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Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2023 5:30 pm
by ccarmock
My Polo 9N3 (2007 Automatic) has started to have a few issues. I am not sure if they are related or separate.

The first issue was that a year ago I noticed the fuel guage when around half full would drop to zero and the chime sound. After a while it would move back to normal again This has been gradually getting more common. Local garage that specialises in VW (not a dealer though) has checked diags and tested the guage and says thats fine- it's booked in to have the fuel pump & sender module replaced.

The dash cluster on this car has the single red LED line to indicate which of PRNDS position the gear lever is in. This has started to show drop outs some times with some pixels not lighting up. I can live with that though woudl like to fix it.

More worryingly I have started to have starting issues - after sitting idle for a few days I turn the key - ignition comes on - turn more to start and I hear a click but the starter does turn the engine over at all. Turn the key fully off and on again and it'll start fine. After that is seems to start fine even if I try a few times.

Starting to wonder if the whole dash cluster is failing? Unsure if that would affect starting though?

My starting issue might be a failing starter motor or a failign starter relay possibly?

Any advice much appreciated.

Re: Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:09 am
by Johntheo1
Slacken off each battery terminal clamp in turn, leave the clamp attached and just turn the clamp(s) back and forth 5 or 6 times, retighten clamping nuts.
How old is the battery?, get someone to operate the starter while you observe the voltage at the battery terminals (requires a multimeter), voltage shouldn'f fall much below 10V. Also check voltage while idling, should be 14.1 to 14.4V.

Re: Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 2:58 pm
by ccarmock
Hi I can certainly check the battery - it is under a year old though....

Re: Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 4:02 pm
by Maarten
Check the fuses under the bonnet, sometimes they have hairline fractures

Re: Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 7:27 am
by maximiliank
Could it possibly be a failing fuel pump? If its struggling to pressurise your fuel lines that would definitely be a cause as to why its hard to start the engine up

though I’m not fully sure if that would be related to your gauge issue

Re: Starting problem - Polo 9N3

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:33 am
by Maarten
maximiliank wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2023 7:27 am Could it possibly be a failing fuel pump? If its struggling to pressurise your fuel lines that would definitely be a cause as to why its hard to start the engine up

though I’m not fully sure if that would be related to your gauge issue
Maybe fuel filter clutted?