Starting / running issue

[67buggers]

Just been reading through the maintenence section.......will cleaning the throttle body sort out a lumpy running and starting problem? When i start the car i have to press the accelerator pedal just once to get it going, if i dont it fires and then dies straight away. Once it's running it idles fine with no cutting out but is lumpy ....the leads are a bit cracked and old looking so plan to swap those too and clean and gap the plugs. Engine is a standard 16v abf

[Leon27]

Cleaning the throttle body can help depending on how badly contaminated it is but from the description of your fault I'd be also checking your coolant temp sensor reading.

Change your leads and anything else that's visually duff
Check all your vacuum hoses
Get VAG-COM/Similar diag software to read your coolant temp sensor to see if its reading right. If its reading -20 c on cold start for example then the ECU dumps in more fuel causing the car to run rough and cut out.

Cracked leads cause all sorts of issues so it is the best place to start 

[67buggers]

My mate has a fault code reader will that do it? Leads are gettin done on pay day