3 year old 2.0TDI

[anarchycamp]

When did the first compressor go (year) as I'm wondering if you picked up the new compressor that's supposed to be a lot more reliable or one of the older ones?

Did the second one fail with the same problem?

First one went early 2008, second one mid 2008 so i assume that was a new brand. However, the problem the second time around was to do with the seals, the first one just seized, im not sure of the root cause of the seizure.

[Maverick]

Still happy, but its not encouraging!

Maverick - is the sanden compressor a changeover replacement?

Yes but the system is full of metal particles from when the compressor seizes and the system has to be flushed (4 hours+ I think) and a new expansion valve and new condenser fitted.

Failure mode

1. The limiter (overload protection against seizing of the pulley), Part number 1K0820803 L and N, is broken or is missing (illustration 1, pos.1).

2. The compressor control valve, Part number 1K0820803 L and N, is restricted by metal particles and the compressor does not build up pressure.

Replacement units

On all diesel engines a new Sanden compressor Part No. 1K0820803 index "S" must be installed.

On the 2.0 L /147 kW gasoline engine a new Sanden compressor Part No. 1K0820803 index S must be installed.

On all other gasoline engines see ETKA for the latest parts information.

[Maverick]

First one went early 2008, second one mid 2008 so i assume that was a new brand. However, the problem the second time around was to do with the seals, the first one just seized, im not sure of the root cause of the seizure.

My guess would be

The limiter (overload protection against seizing of the pulley), Part number 1K0820803 L and N, is broken or is missing (illustration 1, pos.1).

[85Fuego]

Replacement units

On all diesel engines a new Sanden compressor Part No. 1K0820803 index "S" must be installed.

Thanks for the info, mine hasn't failed yet or made any untoward noises, will get some info re $$$ changeover.

Regards

David

[comfortline]

Does anyone know how much a preemptive strike would cost?

Ie: Replace compressor prior to failure?

[Maverick]

Does anyone know how much a preemptive strike would cost?

Ie: Replace compressor prior to failure?

I don't know what the failure rate is and I bet that VW won't disclose it. It seems to be a common enough problem but it may only be a problem in 5-10% of those units.

The problem appears to center around the limiter being broken or missing so it may just be an idea to replace that every service perhaps? I don't know if they have a new revision although they do list L and N as the versions with the problem.

The limiter (overload protection against seizing of the pulley), Part number 1K0820803 L and N, is broken or is missing (illustration 1, pos.1).

I'd ring up the parts counter and ask how much that part is (leave off the L and N from the end) and they'll give a price and the latest revision (would be O onwards).

Also be interesting to get a price for the compressor itself (part number 1K0820803 - index S or higher) and see how much that is.

If anyone get's prices can they post them up here?

[jets]

The AC unit will be your main concern, it may have been worth shelling out for the factory extended warranty (you can do this at any point up to the expiry of your warranty) as the cost of the AC unit replacement if/when it fails is around $4000 although if you have a regular service history with VW dealers (one dealer is best) VW will cover it out of warranty up until a point.

There's nothing you can do to prevent the failure and when it fails it shoots bits of metal throughout the whole system, it's a common problem with the Zelex/Valeo compressors and the only fix is to replace with a Sanden compressor and flush the system out.

Had a look at the brand on mine, it's a Sanden PXE16. I didn't look at the part no, too hard to see.
One thing I do is run my AC for a few minutes every time I drive, even in winter.
I spoke to my VW dealer & he told me that there is a 2 week grace period after your warranty has expired.

[jets]

If I was in your position, I'd definately go extended warranty or trade in & upgrade!

I am interested in your reasoning behind trading a car that has performed without any problems & has only done 24,000 km for a new one that could have problems. I don't know how much I would get as a trade in, maybe $20,000. Thats a hit of $16,000 for 24,000km. The first years of ownership are the most expensive & then hopefully the depreciation will slow down.
I am intending to keep my golf for a long time even if I experience failures down the track.
We all need to keep in mind that the extended warranty is only an insurance policy after all. VW have set a price that covers all expected claims & gives them additional profit. It maybe worth it if you are doing high mileages & driving hard. It depends whether you are feeling lucky.

[jets]

Does anyone know how much a preemptive strike would cost?

Ie: Replace compressor prior to failure?

Before you consider anything like that check to see what brand is fitted to your's. It's a bit hard to see under the alternator but with a mirror I was able to see mine.

[Maverick]

Had a look at the brand on mine, it's a Sanden PXE16. I didn't look at the part no, too hard to see.
One thing I do is run my AC for a few minutes every time I drive, even in winter.

The car does this for you. The AC system runs automatically to keep the seals etc lubricated. I can't remember exactly but it's between 2 and 5% of the time.

I spoke to my VW dealer & he told me that there is a 2 week grace period after your warranty has expired.

If you service the car correctly with a dealer throughout it's life you will find the dealer and VW will often assist. There was a car on golfmkv.com that had it's AC go and it was 8 months out of warranty and had covered about 25,000kms. The dealer spoke to VW and the ~$4000 was covered by VW.

Even if you don't have it serviced at a dealer VW will often help out even if it's a contribution.

Depends on the problem, if it's a known one (like the AC) and so on.

There are also legal remedies as well as you've covered by the trade practices act.

[shogun2]

Mine is 6 months out of warranty, done 45,000K's, and the dealer has been excellent. Last week they sent two mechanics out to fix a problem. Couldn't fix it by the side of the road, so limped it back to the dealership, and fixed it on the spot - no charge. Also have a problem with the rear hatch not unlocking. Also covered at no charge (although it's a pain having to take it in to be repaired).
I am concerned about to comment to sell or take out the extended warranty, though. Is the 2005 Golf so unreliable that we should really trade to a new car?
(Please say yes - I may be able to convince the other half that I need a TTS)

[gregozedobe]

Is the 2005 Golf so unreliable that we should really trade to a new car?
(Please say yes - I may be able to convince the other half that I need a TTS)

YES It is usually better to be driving a new car that is covered by warranty (so long as you are prepared to pay for the privilege)

[shogun2]

Thanks Greg,

I will need some actually data to back up the YES unfortunately ...

[gregozedobe]

Oh, that's much harder In that case you probably need to do some serious searching on 2005 Golfs, and only printout reports from those that have problems. Ignoring all those that say they have had zero problems. It's called biased sample selection, and happens a lot on these sorts of forums. People who have problems tend to research, ask questions and vent; people with perfectly reliable cars don't have the same motivation to get involved.

[PassatB6]

From Warranty Direct (UK) who have hundreds of thousands of records of car reliability:

Golf V seems generally pretty reliable but WD says:

* Check the stereo and climate control work properly, as they can prove temperamental.
* Get the engine up to temperature then leave the car idling to see if the radiator's electric fan cuts in; it sometimes doesn't.
* The rear light lenses can fill up with condensation, as their seals can fail, allowing water in.
* The door seals can fail, allowing rainwater to get into the cabin, rotting the carpet.
* On turbodiesels the turbocharger's oil seals can fail; repairs are very costly.
* Air conditioning compressors and condensors can fail on the Golf GTi.
* The FSi engine likes high-octane fuel; using 95-octane petrol can lead to running and starting problems.