Please constribute if you had owned one. If you had failures as in my list please indicate and others then we expand the list.
I'm going to try and make it VR specific so common to all mk3 issues I'm going to leave or make a separate list here.


list of really common faults I can think of.
1) Thermostat housing cracks/leaks after around 150k km.
2) thermosatat failure.
3) recirculating water pump failure.
4) timing chain Guides wear - drops a valve in some cases
5) breather pipe rots.
6) Abs faults.
7 ) coil pack failure
8 ) HT lead failure - partly due to abuse in not using the correct tool (which should be clipped to your bonnet stand)
9) brake master cylinder failure
10) water pipes/pump failure.
11) maf failure
12) clutch pedal clip?
13) Lambda sensor. I think this will b less common now that we run unleaded. Leaded fuel is known to kill these.
14) throttle body idle motor failure.
15) seems radiator is becoming a problem on the older ones.
16) Serpentine belt tensioner ( Next time buy the one from Goldwagen - it's metal)

That's about the list I can think of.

Mk3 - not only VR specific.
1) heater radiator
2) Window winder issue
3) aircon relay pack under water bottle.
4) Cubby hole handle
5) control arm rubbers.

I had a gearbox issue on mine. Car would jump out of 2nd gear into neutral when accelerating.

Never seen it before - won't call it common..

9) HT lead cable failure (mainly due to been pulled out by cable instead of using correct tool to remove them at the connector).

Yeah I was considering that as an item for the list but felt it almost a wer and tear - But yes really common. Will add.

*Delicate brake master cylinders
*Oxygen sensors (not only VR6)
*MAF goes into early retirement
*Car revs irretically and just dies
*Rubber pulleys that costs a fortune but look like the dogs breakfast after 12 months
*Engine temp sensors
*2nd stage speed radiator fan never kicks in

*fuel feed and return pipes that crack and leak (age/heat)

Yikes - out of your list - only 1 common but it's mainly due to the use of leaded. Should be less now - Oxygen sensor.
Leaky fuel lines - simply age. Not a VR only item.

water pump failure, engine mount failure, water pipe failure...

plastic clip attached to clutch pedal breaking causing clutch pedal 2 disappear into the firewall (strange thing 2 happen bt has happened to myself and boyracer-wp)

Most common VR6 fault. Faulty fuel gauge. No matter how many miles on the clock or the age, the fuel gauge has a short in it that causes it to head for the 0 mark at warp speed 19 each and every time full throttle is applied.

Still miss my VR........................

I had so far probs with

MAF,
Water Pump,
Window mechanism,
Water Pipe,
Coilpack
Brake master Cylinder
HT leads,
Lamda Sensor....

Otherwise im enjoying it........

I must have been lucky. Will add the others. Brake master - strange.

Idle motor on TB?

most - post 96 OBDII same as mp9.

heater radiator
radiator went around the top hose (rust)

Heater radiator
Aircon radiator relay/control unit (under the water bottle)
Clutch Slave cylinder

clutch slave is simply wear and tear - every car with a hydraulic clutch will have it at some point. Same with heater radiator - mk2/3 common issue - not VR specific. Same with aircon relay switches. Mk3 issue - not VR specific. Actually so is the window winder so I really should pull that from the list.

No problem with mine yet. But will let you guys know if anything happens

SpikePCR wrote:No problem with mine yet. But will let you guys know if anything happens

Don't talk so soon,

Touch wood your car did'nt start as yet, u damm lucky for now....heheheh

THE GAME wrote:

SpikePCR wrote:No problem with mine yet. But will let you guys know if anything happens

Don't talk so soon,

Touch wood your car did'nt start as yet, u damm lucky for now....heheheh

Hope so too .But she only has 82000km on the clock.The previous owner has her well maintained.She may be up for sale soon.

Eish!! Where does one start?

- ABS sensors
- Driver's Window winder
- Now I have a water leak coming from somewhere above/ around the oil cooler
- O2 Sensor
- Thermostat housing
- timing chain Guides
- coil pack failure

But I still love the car!!!

panic-mechanic wrote:clutch slave is simply wear and tear - every car with a hydraulic clutch will have it at some point. Same with heater radiator - mk2/3 common issue - not VR specific. Same with aircon relay switches. Mk3 issue - not VR specific. Actually so is the window winder so I really should pull that from the list.

Didn't see this at the bottom your original post

Mines still top notch but things I've had problems with:
Window winders on all except the driver's
ABS light coming on for no reason. When they checked it for errors there was no ABS error
CV's (obvious reasons)

One new thing I recently started experiencing is when I fill petrol at certain garages she goes fine and then when I want to floor her it's like there's no power. The minute I gently accelerate she goes normally. Could it be something with the petrol at those certain garages or has someone experienced this before?

Parts i had to replace since owning my VR6 for the past 2,5years (and some reasons why

Waterpump
HT-Leads
Lambda sensor
Coolant-temp sensor
Radiator
Airflow-Meter
ECU-Relay
Wheel-bearings
CV's
New Key
Ignition barrel

(Cant think of anything else atm...)

alll things i have had problems with my car

1. having widow problems( windows will only operate when driver is open)????
2. coil pack
3. thermostat housing
4.ht leads
5.lambda sensor
6.maf
7.speedo not working goes up to 40 and stays there
8.front oil engine mount
9.fuel gauge.(i hate the fact that they never gave mk3. a reserve light)
10.cubby handle broke twice already
11.rubbers on the control arm
12 pulley bearings.that adjustable pulley next to the airbox