97 Auto cut out mysteriously

[melissa]

Just picked up another Mk3 last weekend and drove it home from Raby to Newcastle no problems at all.

It's a 2L 1997 GL auto with just over 150,000k's on the clock. It was used a couple of times this week for short trips (not by me) but tonight I took it for a quick trip to the shops and I got less than 5 mins from home and while accelerating up to almost 60kmh it suddenly dropped back gears, the oil light started flashing and it died on me. I managed to pull over off the road and turned the key off. The headlights were still on, radio on and wipers were still going (its raining).

Great

I ring around to see who is home nearby (my son, my brother) nope - no one. So after a couple of minutes, I try the key and it starts first go. I just turned around and came straight home. Could this be the chip in the key? Any other suggestions for me to look at in the daylight?

[melissa]

I checked the oil - it's perfect. So why would the oil light flash?

[melissa]

Well it has happened again, a couple of times, but been able to start it again. It is at odd times, there doesn't seem to be a cause or pattern. Last night I went to start it and it wouldn't fire, left it for half an hour and it started first go.

Today I put it in for a service and they did a scan. It came up with these errors:

Code 001:
00545 Engine/gearbox electrical connection Sporadic: Short circuit to earth

Code 001:
00518 Throttle valve potentiometer -G69? (could be 069) Sporadic: Signal outside tolerance

Code 002:
00638 Engine/gearbox electrical connection 2 Sporadic: No signal

Can someone tell me where to look to fix this issue? The car has a long list of things that have already been replaced by the previous owner including a crank angle sensor and ECU. It's not a nice feeling driving when you never know its going to cut out...