How to diagnose a failed ignition coil on an ABA 2.0L Volkswagen VW Golf Cabrio. These cars are infamous for failing ignition coils. This is how you troubles…
Ignition Coil Troubleshooting VW 2.0L Golf Cabrio
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2.0L, Cabrio, Coil, Golf, ignition, Troubleshooting
- Categories: Volkswagen
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Good video thanks.
I appreciate ya for this, big help!
Thank you so much just bought one; and got in bigg trouble from the husband over my purchase and it doesn’t start…the key switch itself takes a lot of MUSCLE POWER to start is that normal in these cars?
Effin’ hell I am a newboob I was wondering where the ignition coil was. New to cars, needing tuts and all that. My 2.0 GTI ’97 threw out all the symptoms for a bad ignition coil, also that year had issues with IC’s apparently. Once night falls I’m getting my squirt bottle.
I would guess that no fuel would mean no run at all. But if the fuel filter was partly clogged or if a weak pump, it would run, but crap out at higher demands. Check the pump relay and fuse before you condem the pump.
It’s easy to see if there is no spark and thus an ignition problem. But this coil explains stalling and missing at idle, which mine does. You might get an OBDII reader.
We just got our 01 Cabrio. It runs OK sometimes, and stalls sometimes. Of course I started cursing the dam ignition confuser in it, but no OBD indications. I was also suspect of the cheapo WalMart gas, probably lots of other crap (alcahol) to water it down. btw, I plan to use 89+ gas since the motor is higher compression. I called a dealer about getting a spare key, they want 200$ for the chip key (crooks). I will try the new coil, I like cheap fixes. YOU DA MAN – Thanks buddy!
Your videos rock. Thank you for doing what you do. I recently bought a 1991 cabrio. There are many issues with the car & i’ll take all the wisdom you can offer. My first issue is with the ignition or steering column or ???? I’m not really sure. When the key is off or out. If you bump the steering wheel or hit the ignition the power turns on. Also, the steering wheel can be pulled out & pushed back a good 1/2″ to 1″…. What are your thoughts on the issue?
That’s awesome. Thanks for the feedback. /John
DUDE YOU ARE MY HERO!
My car was driving and just shut off on me one morning, and it WOULD NOT start no matter how hard I tried. After messing around with it I it was a fuel problem so i changed the fuel filter… nothing. So I changed the fuel pump.. still nothing. Changed the spark plugs and wires…. nothing. I narrowed it down to the ignition coil but I just wasnt sure. Then I stumbled upon this video the same night, went out and tried it.. and then VOOM VOOM! it started. thanks man!
I don’t know. Will it? If the car doesn’t start then it could be because you have no spark or else it could be because you don’t have fuel (or the correct amount of fuel). That is something you need to figure out why the engine isn’t starting.
This question was asked early, but I didn’t see if it had been answered. What if i can only turn the engine, but the car wont start. will that create sparks?
I wish I knew about this last winter. would have saved me about $300 in towing fees
Great video,, But what if you have no power going to the ignition coil??? Where could i start?
OK John Thanks for the advice.
You should not need to if the insulation on the electronics are not compromised. I used to live in a very wet place also and we never covered anything inside the engine. /John
You’re welcome. Thanks for commenting. /John
p.s., We get a lot of damp here in Scotland (Well you’d probably guess that) would you suggest that I cover the area with a blanket at night? I already do this with the battery.
Thanks so much for uploading. I’ve had the same problem with mine (Golf MKIII SE) but I was seeing sparks even without the water. Ordered new Ignition Coil on the strenght of your video – A true gent and very helpful.
You’re welcome. /John
Thank you so much for uploading this! Very grateful
Another common problem is a dirty throttle plate. Remove your intake air breather hose and open the throttle plate. Use that alcohol and a tooth brush and remove all the black dirt/gunk from the throttle plate and throttle bore walls. When you start the car the idle rpm will be very high for a while. That’s okay. The computer needs to re-learn (throttle adaptation) the throttle plate settings now that it can breath more air at idle. After a day things should be normal /John
To clean the mass air-flow sensor, it is the black tube with wire plug that’s connected downstream of your air filter box. Remove it. Fill a big ziploc bag with 90% alcohol (get at drugstore) and put the MAF sensor into the bag. Swish the alcohol around through the sensor for a little while. Remove it and let it sit and air-dry overnight. Reinstall it and give-er a try.
Thanks. Good luck. You can troubleshoot ignition wires the same way as the coil (spray bottle). If you have bad wires then going up a steep hill with heavy load on the engine (put engine in 4th or 5th gear and put gas pedal to the floor) and under heavy engine load the engine will studder and misfire. Also make sure your distributor cap & rotor are good (see my VW timing belt video) and try cleaning the mass airflow sensor. /John
John,
Many thanks for your help. I’ve been able to do so much work myself, before, I would struggle to pop the bonnet. I purchased our 2001 VW Cabrio a year ago. It had stuttering problem on the test drive, which I put down to it having not been used in a while. After a few mths the prob remained & I investigated – with your help changed the ignition coil. 2 mths ago, the car died, which was the alternator – garage fitted a new one. The prob remains. I will change the plug wires and pray.
Could be the coil, insulation damage on plug wires or a cracked distributor cap. Or could be bad/work spark plugs or even a bad crankshaft sensor / distributor sensor. That or it could be a problem with a fuel injector, causing lean misfire and appearing as weak spark. Thanks /John
I wish I had seen this video 26 years ago. Sounds like my old ‘ 76 honda civic. Great car, but when it rained it would sometimes misfire and die at the most inopportune times. I would walk home, and next day it always fired up fine. Intermittent problems are so difficult!
If you don’t see stray spark, are there other definitive tests? If it’s not the coil, what else could it be?
See the PM I sent you. /John
Hi John, Any tips on how to change the coil on the 2003 vw Passat wagon glx v6 2.8?
i have been looking for a video on how to do it for days. And your videos are the once i use for other projects so i thought i ask.
Thank You in Advance
Mario
Well, hope everthing turned out okay. Thanks for stopping by. /John