1995 Golf Cabriolet intermittent non-starter

Hello everyone, hope you can help. Car is 1995 ADY engine Cabrio Avant Garde. It is a first class runner and gives 40+ mpg economy. Over the past year, the car has developed an intermittent but worsening problem where the engine will catch but immediately die. It happens from cold, warm and hot and very randomly, which makes for big problems sometimes. My mechanic recently changed engine speed sensor, fuel pump relay and engine coolant sensor but to no avail.

I also had the Clifford Concept 50x alarm/immobiliser checked over by the original fitter but he could find nothing wrong with it.

I can only start it if I floor the throttle and try to start it several times. It usually starts after 4 to 8 trys or not at all.

I've noticed a few posts where similar problems have been occuring but they all seem to be on older, late 1980's models.

is the car physically cranking?
if not, I'd first bypass or yank the Clifford (I have seen MANY of these systems not operating with age)to help in isolating the problem.
if it is cranking,
check fuel pressure regulator;
or does your vehicle have a crank sensor?

is the car physically cranking?
if not, I'd first bypass or yank the Clifford (I have seen MANY of these systems not operating with age)to help in isolating the problem.
if it is cranking,
check fuel pressure regulator;
or does your vehicle have a crank sensor?

Yes, the car cranks fine on all occasions and in fairness starts perfectly on several occasions. Once it's running it goes great.

When it won't start, the engine turns, fires, then dies. It happens from cold, warm and hot, so temperature, coolant temperature or air mix don't seem to influence the situation. The engine speed sensor and the engine coolant temperature sensor were changed last week along with the fuel injection system relay. The only way it starts is when the throttle is held wide open and the engine turned over several times. Then it roars into life. Living in a quiet residential area this is not acceptable.

Yesterday, I took the car into Wayside St Albans, the main Audi/VW dealer. I specifically asked for a fuel pressure test as several people who clearly know their VW's are pointing to this area as the likely culprit. Did they do that? Did they hell. What is it about mechanics that they assume you have no idea? All they did was to plug in the diagnostics and spot a fault code in the ECU which they deleted. True to form the car started fine all day until this morning when the same problem occurs.

I note from my Haynes manual that the fuel system has to be depressurised before touching anything to do with the fuel system. Is this a big job or a dangerous job? The manual says it's pressurised to 2.5 bar, that's around 40 psi isn't it? The previous mechanic who looked at the car last week changed the vacuum pipe on the FP regulator but doesn't seem to have dismantled the unit at all. Again is this because depressuring the system is a big job? It looks to be an integral part of the fuel rail anyway.

The jury's still out on the Clifford, though it doesn't seem to be the culprit.

Hope this helps

is the car physically cranking?
if not, I'd first bypass or yank the Clifford (I have seen MANY of these systems not operating with age)to help in isolating the problem.
if it is cranking,
check fuel pressure regulator;
or does your vehicle have a crank sensor?

Hi, problem was sorted today. Faulty Coil Reader on the ignition switch. Replaced and now all is fine.

Thanks for your input

Alan Carnell

is the car physically cranking?
if not, I'd first bypass or yank the Clifford (I have seen MANY of these systems not operating with age)to help in isolating the problem.
if it is cranking,
check fuel pressure regulator;
or does your vehicle have a crank sensor?

Hi, problem was sorted today. Faulty Reader Coil on the ignition switch. Replaced and now all is fine.

Thanks for your input

Alan Carnell

95 doesnt have coil reader. Immobilizer wasnt in cabrios till 99.

Hi, problem was sorted today. Faulty Reader Coil on the ignition switch. Replaced and now all is fine.

Thanks for your input

Alan Carnell

Hi, I've checked the thread and I see that my problem is absolutely the same as Yours. Mine car is not cabrio but is ADY/1995 GTI edition. Could You give me more info about where the Reader Coil is, what the cost of the repair is, etc...

Best Regards, Peter