The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

Could you take the bottle off and remove it then, that way if it bursts at least it can't get into the system?

Toyotafanboi

hooch-85 wrote: »

The earlier cars are getting on in the years now so it's inevitable they would start showing a few issues. I've been lucky with mine so far. Has anyone heard about cars with climate control having problems with their heater matrix? There's a bag of silica gel in the coolant expansion tank which can burst and block the heater matrix. Apparently it's a £1,500 fix in the UK. It comes up very often on the GTD owners forum on Facebook, I'm not sure if it is a GTD specific problem or if it affects all mk7s. The preventative solution it seems is just to remove the silica gel from the tank, I'm not sure what purpose it serves in the first place though. My car is going in for a service in two weeks so I'm tempted to ask them to remove it altogether.

Any one else come across this issue?

The coolant itself contains silica, the coolant in most new VAG stuff has no service interval, it's "for life" stuff. The silica is there to slow down the corrosion of the aluminium components in the system and the block itself. The problem that VW see is that the silica in the coolant can deteriorate and loose it's effectiveness thus allowing corrosion to happen in the system, which isn't ideal in a sealed for life system. The solution was to add an additional pouch of silica in the expansion tank that the coolant can "feed" from over the systems lifetime.

The problem is, the pouch is **** and breaks down, the silica gets out, gets all mushed up in the system and turns the coolant to sludge.

You can remove the silica bag yourself with a long nose pliers, you can see it as soon as you take the cap off. What's better (and easier) is to buy a new expansion tank and remove the dry bag, then swap it out for your old tank because if the bag in your system is brittle and you burst it on the way out, then you're ****ed anyway. No issue taking the bag out once you commit to a coolant change once every 5 years/ 100k kms like the older models.

hooch-85 wrote: »

It was nearly a brown trouser moment alright:D

GTi TCR next then neilo is it?

Depends on the price, if it's more expensive than a new R I won't be buying.

Neilw wrote: »

That was you not the car

JoeA3 wrote: »

Not even Daz could save his underpants after it.

Neilw wrote: »

I had to change the pollen filter after him

It was nearly a brown trouser moment alright:D

GTi TCR next then neilo is it?

JoeA3 wrote: »

Not even Daz could save his underpants after it.

I had to change the pollen filter after him

TheBazman wrote: »

Same here - radio starting acting up - taking on a life of its' own, changing stations, volume etc. Software update didnt work, radio replaced under warranty.

That can be caused by using dash cleaner/products that get on the screen.
Clean the screen with an alcohol wipe fixes it.

JoeA3

Neilw wrote: »

That was you not the car

Not even Daz could save his underpants after it.

hooch-85 wrote: »

I had an idea it was that car too. Got a spin with Neil once in it. Some boo outta her lad:D

That was you not the car

vintagevrs

Nice one, congrats tossy

I had an idea it was that car too. Got a spin with Neil once in it. Some boo outta her lad:D

JoeA3

tossy wrote: »

Cheers Mal, yeah it has the sphorty bits stuck on

It was the only one to buy really.

My spidey senses reckoned it had to be that car. Well wear!

Cheers Mal, yeah it has the sphorty bits stuck on

JoeA3 wrote: »

Did Neil do ya a good deal?

It was the only one to buy really.

Truckermal

Well wear Tossy! Is she a 1.6 with sphorty bits on it?:p

JoeA3

tossy wrote: »

you're on the right track i'd say Only have it less than a week.

Did Neil do ya a good deal?

hooch-85 wrote: »

Fair play, the best of luck with it

Thanks , we can discuss bags of Silica at the next get together

Fair play, the best of luck with it

hooch-85 wrote: »

You kept that quiet you sneaky Russian:D

I can nearly guess what variant, trade the S3?

you're on the right track i'd say

Only have it less than a week.

tossy wrote: »

I did indeed.

You kept that quiet you sneaky Russian:D

I can nearly guess what variant, trade the S3?

hooch-85 wrote: »

Yeah I think it might be the way the to go alright. They are the symptoms alright. Did you buy a mk7?

I did indeed.

Yeah I think it might be the way the to go alright. They are the symptoms alright. Did you buy a mk7?

hooch-85 wrote: »

The earlier cars are getting on in the years now so it's inevitable they would start showing a few issues. I've been lucky with mine so far. Has anyone heard about cars with climate control having problems with their heater matrix? There's a bag of silica gel in the coolant expansion tank which can burst and block the heater matrix. Apparently it's a £1,500 fix in the UK. It comes up very often on the GTD owners forum on Facebook, I'm not sure if it is a GTD specific problem or if it affects all mk7s. The preventative solution it seems is just to remove the silica gel from the tank, I'm not sure what purpose it serves in the first place though. My car is going in for a service in two weeks so I'm tempted to ask them to remove it altogether.

Any one else come across this issue?

I've seen it come up a lot on searches too, it definitely effects other variants of the MK7 also. Apparently a symptom of the bag having burst is the dash vents not blowing hot air through all the vents. I'm tempted to have it removed also.

The earlier cars are getting on in the years now so it's inevitable they would start showing a few issues. I've been lucky with mine so far. Has anyone heard about cars with climate control having problems with their heater matrix? There's a bag of silica gel in the coolant expansion tank which can burst and block the heater matrix. Apparently it's a £1,500 fix in the UK. It comes up very often on the GTD owners forum on Facebook, I'm not sure if it is a GTD specific problem or if it affects all mk7s. The preventative solution it seems is just to remove the silica gel from the tank, I'm not sure what purpose it serves in the first place though. My car is going in for a service in two weeks so I'm tempted to ask them to remove it altogether.

Any one else come across this issue?

TheBazman

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Yep had it on my mk7 2016. Parts stopped working ie. Sat nav and app connect wouldn't work. Radio worked. They tried to run update (which might fix your problem) they changed the unit on warranty. Would of been a 1500 job other wise. With Frank kean anyway..

Same here - radio starting acting up - taking on a life of its' own, changing stations, volume etc. Software update didnt work, radio replaced under warranty.

Reckless Abandonment

Sneak wrote: »

Anyone ever have any problems with the radio/infontainment system? Mine died a slow death over the last 2 days. It won't power on now.

Yep had it on my mk7 2016. Parts stopped working ie. Sat nav and app connect wouldn't work. Radio worked. They tried to run update (which might fix your problem) they changed the unit on warranty. Would of been a 1500 job other wise. With Frank kean anyway..

GustavoFring

If you hold the power button for a good 10 seconds it can do a reset. Might help.

Could be lose wiring.

Otherwise it gets awkward as the main brains of the radio is coded to the chassis and you need to get around component protection to throw a replacement in if it's not covered by warranty.

Sneak

Anyone ever have any problems with the radio/infontainment system? Mine died a slow death over the last 2 days. It won't power on now.