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Hello One of the most common questions posed by new members is: “are there any common faults that I should look for when I am buying a Lupo?” Whilst we welcome new members I think many members get tired of answering the same question over and over again. This thread aims to address the main faults that Lupo’s suffer. Once it has been completed, hopefully it can be pinned somewhere for future reference. If I have missed anything, (highly likely I am trying to remember all the things I have read) please feel free to add to the list. Firstly it is important to remember that even the newest Lupo’s are now approaching their fifth birthdays so approach them as you would with any used car. Check the service history, the standard service schedule for the Lupo is every 10,000miles or 12months (whichever arrives soonest), whilst it is nice to see all main dealer stamps it is likely that by this point in the cars life a previous owner will have taken the car to another outlet, this should not be a problem provided they are servicing according to Volkswagens guidelines. Also check for the Cambelt change service the accepted wisdom is that you should change at 40,000miles or 4 years which ever arrives soonest and also change the tensioners and water pump at the same time for safety. Also take a look around the bodywork. For a car in this sector the Lupo has very high quality paintwork, look for signs of accident damage, patchy paint finishes, uneven panel gaps…Lift up the luggage compartment carpet check the floor is free from distortion and that the factory sticker with specification is still present, if it is missing it may be a sign of accident damage. Now areas that you need to concentrate on with Lupo’s: Bodywork All Lupo’s came with a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty but even so there are a few problem areas. The roof gutters are known to rust, there is a thread on here that details how to ensure VW will pay for this as several dealers will try and sidestep the responsibility. http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52694 On some older cars the rear wheel arches and sills have been known to show signs of corrosion. GTI roof spoilers are another weak point, due to their honeycomb structure they are known to absorb water. This will lead to the paintwork bubbling and to the high level stop lamp failing. Door check strap. If this has failed it is not a big job to fix. You’ll know if your car has a problem as soon as you open the door, the door will groan click and creak loudly. http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34802 Whilst opening the door check that it has not dropped on its hinges, look along the sill for signs of damage where the door has caught the lower edge. Check the boot handle this is a part that was shared with the mark 4 Golf and that vehicle also suffers with corrosion of the handle this will cause the paint to wrinkle and flake off. It is also worth checking the bodywork for dings and dents especially on GTI models whose aluminium panels can prove expensive and difficult to repair. If the car you are looking at is a GTI then check the xenon headlamps work normally, do not assume that it is a blown bulb, several GTI owners have reported components within the headlamp have failed, and just to get the lights to work again can cost hundreds of pounds. (thank you James) Take a look under the car to check the condition of the exhaust system Lupo’s have low mounted exhausts that are prone to damage from the road surface and from corrosion. Also check the windscreen as they are prone to damage. Check the operation of the rear wash wipe, and check the luggage compartment and spare wheel/battery (on GTI) well for signs of damp in some cases you may find the water has run under the back seat bases, flip them up to check, the rear washer pipes often split. (Thank you Nic) There is also a kit available to fix the rear washer wiper problem. When the rear wash no longer works its either because of the pipe has popped off behind the n/s rear trim or that the washer nozzle has broken. The first is an easy fix, some owners have wrapped the pipe junction in insulation tape to prevent it happening again. However the other problem requires another fix, for this there is a kit available. The metal pipe inside the nozzel corrodes onto the wiper arm, which then makes the washer jet turn with the wiper arm. It seems to start doing it slowly then follows the wiper. The metal pipe inside the nozzel becomes torn and then it leaks water into the boot opening when using the rear washer. (thanks Chris) http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16153 Also check that the bonnet release actually works, it is located on the right hand side of the drivers footwell (RHD model) The cable is a weak point and can become detached leaving you unable to access your engine compartment. http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61958 If the model you are looking at has front fog lamps fitted check that they are operational and that they