Hi folks,

An intermittent problem has started on my '99 octaviia TDI.

Sometimes when I go to start the car, all lights come on OK pre start, except for the ignition key light, which flashes. If I then try to start the car, engine turns then dies.

It's not a key problem I think as I'm now running with the spare key, and the fault still happens.

Any suggestions please?

TBXP.

Does the engine sometimes cut for no reason while you are driving, or is the problem only there on starting?

Fuel pump relay or similar? (or is it relay 109)

Sounds like the common VW problem

It's not relay 109. This was changed some time back after an entertaining "stop" on a busy (3 lane) bridge, during rush hour, with no breakdown lane. Hooboy that was fun...... :( . And the key light didn't flash when 109 was faulty.... .

No this happens before starting - turn the key so that all lights are on and the ignition key symbol flashes. Not all the time thank goodness, but I'd like to find out what it could be before it goes permanent.

If the light remains solid, I can start the car and run it until I switch it back off. Then it's a lottery as to if the fault will show again.

More than likely the immobilizer loom.

There is a mooded one for Octavia, they made them too tight at the factory and when you pull the steering wheel back/up down on the adjuster it tends to pull the plug out of the reader coil thats around the barrel, this would be my first port of call, after that poss a fault with the reader coil itself.

There is a known fault on the reader coil had mine replaced on my last car cost about

Was that 80 pounds for supply and fit of the coil reader, or just for the part only?

I'll have a look for this at the weekend, anybody know where exactly on the steering column it's located?

Thanks

TBXP.

The reader coil is a black plastic ring that is part of the barrell itself.

i agree with ross. replace the loom. if you have vag com fault code should be somthing like poor signal from key. if no joy next step reader coil

Thanks everybody, given me a starting point to go from. Don't have VAG-COM sadly, anybody in Glasgow with one?

I tried to check the handbrake light not working in the speedo. But found it is led and cant be replaced.  So i put everything back together.  When i turned my ignition on i noticed the key sybol flashing. Tried starting it wont start. Then i remembered the loom on the right hand side at the back of speedo went back in with a hard push so i opend it again  and put it back in correctly. Everything back together and there was no flashing ket symbol anymore and it started. So it could be the loom.? 

If he didn't fix it 12 years ago I doubt he still has the car  Welcome btw. 

It's very likely, but the only thing about the threadnomancy is that it gave me context to work from.