Major problems costing alot of cash, any help?

[Polo-03]

Hi I have been a member here for several years having owned my polo 9n 03reg since new. I have spent a small fortune on the car over the years however I'm just about to throw the towel in. The latest fault that has developed has turned into a nightmare and the car is all but set for the scrapheap. This is my final chance to see if anyone can diagnose the faults before its bye bye time.

Right here goes, It started afew months ago, the airbag light appeared on the dash, the car went in for the service to a vw specialist but not a dealer and the airbag light could not be put out by them, reason being there vagcom could not comunicate with the car. So I learned to deal with it for the time being, afew weeks later, the abs light appeared on the dash, so a quick scan on the forum reveals a common fault of the abs fuse located at the battery, sure and behold the fuse has gone, so I replace it with the correct fuse. another week later, the abs light comes on again with the (!) light then the power steering light comes on, the steering goes heavy when driving at slow speed. I stripped the battery out and got into the power steering pump, topped it up wth fluid but still working on and off with the light still on the dash. The fuel light is also on, when I turn the steering wheel in any direction the fuel guage drops right down to nothing and the beeping noise comes on as if not fuel in the car, then once car straightens up the fuel guage goes back up and to top everything else off the speedo isnt working either so I cant tell what speed Im doing.

I have had various people/specialists look at the car, eventually vagcom communicating with the car but this didnt help, the garage are saying that it could be anyone of 8 modules in the car that connects all the electric components up. So right now the car is sitting with the airbag, the abs, the power steering and the fuel lights on, with no speedo and the fuel guage going up and down like a yoyo when the car turns and also no power steering at low speeds.

Does anyone have any idea regarding this before I let my dad trade this in for a fiat panda!!! And yeah all fuses have been checked, no leaks from power steering pump either and the car has not been in an accident. Also for anyones info its a 03reg Diesel.

If it cant be fixed, the car will be getting split, full electric black leather audi s3 recaro interior with the rears seats trimed to match by MJ interiors. Audi tt comps with tyres, hid kit, ipod kit connects to vw head unit, vw roof bars if anyone might be intrested. Im not going to even attempt to take the KW suspension off! Hopefully it doesnt need to get split and I cant get the problems sorted and renew my faith in vw!

Any help guys would be great cheers.

[alexperkins]

It could be an earthing fault. Out of curiosity, have you tried a new battery?

[chewy]

Sounds like the earth. I know that the diesels have a problem with one strap in particular.

If you pm K.I.T.T he will be able to tell you more about it

[K.I.T.T.]

Chewy's nearly right, not an earth strap, but the alternator sense wire has a reputation for going wrong on diesel 9n Polos and Fabias / Ibizas of the same era. (Then again, it could also be a dodgy earth, but since you have a diesel, sounds like the alternator sense wire...)

If the car wasn't getting enough juice when the engine was running, this would possibly explain your symptoms (well, it would definitely explain the PAS not working, had the same issue on mine a couple of years ago).

I've got a quick way to diagnose if this is the fault, and it works in most cases. Tell me this: When you turn the ignition on (don't start the engine), does the battery warning lamp come on in your cluster?

If it is the sense wire, it's quite an easy fix which takes ~20 mins under the car and a some pliers / insulation tape.

Ash

[Polo-03]

Hi first thanks for the help here guys I really appreciate it.

Alex I tried a new battery with still no joy! Chewy cheers I see KITT has already beaten me to it.

KITT I have just went out and checked my car, when I turn the ignition on (not starting it) the battery light does come on and stays on. However could this explain why the speedo is not working and also giving fault reading from the fuel? Its when the car either, brakes, or turns a corner that the fuel gauge plays up, as if there is a loose conection or something? I have no read idea about electrics to be honest. This sense wire fault you think it might be, could you tell me how to check this problem and I can do that asap. I really hope that this is the fault, just out of intrested did you have any of the same faults I have or just the pas not working?

[K.I.T.T.]

Ah bugger.

Well, the battery light coming on and staying on means the alternator sense wire is fine. Sorry I've not been of any help Although, it definitely appears to be an electical problem and could quite likely be a dodgy earth strap. As you've fitted a new battery, that can be ruled out.

