Question1998 Golf 2.0 4Cyl K2. I have not had any major repairs and no mods to this vehicle. Now though, I am having a few electrical problems. I have noticed that on colder days, the headlights, heated seats, fans, wipers and rear defrost, rear wiper, (all dash or steering mounted switches and controls) randomly stop working (yet the radio remians working). Then of course they resume functioning on their own. I have replaced the headlight switch (at first the headlights were the only symptom) but that didn't work. Its random, I haven't been able to force a failure of these components.
Someone told me it might be an ignition switch failing.
Is it not properly ground? If so where are the major chassis contact points?
Un related, the driver's side door latch needs some attention as it sometimes doesn't release any ideas?
I would love any help you could offer.
AnswerAlot of the older cars - rabbits, golfs- Jettas suffered water getting into the fuse box. Maybe you'll get lucky and find that one of those black plastic boxes will solve the problem if you pull it out clean the tangs and put it back in reseating it. That is your second hope - the fuses are the first - pull them and reseat them.
For leakage,everyone blames the window, when it is the interior material on the headliner. Have you got a felt type headliner? They have been a pain. Look down at your fusebox actually you want to get behind itto see behind the wires to see if there is a water trail in the dirt on the fire wall. The fan, heated seats, wipers and rear defrost dont go thru the light switch. Trouble is VW is not owing up to the fact they have a problem there that needs fixing - been going on since the early rabbit in the 70's. Gotta find a good electrical mechanic - not Vw dealerships - you know sometimes a ford mechanic can fix a chev better than a chev mechanic cause the ford mechanic is a mechanic first a company man second
