Perfect. Here is a link which has some pictures which should guide you. From memory it's on the drivers side, but been a little while since I have been underneath one.
If the pictures don't make it obvious enough, give me a hollar and I will look up the exact instructions with pictures in my VW service manual for you.
You are doing exactly the right thing with the fuel, 98 where ever possible and 95 in a pinch. Just remember that if biofuel blends like E10 become available in your area to not use them under any circumstances with your vehicle. This includes Mobil 98, which you may come across if you head up to Wellington or some such.
If you are out and about, grab yourself a can of "electrical contact cleaner" from Repco, Supercheap, Dick Smith or any Electrical supplier. Inspect the connector pins as best you can for signs of corrosion etc. If really bad you may need to be more thorough but a good liberal spray with the contact cleaner in both sides of the socket is a good start. Then connect it back a couple of times, spray again and repeat one more time if you want.
Be gentle with the connector though, if you have pushed the tab release properly it should come out fairly easily, no levering or extreme measures required.
Best of luck and keep us posted. If you do wind up needing a replacement part, come back for advice. I think we might be able to find one even cheaper than mentioned above, but that price is obviously already on the right track. Pricing a used option is also worthwhile.
That said, if cleaning the connector doesn't help. I think I would be inclined to do a little more investigation first before fitting a replacement sensor. That's where those exact codes could be a good starting point. Just a shame you are so far away, I would love to get my sticky mitts on it and run some tests.
vtecnet,
Jul 19, 9:19am
Dubworld uses VCDS (an abbreviation for "VAG-COM Diagnostic System" and formerly known as VAG-COM) is a Microsoft Windows-based software package, developed and produced by Ross-Tech, LLC since May 2000.
I only remember as I saw the print out for the inlaws car from there. They were really trying to avoid replacing the part, as the dealer was having to pay for it. hence the 3 -4 visits
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 9:21am
That's an interesting bit of info for the memory banks. I am pretty sure I noticed a fairly quick version number change on the part too, this would line up with what's been said. It also gives us a bit more confidence in it being the sensor rather than the wiring if cleaning the connectors don't work.
Obviously, correct testing and careful diagnosis is best, the catch is though, what facilities are available to the OP and at what cost vs the cost of replacement.
Oh, and just for faeces and giggles, if you are keen OP, wouldn't hurt to give the control box a warm up with a hair dryer (don't absolutely cook it though). Then see if the light goes away. If nothing else it would confirm the issue if it then stayed away for a while.
Lastly. just as a silly side note. With regard to "2004 models" do bear in mind as well that later models won't likely have the sensor at all. Thanks to the greenies knocking the whole lean burn thing on the head. Not sure exactly what year and in which markets this happened first though.
vtecnet,
Jul 19, 9:33am
The only thing is, my info was based on the 1.6 model, where as the OP has the 2.0 Model (only just looked up their feedback to see they had the 2.0) which has low k's but is still on the original cambelt. that should be addressed too in the near future, as 11 years is old in terms of a rubber belt.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 9:35am
Also. as an aside note. You mentioned only basic servicing had been done. It would be VERY wise to schedule a timing belt, tensioner and waterpump replacement on that a.s.a.p if there is no evidence of it being done before. This is important because of the age of the belt not the km's. Generally 5 years is the maximum you want to go between belt changes on those, regardless of km's travelled.
Obviously you do new coolant when the waterpump is changed, and being a VW is pretty much essential that the correct VW G13 coolant is used.
I would change the brake fluid as well if there is no evidence of it having been done in the last couple of years.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 9:36am
LOL, snap, just posted about the cambelt as well. I would say it's more than likely the 1.6 has the same sensor as the 2.0, they both certainly ran the ultra lean burn FSI modes so I don't really see why they would spec a different one. So no doubt would suffer the same issue if it exists as your source suggests.
Also, I should have mentioned with the cambelt that it's important that new engine mount stretch bolts are fitted and the old ones not re-used. Another thing that springs to mind is the fuel filter, being an FSI it's really important to change that periodically. I try to do it at least every couple of years, I would suggest every 5 years at the most. This is actually another easy DIY job if you want to save some cash. I tend to order a "service kit" from the UK that has all the filers including the fuel filter. There is no reason why you can't elect to do that easy stuff and save some cash while sending it to the garage for the more difficult procedures.
mm12345,
Jul 19, 10:17am
A quick google on that and no - looks like the 2.0 FSI has a different sensor which is crazy expensive - 3x the price of sensors for other models. I only looked that up because I couldn't believe the OP's quoted price wasn't a rip-off, but it looks like prices above 600 pounds are the norm in the UK too. It looks like the sensor unit includes a box with electronics rather than just a wire and plug.
intrade,
Jul 19, 10:26am
i wonder if there is some aftermarket tuning map for offroad only use with a cheaper sensor or there likes. Vw have loads of online support on how to change factory settings. and reading your post The first thing i would like to see is if there is a factory tsb flash for this problem. and i would like to know what and why it fails if possible.
intrade,
Jul 19, 10:32am
i dont see a golf fsi as mk4 only 2005 onwards shows a 2.0fsi something is wierd whats the carjam say about engine code?
