Concrete, my dear fellow - you can't give up on the finest small diesel engine made without some expert (not VAG dealer) based advice on the repair of peripheral equipment.

As you may remember, I have the same car with fewer miles. Like yours, it goes like a train and consumes less fuel than most smallish petrol hatchbacks. It needs a new clutch because I've towed lots of heavy things with it. I'll pay up gratefully.

The more I see of current diesel engines, the less I would wish to own one. In the case of a 1.9 AWX Superb, I am of the view that for sensible money, the comfort x performance product in relation to its cost (and fuel/running cost) is still unbeatable.

We have the politicians to thank for legislating badly and hastily against the diesel engine. The consequence has been a whole crop of engines hastily developed which are either a liability to their owners or the subject of legal action.

The basic thermodynamic advantages of a turbocharged diesel engine are indisputable. A more sensible and measured approach to making it environmentally acceptable would have meant that we could still exploit its virtues whilst burning less hydrocarbon fuel.

A 10 year-old diesel will perform like new if cared for. I have a shed full of gadgets using the same battery chemistry as used in EVs. They're all half-capacity or scrap. What's the average age of cars on the road in the UK?

659.

The brake lights are not electronically controlled. Fit a new switch for a few pounds from GSF or the like - 5 minute job, no tools needed. A frequent failure.

Edited by 659FBE on 20/01/2017 at 22:41

Thank you all for your welcome comments. The brake light micro switch is new. It was replaced in the summer because the old one brought the brake lights when the sun on the car increased the temperature inside. The battery is only a year old too and in fine fettle. The bulkhead underneath the scuttle panel was apparently full of water which seems to have caused all the problems. My indie is great, with all the diagnostic kit and a fair bit of knowledge. It was his suggestion to offer the car for sale and he reckons a lot of enthusiasts(taxi firms) will be happy to take it on. It now needs someone who has the skill and inclination to fix the small niggles that are going to regularly occur. It does have the occasional gremlin in the electronics but it is approaching 12 years old. Considering all this and wishing to tow a caravan long distances SWMBO has lost confidence in the car for long trips, especially abroad. So a new vehicle is on order and the decision is made. If anyone on the forum is interested I would be pleased to see it in a good home, even for spares although the engine will forever!

Failing that E Bay it is and see what that brings. Some youth in the pub offered me £120 for it to use it for banger racing, but I politely declined, well not so politely actually!

Cheers Concrete

I'm afraid rain water ingress changes the whole game - the car is not worth fixing.

These cars have a serious design flaw in that the scuttle drains become blocked with bio-crud as the car ages. The drain holes are incorrectly designed to deal with this. A poorly specified pollen filter holder seal (open cell foam which also splits) allows water into the car. VAG, in a fit of engineering brilliance, put the body control electronics on the floor under the mats. Gravity does the rest.

I'm really surprised that a competent and honest dealer did not point this out and carry out the approved modifications (VW TSB 443/06) which replaces the seal with mastic strip and removes the restricting drain bungs.

As checking the plenum drains is now a service requirement (included due to the hopeless design), you may have a case for getting the job fixed by your dealer - if he did the servicing work.

This is bad news - every joint and connector pole under the carpets (there are hundreds) will be green and corroded. Very sadly, a write-off.

The moral of this story is that with any vehicle - but especially one from VAG who are less than forthcoming with their design errors as we have seen - you should find the weaknesses and try to address them. Many of these weaknesses, this one included, need trivial amounts of work to overcome them.

659.

There are several websites that show step by step repair guides of the CCM and the wiring loom. E.g.

www.headfuzz.co.uk/vw_ccm

However this is no job for the faint-hearted and if I were a garage I would decline it. The wires internally, the terminals and the module itself get badly corroded with green verdigris.

I opened my Passat CCM module, emptied the water out, drenched it with WD40 and then prayed as I put it back un-repaired. I managed to bodge a couple of workarounds for failed central locking and boot lid opening and continue to pray.

It will undoubtedly be the demise of the car which is sad as otherwise it is fine.