2001 VW Golf - check engine light - suggestions

daymobrew

I have a 2001 VW Golf 1.4, 5dr. 50k miles. Basic stuff.
Recently the 'Check Engine Light' came on. A friend felt that it could be dirty injectors.
Any suggestions of where I can go to have someone hook up the computer to the car for a quick diagnosis. The nearby VW dealers don't have appointment slots for a few weeks and are likely to charge quite a bit for a diagnosis. I realise that if the issue is more serious then I will have to get a proper service.

I am in Dublin 15. If a garage was open on Saturday it would be a great help.

Tipsy Mac

Any idea when was it last serviced? Have you had any problems with the car battery being run low recently?

You could try an Audi, Seat or Skoda dealer, they will have the same diagnostics to look at the problem.

crosstownk

That light comes on for a lot of reasons. Any advice you get will be pure guesswork. You need a diagnosis I'm afraid.

$Leon$

As crosstownk said that light comes on for many different reasons.
It's a general light covers pretty much everything electrical.
hows the car running?
If it's drivin like a pig stop don't drive it anymore.
otherwise keep going but get it looked at as soon as you can get a date


Edit: Check your brake lights. The check light sometimes comes on when the brake light switch goes

mike65

http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4782

Take your pick!

Mike.

bazz26

As others have said it could be any number of things. Best get the car hooked up to a diagnostics computer to see what error code it is coming back with.

VeVeX

Call up to Discount tyres in Rosemount business park in the morning (Saturday) and ill tell you what the codes are, not promising a fix or the likes but at least you will know whats up.

The phone Number is 8119027 ask for Keith when you ring or drop up.

AMurphy

A simple code reader will tell you most if not all the codes that caused the MIL to come on.
at this point it could be anything, even a loose gas cap, also getting close to that point when Bosch O2 sensors go south.

daymobrew

VeVeX wrote:

Call up to Discount tyres in Rosemount business park in the morning (Saturday)

I rang Discount Tyres on Friday afternoon and they directed me to Nolan Motors at the back of the business park. Unfortunately they were closed when I dropped up at 3pm!

$Leon$ wrote:

Edit: Check your brake lights.

One or other of the rear lights frequently doesn't light and the housing needs a good thump. Very annoying. The bulbs are set firmly into the housing which is snapped into the right place.

Tipsy Mac wrote:

Any idea when was it last serviced? Have you had any problems with the car battery being run low recently?

Running fine. Serviced annually, last time was March or April this year. We keep the oil level topped up as we know VWs use a good bit.

Thanks for the suggestions.