All you MK3 people with problems...

[golfmk3gti]

Hello all

Really hoping someone out there can help with this I have a mk3 2.0 golf GTi N (95), My golf is cutting out and the oil light is flashing when I start the car not whilst driving.  The car starts and revs up to just under 2000rpm and then dies.  I can sometimes get round this by putting some oil in but there is already too much in there and I am starting to worry. 

Thank you in advance your help is greatly appreciated. 

[Booky16v]

4 months ago I had the perfect car.....

Unmolested 3dr 96(P) m3 16v in black with 115k on the clock and fsh. The car was sweet, quick and a joy to drive.

In time honoured tradition, I took the car to VW for a full service, MOT and cambelt change (for my peace of mind, last one was @ 78k) and parted with 700 sheets of her majesty's finest. It passed!

BEHOLD!

The car has trouble starting even with a new starter motor, idles sluggishly and then stalls regularly first thing in the morn (the AA said they wouldn't come out no more, as the car is fine later in the day!)

I've been told that I need a new water pump as the new cam belt cant be tensioned and is putting strain on the old pump. Are these common problems? I cant afford to keep paying Watford VW £88 p/h to look at it, and I dont want to let the car go when there's plenty of life left in it.

Is the love affair over...............?

[action al]

Only had my mk3 for less than a week so haven't had time to tinker with it yet, but these are the ickle probs I've got:

Leccy Sunroof tilts but won't slide, maybe the cable?

Can't get my headlights to stay on main beam, pull back on the stalk and main beam comes on as long as you hold the stalk back but won't stay on when you let go, The stalk clicks still, like it's going onto main beam but then back onto dipped as soon as you let go.

Any ideas?

Oh the water light flashing problem, must be the same on mk3's
I've sorted this out on 2 mk2's and an audi coupe, was the same issue.
Provided that it isn't actually losing coolant, it's just dirty coolant affecting the sensor.
It's annoying that little red light flashing, so worth while spending an afternoon sorting this out. Not at all difficult, just time consuming.

Get yourself a good engine degreasant like Gunk
Drain the coolant system
Remove the round ball expansion tank, take indoors, block up the pipes, put a little degreaser in then fill up with boiling water from the kettle, put the cap back on and leave for 5 -10 mins, give it a bloody good shake and then drain it out and rinse through with hot water, watch all the crap come out into your sink
Now put the expansion tank back into the car and connect back up.
Now to clean the rest of the system out:
put some degreaser into the expansion tank and fill up with water, put the cap back on
run up to temp (when fan kicks in)
drain the system again once it's cooled enough so you won't scald yourself,
connect back up and refill with only clean water, run up to temp, drain, repeat untill the water comes out clear and then refill with the correct quantity of coolant/antifreeze with water.

Hey presto, no more red light flashing
Oh, if it's a gti and there are a few toffee like deposit's in the coolant, don't panic, it might not be the head gasket, it's more likely the oil cooler needs changing, especially if there's no mayo under the oil cap.

so, it cost nothing to fix (well apart from antifreeze, degreaser and maybe an oil cooler at the same time, oh and a few cups o tea while you wait for it to get to temp) but well worth doing

[herbster]

Hi, got a mk3 cabrio with just 1 fault!!  Got no lcd display showing with no temp/fuel gauge or speedo and tacho! Lookin everywhere can't find a thing, was fine but started playing up after a couple of sitting months, needs to go for mot so till sorted this I stuck!!! 

[chris_gray21]

got a bit of a problem with my girlfriends MK3 1.4 CL its runs as sweet as a NUT very quiet and consistant

BUT

when on a long ish run like a motorway run as soon as you get off and on to the slip road and brake the car stalls it does start again first turn of the key and is totally fine again until next motorway trip 

i read a link in this thread about carbonising in the throttle bodies and that they just need a god clean out

can any one confirm this or had the same problem ??

does anyone know of a tutorial / info on stripping down to clean throttle boddies etc would be great

any help would be great

cheers

chris

[jons]

I have an issue with my electric windows, the drivers door only opens the passenger door window (doesn't close) and no response to drivers door in either direction. I have tried wiggling the wires in the door section but no luck still the wiggling used to work

Does anyone know if this could be a relay issue ? or is it likely that the cables are now cut somewhere

Does anyone know anything else it could be ?

thanks

[eli-golf mk3]

hi my mk 3 1.4 8v has a problem. when cold the car idles fine but when the car is warm it idles very poorly as if it has a missfire but only wen idling???

[vwagain]

Is it using any oil and water?? Is there any oil in the water etc?


Stu

[earl]

hi there i have a problem with my 1998 mk3 golf gti 8valve ,basically it broke down on me the other night the fault was no spark from the coil replaced it and it was ok ,however the following day i went out the car drove fine got home parked up but when i tried to start it again it cranked,fired up and ran but once reaching idle it will cut out at the same point every time any one got any ideas??its doing my swede in as ive checked for sparks which there are from no1 plug and fron coil pack always when i turn ignition on i hear the buzzing which suggests theres power to the fuel pump im confused someone come and save me!!!!!!

[Kestrel]

Hiya Mate.. sounds like what I'm still going thru Replaced dizzy,cap,leads,rotor,fuel-relay... Got fuel,got compression,and have a good spark on all four, have lined-up on TDC #1 pot... Rotor at notch..  Still won't start.. It all began with what you've described... Help Anyone...