking at a '99 Golf V6 4-motion. Any known issues, or things I should particularly check for on these models/engines, etc.?

Cheers in advance,
James

[Crasher]

Where would you like me to start, front, back, top, bottom, left or right?

[faaaaast]

Where would you like me to start, front, back, top, bottom, left or right?

Oh blimey, is it that bad?? OK start at the front and work back, I guess?

Cheers,
James

[Crasher]

Cooling fans fail, electric water pumps leak, head gaskets leak, clutches go heavy and break the pedal (more often than normal), alternators stop alternating, A/C compressor clutches fail, front hubs warp (like all Golf 4 platform), front wishbone bushes and anti roll bars fail (like all Golf 4 platform), rear diff’s leak, rear axle Haldex units fail, rear suspension arms snap (exciting that one)-there’s a few anyway.

[faaaaast]

Cooling fans fail, electric water pumps leak, head gaskets leak, clutches go heavy and break the pedal (more often than normal), alternators stop alternating, A/C compressor clutches fail, front hubs warp (like all Golf 4 platform), front wishbone bushes and anti roll bars fail (like all Golf 4 platform), rear diff’s leak, rear axle Haldex units fail, rear suspension arms snap (exciting that one)-there’s a few anyway.

Crikey

If they're that bad I think I may not bother with one! What age to the head gaskets tend to fail then?

Any symptoms of Haldex units failing, or things to watch out for on the arms?

Cheers,
James

[dubcruiser]

I wouldn't bother with one. I had one, I owned it for 3 months and I had anti roll bar issues with it that caused a creak that just wouldn't go away, and the fans failed. We parted company on a BMW forecourt where I traded it in after only covering a couple of thousand miles and these problems were on a 16k mile car.

The car I had before it was a 98 1.8T and it was brilliant. And after a change of career, the car I have now is a 03 1.8T though this time the 180bhp. Again, no problems.

Its up to you, but I would steer clear!

[Crasher]

I have seen head gaskets causing oil to run down the end of the engine on cars only a year old but it doesn’t often lead to failure of the gasket, just irritating leaks. Another Achilles heal is the very low and vulnerable sump which gets split open very easily.

[v6dub]

it is funny you should say that cause mine is as good as gold, it's a 2001 just hit 70k, i go from service to service with out loseing any engine oil or rear diff oil, i have has afew problems such as anti roll bar buses but i have had them all done, the only thing that is a right pain is the yaw sensor has broken and at a cost of £385 i'm not very happy. but i do get 28mpg average on B-road driving. maybe i was just lucky.

[Crasher]

So is ours, apart from the alternator and fan problem, ohh and the EWP leak and the anti roll bar, plus rust around the tailgate catch and the rear washer pipe blowing off and drenching the CD changer and DSP amplifier in the boot ohh and the clunking Recaro leather seat and faulty fuel gauge with a mind of its own, but apart from that it has been fine, ohh and the split EVAP canister hose in the engine bay which caused the plastic pipe on the inlet manifold to snap off (£500 for a new manifold!!!).

I forgot about the G200 and G202 combi and yaw sensors (varies with the age), they fail a lot.

All my customers with 4M’s end up hating the cars and selling them, they make a normal Golf 4 look as reliable as a Toyota, which they aren’t.

[dubcruiser]

Just as a side question, but is the R32 prone to these failures or were they better built being as they were produced late in the Mk4 life cycle??