Check the connection from the -ve terminal on the battery to the chassis (there's a short cable that runs from it to the chassis on the passenger side). Remove the connection (and not meaning to sound like dick, whatever you do, don't accidentally short it with the +ve terminal), clean the terminals and redo the connection, maybe use a star washer.

Another one of the cheap(er) things that could have gone wrong is relay 109, unlikely, but worth a shot. It's in the relay panel under the steering wheel to the right. There's a piece of plasting trim that you can pull off. The relay maybe mounted 'upside down' and look like 601. Try replacing that if the earth strap is fine. An intermittent problem with that relay could cause the ECU to randomly shut down / malfunction.

Apart from that can't think of anything else. Could potentially be an ECU / wiring loom problem.

Good luck with the fix, hope you sort it out. Just wish I could be of more help

Ash

[Dub_Dan]

hey mate i had a similar problem to you as well my abs and traction control light kept coming on and i had neither working, we initially thought i had water in my electrics when i first bought the car after i went through a ford but it went for months and a few weeks ago it came back, i was told by my garage who does my work that its a common fault with my model i own a 1.9 tdi pd100 04 plate. i thought i had a problem with my electrics!
i know its costly but if you want it completely gone im afraid your best of finding a master techy whos worked for vw or go to the stealers yourself dude!
good luck with the car!

[Polo-03]

Hey guys thanks for all the help but the towel has been thrown in now! Stripped the car and is now near as original as when I got it all those 7 years ago. I'm gutted as the small fortune I have spent on it, washing and polishing it every week and now....its stabbed me right in the back! So some poor dealer is soon going to have to deal with the problem. It has put me off Volkswagen now to be honest so who knows whats around the corner next.

If anyone is looking for an S3 black electric recaro leather interior for there 9n then let me know. I have the audi rear seats if someone wishes it for an a3 or s3 or I have a rear 9n bench retrimed by MJ interiors to match the front seats also with the recaro logo stamped into the retrimmed bench. All seat are in mint condition and all airbags are in working order, they are a straight fit into the 9n as they are sitting. I have some nice audi tt comps aswell however they have been on the car since day one but took them off in the winter, so in good condition but not perfect afew nicks here and there.

[K.I.T.T.]

Sorry to hear that you lost faith in the car

Out of curiousity, what are you going for next? And regarding the parts, maybe post some pictures of them in a for sale thread. You'll get more views that way. I sympathise with you though, I wouldn't recommend a 9n to anyone as a used buy unless all the niggles have been sorted out. I've spent so much on mine sorting all the problems out (and lots of preventative maintainence: nearly everything that could go wrong has been replaced as a precaution).

Easy.
Ash

[Dub_Dan]

i have to agree with you ash i have speant a fortune on my 9n as well! 1800 on a gearbox and all the other s**t faults that come along with it but end up being expensive! i would not reccomend a used polo to anyone!

[Polo-03]

Well after searching hi and low on the internet to find out what the cars problem is, I have found many people telling me that "try this, as its a common fault" and then I speak with mechanics who say VW are just not what they used to be and there are far better cars out there for the money. Thats the reason why this pile of Sh1t is being traded in for a FIAT! Fix it again tony as I always remembered, however the new panda has had a great wright up in every magazine and every car programme there is.

[david burton]

A bit of a long shot, but have you considered that the steering column is wearing on your wiring loom causing issues - if routed improperly? Sound odd, but my dad's Touran had issues with lights coming on the dash and it was down to the steering column rubbing.

[K.I.T.T.]

^^Worth checking out as well, but as if they'd route the wiring so it'd interfere with the steering column

Having said that, I did have this problem with an old motor scooter.

Ash

[david burton]

They don't do it intentionally, just a "friday afternoon" case of a mistaken route for the wiring. Those weird faults do sound like an earth or bare wire issue.

[Polo-03]

Guys thanks for the advice, but honestly I just cant face the car anymore, my dad took it to fiat today, One owner, 03 reg, sdi, 75K miles, fsh with every reciept for everything I ever spent on it, not a scratch, polished every week, 2 keys, Interior is like new, wheels an trims also like new, honestly you would think the car was 6 months old. What are the guesses for what I got for the car?!