Dredded Service Now message

[GarryO]

Not taken the Bora out for a while so I decided that as today was a nice day I would fire it up and go for a spin. Fired up OK but then a warning tone sounded and the Service Now message appeared on the dash :-{
The engine wont rev above about 3k and it is running very rough and the exhaust smells very rich and blows white smoke that I suspect is unburnt fuel.
Anyone have access to VCDS so I can read the error codes, I have a working cable but only Vagcom.

I live in Orange NSW BTW

[Umai Naa!!]

Service Reminder is not related to the running problems.

Hold the right odometer button in, and turn the key to ON. The reminder will appear. Release the button, and turn the left button to the right, and hold til the reminder diappears. Turn key off, then back on again to confirm.

[wai]

This got me worried for a while as mine has kicked in. The 2 year anniversary is on June 19, but as I had it serviced on June 28 last year, I will be getting the warning until July 9 as that's when it is booked in. Unfortunately, the first reminder kicked in on June 15, but it did not have an allowance for the drama with the DSG built in to the reminder

[GarryO]

Somehow I don't think resetting the service interval is going to fix the car running on what sounds like 3 of the 6 cylinders

[GarryO]

Maybe my post was a big vague
The car has not been displaying the "Service in xxxxx kilomiters" message recently so there has been no warnings to indicate that it was due any time soon. BUT it did just suddenly appear the other day when I started they car after about a two week period when the car was not being used. it has been raining cats and dogs during those weeks and as the heater is still giving me the irits by its refusal to work I have been taking my dads car (He gave it to me as he no longer has a license)
The car now runs on about 3 cylinders and when revved it will only go to 3k before it coughs and splutters and the exhaust is blowing white smoke that smells like unburnt fuel.
any ideas will be greatly appreciated as I don't want to take it to the local stealer's without having some idea what might be wrong in the first place.
conversely does anyone know of a good VW place in the Central west, preferably Orange NSW

[jeremyex_]

Download VCDS lite from the Ross tech website. Your cable should work with it and you'll be able to scan for codes with the free version I think. See what codes are pulled and you can go on from there

[graeme86]

Maybe my post was a big vague
The car has not been displaying the "Service in xxxxx kilomiters" message recently so there has been no warnings to indicate that it was due any time soon. BUT it did just suddenly appear the other day when I started they car after about a two week period when the car was not being used.

The Service Due also pops up after 12 months time period even if you have not done the km's. It is time and/or distance based.

Can't help with the other issues sorry.

[Stan]

if your car is running on 3 cylinders, then there will certainly be unburnt fuel. It could be plugs, coilpacks or some other glitch. The unburnt fuel and rich running my be causing the sensors some confusion, so try and get all cylinders firing first