are not full of water or misted up. If they are full of water then they will require replacement. (thanks Al) Electronics/Interior comfort devices Check that all of the warning lights extinguish after a few seconds once the engine has been started. Common lights that light up: Engine management (EPC) Exhaust emissions check ABS Airbag warning If these lamps are on it is best to have the car connected to a diagnosis machine to identify what is causing the fault code. It could be something simple or something serious. There are several sensor which seem to cause problems, lambda sensors, coolant temperature sensors, brake light switches and ABS sensors these can all cause a warning light to come on. Check the operation of the electric windows and central locking both are known to cause problems. Also check the operation of the heating system as the module that control the speed is a known weak point When the drivers door is open and the key is not in the ignition turn the lights on there should be a buzzer to warn the driver the lights are still on. (Once again thanks for the reminder Nic) If the car is low on fuel then there is a warning light for this, however unlike many other Volkswagens there is no buzzer. Check that the front seats tilt forward and return to their normal position normally (especially if the car is fitted with the easy entry mechanism.) They can occassionally jam. Door lock/central locking issues, common VW issue, usally seen by interior light not coming on with the door open, no warning if you leave the lights on with the door open, alarm randomly goes off, doors unexpectedly lock/unlock. (remember that only GTI Lupo's came with remote locking as standard) (Thank you James) Operate the wipers to ensure they work correctly, if they stop part way through the cycle then you may need a new switch. Mechanical There are a few potentially very expensive problems to look out for, it has to be said that 1.4 Petrol Lupo’s seem to be the weak link in the range. Gearboxes I have owned two Lupo’s and both had problems, check the gearbox operates smoothly and is quiet, if the gears are difficult to engage this could be tied to another problem this time with the pedal boxes. There are a series of welds on the pedal box that fail. Another sign of this is if the pedals are at different levels when mine failed the pedals groaned and became heavy to operate. Pedal Box thread: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=33400 or http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=49659 Gearbox thread: http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41812 Check the gearbox for signs of oil leaks, The seal round the gearbox selector rod also appears to be a common problem. Raise up car , take off pass side mudflap , remove pass side front wheel , take off filler plug , take off drain plug , drain oil , refit drain plug , undo bolt on bottom of gear stick , remove bottom of gearstick from rod , take out seal , put new seal in , refit gear stick to rod , refill gearbox , refit filler plug , refit mudflap , refit wheel. (Thanks HDH) Lupo’s also suffer if restricted to short journey’s, over time the breather pipe will become clogged up if the car is only doing short journeys. Some websites will recommend that if the car is only used on short trips then an occasional blast on a motorway or A road will be beneficial to the engine. http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=62125&view=&hl=piston%20rings&fromsearch=1 One other area of concern is that some cars are now showing signs of engine wear. Check for excessive thirst for oil and evidence of black dots over the back of the car. In extreme situations this could mean an engine rebuild or replacement. (this fault is largely limited to the 1390cc 1.4 and 1.4 Sport models. be extra vigilant when checking these models) http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=63051&pid=761403&st=0entry761403 http://forums.clublupo.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=62848&view=&hl=piston%20rings&fromsearch=1 Starter motor squeal on overrun. This is a common VW issue, doesn't effect performance, if you were buying a car though, wouldn't be too happy. Requires starter motor replacement, blowing it with air or what ever people say wont work. (Once again thank you James) When checking the service history check to see if the HT leads have been replaced recently, as they get older they can cause a misfire. Apparently 1.0e models are particularly afflicted with this problem. Don’t let this list put you off Lupo’s are great fun, there is nothing on the road like them (well except Arosas)

Upholstery Examples Start (E) "Strike" Later E Specification cars Examples of Plaza Trim "S" Specification "Tim/Tom" Early Sport Interior Interwoven Velour (Black and Grey) Standard specification on late model Sports and all GTI's GTI also had the option of Black and Red, this replaced the balck door cards with red fabric and the small grey checks with red ones The GTI Models as standard came with Red Seatbelts also! Many thanks to JB1.0e for Creating this guide!