TDI: Glow Plug Light On, Engine Won't Start

Hello,

I have a Golf TDI with 66 kW (approximately 89 horsepower) and 220,000 km (approximately 137,000 miles) on the odometer.

"When the engine is warm and I turn it off, it won't restart. The glow plug light comes on, the starter motor turns, but the engine doesn't start. After about 3-5 minutes, everything works fine again. The glow plug light briefly illuminates, and the engine starts normally."

I also bought a new relay 109, but it didn't help.

Previously, it happened very rarely (once a month). Today, my car often doesn't start.

Please help me!!!

"The diagnostic tool was used to read the error memory in the workshop (VW) -> no entries were found. Otherwise, they couldn't provide any further information, and I was told to keep driving until the car breaks down. Only then can they investigate."

I used to have a speedbox, but I haven't used it for the past 2 months. So, it can't be related to the speedbox.

A broken cable is also unlikely, because the engine starts without any problems after waiting for about 5 minutes.

What else could it be?

It sounds like a faulty thermostat switch... it should actually be stored in the error memory.

Does it behave erratically while driving? Does it stall during the ride and then restart after a short time?

Best regards, Jan.

kixx_ass wrote:

It sounds like a faulty thermostat switch.

Which thermal switch could prevent the motor from starting in case of a defect ?

kixx_ass wrote:

Does he exhibit any problems while driving, does he stall during the ride, and does he restart after a short time? Best regards, Jan

Hello, thank you very much for the answers!!!

Occasionally, while driving, it "acts up." When fully loaded at a speed of 160 km/h, and recently also at 140 km/h, there's a brief jerkiness once or twice, followed by a puff of black smoke from the rear, and the car continues driving.

I've already read that it could be the needle lifter. But surely those two things aren't related, right?!?!

This forum is amazing! Since I posted here, my car has been starting every time, without me having done anything .

I hope it stays like this .

Unfortunately, this morning on the way to work, while driving at 160 km/h, the car jerked twice, but I can live with that.

Unfortunately, this morning on the way to work, while driving at 160 km/h, it jerked twice, but I can live with that.
You don't have to put up with that, and you shouldn't.

It could be the first signs of a clogged DFI (Direct Fiber Interface).
Under high sustained load, air will be drawn into the diesel fuel line, and shortly after, you won't be able to reach 160 km/h anymore.
Please check this, as the procedure has been described in this forum before.

Georg-TDI wrote:

Could these be the first signs of a congested DiFi line?

"DiFi" likely refers to a diesel particulate filter. That could be the case. The filter is probably already 2 years old (~50,000 miles/kilometers).

"However, the car has been experiencing this problem for about a year. The jerking also always occurs at 160 km/h, and then it can reach speeds of up to 190 km/h, and even up to 200 km/h in good weather."

I'll still check the DiFi (tax return). It can't hurt.

Can you get a "budget filter" from, for example, ATU, or is it better to buy an "original part"?

Sure, I'll just provide the translation.

'Prefer the original.'

Best regards,
Rudi

Hello everyone,

Yesterday, my car really let me down for the first time.

The car had been sitting in the sun all day at work, and then it wouldn't start. The preheating light came on... and wouldn't turn off.

After 60 minutes, the ADAC (German Automobile Club) also arrived. They connected a cable from the battery's positive terminal to the valve on the fuel injection pump, and the glow plug light went out.
I was then able to start the engine.

Since no workshop (out of 4 different ones) has been able to help me so far, I installed cables with switches inside the car so that I can start and stop the engine in an "emergency" using the switches.

There was an entry in the error memory. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what it was. They said it was likely an issue with the electronics in the fuel injection pump, so the entire fuel injection pump needs to be replaced.

The error memory has been cleared, and now I have to wait for the problem to reappear.

Of course, I tried to locate the error myself. I started by checking all the cables. I noticed that a relay with a "large" (40A) fuse (located approximately above the brake fluid reservoir) sometimes doesn't receive an activation signal when I turn the engine on with the key.

Sometimes, when experimenting, the engine would shut off after 2 seconds of starting (immobilizer).

This morning, my car started without any problems several times.

Either I need to find and fix the error as quickly as possible, or I have to hope that the weather gets cold.

mv25 wrote:

After 60 minutes, the ADAC (German Automobile Club) also arrived. They connected a cable from the positive terminal of the battery to the valve on the fuel injection pump and the glow plug light went out. I was then able to start the engine.

It sounds quite confusing (and there's no reasonable explanation for it).

Quote:

I've noticed that a relay with a "large" (40A) fuse (located approximately above the brake fluid reservoir) sometimes doesn't receive an activation signal when I start the engine with the key.

That's likely the glow plug relay, or the glow plug heater. Neither of those usually affects starting in the summer.

I'm waiting for the error to reappear... (Currently, it's cool weather, so the likelihood of the error occurring is low). Then I'll go back to the workshop and have the error codes read again.

At the workshop, I was told that if the error memory is cleared, it's possible that the problem might not reappear. Is that true?! I have my doubts about that.

At the workshop, I was told that if the error memory is cleared, it's possible that the problem will no longer occur. Is that true?!?? I have my doubts about that.

That would be the classic case of self-healing and would render some workshops unnecessary. Unfortunately, it's not yet the case that clearing the error memory deletes the error itself; it only removes the logging.

Too bad...

But luckily, for some reason, I haven't had any problems yet! Maybe because it's not as hot outside anymore. I hope it stays cool... then I can get through the winter well with the car!

mv25 wrote:

I hope it stays cool... then I can overwinter well with the car!

If you rely on something like that, the error will gradually expand its range to include lower temperatures -> you won't really be able to escape it.

ulf wrote:

You won't really escape from him

.

Maybe not, but I also don't feel like changing the fuel injection pump and then, on a beautiful, warm late summer day, finding out that it wasn't the pump after all.

That would be bad .