Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted January 25, 2008 My trusty VR6 let me down last night - it would start fine, then the immobiliser would cut it out immediately. Even the very helpful RAC man (ex-VW/Audi mechanic) was about to give up after we'd tried checking the pick up coil thing round the lock, when he noticed the rear active spoiler was half up - and wouldn't respond to the switch (it has always worked fine). Further investigation revealed fuse 6 blown (EDIT - it was fuse 16, RAC man counted 6 from the right in the dark) so he replaced that and bingo - the engine fired, healthy as ever (and the spoiler started working again). Having done a few searches on here, it sounds like the spoiler shares the same fuse as the immobiliser unit (although most posts quote fuse 16 ...). So it looks like as I drove to work and came off the motorway, the spoiler blew the fuse, but this didn't manifest itself until I tried to go home, when the immobiliser did it's job. So, to avoid the fuse blowing again in the meantime, I've disconnected the power from the spoiler motor under the hatch cover. But when I manually wind the spoiler up and down with the manual knob on it (see, some people do use the brilliant search facility on this website!) it runs very freely - so I'm wondering why it would have blown the fuse? Could the motor itself be in need of a clean? It certainly doesn't feel as if the gears/rods/cables need any clean or lubrication, judging by the smoothness of the knob operation. I found the link to the website (American?) that describes the tricky removal and cleaning process - which sounds like I don't want to attempt it unless necessary. Any clues as to why it might have blown the fuse even if the spoiler is moving smoothly? '95 VR6 - bog standard. (145K miles on the original clutch and exhaust - is that any sort of record, or does it just show what a woose driver I am??? :) ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted January 25, 2008 Assuming it was the spoiler that caused it to blow (likely as it was stuck up) then it's either the motor is on it's way out and drawing too much current generally (unlikely) or the mech just needs a bit of lubricaton... Could also have been frozen depending where you are?? I would just give it a good clean / re-lube and connect it back up again but keep some spare fuses on board and one of a higher ampage too if you get really stuck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted January 25, 2008 It was cold, but it's been colder. I think I'll take your suggestion and just clean/lubricate what I can get to without complete motor/assembly removal just yet, to see if it does blow the fuse again. But first, as you suggest, I'll get some spare fuses! Thanks for the advice. RAC man seemed quite keen on the car - think he'd always wanted one....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
storm_warning 0 Posted January 25, 2008 Mine done this to me for years until I had enough of it and put in a 15A fuse instead. Never blown since, and no other problems have resulted. Sometimes you just have to admit that your car is old and the wiring, motors, everything, is just not as slick as it used to be... (I also an RAC man completely flummoxed and towed me home - and a VW mechanic of 20 years change the coil reader for the immobiliser before thinking of checking the fuse!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted January 25, 2008 The guide to cleaning it up isn't actually too hard to follow, but it is a right royal pain getting the mech in and out of the boot until you've got the hang of it. Don't grease the black plastic pipe bits though - it doesn't make any difference as they're actually a pretty loose fit anyway and the grease will only attract dirt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted January 25, 2008 Yep, mine too. It also took out the dash lighting as that also shares the same fuse it seems. The reason it works freely with the push button on your drive is because the motor doesn't have 56mph + of wind pressure, aswell as a gummed up mechanism to contend with. That's what tips it over the edge and blows the fuse. Only cure is to strip the mechanism and clean and lube it. You will be surprised how free the mechanism moves afterwards. My mech got so gummed up the motor was visibly smoking under the strain. You will need to take the motor apart to clean out the burnt commutator crumbs etc, regrease it and it will be fine. They rarely ever go completely, which is just aswell because it's only available with the entire spoiler mechanism at £560+VAT. I would not mask the problem with a bigger fuse personally. That is just asking to melt the wiring instead. Not worth the risk. Trust me, you will not want to pick apart burned wires all the way from the fuse box to the tailgate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
storm_warning 0 Posted January 25, 2008 I agree, but mine's been able to supply the extra amp or so it needs for over 2 years now, if that was going to cause something to melt it would have happened by now. And remember, it wasn't every single time the spoiler activated, it was every now and then, when it needed that extra amp for whatever reason, that caused it to blow. The power is not being drawn through those wires for extended periods of time allowing things to heat up and melt, and if something happened that did keep the power draw, a 15A fuse would blow first. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted January 25, 2008 My motor was smoking with the correct size fuse in use, so I wasn't prepared to risk it! I was also not happy leaving the spoiler that way knowing it was crudded up and slowly destroying the motor, for the sake of an afternoon's tinkering. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve @ 0 Posted January 25, 2008 Mine done this to me for years until I had enough of it and put in a 15A fuse instead. Never blown since, and no other problems have resulted. Sometimes you just have to admit that your car is old and the wiring, motors, everything, is just not as slick as it used to be... (I also an RAC man completely flummoxed and towed me home - and a VW mechanic of 20 years change the coil reader for the immobiliser before thinking of checking the fuse!!) Did exactly the same with mine 2 years ago. Been fine ever since. