the bugger is sticking on cold start ups,i take it this has nothing to do with my lumpy cold starts?

37k on the clock and the starters on its way out????and lo and behold its just out of warranty :( :(

whilst investigating this i noticed theres only one screw holding the MAF housing in place,have i bought a duck egg or what? :(

Just to bump this as I seem to be having the same thing. It only happens when it's been sat still for a long period and got cold. When the car is warm or has been driven it doesn't stick. Could the grease on the starter motor be gunked up???

Its quite common on VAG cars, have changed plenty on Golfs etc so dont fret to much, you aint bought a wrong'un.

mines ok now,BIZARRE,probably fail completely next week

carry a hammer and whack it when it sticks...

Sprayed some WD40 into the starter motor and have no probs now (touch wood, touch wood)

well, at least you're getting a warning of it's impending potential to fail.

Mine (non-vRS OCty) just gave up the ghost one cold wet and dark wednesday night...... :(

I think it was just the grease on it gunking up in the cold as it is rarely driven. As the problem only appeared when it started getting baltic.

Yep, mine hangs on for a while too - are they an easy DIY change, Ross?

I started to take mine off but got stuck for time. It is only Two massive bolts that hold it on.

The first one is underneath you have to take a 13mm nut off first and move the bracket its connected to out of the way.

Then the bolt that's holding it on is a 18mm tight as chuff beasty

The second one is a right pain as it's resessed but you can do it as before you need a 13mm socket wih an extension bar on it as it is a git to get to.

Then the 18mm with an extension bar again and et voila!!!

Or alternatively spray some WD40 in it like me and watch it dissapear

Got a fleet of 6 Octy's at work, all done it at some point. Apparently its just a build up of dust from the clutch. Remove it blow/clean it down and spray some WD40 on. Hey Presto as good as new. P.S only seems to start happening this time of year when the temperature drops!!

I thought it would just be crap in it.

mines acting up agian,chers for the info.best get the tools out.christmas day i think

I thought it would just be crap in it.

why would you want to do that and how ????????

sorry, just too good an opening to miss