Because Volkswagen changed engine types during the production of the 2002 to 2014 Polo generation, there are big differences for steering pump fitment between the models of this generation. In order to check if a part fits, the correct VIN check has to be done before ordering.
Where to Find Your VIN
You can find your car’s VIN on a plate in the bottom corner of the windscreen on the driver’s side, or in the door jamb. It’s also printed on your V5C logbook.
What the VIN Characters Tell You
Position 1 to 3 identifies the manufacturer. The model, body type and engine is identified in position 4 to 8. These 5 characters are important for checking steering pump fitment as the engine type will identify what type of hydraulic system your car is fitted with.
Model Year From the Tenth Character
The 10th character of the VIN denotes the model year of the Polo. For 2005 model year cars this will be ‘5’ and for 2009 model year cars this will be ‘9’. This is an important character to reference as known facelifts occurred in these years, with pump specifications potentially having changed for certain engine types.
Engine Code and Build-Date Breaks
Note the engine code as shown on your engine bay sticker or from your service records. Cross-reference this with your VIN to confirm the year of production for your vehicle.
If you want a Volkswagen Polo Steering Pump, https://westernpowersteering.co.uk/vehicles/volkswagen/volkswagen-polo-steering-pump-2002-2014/ is a good place to start.
Check the Steering System Type
Also note that many newer Polos are fitted with an electro-hydraulic pump which is a completely different component to the fully belt-driven hydraulic pump that is fitted to the older models. Again these components are not interchangeable.
Make sure you have the full VIN, the engine code and the year of production of your car before placing an order.
