Speedometer/Odometer works sporadically.
Gas gauge works sporadically.
Bad fuel injector.
Erratic sensor lights.
Molding falling off.
Broken automatic door lock.
Broken head gasket cover.
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love the way my Golf drives and handles. It's fun and it has some kick to it. It's almost seven years old and it still drives well.
I bought the car when it was three years old. Most of the above problems were covered under a used car warranty and were fixed by the dealership at which I bought the car.
However, there are still a few outstanding annoyances which I cannot seem to get fixed, no matter where I take the car for service. The speedometer, odometer, and gas gauge continue to give me problems. They only work sporadically, literally working one minute and then not working the next minute. It's very frustrating. I will watch the gas gauge go from half full to empty to full within seconds. I never really know how much gas I have or how fast I'm going. Somehow, I've learned how to mentally gauge approximately how fast I'm going and have never gotten a ticket for speeding. I've become paranoid and obsessive about filling up my gas tank as often as possible and so have only run out of gas twice (totally embarrassing).
Every time I've taken my car in to be looked at for these problems, the gauges start working, and therefore the problem cannot be diagnosed.
The sensor lights (check engine/airbags/etc) are constantly going on and off. I've grown tired of taking my car in every time the "check engine" light comes on. They diagnose my car and tell me nothing is wrong. And sure enough, a couple of days later, the light will shut off.
I really wish someone could figure out the problem.
I don't even want to talk about the side molding that keeps falling off and I've re-glued about 100 times.
Other than these extremely annoying inconveniences, the car has been pretty reliable. I've spent money mostly on general maintenance (tires/brakes/battery).
I have similar problems with my Golf's speedometer. Has anyone replied with suggestions for repair?
I have had good success getting the molding back on and staying on with 3M double sided tape. I don't have the model number handy, but it is 1" wide and 1/16" thick, and has a green and white plaid pattern on the peel away covering. Clean off all old glue and tape from both the doors and the molding. A utility knife razor blade is OK with the molding if you are careful not to gouge the plastic (pretty soft stuff). A green dish scrub pad works great on the doors, although it will scratch the clear coat, so stay within the part that will be covered by the trim. Wash the molding and the car with warm water and dish soap, rinse thoroughly and dry. When all the gunk is off of both surfaces, wipe lightly with denatured alcohol to remove any residual grease and soap. I cut the tape in half (width) and use 1/2" strips on top and bottom of molding. Place the molding back on the car starting at the hinge side of the door, and working back towards the latch. If the molding is twisted from being stored in a weird configuration (like under some stuff in your trunk for several months), leave it out in the sun prior to applying the tape. It will be more manageable. A friend is good to have around to hold the molding firmly to the door's surface as you work down it's length. I've done this to all the door molding, and the tape held up even after my neighbor sideswiped the passenger door. Tape works best when ambient temperature is above 65 degrees farenheit. Good luck.
Hi.
I also have the same problems with my speedometer, warning lights and lcds on my '94 golf. Mine don't come on and off... some are just permanently off and some work. For example, the speedometer and tachometer, LCDs and warning lights don't work, but the temp gauge and fuel gauge do work. It started a month ago or so... the first problem was that the speedometer would not go higher than 90km/h. Then all that stuff just stop working. I'm no electrician, but I would guess that it has to do with a loss/decrease of power to the dash or loose connections, rather than the dash components actually malfuntioning.
It looks like a nightmare to take that dash apart...
I have a 97 golf GLi, great car, but that I have had for one year. It seems to die in the middle of the road usually when I'm around town at 50 kmph, and not very fun holding up a stream of traffic, it stops after the oil light flashes 3 times then loses power instantly (I'm no mechanic so this is how I would describe it) I have to pull the car to the side of the road and getting it started is a task, it turns over, but doesn't fire up straight away, then if I do get it going it gets stuck in first gear; since its happened a couple of times in the last few months I've learnt to get it started again, then let it run, and then turn it off and start it again (this helps the transmission once I get going again). The problem is that my mechanic can't diagnose it because once its going again its as good as new.
Very mysterious.
With the on/off business it could either be one of two things, one the hall and crank angle sensors could be malfunctioning which will cause the car to misfire and basically die. Which can sometimes be alleviated by pulling over and restarting the car.
Another thing is that it might be an electrical relay, which when malfunctioning, will drop voltage causing all the sensors in the car to deactivate, until the voltage returns. I was once stuck at a traffic light in a left only lane for over 5 minutes whilst still learning to drive. But yeah its probably one of those two things. The hall/crank angle sensor thing is a popular fault across most 1993-2004 VW/SEAT/Audi models, and its not cheap to fix around 300 AUS for the sensor itself another 100 to fit. I hope that helps...
I would love to know more about your 97 Golf challenges as I'm in the middle of trying to get mine started again...
Let the clutch out one day and hasn't started again for 2 months. Not CPU... tried that, mechanic is stumped as he can't find a wiring diagram...
Does anyone have or know where I can get one for a 97 Golf K2 1.8 liter with a throttle body, for the life of me can't find one any where, even VW doesn't stock, they sent me to Bentley online and they don't have that model either.. go figure..
Certainly been quite the pain..
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