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 11:17am
From your response, it sounds like you are not aware of the difference between a Nox sensor and an O2 sensor. The "box" with "electronics" is a normal regardless of make/model, they are also generally more expensive than 02 sensors.
intrade,
Jul 19, 11:23am
i am reading up on here how it functions , i have not quite finished but i think you can just programm the nox out of engine managment remove the nox cat as it is the last on the muffler along with the sensor and save some fuel on top. but pssssst dont tell the greenies that you making some acid rain lol. i will finish reading on there now. http://www.kfztech.de/kfztechnik/motor/otto/fsi.htm
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 11:28am
There is no FSI MK4's, however all MK5's are FSI/TSI. MK5's tend to start 2004 and you see the A3 equivalent started a little earlier in 2003.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 11:30am
That would sound logical. The sensor is only there to tell the computer the nox cat is full as far as I am aware, sort of like how a dpf works. It would make sense you would save some fuel as it would not need to keep richening the mixture to do a regeneration, something that happens every minute or so with the nox cat as far as I am aware.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 11:34am
If this was relating to my saying about "2004 models", what I was meaning was that VW changed the software and exhaust somewhere along the line during MK5 production. It also depended on the market. So some MK5's have the Nox sensor and cat and some don't.
intrade,
Jul 19, 11:35am
now back to this nox cat . the catilsator gets loaded with sulfur when you do short trip driveing. just like a dpf gets loaded on a diesel. the Nox sensor is to mesure and comand the extra fuel used to clean the nox cat. they write extra fuelconsumption is suposedly minimal. so because it is the last cat we can conclude if you remove it it wont affect the function of other items as there is non after it. but correct removal reprogramming would be the way to go. usually you get chiptuning maps sold for offroad use only as they are not road legal. So you would just keep the cat and sensor should we have one day emission testing , you simply reload the original engine map. So what to do is cat faulty or sensor faulty or is somethign else causeing abnormal high NOX in the exhaust that would be what to know for sure first.
short trip driving is a NO-NO just like on diesel you make the cat and nox sensor work overtime doing that. acording to what they write on the above website 3 fueling stages of running mode. snap 38
mm12345,
Jul 19, 11:48am
Yeah I see that, and my quick google the other NOx sensors were used not new. They're expensive full stop. Some information on operation and testing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNxVOf6jIBU
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 12:06pm
Admittedly I haven't read the article, but I wouldn't have expected short trip running to bother them that much as the car doesn't tend to go in to FSI (ultra lean burn) mode during short running to begin with. So there should be no NOx building up under those conditions. Unless the sulpher you speak of is not caused by the lean burn condition.
Also, my understanding is regeneration is a quick and frequent process, not like a DPF.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 19, 12:08pm
Sounds like you may have fallen for the "new" stock pictures for used items on ebay. Those have caught me temporarily in past too. Thanks for the link.
pauloc,
Jul 19, 1:30pm
As soon as I saw Dubworld I laughed. I would not get a tyre changed there.
steve56467,
Jul 19, 1:34pm
Why would you want something that requires all this special attention? Don't feed it cheap fuel, you can't go to that petrol station, only take it to one of these places, don't let any random mechanic near it, you can't do a short drive that ruins it. Sounds a bit like the pretentious lap dog of cars, no?
The simple answer here is sell this car and buy japanese, a proven model free of these defects often found in VW. I would suggest a toyota, much more reliable and you can take it anywhere for servicing and run any fuel. All over much more robust and tolerant of neglect and misuse. Kiwis have been abusing jap cars for years and they just keep going.
Throw the toy poodle and get a work dog. It'll earn its keep.
intrade,
Jul 19, 2:05pm
umm well yea i just finished a video from a delphi training instructor. the videos are old now i think they make them free to anyone so we can learn the truth of how it is done for real. anyhow he had his wives 2004 toyota prius hybrid and he had no brakes , he is a technition for instructing on all this electronics crap. his module for brakes had died common fault and he should have had brakes still and he said there was as good as nothing there with the dead electronic braking module from your fancy 2004 toyota. just so we are on the same page if we want to start bashing cars. i can tell you few more storys from mazda and nissan also if thats what you want to hear poster 45. the instructor got a secoundhand module from some russian wrecker as they wanted big big bux for a new one form toyota. good luck abusing new toyotas .
steve56467,
Jul 19, 2:19pm
Yes please! Tell me a few more stories.
jmma,
Jul 19, 2:31pm
Lets try something different here, lets stay out of the Euro threads and just maybe they stay out of the Jap threads. Nice thought anyway (o:
eella,
Jan 25, 8:35pm
I drive a Toyota for work now 2014 model Rav4, its yucky on so many levels. The Golf is a dream in comparison, 10 years older and so much better, my previous work car was a 2010 Nissan and that had a check engine light that came on at 130,000km not long before it was to end the lease, I took it to the mechanic (Nissan) several times it kept coming back on, I ended up handing it back with the bloody thing on. Not my issue but the last personal cars I had were mitsi, nissan and they were fine but all pre 2004, I think anything newer has its quirks and requirements. I see Golfs all over Christchurch preforming "short trips" without them breaking down on the side of the street. In saying all that, I'm not a person whom just goes on price, many things in my life I would rather spend the money on if I got economy or longevity etc, food, clothes, wine - oh wine. ( doing dry July!).
Its turned crappy here so we probably wont get under the car till next weekend (sleety showers forcast for the Sunday) and we only have a carport. Thanks for your very helpful comments. I shall keep you posted.
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