Volkswagen: Air Flow Sensor, air flow sensor, vw golf 4

Question
Hi, my car (2001 VW Golf 4 1.6 Estate) has recently started to cut out when changing from third to second or second to first. The car was serviced about 2 months ago and during the service was put onto a diagnostic testing which was supposed to have solved the problem and reported that it was the airflow sensor.  It has started cutting out again and i have nearly crashed the car becuase i loose breaks and steering of the vehicle when it cuts out.  When the car is idelling the revs do not stay the same the counter bounces up and down then just drops all together and the car stalls.  Is the air flow sensor the problem or could it be something else.

Answer
Sorry, I do not work on such a vehicle here in the U.S.  IF...and I do mean IF the electronics are similar to U.S. cars try this.  Remove the rubber boot connected to the throttle body.  Using carb. cleaner and a toothbrush, open the butterfly and clean the throttle bore and the butterfly really well.  Reattatch everything, turn key to on... not start and press throttle pedal  to floor for 30 seconds.  Turn key to off.  Attempt to start car WITHOUT pressing the throttle pedal.  This may take a few trys but it will start , do not press the throttle for 10 seconds after it starts... then give it a few good presses.  Allow the car to idle for 5 minutes.  Then take it for a drive and see if the idle and stalling stops.  It actually sounds like you may have an intake leak... but that is a differnt problem all together.
Good luck,
shad