GolfGTIforum.co.uk

Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Lordie on 14 January 2020, 20:06

Title: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 14 January 2020, 20:06
Hey guy!  :wink:

New MK7 Golf GTi (2013) owner here. Had the car a few weeks now and love it. Previously had a Fiesta ST so this was a nice upgrade. Slowly jumping up in BHP with each car I own. Think I managed to get a good example but has few very minor things, hope you guys can help. Any replies will be greatly appreciated!  :smiley:

The list is as follows:


Thanks for any replies!
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: mcmaddy on 14 January 2020, 23:34
Welcome to the forum. 👍
Try a hard reset on your head unit by holding the power button in for about -15 seconds. When you see VW logo let go of the button, see if this sorts it. If not it might be a software update from the dealer or series case replaced.
Squeaky suspension could be failing shock absorbers or just dry suspension bushes.
Not sure about trim removal for lights but Google or you tube are best places to look.
The Voice button only works Voice commands if you've got Voice control. Nav pro units get it as standard but it was an option after that.
Passenger mirror tilt needs the mirror knob set on L before reversing. It may be setting up but instructions are in the manual on how to do it.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Rob_benton on 15 January 2020, 07:13
Check to see if the recent Vw infotainment update includes yours.

If you look at my past posts it gives you the details.

It’s free !
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: rajb on 15 January 2020, 08:55

Hey guy!  :wink:

New MK7 Golf GTi (2013) owner here. Had the car a few weeks now and love it. Previously had a Fiesta ST so this was a nice upgrade. Slowly jumping up in BHP with each car I own. Think I managed to get a good example but has few very minor things, hope you guys can help. Any replies will be greatly appreciated!  :smiley:


Welcome aboard.


  • The touch screen sometimes seems to have a mind of it's own. When I first start the car menus open on their own and it often changes the radio station. I try to press things on the screen but it's unresponsive for a few minutes and then it works flawlessly. Only thing I've tried so far is pressing and holding the power button until it resets but doesn't seem to solve the problem.


As mcmaddy mentioned I'd definitely try a reboot first as that does tend to sort most glitch issues.


  • There's a squeak/rattle coming from the front passenger size wheel area over bumps. The top mount was not long replaced but I guess it wasn't that?. Not sure if anyone can help with this one (may need to be looked at by someone). Not sure if this will be covered by the AA Gold warranty I got from from the garage I bought it from or not


Without hearing it, can be difficult to say, but as it's linked to bumps then could the damper/drop link/arb bush/control arm bush/joint.


  • One of the ambient lights isn't working on the floor/door sill. Can anyone give any tips/steps/instruction/a link with info on how to remove the trip and gain access to the cables to it. I believe they are under the door sill and the thin ribbon connectors can easily get damaged.


The sill is clipped in and you have to give it a good tug upwards to get it off. I genuinely thought I was going to break it when I had to remove one of mine.


  • I have a voice control button (face with sound waves by mouth) on my steering wheel buy when I press it, it doesn't seem to do anything besides mute the radio?. Not sure if I'm doing anything wrong or maybe these cars don't come with voice control as standard?


Unsure on this one but doesn't sound like you have voice control.


  • The manual says that the passenger side door mirror drops when you put the car into reverse to help with parking, is this standard on all models?. Only reason I ask is because I haven't noticed the mirror move. But I will have a look next time to see if it does or not.


Set the switch position to L, then put it into reverse. The mirror should drop but if it doesn't then use the switch to move the mirror to the position you want it when dipped. Once done put the car back into neutral and the car should remember that position when reversing.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Gnasher on 15 January 2020, 12:04
Only a couple of things to add clarify to rajb's reply...

When you take the sills off, be very careful as that fragile ribbon cable is likely to get ripped out if the sill suddenly comes away. It's connected near the rear (at least it is on the 3 door). That said, it's already not working, how much more could you break it lol?

As said, you probably don't have voice control. Easy way to check is on the front of the head unit. There's 4 buttons either side of it, if none of these say "Voice" then you don't have voice control. I think that button is standard on the steering wheels though, whether you have it or not. The muting of the stereo is normal when this button is pressed and you don't have voice control.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 16 January 2020, 18:51
Thanks for the replies guys! Very helpful  :cool:

So to answer the replies above:

- I have tried pressing and holding the power button on the radio until it resets but that doesn't seem to have stopped the issue sadly. It feels like it only does it when it is cold like it's effecting the touch screen somehow. But then the screen is unresponsive when you press it making it seem like a software issue. All very strange. May try taking it to my local VW garage to see if they are able to update the software for free?

- Yeah squeaks are notoriously difficult to locate. Just mentioned it in the list in case there was a common rattle from this model car. To me it sounds like something it loose as it rattles over rough road surfaces like something is bouncing around. Might try taking it to a garage but can't imagine them finding anything very easily.

- Thanks for the info on the voice commands, didn't realise it was an option and the car manual didn't make that clear.

- Oh so I have to leave the mirror adjustment on "L" for the mirror drop to work when the car is put into reverse?. Will be giving this a go soon

Also, car only came with 1 key and you only have the option of a remote (not just a key) with an early MK7. There goes another £130
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Watts on 16 January 2020, 18:59
Hi Lordie, in case you haven't, empty the car of absolutely everything removeable before trying to diagnose a rattle....
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 16 January 2020, 19:02
Hi Lordie, in case you haven't, empty the car of absolutely everything removeable before trying to diagnose a rattle....

