UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

A few months ago I popped out to a local supermarket to make use of the cash point. Parked up, locked up, wandered over and got my money, then returned to the car. Forgot I'd locked it, so unlocked it, jumped in and went to start the car up. It got to the second stage of ignition, where all the dash lights come on, the blowers start, etc, then when I went to turn the engine over, everything stopped and nothing happened, i.e. all went dead.

So I got out, locked, unlocked the car and tried again. Same result. At this point I contemplated calling VW Assistance, but decided to call a mate and see what he made of it. Did so, and then unsuccessfully tried to fire the car up. So I sat there for near 10 minutes, and when my mate turned up, I tried starting the car, only for it to start first time

I'm mentioning all the above because it happened again today, whilst I was at home for lunch luckily. The waiting game of before didn't work so I gave in and called Assistance. 90 minutes later, during which I again unsuccessfully tried to start the car, the guy turned up, having come across from Birmingham, and walked up, put the key in the ignition and, you guessed it, started the car first time after I've called him out all the way from Brum too...

Anyway, so he has a fiddle under the bonnet, then turns the car on and off over a dozen times, whilst making adjustments here and there, only for her to behave good as gold

His suggestion is a possible intermittent fault in the ignition switch, advises going to VW and asking them to have a look at it (its not under warranty any more though...). I'll be going up there tomorrow lunchtime methinks, but I was wondering if anyone else has suffered the same problem?? Or if anyone might have an idea of any other possible causes?

I think I might trade her in for a Fabia vRS......

Cheers

I had something similar When i originally bought mine but it was actually the key that was knackered and VW replaced it with two new ones and it's worked fine ever since.

Could possibly be this!

Chris

Quick update as regards this problem - I went up to VW yesterday and they'll be plugging my Polo into their VAG-COM next Thursday, at a cost of half-an-hour's labour (£35) plsu any extra for parts etc if they find anything wrong, and if I give them the go-ahead to fiddle any further!

Thanks CBurns, I think the keys may be something to do with it you know. Both times this happened to me I had walked up the car before remembering I'd locked it, then unlocking, jumping in and starting the car all within maybe 10-12 seconds - I reckon that perhaps the immobiliser/ECU gets in a bit of a muddle? The VW assistance chap dismissed this idea out of hand... although when he first went to unlock my car he did it with the doorlock, setting off the alarm in the process, then firing the car up first time, every time, for over a dozen attempts...

EDIT: Just got my car back from VW. In short: ignition switch | replaced | £70. Bugger.

We'll see what VW have to say next week...