4th Aug 2008, 07:18

My Polo is a 1998 model. I have had no problems with it whatsoever, and I had it for 5 years. Unlike what you all have experienced, I've done 96000 miles and can say my Polo is unstoppable!

All these fancy gadgets; air con, emissions buttons, they sound good but just cost you a fortune!

With the older type Polo, you don't have any of these problems, and I have the high spec version with central locking, electric mirrors, windows etc.. ABS, good CD player! The same as new without all the annoying 'fancy' buttons that cause you all problems.

I was offered a black 1.4 2003 FSI Sport, but by the sounds of it I'd probably be better off with the Polo I've got!

Volkswagen are a good car manufacturer; it just depends on the model you pick obviously!

6th Sep 2008, 09:49

VW Polo 2003 1.4 FSI Engine cutout when decelerating at junctions etc.

This has been an intermittent fault for 6months+ but nothing showed up on the diagnostic equipment each time the car was checked. My local garage (who have been super, have not charged for several hours of trying to find the fault) have now stripped the throttle hood and cleaned it, so hopefully this will not recur. The car ran fine sometimes and other days would cut out on every gear change down with the rev needle plummeting sharply -(on one occasion on double bend on a country road, at night in the pouring rain which meant the steering also locked - not funny).

29th Jan 2009, 12:31

I had the problem with the throttle body on my Polo 1.4 FSI as well, and have a recurring fault with a NOX sensor making the engine management light come on. The sensor was replaced 2 years ago; lo and behold, 3 weeks out of warranty it needs replaced again. Bill from dealership last time £250. Can only imagine it's gone up to in the meantime.

15th Feb 2010, 10:07

I have a 2003 Polo 1.4FSi. I've had all sorts of gripes along the way. Changing the coils one-by-one (as they failed) was first. The ever present emissions warning light was another. Thankfully avoiding VW garages and their reliance on "what the computer says" meant I was quickly able to get to the real problem : a gummed up EGR valve. Cleaning this didn't work, but putting a new one in solved the problem for good. The car also used to stall randomly after start up, and eventually a new thermometer kit (they come in pairs for this car) solved that one. Now we're onto the airbag light, which comes on despite the sensor not being faulty. This is my first and last VW.

25th Feb 2010, 08:11

I just purchased a 2004 FSI Sport, and I am having the same problem with rev needle dropping randomly and the engine cutting out. Also puddles of water appearing in the boot, and the car rattles like a tractor.

The car is in the garage, so awaiting results from the VW dealer. Only has 23k on the clock.

Wish I had read these comments before my purchase, I previously owned a 1996 Polo 1.4 CL from new, put 132k miles on the clock without one single problem, other than general wear and tear.

Always started, no matter how cold, never died and went like a bullet for the size of engine. Girlfriend forced me to trade it in along with 5K for the FSI, and wish I never bothered. I just want my old car back now, and the 5K...?

17th Jun 2010, 18:59

OK, here we go!

I purchased my 2003 VW Polo 1.4 FSI in May 2009. Since I had just turned 17, I was naive and just wanted a car! However I was persuaded by my dad to have a check by the RAC conducted, as I know little about the mechanics myself.

The check turned nothing up, so I handed over £4,000.

I learned in my car, and on numerous occasions I approached it to find the battery was flat. After charging it up, I put it down to the fact that I wasn't driving it regularly enough.

Soon after passing my test, I was presented with the same problem. However, this time charging my battery had no effect, and my engine wouldn't turn over. Calling out the RAC; they towed me to a local garage where my car stayed for just under a week. The resulting bill being £350, £50 for the part and £300 for labour, as it was an 'obscure electrical fault', which was hard to find! Whether I was being conned did occur to me, but I was quite happy to get my car back.

After this I had a number of minor glitches.

At the beginning of this year, luck wasn't on my side again; hitting a fully grown badger at 60mph = very expensive.

In the end, I forked out £1000 of my own money for this bad luck, as I have a £600 excess and thought it was best to keep my no claims.

Last month my Polo was due its MOT. Sitting in the waiting room, I had a bad feeling! It turned out that my 'reliable' volkswagen failed its MOT, one can only say... badly!

The biggest cost being a brand new steering rack

Also..

A NOX sensor.

Front headlight.

And much more.

Resulting in another £950 just to make it roadworthy! So far I have spent just under £3000 just fixing my car.

Being an 18 year old student with debts to parents totaling just under this amount, it is not in my best interest to run this car any longer! A week ago I decided to put it up for sale and I have already created posters.

I decided I would drive it on short journeys around the town where I live up until I find a buyer. BAD IDEA. I now have the EPC engine management light on. (THIS CAR MUST BE CURSED)

After researching this problem, I found it is a common fault, and it may be my brake light switch?! Hearing this, I tried my brakes, and so be it, the lights don't work.

I will take it to the garage tomorrow, get it sorted, then get it sold before I have any more bad luck!

All I can say is never buy a 2003 Volkswagen Polo FSI!

P.s I have a 2003 Volkswagen polo FSI up for sale if anyone is interested! (I'LL PAY YOU TO TAKE IT! HAH)

26th Nov 2010, 02:15

I have a 2006 VW Golf FSI, which started stalling and coming to a standstill in July 2010. Five months later, I still don't have a car that anyone is able to fix.

First repairer said that it was a carbon build up problem. Second repairer said that the ECU was water damaged.

Now the car has been with official VW specialist repairers for 3 weeks with no end to the problem.

First repairer cleaned up the carbon build up, second repairer put in a new intake tuning manifold and tried to clean up the ECU. VW specialist put in a new ECU and new cable.

So far we have spent $12000.00 in repair bills. We are now trying to get in touch with VW head office to try and come up with a solution to the problem.