Passat TDI starting issues.

[bart]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

i was driving an e36 325i that had a starting problem, turned out it was a bad engine temperature sensor.

developed pretty suddenly, sometimes the car would start, other times it would crank and crank, no matter if the engine was hot or cold.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Maybe they should just swap all sensors.... relatively cheap considering whats been done. Maybe they'll get lucky.

For guys with the same car, have you ever heard anything other than the pump humming when you turn the key? These sounds of what seems like air in the fuel system; does anyone else get that when you turn the key to ON, but before you crank? Only happens when the tank is below half a tank for me, and I still can't tell if its part of the issue, or just a weird noise that means nothing. If it means nothing, then the problem could quite possible be sensor related, although with the amount of times the car has been in, I think a bad sensor would have shown up, even if intermittent.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

So the car has been in the shop most of this week. Hoping there will be some moment of enlightenment this time round. I'm also hoping to pass the car back soon to my wife since it's a better family car than our mk3. When she drives it the problem is even worse though, as most of her trips are the short type that brings out this starting issue nearly every time she takes it out.
I'm kind of glad they replaced the starter, even though it mad no difference, because if this problem was around with the previous owner, I'm sure it had some excess wear for it's age.

I added another item to the list too. It seems when I change the heater from vent heat to vent/foot heat, there is little to no change, and my feet stay cold. Something in there is a little misaligned.

I'm fairly sure this car was assembled during Oktoberfest, or on a hungover morning after.

[luunta]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Really awful luck bud. This has easily passed the **** that happened with my allroad, but the dealership sounds like they're trying to help you out. Mine wouldn't.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Really awful luck bud. This has easily passed the **** that happened with my allroad, but the dealership sounds like they're trying to help you out. Mine wouldn't.

I really have nothing bad to say about SCFC on this one. They've been putting a lot of time in to trying to solve the issue here. Other than the fact that they are having a hell of a time pin pointing the issue, the experience with their service dept has been pretty good. I've read and experienced a lot of bad things at dealerships, so I've still got a fear that they will come back with something like "that's just the way the car is", even though at least 3 techs have looked at it now and seem to think its an issue. To date though, I haven't seen any signs of them giving up on it.

[luunta]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

That's good.

I bought my AR from a nissan dealer. first mistake.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Well on the most recent visit to SCFC, the EGR gave a bunch of wonky readings. It was sticking open. So they replaced the EGR, and everything when back in to spec. I have tested the starting a couple times since, and it has started properly. I'm not really sure how the EGR can cause the starting issue I was having, so I'm a little skeptical that it is fixed, but so far so good. I went and put all the engine covers back on tonight, which is sure to make the problem return .

Anyways, I'll keep testing it out, but for now, things are looking up.

[Geobmx4life]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

So whats the tally for work done at now? And did you get the GP recall yet? I got mine last week.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

So whats the tally for work done at now? And did you get the GP recall yet? I got mine last week.

Oh yeah, glow plug recall was one of the first things done. I think I got the first new set to come in to SCFC, a few weeks before my letter came even. Hard to say what has gone in for parts. 5300$ or so if you go with non-dealer prices, and that wouldn't include a lot of gaskets and bolts.

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

I think this issue is gone, finally! Hasn't acted up since it's last visit to SCFC.

[R_Ethug]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

what did they do?

[stefan]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Last thing swapped was the egr a few posts up.

[dJ]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

EGR delete and Racepipe ftw.

[Stonewall]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

Guess you haven't noticed it is a PD, doing a EGR delete would be more then asking for trouble.

[dJ]

Re: Passat TDI starting issues.

They have EGR deletes for PD's as well. It's not that hard to do, and its not asking for trouble.