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Volkswagen Golf 1.4 16V FSI Businessline common faults.

2003–2008, hatchback, petrol, 90 HP.

The fault list covers: BKG, BLN engine, MQ200 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

3 fault write-ups. 2 important. 1 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

2 important faults

expensive2

MQ200 / MQ250 manual gearbox: differential bearing and synchros

expensive

The light, magnesium cased MQ200 and the MQ250, sized for higher torque, are the most widespread manual gearboxes in the transverse engine VAG models. Both have the same two weak points, and both depend on use.

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The first is the differential bearing: as it wears you first get a droning, then a whine from the thrust bearings of the output shaft. Left alone, the planetary shaft can fail and in extreme cases punch through the gearbox casing: from then on it is not a repair but a replacement.

The second is the synchros: they can start crunching at around 50,000 km with aggressive driving. This type does not like dumping the clutch or slipping it, and on a used car that is exactly what you have to listen for.

above 50,000 km

What to check

  • On the test drive with the window down, listen to the gearbox both off and on the throttle: droning or whining is suspect
  • Shift up and down quickly, especially into 2nd and 3rd: crunching means synchro wear
  • Try engaging 1st and reverse when cold: resistance here means wear
2 more steps in the write-up

Water ingress through the collector under the windscreen

expensive

Leaves and debris block the drains of the water collector under the windscreen. The standing water seeps into the cabin through the bulkhead grommets, and it also reaches the electronics box sitting in the right hand side of the collector. Once that box is wet, the electrical faults come from there.

forum sources only

What to check

  • Lift the footwell carpet in all four places and feel the insulation
  • Smell the cabin: a musty smell indicates water ingress even if it has been dried out
  • Open the bonnet and check whether the tray under the windscreen is full of leaves
1 more steps in the write-up

comfort1

Electric window regulator: cable and plastic clamp

comfort

The cable of the window regulator jams or tangles, and the holding clamp (originally plastic) breaks, dropping the glass into the door. It is often preceded by a crunching noise. The repair requires removing the door trim; the refurbishment kits come with a metal clamp, precisely because the factory plastic is the weak point.

What to check

  • Run all four windows fully down and up, and listen for crunching
  • Try them while driving too: a binding window behaves differently when warm
  • Check whether the glass moves evenly and does not tilt in the guide
1 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Volkswagen Golf 1.4 16V FSI Businessline

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall1 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

A12/00923/24Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The driver airbag's gas generator may be faulty, resulting in uncontrolled inflation and the release of metal fragments. This increases the risk of injuries to the occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

2 engines · 1 transmissions

BKG · 1.4

66 kW (90 HP) · petrol

MQ200 · 5- or 6-speed manual

manual · 5–6 speed

Torque limit200 Nm
MakerVolkswagen

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Businessline
Body
hatchback
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1390 cc
Power
66 kW (90 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2003–2008

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All V versions

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms