Golf GTI ED35 Random/Electrical Fault/s

Golf GTI ED35 Random/Electrical Fault/s

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Discussion

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
Hopefully this sounds like a familiar VAG issue with an easy/simple fix...

I recently bought a 2011 Golf GTI ED35 that originated in the UK/Europe, went to live in Japan (from new, I believe) and has now returned into my ownership.

All was well for a few weeks but I wanted to replace the Japan-specific head unit and remove all of the associated Japanese toll antennae gubbins, so I spent an afternoon stripping that lot out.

The first drive of the car after removing the head unit and all other Japan-specific stuff was absolutely fine but then I didn't use the car for a few days over New Year etc.

Come the morning of Thursday 2nd Jan the car failed to start twice and gave a Low Oil Pressure warning on the dash/MFD. Switched everything off and tried again and everything was fine, so went to work in the car and all was good.

After work on the same day I had one failed start and an ESP Error warning on the dash/MFD and then all good on the second attempt as before.

Did some forum reading and suspected low voltage, so stuck the trickle charger on overnight, but the battery seemed fine.

Friday morning the car started and ran fine, so I thought it was likely just the battery as the Thursday/Friday were the first real cold days we'd had since I got the car and I ordered a new one. Friday after work it was a very laboured start and rough idle for a few seconds but, again, fine after that.

Didn't use the car over the weekend, new battery delivered yesterday and fitted last night, seemed fine on a test drive (albeit with an erroneous sidelight warning light) and then this morning, fired on the button but...no gears!!

I'll check the battery/alternator with a multi-meter tonight but I just wondered if there's another obvious thing to check with this generation/platform VW?

Cheers

CorradoTDI

1,747 posts

185 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
You'll need to register the battery but it should still be drivable...

I'd get a fault code scan and see what's going on

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
I'm just awaiting a call back re. battery coding and fault code scanning, so hopefully I can get that done tomorrow, with a bit of luck.

I'll also check the status of the battery/alternator tonight, to see if there's anything obvious there.

normalbloke

8,064 posts

233 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
Sounds like the canbus has been disturbed/interrupted whilst you were stripping out. Possibly.Maybe…

Belle427

10,480 posts

247 months

Tuesday 7th January
quotequote all
Id agree with the can network being the most likely culprit, seems logical as the problems started after you fiddled. Battery issues do throw up a lot of unusual faults but i dont think its the battery personally.

Dr G

15,568 posts

256 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
CAN/wiring fault and/or rodent damage once you've eliminated the battery.

I was speaking with a chap yesterday who owned a MK5 GTI that came over from Japan - it suffered badly from horrible wiring "upgrades" and repairs.

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
I spoke with my friendly local mechanic last night who agreed what has been suggested here; CAN error due to the hole in the dash awaiting the new stereo being fitted.

He's suggested fully charging the battery off the car, re-fitting the old stereo before re-connecting the battery and that should make the car happy again.

normalbloke

8,064 posts

233 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
roboxm3 said:
I spoke with my friendly local mechanic last night who agreed what has been suggested here; CAN error due to the hole in the dash awaiting the new stereo being fitted.

He's suggested fully charging the battery off the car, re-fitting the old stereo before re-connecting the battery and that should make the car happy again.
I think most people here assumed you’d refitted a VW stereo, not driving around with a hole in the dash…’kin ell….

CorradoTDI

1,747 posts

185 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
roboxm3 said:
I spoke with my friendly local mechanic last night who agreed what has been suggested here; CAN error due to the hole in the dash awaiting the new stereo being fitted.

He's suggested fully charging the battery off the car, re-fitting the old stereo before re-connecting the battery and that should make the car happy again.
I think most people here assumed you’d refitted a VW stereo, not driving around with a hole in the dash…’kin ell….
It shouldn't matter but not sure what state the wiring was in?

Have you checked there is nothing shorting out to the chassis or another wire?

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
CorradoTDI said:
normalbloke said:
roboxm3 said:
I spoke with my friendly local mechanic last night who agreed what has been suggested here; CAN error due to the hole in the dash awaiting the new stereo being fitted.

He's suggested fully charging the battery off the car, re-fitting the old stereo before re-connecting the battery and that should make the car happy again.
I think most people here assumed you’d refitted a VW stereo, not driving around with a hole in the dash…’kin ell….
It shouldn't matter but not sure what state the wiring was in?

Have you checked there is nothing shorting out to the chassis or another wire?
The car was imported to Japan by VW Japan, who I assume completed the install of the VW/JDM Clarion stereo, so it was all spot on, very OE/professional looking and neat etc.

As advised, I removed and charged the battery overnight, re-fitted the stereo today before re-fitting the battery and it's so far starting and driving without issue.

I do have a 'check front left sidelight' message in the MFD which, from having a read-up, is possible where LED bulbs have been fitted...I'm wondering whether this was 'coded in' but it's now an issue due to the battery disconnect and other wobblers it's had recently.

I've also got a constant EML, so if that doesn't clear with a bit of use, I'll have to get it scanned and cleared and see if there's a genuine issue anywhere.

CorradoTDI

1,747 posts

185 months

Wednesday 8th January
quotequote all
Yeah hope you get it sorted, post the codes on here once read...

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Thursday 9th January
quotequote all
Got in it this morning..0 faults or errors!!

Who would have thought that a car would throw such a wobbler about a stereo...

normalbloke

8,064 posts

233 months

Thursday 9th January
quotequote all
roboxm3 said:
Got in it this morning..0 faults or errors!!

Who would have thought that a car would throw such a wobbler about a stereo...
Well, you’ve learned something, and got a new battery to boot!

Belle427

10,480 posts

247 months

Thursday 9th January
quotequote all
Can faults can bring the whole network down sometimes, can be a real headache.

roboxm3

Original Poster:

2,462 posts

209 months

Thursday 9th January
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
roboxm3 said:
Got in it this morning..0 faults or errors!!

Who would have thought that a car would throw such a wobbler about a stereo...
Well, you’ve learned something, and got a new battery to boot!
Yeah, battery upgrade from wet to AGM going into winter is no bad thing…