VW Sharan petrol - electrical ghosts! Rapid response req'd

[silverbullet]

Long shot but someone might just have come across this problem...

1999 Sharan 2.0, ADY, Simos. It's the mem'sahib's runabout

Background: Has been suffering from internal damp for years and despite a replacement windscreen (cracked) it still suffers from wet windows inside (I suspect the heater has a slight leak but coolant loss is negligable)

Symptoms: A while ago it decided to latch the main beams on AFTER being locked up and left for about an hour. Headlights were switched off before it was locked. Drained the battery...

Today after being switched off and just before being locked it tried to crank the engine and the hazards started to flash, all while the key was in hand

Putting the key back in the ignition lock and briefly switching to 2, then off, stopped the misbehaviour.

What to suspect? Ignition switch falling to bits after only 17 years or is the heater leaking into Central Electrics and therefore a dash-out exercise, in which case = scrap man?

[Titus A Duxass]

There is a cure for this -

Strip naked, smear yourself liberally with marmite and at midnight dance naked around the offending vehicle in an anticlockwise direction.

That usually fixes it, that or starting it with the drivers door open, righthand indicator on and Radio 3 on the stereo.

[marlinowner]

My Porsche 944 did things like that when it was on fire...

[weimarbus]

There is a cure for this -

Strip naked, smear yourself liberally with marmite and at midnight dance naked around the offending vehicle in an anticlockwise direction.

That usually fixes it, that or starting it with the drivers door open, righthand indicator on and Radio 3 on the stereo.

not tonight, the moon is in the wrong quarter

[nicq]

There is a cure for this -

Strip naked, smear yourself liberally with marmite and at midnight dance naked around the offending vehicle in an anticlockwise direction.

That usually fixes it, that or starting it with the drivers door open, righthand indicator on and Radio 3 on the stereo.

not tonight, the moon is in the wrong quarter

Does Vegemite work as well ?

[chrisbeck]

Have you checked that the scuttle panel is not full of leaves and blocking up the drain holes?
I have seen several cars now that have had this problem, rain water starts to work its way into the footwell and onto electrics all because the two little drains under the bonnet are blocked.

[silverbullet]

Scuttle drains were rodded and flushed out after the main beam incident (cured by a flick of the stalk once it had a fully charged battery)
We did have a downpour this morning, but its been dry and frosty all week.
I can see me pulling up the (moulded) carpets to look for coolant puddles next.

[syncroandy]

I've had a look at the diagram and the starter solenoid connection goes through several junction points in the harness to several different components. I'd start in the footwells, if they've put anything there, like in the Passat that's probably the issue.

[silverbullet]

Manual

[syncroandy]

Right it's not the inhibitor relay then. Could be several others. Could I just put a PDF on my webspace so you can have a look yourself ?

E D I T: It's here.

[DSM]

Our *W* reg Galaxy had similar gremlins and was traced to loom and module under the carpet beneath drivers seat. It was swimming in water from blocked sunroof drain.I believe on the Sharan this is located under the passenger seat or footwell. Good luck.

[silverbullet]

Thankyou gents. I have thoroughly checked the voids beneath both front seats for any modules or relays. This one doesn't have anything under there, despite some other forum posts I found that insist that there will be one... both sides are bone dry.
My worry is that the previous scuttle flooding has let water in via the heater or... Mr Autoglass didnt do a good job so either way water has got into the ecu or relayboard (I am led to believe this is located on driver's side and well buried)

[silverbullet]

Andy's pdf clearly states that the Simos ecu and immobilizer are located behind the left side of the dash, same side as heater air inlet/cabin filter... Glovebox out in the morning.

[silverbullet]

Slight damp/tideline on the moulded bulkhead insulation board but blower is quite dry inside (bayonet mount fan, no tools!)
Guessing the ecu is hiding behind the passenger airbag...

[syncroandy]

I've pulled apart a couple of Sharans (never again) and from memory the ECU is hidden away behind the instruments, secured via security torx screws to a metal bracket with a another bracket stopping you unplugging the connector. I right pig of a job in other words..