seatkid

Yes, the immobiliser fault will automatically inhibit starting the car. Are these keys the remote locking (with buttons) type? An intermittent unauthorised key suggests the PATS chip is not close enough to the reader coil (inside the ignition key barrel). Is it possible the PATS chip is not in the key(s) but taped somewhere under the dash or steering column? Alternatively you may have a bad connection to the reader coil. I thought you found the problem with wiring on the lift needle sensor? - I cant understnd your posts.

If the rear unit fan blower works, then the fuse (F4 - 20A) is not at fault as this supplies the fan motor and the stepper control unit that controls the temperature flap. The temperature control on the passenger overhead control unit is a potentiometer that connects via 3 wires back to the stepper unit in the passenger heater unit. Two more wires on the stepper unit are ground and a 12v supply from fuse F4 via the master disable switch on the dash. So, things to check are 1. Are both coolant pipes connected to the rear heater hot (near the rear) indicating you have coolant flow through the heater matrix. 2. Have you got 12v on the stepper unit between the black/white wire and brown wire. If these are OK then maybe the stepper unit is faulty or the flap is jammed

http://www.auto-parts.spb.ru/cat/au/au.mycat?SelPg&t=3UxhPhdMYT5PTGE_nxYJB_wNOBiOFYf8V2BhPu8T4Q7dTGNBPW5lMt16JybdbGG30B9V5H6Yk3hdVmxxz1bA28PtwfyMB4V/TcQk1L4xxv5uGsowLSEnF_BZxTjefEkEeFy9DJ/9FpRsnHUkT1GMVqWRZm2cP0UX9/6510u3PAL0K1i3GDHwiBWkHyVVr_BfLRKBwPOo6058bay7yRQ= shows the expansion valve on rear evporator as part no 7M0 820 679 A

No airbag recall as far as I know. The airbags should only be triggered when certain conditions are met, speed and deceleration in a certain timeframe. Front air bags when the accelerometer detects a frontal collision and curtain/chair airbags when a side collision is detected. Its possible I suppose to have a quarter on collision triigering both sets, I'm not sure. One thing is certain - fitting new airbags is usually more than the value of your car. Try asking a local scrapyard if they can help you.

As cyborg says check the wiring in the rubber gaitors to all doors - see Tech FAQ for detailed pictorial guides. Very common fault are the wires break and/or shed their insulation and short. Also the wiring in two rubber gaitors to the tailgate also suffer from the same problem leading to all manner of "gremlins".

This is a Mk1 Gregs,not the melt prone MK 2. The fusebox easycyclers refers to is for glowplugs, radiator fan and some other things which I cant remember. To check the fan is working, turn the a/c on, fan should come on at half speed.

If you bought it advertised as such, then you have recourse to demand either a refund or a remedy (fully working remote or a price reduction/refund)

Look at this thread- probably the same problem - no3 injector lift sensor became disconnected.

Yup, the burning is the crimp. The cable will be oxidised in the crimp, so you need to replace the cable or at least change the crimp and cut the cable back to fresh metal. This burnt cable can lead to big voltage fluctuations and this can cause the ECU/dash/sensors to misbehave.

Its been reported many times before that a burnt fuse box causes the dash to go haywire.... And starting problems......

:lol: :lol: :lol: It would be hilarious, except its almost 100% sure that the bastards damaged it. Everybody - please - avoid main dealers or you wil pay a HEAVY price. :angry:

The common area for MKII leaks is the dryer which I think is integrated in to the condensor. I think the tech FAQs show a picture of how to check this leaks (it is hidden on a plastic cap - thats why people miss it on dye.

Start a new thread, lets keep this thread on topic of battery life....

Yep, something else to clutter the garage along with the collection of tyres with 3mm tread on them. The old battery is still servicable (showing 12.6v rested) On both occasions of poor turn over, I had the car in gear and the footbrake on hard (I try to avoid using the handbrake as the parking brake (caliper issue) sometimes sticks on a bit.) Maybe I didnt have the clutch down fully....old age does wonderful things to the brain. Checked the alternator before ordering battery, 14.25 volts looks OK. Next update - about 9 years I expect........ ;)

Remote locking only on higher spec models IIRC.

