Hello scotty, Love your videos thanks for everything you share with us!!
So basically a weeks ago I bought a 2000 VW Golf GL, with 255,000 km manual transmition and the engine is 2.0. so far its been really fun to drive and recently the light from the check engine appears, I scanned the car and appeared the code P1255(Engine coolant temp.CIRC short to ground) and P1296(Cooling system malfunction). So i decided to change the temperature coolant sensor, however the light from the check engine still appearing even I erase the code from it.
Currently i live in Canada and i dont know if the cold weather can affect those components, specially in winter time.
Any advice.
Thanks a lot scotty.
Its probably an issue with the circuit itself rather than the temperature sensor. Make sure you have proper connection on both sides and the wires are in tact.
P1296 tells there is a problem in the cooling system.
P1255 more or less pinpoints the problem. That sensor fails on VWs frequently. Internally it can fail electrically. There is cooling system pressure at the sensor, so it can also fail by the seal leaking coolant into the wiring connector that goes to the engine computer. This is called wicking. The coolant will cause a short to ground and defeat the signal to computer.
The wiring insulation will be swelled in that scenario.
The combination of the two codes can also be a thermostat that is failing...sticking partially closed.
thanks, I will check everything in general.
I know someone who had a '03 Golf. It had constant cooling system problems. Endlessly replacing faulty sensors and pumps. Finally just left it be with the light on. Engine ran fine.
Short to ground indicates a wiring problem. A thorough visual inspection should find the short, precluding the correct current from the sensor thereby throwing a code.
