Jocko

It is the heater fan, not the radiator fan

Further to this issue, I took the car out for the first time since the noise happened. When I turned sharply right, there was a fairly rapid tick, tick, tick, faster than wheel rotation. I stopped at the first junction, and with the car stationary, I applied full right lock, suspecting a power steering problem, but nothing. It only happened with the car moving. My next thought was the fan! I turned the fan speed right down, and the system went off. I then made several sharp right turns, and no noise was evident. With the system back in Auto, the ticking returned. It appears as if there is something on the fan that contacts the blades in a sharp right turn. Is there any way to check this without a total disassembly? If not, I will just have to live with it.

Thanks. I appreciate that things can break at any time. My point was that the gaiter was fine then, and I haven't done 10,000 miles with dirt and grit getting in through a split rubber. It could be a broken spring, as I hit a nasty pothole about a mile earlier.

Today I was turning right at a light-controlled crossroads. As the traffic cleared and I turned, there was a loud clack, clack, clack sound, which reduced as I straightened up. It then diminished until it sounded like something touching the heater fan. As I was in heavy traffic, I continued the half mile to my destination. Another hard right turn made a slight noise. On the way home, I made an extended journey, but the car seemed fine. My first thought was CV joint, but the car is only 2 months and 630 miles from a good MOT. I also wondered if I had picked up debris between the disc and the backplate. Any thoughts on the matter? The car has done 73800 miles 2009 1.4 16v manual.

My manual that came with the car says The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy wheels is 120 Nm. Page 202.

I think the red flashing light they are talking about there is the one beside the window. My switch on the door just goes out and back on again when pressed.

Mine was the same. I drilled a small hole through the lowest plug in the spare wheel well and I have had no more problems.

My next one won't be from VAG but I have no idea what yet. Probably something with grey tyres and a basket on the front!

I have the Haynes manual online.

I have never changed the brake fluid on any car I have owned. 100K miles and never touched.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185298364485

I downloaded a free copy of VCDS-Lite from Ross Tech which should work with your car, I bought a cable for £7 off Ebay. Worth a try.

Yes, sounds like brushes to me.

I have never changed a petrol fuel filter in my life. Back in the '60s I would take the diaphragm filter out of the old mechanical pump and rinse it with clean fuel but since the advent of modern cartridge filters, I have never bothered. I have never had a problem.

Diesel can freeze but not petrol, unless it is full of water, highly unlikely in the UK.