Bizarre electrical fault - VW Polo 2015 - Help!

[moschino]

Reaching out to the experts on the forum......

VW Polo 2014 (64 plate) 1.4 TDI

I have a strange electrical fault with my wife's car. Progressively got worse over the last couple of days.

The car starts and drives fine, no loss of power etc...

When driving the electrics cut out for about 0.5 seconds, like a controller resetting.
I then get 2 faults on the display - Check coolant + Check windscreen wipers.
The coolant is OK and the wipers work apart from I have to keep my finger pressed down on the stalk to get them to run.
The indicators do not work along with the Hazards, rear heated window, high beam.
The indicators do work when I lock and unlock the car.

Can anyone suggest anywhere to check?
Maybe a relay or controller location?

At work all day today so would be nice to resolve this before I have to drive home in the dark!

Thanks in advance.
Jim

 

[moschino]

Update -

Just started the car again and everything is working.

This is intermittent so maybe a connector or relay issue.

Any advise on where to check would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

 

[moschino]

Might have found the problem.

The Negative battery terminal was loose.

Tightened up and will see if the problem re-occurs on the way home tonight.

 

[moschino]

Tightening the negative connector on the battery did not resolve this issue.

Same issue this morning -

Also noticed that I only have the passenger tail light working, no number plate lights or drivers side tail light.

Brake lights work.


Thinking it might be a relay that controls a controller? It is intermittent, worked fine for 30 seconds after starting this morning.


Does anyone know where to check?

Location of said controller that handles the light control (indicators, main beam, heated rear window, hazards etc...)



Working again today, but will have a look at lunchtime when it is light.


Many thanks,

Jim

 

[moschino]

Had another go at this.
All works fine when ignition first switched on.
Put side lights on and checked the rear light cluster.
Passenger side was fine, drivers side was pulsating intermittently. After about 10 seconds they all went off, and on again, alerts on dashboard stating to check wipers and coolant level.
When this happens the only light I have on the rear is the passenger brake light, nothing else is on.
Pulling my hair out now.
Any ideas?
Earth, relay, controller?
Many thanks,
Jim

 

[traindweller]

Not sure if this is of any help but previous cars have had this problem and variety of causes.
Have you checked the front scuttle under the wipers to make sure that the wiper motor is not under water, drain holes blocked .
Is there any water getting into the rear light assembly causing a short when on the move.
Could it be the wiper stalk which sounds as if faulty, if having to hold it down to work

 

[rum4mo]

I've just seen this!
My guesses are:-
The coolant low warning could be the sensor in the coolant tank - needs a new tank complete with sensor, quite cheap.
Other issues could be the steering column switches assemblies.

Maybe you have worked that out already though.

 

[Kogen]

Reaching out to the experts on the forum......

VW Polo 2014 (64 plate) 1.4 TDI

I have a strange electrical fault with my wife's car. Progressively got worse over the last couple of days.

The car starts and drives fine, no loss of power etc...

When driving the electrics cut out for about 0.5 seconds, like a controller resetting.
I then get 2 faults on the display - Check coolant + Check windscreen wipers.
The coolant is OK and the wipers work apart from I have to keep my finger pressed down on the stalk to get them to run.
The indicators do not work along with the Hazards, rear heated window, high beam.
The indicators do work when I lock and unlock the car.

Can anyone suggest anywhere to check?
Maybe a relay or controller location?

At work all day today so would be nice to resolve this before I have to drive home in the dark!

Thanks in advance.
Jim

Good day Jim,

I have the same problem, how did you fix it?
please e-mail to kogen@cahg.co.za

Regards

 

[Kogen]

Good day Jim,

I have the same problem, how did you fix it?
please e-mail to kogen@cahg.co.za

Regards

my car is doing exact same thing

 

[Vwaa]

Had another go at this.
All works fine when ignition first switched on.
Put side lights on and checked the rear light cluster.
Passenger side was fine, drivers side was pulsating intermittently. After about

Hi Jim did you ever find your problem?
Your help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[tj71]

Evening

I've a 2016 polo doing the same thing
My daughter is using the car n has my grandson in it

Any help would be great full as been to 2 garages n can't find a fault

Thank you in advance

 

[moschino]

Hi,

Yes this was resolved.
Don't use this form much so didn't notice the requests.

My issue was a faulty earth on the Rear Drivers side light cluster connector.
Had to solder a wire directly to the cluster earth to by-pass the connector.
Looks like VW didn't use the correct rating wire when designing the polo. With lights on, indicating and breaking at the same time overloads the earth wire and burns out the connector.

Easy way to tell is to see if the rear lights are pulsating, this will point you in the right direction to which one has the problem.
Believe as the BCM monitors the current on the lights (so it knows if a bulb has blown) having a faulty earth caused it to panic and throw up several strange faults.

Hope this helps.