My Superb 1 1.9Tdi has a load of electrical problems, the car has a bit of a chequered past and has been off the road for a few months.

1. Sometimes the engine doesn't start but locking/unlocking the car with remote usually sorts this. Sometimes the engine stops within a few minutes of stsrting, same deal with the remote locking usually brings it back.

2. Occasionally all the instruments drop to zero and then come back, also resets the trip mileage.

3. Sometimes glow plug light comes on while driving, then goes out.

4. Cruise control drops out for no apparent reason, sometimes the cruise just doesn't work all day!

I have had the usual flooding issue, dried it out and replaced all the cables/plugs. Am I looking at a Comfort Control Module failure? I have a spare unit, same part number but guess it needs programming, any ideas how this is done?

If the car has been wet, you're probably in for a rough time diagnosing this lot as there are several critical joins inside the loom which can corrode.

From the symptoms you describe and from what I know of the B5.5 electrical system, I would check carefully the ignition switch itself for intermittency, especially at terminal 15 and also the ignition switch relief relay which I think is 370 - load reduction, "X" contact.

Relay 219 inside the ECU box is a favourite if the engine either won't start or dies - but the immobiliser will also kill a running engine after a few seconds. The transponder receiver coil sometimes causes this.

For my money, check the relays and ignition switch first - preferably after a diagnostic check.

rotodiesel.

Many thanks, I'll give it a go. The car was standing for some time with water in it. I'll also have a go at diagnostics and let you know the outcome.

My Superb 1 1.9Tdi has a load of electrical problems, the car has a bit of a chequered past and has been off the road for a few months.

1. Sometimes the engine doesn't start but locking/unlocking the car with remote usually sorts this. Sometimes the engine stops within a few minutes of stsrting, same deal with the remote locking usually brings it back.

2. Occasionally all the instruments drop to zero and then come back, also resets the trip mileage.

3. Sometimes glow plug light comes on while driving, then goes out.

4. Cruise control drops out for no apparent reason, sometimes the cruise just doesn't work all day!

I have had the usual flooding issue, dried it out and replaced all the cables/plugs. Am I looking at a Comfort Control Module failure? I have a spare unit, same part number but guess it needs programming, any ideas how this is done?

I had a very simular thing as point 2 happen to a Vectra SRi I used to own, whilst driving along the clocks would die and then reset themselves but the car would still drive, found the problem to be the regulator on the alternator intermittingly breaking down, due to the different computers that cars now have and the fact that alot only run at 5volts the have surge protection on them, the alternator voltage regulator intermittingly was allowing too much voltage through, this inturn was over loading some of the computers and they were shutting themselves down to protect themselves, when the voltage returned to its proper level the computers would switch back on, very scary to have whilst driving along, Put a meter across the battery terminals, if the alternator is working properly it should when the cars been running for a while read about 13.5 to 14.8 volts, The voltage regulator is basically a gatekeeper that will shut off the flow of juice to your battery and electrical systems if the voltage and electrical systems goes above a certain level, usually 14.5 voltsmine was kicking out nearly 20volts!!