CRUISE CONTROL FIX

1 The cause of our non-functioning cruise control was dirty contacts in the switch. VW will sell you a new stalk for £100, which is a steering-wheel-off job that requires the airbag lights to be reset. Instead, start by flipping off this rear cover.

2 Next, the inner switch comes out. Ours is a plug-in type, but hard-wired units have two small white plastic pins for the end button that will drop out. There’s no hard-and-fast rule here – our car has this type of indicator stalk, but the wiper stalk is a hard-wired model.

3 This is the switch after removal. The first job is to undo the two tiny Torx screws – hard-wired types use standard crosshead screws. The two silver terminals on the left are the ones that plug into the connector plug in the stalk, so clean these.

4 With the two screws removed, the green circuit board comes away and you can see the brass contacts. Tweak these outwards very slightly and, with a cotton bud, use white spirit or contact cleaner to carefully clean the contacts. They often look clean, but aren’t.

5 Use a cotton bud and suitable cleaner (vinegar does the job, too) to carefully wipe these carbon contacts clean, but don’t overdo it. Carefully refit the circuit board, plug the switch back into the indicator switch housing and snap the rear cover shut. Job done.