# VW Rough when cold in Rainy Weather

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** golf, volkswagen\
**Created:** [October 4, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950 "2010-10-04T17:48:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dfitchett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dfitchett](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dfitchett)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/1 "2010-10-04T17:48:51Z")

</div>

My 1999 VW Golf (120,000 miles) runs very rough for the first few minutes when it is first started after sitting a day or two when the weather is very damp or rainy. After a minute or two or a 1/4 mile it clears up. It seems like water or moisture is messing up something. I’ve had the plugs changed, not sure what to try next.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/2 "2010-10-04T17:51:57Z")

</div>

“I’ve had the plugs changed”

How about the wires? You could also have a very small head gasket leak, leaking coolant into one or more of the cylinders. At first start, this coolant has to be burnt off which can take a minute or two.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/3 "2010-10-04T18:46:09Z")

</div>

Try new spark plug wires.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/4 "2010-10-04T19:37:54Z")

</div>

```
If the new wires don't help, then a new coil or distributer may be in order.
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dfitchett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dfitchett](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dfitchett)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/5 "2010-10-07T21:40:55Z")

</div>

Sorry - I had new wires put in when the plugs were chnaged.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dfitchett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dfitchett](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dfitchett)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/6 "2010-10-07T21:44:03Z")

</div>

New wires were put in with the plugs (I forgot to mention). If it’s coolant in cylinders I think I’d notice even during dry weather (at least once in awhile). This is definitely linked only to rainy weather.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dfitchett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dfitchett](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dfitchett)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-rough-when-cold-in-rainy-weather/55950/7 "2010-10-07T21:47:48Z")

</div>

I think I have electronic ignition, so I thought that means I do not have a distributor.