With the white smoke I'm thinking that the injection timing is out, Also I notice the glow plug light isnt going out when the ignition is on - thats not right. Not to mention the battery light on permanently. Has the cambelt been changed recently? VAGCOM / VCDS might tell you if there is a sensor problem or there is a timing issue - which is probably why the glowplug light is flashing. How did the problem start?

check the voltage to the starter solenoid when you try to start the car - if it goes to 12 volts but the car doesnt turn over then its a starter motor related falut, otherwise its likely to be a fault ignition switch.

A possible candidate is a faulty injector wiring loom or connector. Its a relatively common fault and you can get a replacement loom quite cheaply.

Its probably a solenoid type pump, it might have a diode strapped across the coil or other electronics, so best to wait until someone with more knowledge comes along - you might bugger it up if the wiring is wrong.

Over 8 years and 9 months after I started this thread and I've changed my Exide Ultra battery for a new Exide Premium 017TE (100Ah 900A CCA En1 4 year warranty). Yesterday, I was out and about and twice when I returned to the car, the car hardly turned over (but it still started first time) - not sure what the problem was (it didnt reoccur) but as I'm going abroad shortly, couldnt risk breaking down abroad on a motorway. My car spends long periods unused (often 1 - 3 weeks at a time) and I know the battery has been weak for well over a year despite topping it up with a charge from time to time. Not the best regime for long battery life. Cost me £88 from battery2u.co.uk, free next day delivery, cant grumble.

I never had much problem when my a/c was not working for over 4 years. 3 things to check 1. Make sure the system is NOT in recirc mode (intentionally or otherwise) 2. You dont have a water leak - common areas are blocked drainage from the scuttle panel under the windscreen (very common), a faulty front windscreen seal (usually after a replacement screen has been fitted), leaking bulkhead seals, blocked water drainage tubes from the a/c evaporator, blocked drainage from the sunroof. Check you dont have damp passenger or drivers footwell carpets when it rains. 3. There was a third thing, but I've forgotten what it is......damn this old age thing....

The engine management is going into "limp mode". The likely candidates are 1. sticking turbo vane actuator 2. faulty MAF sensor 3. leaks in the vacuum system - these include loads of small bore piping that is part of the turbo control system and also if you have a leak in the brake vacuum pipes - the big ones going to the brake servo which often split at the ends. Other faults can trigger "limp mode" as well but are less common. Do a search and consult the Tech FAQ's - this is a very common fault but can be difficult to diagnose and fix. VAGCOM / VCDS can be used to pull off a diagnostic code which can help track down the fault.

If you have rear roof vents then you have a proper dual a/c system. Unfortunately this also means you have two evaporators and two expansion valves (which are bolted on the incoming sides of the evaporators). When you had the condensor changed, and also when you had the compressor changed, it is necessary to flush the system out thoroughly as debris will travel to the expansion valves and block them - the expansion valves are basically small restrictors similar size to a carburetor jet. Whenever the a/c is turned on, the radiator fans should spin constantly at least half speed, even if the compressor kicks out so long as the a/c panel is in auto the fans should be on. You must have a fault here, no fans allow the condensor temperature to rise too much and this will cause a big increase in system pressure. The radiator fans should be on all the time the a/c is set to auto - even if you have no gas in the system. A/c gas is odourless - the smell must be something else - a possible candidate is the compressor clutch - if the pressure builds too high because of a fault, the compressor may be struggling and the clutch slipping/burning. The high/low pressure switch in the system is on the low pressure return side of the compressor, and it may not see this excessive build of pressure because of the fault.

No such animal as a 135bhp model, 2000 year is either 90bhp or 115bhp AFAIK 130bhp model wasnt launched until 2003 Its probably going into limp mode under load which could be a MAF sensor, Vacuum control, turbo actuator, or other problem. Sticking VAGCOM / VCDS on to do a diagnostic scan would narrow down the possibilities. Also need to know the engine code to determine exactly what engine you have.

OP has climate control, and climate control doesnt have a rheostat as speeds are electronically controlled. Sounds most likely to be an intermittent short in the wiring loom, but could be a faulty climate control unit or the unit has got it self screwed up and needs resetting. I'm not sure how to reset the climate unit, you could trying disconnecting the battery for a few minutes (make sure you have the radio code before you do this as the radio will need to be recoded). VAGCOM / VCDS would tell you if there is a (detected) fault in the unit, I would expect that any logged faults would show as flashing the LCD display on start up.