Rheumy

Just to say I didn't manage to get the CC activated until today. There were a few minor mix ups and I only see my Daughter's car every few months. I eventually got it done (for anyone else in Cornwall or West Devon) I got it done SW Retrofits in Saltash. Great service for £80 + VAT. . Skoda had insisted that it's not possible to fit cruise control to this model and also the the Activation code I had asked for (5E0054800) refers to another Skoda model and not my MK 3 Fabia. It wasn't looking hopeful at first either because Skoda have changed where the box for the activation codes is entered in Odis but once found it worked perfectly. It toggles nicely between the speed limiter and cruise control. I also like the little symbol on the dash which says what speed the CC is set at. I don't have that on the CC my old VW. I'd say do your research to find the correct switch for your model and note the significance of the tiny 1x mark on the switch in the pic above.

Good luck with your work. 👍 Just to keep you warm in the winter, look at the price of this! Wonder if they actually got that price? I think the pic is from 2023.

Might be to remember (or write down) the setting.

+1 for the clutch switch. 👍 On many other VAG's a failed clutch switch is known to cause similar problems including high idle sometimes and also snatchy gear changes. On an '08 car you can find the clutch switch operation monitoring with VCDS or similar scanner in the engine controller as live data under 'Measuring Blocks'. You can watch the figures change as the clutch pedal is pressed. It should trip just as you press the weight of your foot on the clutch pedal if it's working correctly.

It's worth running the 'Output Tests' function in the BCM. It might well include the interior lights. It won't cure anything but it might narrow it down because the BCM will attempt to switch the interior lights on directly so if it manages to put them on, it's ignoring the input from the door and its wiring. There are usually a number of things tested consecutively on the test which will be explained on the screen. If your VCDS isn't genuine or is genuine but not registered the Output Tests function might be greyed out or shown as 'Function Not Available'. Once you have run the tests you might have to close VCDS and cycle the ignition to try it again. There is no limit on how many times you can run the tests.

Do you have any fault codes in the BCM? The BCM controls the voltage supply for interior lights and also the dimming function. It comes under 'Cent Elec'. Can't help with a wiring diagram I'm afraid.

I think your problem is more likely to linked to the door wiring. The broken wiring has probably blown a fuse or there are other wires in the same bunch which might look ok but are broken inside. VCDS live data can show the positions of each lock (both the safety catch and fully closed position) and what the microswitch attached to the lock is reporting but not much else. On the coding, I don't think I have seen the external locking/unlocking button as a coding option which could have been deleted but I couldn't swear that it doesn't exist. If you click 'Coding' in the Comfort Module' you can use the long coding helper to see a list of what coding configurations are possible for your model. It's vital to make a complete autoscan of your car first before making any changes. You will then have a handy record of all codings and the part numbers of the various controllers (abs, airbag etc) your car has for future reference. But I'd definitely start with a careful check of every fuse using a meter or test light with the fuses still in place.

As long as it's genuine VCDS you hover over the figures and you get pop ups to give you the rough figures to expect. MAF and MAP logged together I think I'd go for but I'm not a tuning or logging expert. Make sure throttle opening is included (I think it will be) possibly shown on VCDS as 'Load' in %. It does need to be done on a nice clear road with a warm engine and full throttle through say third and fourth to show up maximum boost. A good hill is handy to get the boost level up (and stop you getting pulled up by the fuzz!) Don't forget to use the 'Start' button after clicking 'Log' and the 'Stop' button when you have finished. :) The logs are a great long list of the recorded numbers from your drive which can get a bit confusing so I like to upload the whole unopened log to Tunzilla's free graphing tool. You might have to sign up for a free A/C but it's a handy tool. From there you can see the peaks more easily. The reason I said unopened is because I think if you view the log with something like Notepad first it alters it very slightly and Tunezilla's tool might not recognise it.

It can't be good with that much slack in the spindle. But it would still be worth doing some logging of the boost live with VCDS if you have it to see if it's making its correct numbers. Of course it should have underboost codes if not but if it's only a little down it might not be enough to flag them. It can't be great with that mileage if it's the original turbo though.

Us oldies remember the seventies when radiators where often blocked after say 50,000 miles or less. (Think mini's or Hillman Minx's) When you held the old and new rads in your hands you could easily feel the weight difference between blocked and clear.. But these days materials and rust inhibitors are much better and you rarely see a modern radiator. I'd be surprised if that was it unless the coolant looks brown and sludgy. Worth checking for any restriction in the cooling fins though. If you have an intercooler in front of the coolant radiator they can get stuff caught in between the two. Usually feathers or leaves.

On the 1.9 (PD) VW diesels, cylinder head gaskets can leak under load. Sometimes the symptoms are obvious but often more subtle especially in the early stages. One thing worth checking is to open the coolant cap first thing in the morning before starting the engine. There should be no residual pressure. If you get a definite hiss as you open the cap that means pressure other than the normal pressure caused by heat is still in the system. Any normal pressure should dissipate once the engine is fully cold. The system starts with no pressure and should return to that state if all is normal. So any pressure left in the system must have come from somewhere else.

I'd definitely bite the bullet and take the tank out if you are close to that. If not, you can protect plastic pipes with metal/and or a fireproof cloth. If there is any sign of a leak anywhere on the whole car I wouldn't take any chances. I had a fire extinguisher, a garden hose and a bucket of water next to me when I did mine (and it was a diesel) but I still had a couple of 'moments' with underseal (and occasionally overalls) catching fire! 🤣 That repair looks like nice little fabrication to hone your skills on. :)

Only just come across this thread. I will be watching with interest. Great work and perseverance. :) I know what you mean about the welding (lying on your back getting burns from sparks like bad wasp stings!) And what you often start with can look pretty scary. I had a poorly repaired sill rot out on my T5 van after 10 years. This is what it looked like after a dig around with a screwdriver.. Old sill cut out Second hand sill (body cut) welded in. I was lucky my rust was so limited so kudos to you for sticking at it with yours. 👍 You will get there and not many folks will be able to match your story in the pub! :)

If it's this one it should be ok but after 2020 there are some models with protected diagnostics and you have to buy (I presume there is a cost attached) a token for access from VAG. If they are going to give you a print out/email of a full scan it seems like a reasonable deal as long as you don't have to pay if they can't connect for any reason. All VCDS can do via a scan is to tell you what each 'controller' is complaining about. It is often quite a long way from there to a fix. You will also end up with a very handy record of all of the part numbers and current software codings of each item on the car VCDS can communicate with. For £199 (if you don't mind being limited to 3 particular cars) you could buy a legal registered cable and use it as often as you like. There are many options the car has you can change via the diagnostics (locking/lighting/warning tones etc) to suit your preferences as well as reading codes and looking at live data from each sensor. It's quite a steep learning curve but I think it's well worth the price considering updates are free for life.

My Transporter (above) exhaust will be 23 year old in Jan. I'm not changing it as long as it's not blowing.