I'm not a car expert, I can do some basic maintenance. I am seeking tips on
dealing with the electrical system on my 1998 Golf, it's acting up.

There are intermittent failures on one of the turn signals. Also, an
intermittent problem with dead power locks has turned into a more or less
permanent condition. Around the same time, I started having problems
starting the car even though the battery is strong (getting it diagnosed).

Because these all happened around the same time in increasingly wet/icy
weather I am suspecting some gunk or corrosion on vital electrical
contacts. As a first step, I cleaned the battery terminal contacts.
Checking with my meter, I know this contact is fine.

What else should I check, and what should I be cleaning? There is a lot of
ice and snow in my area, the car is parked outdoors for long hours. I know
there is a fuse box on the driver's side, under a flap near where your left
knee sits.

A friend mentioned that some cars have a second relay panel - does the VW
Golf have one? If so, where? Any tips on how to clean these contacts?

--
Jem Berkes
www.sysdesign.ca

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:15:26 -0600, Jem Berkes <jb (AT) users (DOT) pc9.org>
wrote:

One at a time, remove each fuse, and reinsert it (you can pull and
reinsert a couple of times if you wish, that may help clean the
contacts too.)

One at a time, remove each relay and module, and reinsert it.

Problem go away?

Yes: Good!

No: Keep looking.

but never pull more than one at a time!

You might want to put some silicone terminal grease on the pins before
you reinsert them.

I started doing that yesterday (man that panel is very inconveniently
located), will keep on doing that with the fuses.

So there isn't a second relay panel in the car, besides the obvious fuse
box on the driver's side underneath the panel?

--
Jem Berkes
www.sysdesign.ca

On Feb 28, 12:25 pm, Jem Berkes <j... (AT) users (DOT) pc9.org> wrote:
Start with those relays that are specific to the problem areas. If you
do not realize an immediate cure DO NOT make the mistake of
attributing the two problems to a single common cause. Your vehicle is
approaching 10 years old, and so you may be having multiple small
failures.

IF the cause is common, it will most likely be a ground that has
failed in or around the fuse box area, or the ground rail for the
relays that serve both uses.

Other possible Causes:

The wiring harness that goes through the door hinge may have some
failures in it. You might be lucky and check this by wiggling it some
and see if locking function comes back while you are doing it.

"One" of the turn signals... The flashing relay is common-to-all, so
this is likely a supply and/or ground wire to only *that* signal which
is at fault. Start there by cleaning your lamps (bulbs are to be put
in the ground in anticipation of flowers), sockets, and check the
ground leads and sockets for same at/around the failed signal. This
won't be a fuse, either.

Notes: Fuses are never intermittent, their sockets exceedingly rarely
so. The nature of them is that if the socket is intermittent, it will
heat up rapidly causing all sorts of problems before rapid failure.
Similarly relay _sockets_. Relays themselves are quite often
intermittent so the only true test is to use a substitute. Not saying
*never* intermittent, just very rarely. So if this is the case, you
are catching it early... a good thing.

Some Peugeots and Fiats are exceptions to the above. Peugeots for a
time used 'printed' circuits for body wiring leading to printed fuse
sockets with printed fusible links. No Kidding. Only the French. And
Fiats invent new failure modes at each use.

Back on-topic, start with the turn signal, that should be an easily
identifiable fix and give you the confidence to go after the locks.
With the locks, I suspect you have a bunge somewhere in the main
switch (driver's door). A PITA to get to. That is why I suggest
diddling the harness to see if you get any results. And when you do
get both fixed, you will feel confident about keeping the car another
10 years, which is as it should be.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA