Black soot on boot lid

[Meallbhan]

Hi all,

I was washing the car the other day and noticed wee small splodges of black soot on the boot and number plate.  I had seen this a while back not long after I got the car, so I put a bottle of injector cleaner in.  It seemed to solve the soot but now a few months later its back again.

I don't know but would say thats a sign of the car running too rich, what do you think?

[bacillus]

You got a petrol or diesel car?

[Meallbhan]

Oh sorry, I should have said.

Its a 2005 GTI, its totally standard and I use Tesco Momentum fuel.

[ub7rm]

Are you sure its soot?  At this time of year they sometimes mix molases into the road salt to make it stick to the road better.  It makes a hell of a mess and sort of looks like tar spots.

Do you normally drive reasonably sedately but occasionally give it some welly?  Could just be soot accumulation in the exhaust being blow out by some enthusiastic driving.

TFSI's seem to be pretty sooty, my tailpipes are a lot dirtier than most of the derv owners I know.

[Meallbhan]

I know what you mean about the tar spots and its not that, its definately soot.

But yeah I've calmed down a lot in recent years and give it the welly every now and then, so it could be what you say. 

I'd just like to be sure.