Starter — removal and installation (VW Golf 5)

To start an internal combustion engine, a small electric motor, a starter, is needed.

In order for the engine to start at all, the starter must spin it up to a speed of at least 300 rpm.

This is only possible if the starter is working properly and the battery is sufficiently charged.

Since a large current is required to start an internal combustion engine, the condition of the wire terminals should be checked during vehicle maintenance.

Rusted contacts should be cleaned and lubricated with the protective grease used to protect battery terminals.

Cars with manual transmission

Removal

The starter is located at the front of the cylinder block above the gearbox.

Attention! Removing the starter is the same for all cars, but depending on the engine type, it is necessary to dismantle a different number of parts that make it difficult to access the starter.

1. Disconnect the power cable terminals from the battery.

First, disconnect the ground (-) wire terminal, and then the positive potential terminal.

2. Vehicles with 2.0 TFSI petrol engine AXH and diesel engine: Remove the upper protective cover from the engine, see the relevant chapter.

3. All engines except 1.4L and 1.4-/1.6L FSI: Remove the air filter.

4. Remove the protective cover 1 of the release relay (see illustration).



5. Unscrew nut 2, which secures terminal 30, and disconnect the large cross-section wire from the starter (see illustration 10.4).



6. Disconnect plug 3 at terminal 50 by unlocking it (see illustration 10.4).

7. Unscrew nut 4 and remove terminal 5 of the ground wire (-) from the upper starter mounting bolt (see illustration).



8. Unscrew the upper bolt 6 of the starter mount (see illustration 10.7).

9. Remove the engine splash guard (protection), see the corresponding chapter.

10. Unscrew nut 7 and remove the holder 8 of the wiring harness from the lower starter mounting bolt (see illustration).



11. Unscrew the lower bolt 9 of the starter mount and disconnect the starter from the cylinder block (see illustration 10.10).

Installation

The starter is installed in the reverse order of removal.

12. Install the starter in place and tighten its mounting bolts with a force of 75 Nm.


13. Tighten the wiring harness retainer nuts, the ground (-) wire terminals and the positive potential terminals to 15 Nm.

Cars with automatic transmission

Removal

Attention! Removing the starter in cars with an automatic transmission is generally performed in the same way as in cars with a manual transmission. Therefore, only the differences in the dismantling procedure are given below.

14. Vehicles with diesel engine: Remove the upper protective cover from the engine, see the relevant chapter.

15. All engines except 1.4L and 1.4-/1.6L FSI. Remove the air filter.

16. Remove the protective cover of the release relay, unscrew the nut and disconnect the thick section wire (+) from the starter terminal, as well as the plug from terminal 50.

17. Remove the engine splash guard.

18. Unscrew the nut and remove the wire harness holder from the lower starter mounting bolt, then unscrew the lower bolt.

19. Unscrew nut 1 and remove holder 2 of the wiring harness from the upper starter mounting bolt (see illustration).



20. Unscrew the upper starter mounting bolt.

21. Unscrew nut 1, disconnect the ground wire (-) 2 and place it away from the work area (see illustration).



22. Remove the starter from the cylinder block and remove it from the engine compartment by pushing it upwards.

The starter is installed in the reverse order of removal.

Vehicles with 1.9-/2.0-litre diesel engine and direct shift gearbox (DSG)

23. Remove the upper protective cover from the engine, see the relevant chapter.

24. Remove the air filter, see the relevant chapter.

25. Remove the protective cover from the traction relay, unscrew the nut and disconnect the thick section wire (+) from the starter terminal, as well as the plug from terminal 50.

26. Vehicles with 2.0 liter engine: Release the wiring harness from the holder.

27. Unscrew the upper starter mounting bolt.

28. Unscrew the lower starter mounting bolt and remove the starter from the engine compartment by pushing it upwards.

When installing, the starter mounting bolts are tightened with a force of 60 Nm.

Cars with a 2.0-liter AXX petrol engine and a direct-shift gearbox (DSG)

29. Unscrew the two air intake mounting bolts.

30. Disconnect the air mass flow meter plug. The plug is attached to the air duct.

31. Use special pliers, such as HAZET 798-5, to loosen the air hose clamp and disconnect the hose from the air mass meter.

32. Remove the upper protective cover from the engine, see the relevant chapter.

33. Remove the protective cover from the traction relay, unscrew the nut and disconnect the thick section wire (+) from the starter terminal, as well as the plug from terminal 50.

34. Unscrew the upper starter mounting bolt.

35. Unscrew the lower starter mounting bolt and remove the starter from the engine compartment by pushing it upwards.

When installing, the starter mounting bolts are tightened with a force of 60 Nm.