Reading diagnostic fault codes

[Scrappydo]

Not at all familiar with reading fault codes on the Golf but I did have a Mitsubishi recently where you could read fault codes by simply earthing one wire on the diagnostic socket This would allow each respective warning light on the dash to flash any  fault codes relating to that particular system i.e you didn't need a computer to tell you what the codes were. Can you do it this way on the Golf?? I somehow doubt it but thought I'd ask anyway!!

[bacillus]

Hmm, I don't like the idea of potentially frying my ecu...   

[skard]

Won't work on a mk5 but was common to do on late 90s Vauxhall's - the 'paperclip method'.

[Scrappydo]

Yes, much as I thought really. Unless others have done it successfully I certainly wouldn't try it - as said above, no point in frying an ecu for nothing!!