Good shout :wink: thanks. It was on the car when I test drove it at the garage but they were meant to have found and fixed it with the Top Mount replacement. Will try and figure it out at some point.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Vwjap on 16 January 2020, 20:57
Not 100% sure but isn’t the mirror dip in the settings under mirrors?
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 19 January 2020, 14:56
So the radio is really pissing me off now. Half the time I get in when the cars been parked for a while the radio touch screen just freezes up and does't work. I try to change the radio station or press any button on the screen and nothing works for about 5 minutes. Plus it still does the thing where it often starts opening menus and pressing random buttons on it's own It's driving me crazy  :sad:
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: rajb on 19 January 2020, 20:56
So the radio is really pissing me off now. Half the time I get in when the cars been parked for a while the radio touch screen just freezes up and does't work. I try to change the radio station or press any button on the screen and nothing works for about 5 minutes. Plus it still does the thing where it often starts opening menus and pressing random buttons on it's own It's driving me crazy  :sad:

Sounds like you need a new screen.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: fredgroves on 19 January 2020, 21:21
Those sort of touch screen problems were common early on.

Yours is a 2013... so...

The issue I believe was resolved with a software update.

Might be worth looking at that.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 19 January 2020, 23:17
Sounds like you need a new screen.

Don't say that!!!!  :cry:


The issue I believe was resolved with a software update.

I'm really hoping an update would help/fix it, would be one big issue to tick off the list. Do you know if there's any way of finding out what software version I am running?. Maybe it says somewhere in the settings menu?
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: mcmaddy on 19 January 2020, 23:47
Most others who had your issue required new screens or the brain bit that's in the glovebox. You can find what software and hardware version you have in the settings screens.
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Toppy on 24 January 2020, 15:01
Sounds like you need a new screen.

Don't say that!!!!  :cry:


The issue I believe was resolved with a software update.

I'm really hoping an update would help/fix it, would be one big issue to tick off the list. Do you know if there's any way of finding out what software version I am running?. Maybe it says somewhere in the settings menu?

Lordie, did you manage to get the issue sorted?
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Sootchucker on 24 January 2020, 15:13
That's what sort of worries me about the new MK8, there's no buttons so everything is done by touch. What happens if the screen fails on these too ?
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: dean5125 on 24 January 2020, 15:36
That's what sort of worries me about the new MK8, there's no buttons so everything is done by touch. What happens if the screen fails on these too ?

I was thinking earlier about the Mk8 being totally buttonless and I've figured out why they've gone that route..... its because every time you stop in a 7.5 you have to wipe down the shiny piano black to remove finger prints and dust and every bloody time I either turn the stereo up flat out or zoom right out on the sat nav..... no buttons, no problem!! :grin: :grin: :grin:
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 26 January 2020, 20:30
Sounds like you need a new screen.

Don't say that!!!!  :cry:


The issue I believe was resolved with a software update.

I'm really hoping an update would help/fix it, would be one big issue to tick off the list. Do you know if there's any way of finding out what software version I am running?. Maybe it says somewhere in the settings menu?

Lordie, did you manage to get the issue sorted?

Hello . No I haven't just yet. I'm going to have a look in the menus tonight and see if I can find the current software version, then post a new thread to find out if someone can tell me if it is the latest one or not.

it still seems to happen almost every time I drive it. When the car is started from cold it seems to happen. One the cars warmed up it seems to be absolutely fine. Nonetheless it is very very frustrating not being about to use the screen at all sometimes for 5 min and it always opening menus and reprogramming radio stations on it's own. One thing that I find suspicious is that the menu buttons pop up at the bottom of the screen, they should only pop up when the motion sensor detects a hand near the screen?



I bought a car from a garage 1hr30 away so they won't be interested (plus they won't cover for something like that anyway). The car came with an AA Gold dealer extended warranty but from the booklet I got is sounds sh!t!. They literally cover nothing in that warranty and it even says it 'Excludes - In-car entertainment systems including LCD/television screens'.

I'm stuck and gutted that I might potentially be spending hundreds of pounds to now fix a screen on a car I literally just bought last month. Plus I'm in the process of spending over £100 to get a second key programmed as it only came with 1.

Literally any help of advice would be much appreciated  :lipsrsealed: :drool:
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 26 January 2020, 20:32
That's what sort of worries me about the new MK8, there's no buttons so everything is done by touch. What happens if the screen fails on these too ?

Thats the problem with cars nowadays, they just keep creating new problems. Like keyless entry which means someone can easily steal your car off your drive overnight  :shocked:
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Yusee on 26 January 2020, 21:13
Whatever the warranty says, a garage cannot sell you a car with a defective touch screen.
You should insist the garage sorts out the problem, whether it's a software or hardware problem ( sounds very much like the latter to me)
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Lordie on 26 January 2020, 21:34
Whatever the warranty says, a garage cannot sell you a car with a defective touch screen.
You should insist the garage sorts out the problem, whether it's a software or hardware problem ( sounds very much like the latter to me)

The problem is that the garage sold me the car with an AA Gold Extended Dealer Warranty so I'm not sure if this means this is the only warranty I have or that that is on top of the actual warranty the garage supplies too.

Very have always been very friendly, professional and helpful so I guess the best bet is to try contacting them to see what they say  :huh:
Title: Re: New MK7 GTi Owner - Unresponsive touch screen, faulty ambient light etc
Post by: Yusee on 26 January 2020, 21:55
The warranty is irrelevant. They have sold you a car with a significant defect. I would strongly advise you not to accept the car ( and not to even attempt to fix it yourself)- it could cost you thousands to replace a touch screen.
I would be pretty firm with the garage- write or email them to say you will not accept the car with a major fault, and unless they agree to fix it, you are rejecting the car.
When you first posted, I thought you had bought a cheap car privately. If a garage has sold it to you, your approach has to be quite different- the law will be very clearly on your side