help - emissions control light& ecu glow plug sign keeps coming up!!!

syed123

syed123

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Hello all,

I came on this thread a little while ago - audi a3 1.6tdi tuned by tdi tuning and pedal box.

Since august when the first issue I had been solved ( performance issue) I got tdi tuning to move the torque down to 1200rpm so I would really feel the changes in pulling power, driveability etc..

I also got them to fit my dtuk pedal box after the setting was changed ( previous error code accelerator position signal too low too high)

All worked perfectly fine with a diagnostic check straight after with no issues.

Car has been driving like a dream since then however one cold night in September the ecu sign came on when I started the engine. I was really annoyed about this as everything was running perfectly fine, switched off n on a few times and eventually it went off.

Went to garage to get the error code cleared ( fuel pressure sensor too low - implausible signal) the following night it came on again but chose to ignore it n hope it was a fluke.

2 weeks later it comes on again and 2 times after this. Still trying to pretend it's nothing as it is a real hassle spending 40 pounds to get a check done.

We come to present time now and the ecu sign has come on with the emissions control unit and won't seem to go off, car feels like it's struggling of course and I've tried resetting it atleast 20 times! No luck.

I will be calling tdi tuning tommorow to ask in regards to this but I am now growing really impatient as I cannot afford to pay 40 pounds yet again to clear a code which may come on again.

A real shame because my car has never felt so good ever performance/ economy wise. :(

Any thoughts on what the problem is?

Syed
 
My first thoughts with a tuning box is are the dpf regens happening and when did the last one take place?
 
By dpf regens do you mean when the car won't turn off n it makes that engine cooling sort of sound coming from the fan? I've had it come on a few times recently, the last one was probably 4 days ago, it hasn't come on so much for me to be alarmed though.. sorry if I'm getting this wrong but that sound is a dpf regeneration? Or is it the engine fan cooling the engine down?
 
Quick update - speaking of dpf regeneration cycles, did a quick m1 sprint to hemel Hempstead back to London, at a junction the car did not turn off, ( could hear the sound coming from my engine) so assumed a dpf regeneration cycle was happening. Got back home switched it on and off a couple of times, no dash signs whatsoever.

I was quite lucky to do that in the first place as the car initially only started without the signs on the 5th occasion.

Fingers crossed #
 
Last edited:
From myturbodiesel.com -

During an active regen the car's computer also temporarily increases turbo boost about 2-4 psi to make up for any lost power. Engine rpm also goes up around 200 rpm on the 2.0L engine. A cycle lasts about 10 minutes and if you shut the engine off in the middle of an active regen cycle, you'll hear the radiator fans in the front of the car running fast (even after the car is shut off) and you may smell a burning rubber type odor. It will resume once you exceed 38 mph after the next engine start (and the exhaust is warm enough).

vw-dpf-warning-light.jpg
If the car still can't do an active regen and soot loading reaches 50-55%, it will try to force a 15 minute regen cycle. If you interrupt it by shutting the engine off, the active regen cycle won't finish. There is normally no light or indicator to show when the car is doing an active DPF cycle. If the cycle was interrupted by engine shut off, it'll try again before lighting the DPF warning light on the dashboard (pictured right). If that happens, drive at about 40 mph for at least 10 minutes in 4th or 5th gear at 2000RPM (Disclaimer: faster would be fine as long as you don't exceed the speed limit).

At 75% loading, the glow plug light will also come on. If you see the warning, go to have the car service or go to the dealer so they can explain the warning lights to you. It's still possible to do a service regeneration, a manually started active DPF regen.


Ok.. so this kind of describes my situation, any opinions would be welcome
 
Sounds right to me. I used to have a 2.0l diesel with a maintenance free dpf and because it was mostly used for short journey's around town I had a to take it for a quick blast at least once a month to force a regen. However 40mph in 4th or 5th would have got the engine hot enough to instigate a regen, more like a steady 60 in 4th, or even 3rd...
 
Good news is the emissions light has gone off, but now as I dreaded the ecu glow plug light has come on again and isn't giving up this time :/ really don't know what to do..
 
Revert the car to stock then take it to the dealership, or have a word with both tdi and dtuk?
 