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted January 25, 2008 I think you've all convinced me to do some dismantling the next free weekend I get - it can't be that much harder than the window mechanism I replaced a few months ago. I do believe in a bit of preventative maintenance now and then - maybe the fuse blowing was just its way of saying it was next in the queue for attention! Having had the VR for the last 9 of its 12 years, I'm finding it hard to contemplate replacing it - not that I can think of anything that could replace it .... I have a very narrow drive down the side of my house (my garage is behind the house) and 350Z's, TT's (insert your favourite Corrado replacement here .....) are all that much wider and wouldn't fit. But that's another story. Thanks for all the advice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinkus 10 Posted January 25, 2008 I'm really no mechanical whizz, but I managed to take my spoiler out in an evening and do most of the dismantling, then re-greased it, re-assembled and re-fitted the next evening. So it's not too bad. You could do it of a Sat/Sun easy :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted February 3, 2008 So, I decided to treat myself on my birthday by allowing myself to dismantle the rear spoiler mechanism Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattkh 0 Posted February 5, 2008 I took some pictures along the way if anyone thinks this issue is common enough to warrant a written up article in the Knowledge Base/Wiki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted February 5, 2008 Ok, I'll try to upload a few pics to this post later, this evening. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bog Standard VR6 0 Posted February 5, 2008 Okay, so here are a couple of pics: This is the complete mechanism, well without the spoiler actuating pillar mounts on either side that bolt to the lip on your hatch. Conventionally, it's probably easier to remove the complete unit, but as I had so many wires and pipes running through the spoiler mechanism, I loosened these pillars from the body and then dismantled them while hanging loose inside the rear hatch, so I could remove the spoiler mechanism that was trapped by all the other wires. Not sure it was an easier way or not! passat climatronic wiring diags.pdf2008-02-02 Corrado Spoiler 011low.jpg[/attachment:56uobpkf] This one shows the rigid outer cable casing tube removed from the gearing mechanism and with the flexible cable removed from the tube. The cable has a 3 to 4 inch rigid metal end that engages with one of the white geared drive rods in the main mechanism - the other end is the fitting that engages on the spoiler actuating pillar. In between it is a flexible metal cable, with multiple plastic segments round it. I guess the white ones are a low friction plastic and the clear ones in between just keep them spaced, but the end result is a metal cable with flexible plastic "bearing" material running inside the tube. My one wasn't too dirty and quite free running. climatronic wiring-Golf from May 01.pdf2008-02-02 Corrado Spoiler 018low.jpg[/attachment:56uobpkf] This shows the motor disassembled - note the pile of crud in the middle that fell out - plus twice as much again when I brushed things clean. The plastic brush housing was filthy and showed signs of melting at one point - as shown by the hole burnt in the paper/fibre washer on the left - there should only be two cut-outs in its circumference, not three! 2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdf2008-02-02 Corrado Spoiler 021low.jpg[/attachment:56uobpkf] 2008-02-02 Corrado Spoiler 022low.jpg[/attachment:56uobpkf] Not sure if this helps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattkh 0 Posted February 6, 2008 Hi You are a Star. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamiejamie 0 Posted February 6, 2008 Wish i'd seen them today before i started on mine, i was looking yesterday as mine started fuse blowing when on my way home yesterday. I was going to take a picture of mine fully apart but i got too involved in it all. Took me about 5hrs in all. That included putting the micro-switches back in the wrong order (something to be aware of when taking apart) - luckily i found this out before putting the assembly back in the car! I also had one of the screws holding the 'shaft seal plates' (as i've named them) on the outside of the car that then needed drilling out. Glad i did it but a pain of a job even for the more competent among us, all works great now though so well worth it - now on to the next in a long list of problems to sort out... If anyone hears of a satin silver front bumper for sale, would save me getting one sprayed for mine... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leonard 0 Posted July 17, 2008 For a complete non mechanic, is servicing my spoiler mech myself a no go, or should I be ok if I just take things slow and make note of what goes where when Im dismantling! :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Purple Tom 0 Posted February 24, 2009 Would just like to say thank you for this thread, as I'm going to be stripping my spoiler mechanism down this weekend because its starting to stick occasionally and making a bit of a rumbling noise when raising/lowering, although you can only hear the noise when stationary. This thread helps a lot and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to get it to full working order again. Leonard, if you like, once I've tackled mine and familiarised myself with it, perhaps I could come and help you with yours? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigray 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Cheers for the pics, i was gunna investigat it at some point over the weekend, now i know where to start! Did my head in for a bit, why would they put the active spoiler on the same fuse as the dash VDO, just asking for trouble. My spoiler goes up fine on the switch and at 45mph, as soon as it goes down, gets about an inch from the bottom and blows fuse. Quit annoying as i cant see how fast im going, if the cars overheating............ Sure a good clean out will sort it. Cheers :salute: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted January 4, 2016 Hi... Can someone please point Me to the guide for doing this removal and clean.... And is silicone grease what you use.... Job for the weekend..... Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanl82 23 Posted January 4, 2016 Here you go mate. :thumbleft: http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?51125-Spoiler-motor-cleaning-and-repair Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted January 4, 2016 Awesome.... Thanks mate.... Looking forward to this.... Not... lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted January 4, 2016 Oh and will silicone grease work ok? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
