JRWR

I have a failed (non-clicking) sensor in my rear bumper. I'd like to replace it but can someone provide a simple description of how to remove it? Do I just push it or is there some clip to release? Thanks

Many thanks chris, those links should sort me out. I was using IE to try to follow the FAQ links - some seemed to work but most didn't. Perhaps a note on the FAQ page saying not to use IE would be useful. Thanks again JRWR

Recently I took a short trip in my 2004 Galaxy TDI and noticed that the brake light warning light didn't go out. Suspecting a blown bulb I had my wife check them who reported that none of them were working! Then the glow plug warning light started flashing and the message ENGINE WORKSHOP! flashed up. I suspected the brake pedal switch was faulty or stuck and I've read a number of threads on here explaing how to turn it 45 degress to remove it and also a long description on another site about how to install a new one (without breaking it!). So yesterday I tried to take a look. The fuse cover flap, when lowered about an inch, can be pulled from its hinge. Then there are 2 torx screws made accessible which when removed loosen the dash plastic. Then, by pulling quite hard to bend the dash, I could see the brake pedal switch (it's purple) but there's no way I could get my hand in to remove it. I did manage to jiggle the plunger about a bit and squirt some WD40 around and things started working again (for now!) but I was wondering if there was a thread describing how to get proper access to the switch in case I need to remove and replace it. The FAQ 27. hints for brake switch installation doesn't seem to work for me. Thanks! JRWR

Probably not the situation in this case but I was once approached by another Galaxy owner who hadn't got the user guide with his car and was worried about a light which was always on when he started the car but then went off later. It turned out it was the brake check light!

Step 1 is to remove the wiper arms. OK, there's a nut holding them on which is easy to remove but then how do you pull the wiper arms off? A small puller? Cheers, JRWR

On occassion I find that when I start the engine it runs for a couple of seconds and then cuts out. At a second attempt it starts and runs normally. However, I find this only ever occurs when towing and the caravan is hooked up. I believe the engine starting and then dying is associated with the Passive Anti-Theft transponder in the key not being read successfully but I can't understand why it should occur when a caravan is hitched up and then it occurs maybe 10 or 20% of the time. Has anyone else encountered this or does anyone have any suggestions as to what may be causing it? Cheers

Also, is there a way to program the car so that the remote control unlock button only unlocks the driver's door? Cheers

My wiper blades continue for 3 or for 4 wipes after I've released the 'squirt' button. This is far too many and so using the wash-wipe function becomes self-defeating. Can I use VAG-COM to program how many wipes I get after the squirt button is released? Also, can I program the number of indicator flashes that happen after releasing the indicator stalk for a lane change? I know Mirez has told in the past how to program to get the trailer indicator symbol showing on the dash but I've been away for a while so maybe I've missed these. Maybe other things can be programmed too?

That's why I included the pic .. count them! :lol:

Some of you have only 5 wheel bolts? Ha! Each of my wheels has 10 (albeit rather small) wheel bolts ...

just trying to push it in by hand maybe a lever of some sort or a clamp would do it what would you suggest? i just dont want to damage anything You need quite a bit of force to push them back in so something like a g-clamp would work well (that's what I use). I'd also recommend using the time you push the calipers back in as a brake bleed opportunity and release the bleed nipples to push the nasty old brake fluid out that way rather than back into the system.

I'm starting to feel a bit sory for davec with all this conflicting advice. I'd recommend he follows Sparky Paul's link and get the information from the people who really know. Making blunt statements like ... is rather unhelpful because it's simply not true. RadioTwo may like to err on the side of caution and assume that everyone loads their car to the limit but let's not insist that when considering the legal position it's necessary to assume everyone always does that .. I certainly don't load my car to 2510kg when I tow my shed.

I think the point is .. say Richard is a single chap (no other adults or teenage kids) and he has no luggage in his Galaxy because he's loaded up his van so it weighs 1999kg and his Galaxy kerb weight is at its minimum (the weight of the car, him as driver and a full tank of fuel) at 1724kg then how is he breaking the law? Don't say he might add more weight because of course he might - in the same way he might stop and shoot someone and go beyond what's legal. But until he does that, what's the problem?

OK, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. As I see it there are two limits: 1) is the Gross Train Weight - don't exceed that and you're within the law. You can reduce the Gross Train Weight either by towing a lighter trailer or not loading your car so that it's up to the maximum kerb weight. 2) is the permissable trailer weight. Ford state that for a turbo diesel engined Galaxy the maximum permissable trailer weight is 2000kg. Don't exceed that and you're within the law. Granted you could pass one of the two conditions and fail the other but if you fail on either then you're breaking the law.

