Bitten by the T4 ignition....

[Seano]

I thought it wouldn't happen to me....but it did.

Just as I hit 160K on the clock. Left work. Started no worries. Stopped at the shops. Shop. Go to start the DOKA. <Bink> Ignition switch collapses. <swear><swear><swear><swear><swear><swear>

No warning. Just total failure to fire. And here I am in a car park at a quarter to five in the arvo and about to fly out of town the following morning for a weeks R&R with the family. The good thing about living in a country town with a VW dealer is that the failure happened only a couple of kays from the dealer.

The bad news? RACV doesn't like LWB vehicles. If it is too long to fit on the depot trailer then you need a tilt tray. Basic Care road service doesn't cover you for towing if you are a LWB vehicle (apparently its on page 17 of the conditions <really swear loudly>)....you have to pay more for the 'premium' level of roadside assistance. As a result I had to DIY my own tilt tray which I very fortunately was able to do in just 15 minutes (country town remember) to the tune of $110. Made it up to the dealer just before their knock off - jobs done. And the towie gave me a lift home too. But the RACV can go and kiss my choclate starfish....

Enjoyed holiday.

Returned home after three working days. And the T4 is still in the yard. New ignition switch hasn't showed up from VW (cost is ~$65 by the way). And the service dude has removed the ENTIRE steering wheel and column assembly!!! I'm fairly certain that this is somewhat unnecessary.....and will cost me, dammit!!

Why oh why couldn't the phaffing thing have failed with a little more warning???

[t4tradie]

Hi Seano

Get it out of the dealer now if they have removed the steering wheel & column!! The only thing that needs to be removed is the column surround & the electrical plug off the base of the switch. Next they will tell you that you have an airbag fault, because the flat ribbon cord & plug that goes to the airbag is rather fragile & can come apart when you remove the wheel. If it is just the switch, an aftermarket one will set you back about $20.00 ( i think a golf switch is the same). 15 mins work with a small right angled screwdriver should have you back on the road.

[Seano]

Get it out of the dealer now if they have removed the steering wheel & column!!

Actually the column is still in it - but everything between the airbag and the dash is not. Turns out VW doesn't do the right angled screwdriver thing.

Whilst I truly support the sentiment....your advice (when you think about it) strikes me as both impractical and even more expensive. It has no steering wheel (so it needs a tilt tray to move it)...there's nowhere else to take it (nearest non-aligned VW dude is 390km away....and I can't put it back together as it is)....and I sure as heck don't need the fancy screwdriver because the alloy ignition mounting is now a separate part!!

I'm just taking my lumps on this one.

[jets]

Sorry to hear about your breakdown. You have a few more ks on yours compared with mine although it is more dependant on how many times our vans have been started. From what I have read there is normally some period of trouble preceding failure. Looks like I need to learn how to hot wire the ignition so that I don't get stranded like you. A long time ago I got caught at the side of Ayers Rock in our Toyota Forerunner diesel that after running perfectly wouldn't start again after being turned off. The headlights were the only thing that worked so I knew the battery was ok. After looking at the manual & fiddling with all the fuses etc it finally started & never did it again.
I was at Imparts today buying a couple of filters & asked the price of the switch. He originally thought around $20 but after checking he said under $30, around half of genuine. Saw one on EbayUK for 7.90 pounds, that's just under $13.

[jets]

( i think a golf switch is the same).

I believe it's the same as the Mk2 Golf.
Since found out the following models in the VW range have the same switch.
Golf 2 1990-1992 all models
Golf 3 1992-1997 all models
Polo 1992-2001 all models
Passat 1988-1996 all models
All T4s 1991-2003
Plus various Lupos Caddys &Ventos.

[Seano]

It's back. Picked it up yesterday. Dipstick didn't properly test drive it so it has a crooked steering wheel ("But I marked it!") so it's going back next week.

Here's the rub.....$792.

$65 ex gst for the switch. A few dollars more for a new steering column nut and washer. Four hours labour. At $120 per hour (for a bloke who can't put a steering wheel on straight). And then because the DOKA sat there for a week and had the original and now ancient battery in it.....it died too. Another $220.

Bloody glad they didn't service it as well - it's due. But it'll go to a local solo operator instead.