Common Mk4 Problems

[fluffmitten]

1. Probably the radiator fan, these are electrically controlled but you do not need the ignition on for it to work. Quite common for them to keep running for a minute or two after switching off.

2. Don`t PUSH your bonnet closed, drop it from about a couple of feet above the shut.
It will lock if you are unsure just drop it again!

Brilliant, I'll be so relieved if it's just the fan, cheers!

Top tip about the bonnet thanks, it does work better but I'm just worried about dropping it too hard and damaging it - I was surprised how bendable it felt when I tried pushing it carefully

 

[mudcow007]

im scared!!

we have just bought a 1.2 '03 on 50k, had it 10 days, its had so far....replacement key fob, coolent temp sensor and now the reverse light has given up the ghost too

i will keep you in formed

 

[Neil Davies]

My girlfriend has a 1.2 SX on a 54 plate (owned by her mother than sister from new, so good history!), and we've had some of the common faults.

- Rear wash wipe pipes come loose
- Brake light switch packed in, giving the EPC fault
- Slightly "diesel-y" noise at start up and a growly idle.
- It's got a strange habit every now and again of putting the engine light on on the dash, but nothing else happens so we just get it turned off...

It's at 48k miles so probably due for some cam chain problems soon, from what I've read on here...

Edit - just remembered, it seems to eat left hand stop/tail bulbs! One every three months or so!

 

[mudcow007]

- Slightly "diesel-y" noise at start up and a growly idle.

My girlfriends one does this too...i just put it down to being only 3 cylinder?

 

[mutley170fr]

faulty fuel gauge/outside temp.gauge

i had this problem with mine (fuel gauge) its linked with the outside temp guage, it would go blank and then the fuel would drop, when the guage came back on i knew if i turned the engine off and back on it would work again, got to the stage it wouldnt work for weeks at a time, SEAT couldnt fix it, other garages couldnt fix it.... so i got shot of it!

i've got exactly the same problem with my wifes 03 130sport tdi.fuel gauge works then doesn't just recently it hardly works at all! at the same time this started the outside temp. gauge started being wierd,reading kept changing and then would go blank,it still works now and again but most of the time its blank!
any help or ideas would be much appreciated as my wife loves the car and we're not in a financial position to change it.

 

[Binz]

window regulator and seat release wires

Hi all,

anyone had experience fixing a seat that wont fold forward to let people in/out of rear? started off with difficulty releasing seat (pulling realease up hard before it would release), now wont do anything. i had a quick rummage and there's a wire each side that pulls and one of those is slack. Any idea on how to get into the seat and fix this?

Also, wire in window regulator got mangled recently. Unded up with window stuck open (in door so couldn't grab it to pull it up) and couldn't get door card off as didnt have star tool to undo fixing. Luckily found garage open on a sunday (TGM Sport near Fleet) who took card off then drilled out rivets and undid door panel and got window closed (gaffer tape is king, never travel without it). End result, £140 for new regulator and 1 hours labour. Garage said this was a common thing (they had had the same thing on an Audi a few days before).

And i thought VAG cars were supposed to be reliable!

Binz

 

[BigDave67]

My drivers seat has the same release problem, I haven't been able to fix it. I can pull the slack cable with pliers and get the seat to release but haven't been able to get inside the seat to fix it. I think a cable guide must have broken allowing the cable to go slack.
As for the window, yes it's a common problem. Both my regulators have been replaced (luckily in warranty), my brother has the same car and has had one replaced.

 

[Davecutts]

Exhaust Corrosion
Wishbone Bushes
Lamba Sensor

other people keep opening thier doors into her and scraping my bumpers in carparks... very annoying!

 

[Davecutts]

- Rear wash wipe pipes come loose
- Brake light switch packed in, giving the EPC fault
- Slightly "diesel-y" noise at start up and a growly idle.
- It's got a strange habit every now and again of putting the engine light on on the dash,

Engine light and the diesel noise are probably kind of related, although most Ibiza's do tick a little while the oil is cold, might pay for an oil and filter change.

Rear pipes come loose if you dont have anti freeze in there which i still have to sort out on mine.

 

[angrymaus]

2007 Ibiza 1.6 Sport 5-dr
37,000km + and so far so good except:
When I am in 4th gear at about 80km/h there is a weird noise coming from what seems to be the accelerator... when I use a light foot the noise is gone but as soon as I put it down again I just hear a weird sort of whine over the acceleration - anybody experiencing this? It's mostly in 4th gear sometimes 3rd. Maybe I'm driving too slowly in high gear ?

 

[joewl92]

Hi
I have got a 2005 1.8 Ibiza Fr.
Sometimes when i start the engine there are three long bleeps. It doesn't do it all the time though, and no lights come on on the dash.

Any thoughts what it could be?
Cheers

 

[conkerman]

2002 PD100. 3 door. Currently at 92000 miles.

60k Miles, needed new Unit injector loom to cure a misfire. £40, easy fix. Probably just needed the contacts cleaning, but doe to the low cost of the parts I splashed out

At 80k miles, and 6 years old, age got to the poor old thing.

Since then Its had.

Both window regulators, Not that bad a job really.

Couple of sets of ARB's keep intending to weld a washer or similar to stop the ARB moving too much. Crap bit of design.

Front wishbone Rear bushes. One required a new console after Pedro crossthreaded the bolt at the factory and caused damage which lead to the bolt snapping. The other bush was knocked in/out.

Front wheel bearings and track rod end changed (will do the other tomorrow if I get the time). Easy peasy to do if you have access to a bearing press

Outstanding jobs.

May do the front ball joints. as I will need to get a 4 wheel alignment done.

Fix the rear wash pipe which is split under the passenger footwell.

Fix the bloody seat release, 20p piece got caught in the mechanism and I was a bit of a Galoot

Other than that, it really has been a good car, had it for over 5 years and 70k miles.

I may have a mooch about the rear end and see how things are.

Conks

 

[wessy]

Intermitant non start

Hi
Any suggestions please, 03 1.2...
car left for 4 hrs and then wont start, just cranks, then starts after 5/6 attempts, this has happened on 3 occasions with 4-5 days in between?
Also when should the cam chain be replaced.

Many thanks
Wessy

 

[conkerman]

Cam/Crank sensor, coil, plugs, broken wire somewhere, dodgy immobiliser.

Are the problems only on startup, or does the engine do odd stuff whilst running??

Conks

 

[wessy]

All good when running, just on start up....

 

[conkerman]

Check out the plugs, how do they loof in the morning??

Conks

 

[wessy]

I will get them changed, thanks for your advice....

 

[conkerman]

Don't change them if there is anything wrong..

Whip one out and have a look. Take a picture and post it up if you are not sure what you are seeing.

Conks

 

[wessy]

The check engine light has know come on, I will get the codes pulled and let you know, hopefully this could help, again thanks for your advice.....

 

[monkeywrench]

Nothing unusual

Had a 1.2s with the rear washer pipe leaking into boot had to take off rear seat belt surround to get to the leak dried off male and female elbow connector and glued it to prevent it happening again...job done,now got a 1.4s same problem with rear washer pipe but leaking from engine bay/front bumper! Both versions suffer from the condensation problems in the headlights/light clusters...got to replace front disks and pads and nrside outer gator