My owner's guide states: "For trailers with overrun brakes the permissible trailer weight is 1,800kg for vehicles with DOHC engines and 2,000kg for vehicles with 2.8 l CD-V6 24V and turbo diesel engines." So presumably that's the limit. That may, however be reduced by the law limiting the Gross Train Weight of 4,000 kg. If you load your car to the maximum (so it weighs 2510kg) then you can only add another 1,490 kg before exceeding that. If, however, you don't load your car such that it weighs the EC kerb weight (minimum of 1,724 kg for a 130PS diesel Galaxy) then you could tow up to 2,276kg following the gross train weight ruling but you'd then have to reduce that to 2,000kg due to the manufacturer's limit stated above.

What sort of cable is needed to do this? Would something like this: Ebay Item suitable? Or this: Another ebay item which mentions VAG Tacho If it's ELM 327 (whatever that means) would that be suitable? What comms protocol is being used by these different software applications?

Is this actually altering the software in the console or is it accomplished by turning on options that can be read by the software that's already in the console control? Modifying the actual software (by reverse engineering what's in there, changing the code and presumably ensuring it still fits so that jumps remain valid) would be quite impressive. What MCU is this software running on? Even if I had the lead necessary to make these changes (which I might have) I think I'd be reluctant to change anything I wasn't entirely sure about for fear of turning my car into a brick!

That's disappointing. How is it done then? And what's 2 stage unlocking??? :( Are you going to share? ;)

I called it bit 3 as conventionally the least significant bit is referred to as bit 0. I presume this is so it's possible to work out the value of any bit by simply calculating 2 ^ bit number. So bit 3 has the equivalent value of 2 ^ 3 = 8. Is it one of these bits that turns on the 'miles remaining' option on the computer that Mirez has? Is there a full list of them somewhere?

Presumably it's necessary to be a bit more careful as it may already be turned on in which case simply adding 8 will turn it off and mess up other settings. I think Mirez is saying it's necessary to turn on bit 3 of the coding. So reading the current code 4096 gives, in binary, 1000000000000 (only bit 12 set) and so the new code should be 1000000001000 which, back in decimal, is 4104. Checking my car, I had the code 4113 (in binary 1000000010001) so could safely add 8 so that in binary I now have 1000000011001 (4121 decimal). If I'd already the coding of 4121 then adding 8 would have given 4129 in decimal or 1000000100001 which would have cleared bits 3 and 4 and set bit 5 - almost certainly not what I'd have wanted! Incidentally, does anyone have a full list of what each of these option bits does?

Thanks Mirez, that is a big FAQ thread and I've found one PDF .. will keep looking for the second one. Does everyone do this at least twice - once to remove the glow plug and determine the type (and take it to the VW/Seat garage spares desk) and then again to install the new glow plug? Or is there a way to order the right part in advance and so do the job just once? I'm still not sure why it's necessary to remove the exhaust and the air inlet pipe - is that just so they don't get damaged as it doesn't seem necessary to enable access to any securing screws.

Hi again folks I have VAG-COM (the free version) and so I know my aux heater has been disabled due to a number of flame-outs so I decided today that it was time to remove the heater to remove the glow plug so I could take it to a VW or Seat garage for a replacement. Car jacked up and with the pictures from the FAQ #1 in hand (full colour - no expense spared! It was the company's printer after all!) I tried to match up what they showed to what I was seeing. Tricky! It doesn't help that the first, and a few later, pictures don't show for me - is that the same for everyone? Also, I have a 2004 1.9TDi so do they apply? My aux heater appears to be held in a sort of metal frame by 4 torqs screws - the frame itself is held in place by 3 10mm hex screws and one smaller one to the underside of the car. I undid all 4 torqs screws and while it seemed to become loose it wouldn't drop down. So I guess I have to drop it down with the frame. Light was fading by then so I put it all back together and left it. The pictures on the FAQ (those I can see) may be helpful once I can drop the unit off the car (assuming it's the same as mine) but any other guidance would be much appreciated. Cheers, JRWR

Looks about the same as mine with nothing in the back. I think that's normal.

The compressor should be marked with its current requirements - quite possibly it's close to or over 15A. :16: No, the longer wires will (slightly) increase the total resitance of the circuit and reduce the current flowing in the fuse.

Some good suggestions on things to check - have you checked that the fuse has actually blown again? NikpV is correct that the longer the cable then the higher the resistance and so the lower the current. Ohm's law, V=IR, is alive and kicking. :16: