All VAGs are shit - EPC light fun*

[Ghosty]

As mentioned a few days ago, the EPC (engine management/drive by wire light) has come on again in the mother's Polo (2004, 1.4 auto). This time, it didn't quite go into limp mode straight away - the engine started hunting quite violently before settling at a very rough idle at 1350rpm. Going up a short but fairly steep incline round the corner from the house, it juddered quite violently a couple of times, revved to about 2500 as if it was in neutral, and hit limp mode - still idling at 1350. 

No fault codes from an OBD2 reader again, and restarting the car got rid of any issues as expected.

 

The centre and rear sections of the exhaust were replaced last week  (I don't know if the front was done - if that constitutes fannymolds then no), but the problem was there before this so I don't know if it's relevant or not. Old Man, in his infinite* wisdom cleaned out the throttle control valve, but not the EGR when he did the exhaust.

It's been fairly cold on both days it's happened.

Is the problem likely to be EGR or is it something else?

[Vince70]

I had a similar problem on my old Audi A4 and it was the mass air flow meter but you can check quite easily by just disconnecting the sensor and if it runs ok then that's your problem.

 

I bought a cheap second hand Bosch unit for about £15 off eBay but if it is the MAF don't buy one of those cheap aftermarket Chinese ones off eBay as it will go wrong in no time or so I'm told.

[Asimo]

Is this the 75hp engine with Marelli electronics or one of the FSI direct injection jobbies?

 

My Golf with the 75hp engine did random engine management nonsense from new, and never got fixed.

[Ghosty]

Yeah, it's the BBY 75hp.

Italian electronics - that'd have put Old Man off it in the first place.

[Ghosty]

EGR checked today - was relatively clean. 

Also, engine code is BKY not BBY. It's a very late pre-facelift model.

Let's see if it comes back or not...