I have a 1998 VW Golf. I have noticed that when it rains or when the car does not start. I have replaced spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, starter, battery, its been tuned, oil change. It still does not want to start. Please help!! Is this a manufacturing flaw?

Do the RPMs raise?

hello barryi... you most likely have one or more bad spark plug wires or a tiny crack in the distributor cap resulting in this moisture problem. Carefully examine each of the spark plug wires for a hairline crack or replace the entire set. if that doesn't solve it replace the distributor cap. joe

You need a can of wire dryer and WD40.

I have the same problem on the same car.
I replaced the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and when it's damp and wet my car would not start. sometimes if i try for 20 minutes it may kick in but doing so after a few rainy days i blew my starter. Now I just spray my wires and cap with the wire dryer and WD40 before it rains. And if it doesn't start and it's wet outside, use the wire dryer. I heard some people used some shroud to cover their cap, but i don't know what they used as it's close to the engine and I didn't want something melting.

Check the coil. This sends tdhe spark to the Distributor.

I'd say it's the spark plug or distributor cap. Instead of writing out a long explanation, here's one already done for you! Should help...

Spark Plug
1. The most common reason for a car not starting in the rain is found in the spark plugs. Wire insulation can wear thin and this causes the voltage to arc to the metal of the car engine rather then going into the spark plug. You can check for this visually by opening the hood when it's wet outside and trying to start the car. You might be able to see an arc from the spark plug wires.
Distributor Cap
2. The second most common issue is the distributor cap. Take a good physical examination of your distributor cap for any signs of a cracks. Also remove the distributor cap and check the inside of it for moisture. If you find any, wipe it clean; it won't work while wet.
Other Issues
3. If a check of the spark plugs and the distribution cap has not solved your problem, then you have a bigger issue. There are dozens of other reasons a car won't start, from battery corrosion to a fuel filter issue keeping gas from reaching the engine. Though few of these other issues will only affect your vehicle during the rain.

Read more: Why Won't My Car Start When It Rains? ' eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_7283351_won_t-car-start-rains_.html#ixzz1CpF15AIj

change your distributor cap out. it may have a crack in it causing this problem

Did you use electric grease on these parts, the plug wires,and coil pack need this grease on there. It prevents moisture and wetness from rain getting within the components and causing mis-fire. Did it rain or was it cold outside to produce moisture. Grease is $2 for small pack. I just worked on a 95 VW, changed the cap,rotor button, spark plugs, cleaned throttle body, new air filter, fuel filter. His would run fine, but would cut off sometimes up to hours until the moisture dried. After tuning it up, he no longer has the problem. He goes through water puddles to see if it will quit, but it hasn't yet. Worth a $2-$3 try.

First, I checked to make sure all spark plug wires were o.k.. There wasn't any visible cracks in the top of the distributor cap. So I took an old hair dryer and plugged it in. Set the hair dryer on the top of the distributor cap for about 10-12 minutes. Thats enough time to dry the inside of the distributor out. Engine starts fine so obviously there is a hair line crack somewhere on the distributor cap.

You should apply dielectric grease to the insides of the spark plug wire boots liberally. Also, you can spray WD-40 inside the distributor cap to displace moisture which will allow your car to start.

spark plug wires cap and rotor???