Called tdi tuning in the morning, was told I would get a call back, no call back :/ a shame really as I've had so many problems regarding my tuning box in the past n for the customer to go through this.. not very good.

I've probably spent well over 100 pounds on diagnostic checks trying to find out whhat the error could be.

So did the inevitable today and went to my local garage and paid 40 pounds for a diagnostic check. Same result as before - picture with code will be attached..

No problems with the dtuk pedal box since it was returned to me in august and no code showing it was the pedal box causing me the current issues.

My mechanic told me the current fault code has nothing to do with the tuning box and is a fault in the engines sensors.. one of them.

The previous mechanic said it was because the tuning box is causing the ecu to operate at an abnormal level..

So same code but different opinions on what is causing it, taking into account that when I first encountered this problem tdi tuning told me to tone the power down on the box, did this until it got to the first setting and yet still the glow plug sign would not go away..

Not sure whether there may actually be something wrong with my cars sensors or its the tuning box.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 

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I haven't yet as I still need to call tdi tuning in regards to that code. I will be removing it if I have to go in to the dealers thhough..

Removing it and for the code to come is a long shot as it may not come on for a whole month, that's the problem with this. When I thought all was ok the ecu sign decides to come on.. so removing it I can do but then il have to wait atleast a month to see whether it was the tuning box or not
 
Despite all this I shouldn't be getting thhis problem in the first place. Tdi tuning and dtuk I'm sure sell loads of boxes it can't be just me who has this problem.. ridiculous.
 
You are correct that you shouldn't be getting this problem but you may have a faulty one, or one where the programming isn't quite right...
 
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I had a similar prob like this on my A1 tdi.
It was a faulty sensor. Easily replaced under warranty.
 
Was your a1 modified though? Just spoke to tdi tuning and they think it may be possible that the tuning box is showing a underlying problem with the car as they tune many 1.6s with no issues..

Going to book an appt with the dealers.. hope all goes well.

@Andyh1873 what sort of problems did you encounter exactly?
 
It was the 1.6tdi, 2011.

Glow plug light flashing & ecu light on constant. Intermittent prob it was.

When lights on, car would not allow revs over 3000
 
Did you have a tuning box on your car? It's probably the same with me then iguess..
 
Quick update - my car was booked in for mid November for the glow plug/ emissions light. The sign has come on again so will be calling audi assistance to come n most likely take the car back to audi.. on another note I have an audi s line badge on the front grille n sides. Will this affect my warranty? I'm taking the tuningbox and pedal box out of coursebut I'm very worried that they will find out. I've had codes come on in the past which have been cleared, is there anyway audi will know about these?
 
I had the same problem, it was a turbo boost pressure sensor.
 
What was the initial error code? You had a dtuk box from my memory on your previous posts.. was it that that caused it or did it only flag up the underlying sensor problem?
 
I have no idea what the error code was. As regards the DTUK box, its well documented the problems that I experienced with it. I will say though that the dealership asked me if I had fitted a tuning box at any stage, they were suspicious because of the fault. Read in to that what you will.
 
vegnomeat said:
I have no idea what the error code was. As regards the DTUK box, its well documented the problems that I experienced with it. I will say though that the dealership asked me if I had fitted a tuning box at any stage, they were suspicious because of the fault. Read in to that what you will.
Click to expand...

Did the light come on after you removed the DTUK box?
 
Update - the audi assistance man checked my car last week.. all appeared well and he cleaned the fuel sensor plug abit as the vag computer advised him to. My fuel was quite low on that day, which he said could have caused the fault.. ( wo knows) so anyway the tuning box and pedal box are now in with everything running fine.. until - a mate took my car for a spin only down the road n when he got back the dreaded glow plug sign comes on -_- really ruined my night. P. S when I looked at the wiring around the plug on the tuning box towards the fuel pressure plug the wires seemed abit cut in places ( the covering round the actual wire) could this be causing all my issues? I covered it with tape but then that obv hasn't stopped anything.. I am going to be returning to tdi tuning in December to see if I can get any more out of my tuning map so I guess I could bring that up with them. I wwill however now buy a fault code reader off ebay, found one for 11 pounds http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/301395676933?cmd=VIDESC

Any thoughts?

Syed
 
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