2 Weeks Old - Engine light on already

[PJLarge]

Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come, but my 2 week old 170 decided to switch on the error light this morning. I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the heater plugs as it hasn't been as easy to start as the TDI130 I had 12 months ago and this morning it really didn't want to start - it spluttered into life and settled into a really lumpy idle for about 10 seconds then cleared itself.

I've got VAG-COM so I'll have a look in the morning just for my own curiosity but it's going back to the dealer on Monday to be fixed. A great start... not!

Phil.

 

[Smudge973]

Hope you get it sorted, it's so annoying especially when it's so new. Let us know how you get on

 

[jasonmymail]

Get it into the garage immediately...

My 170 just broke down... all the lights came up then went dead on the dual carriageway, no dash lights, no hazards, can't start it - had to be towed home - how embarrassing, a £25,000, 10 day old car with 500 miles on the clock just decides to pack up with no warning what so ever. Not a pleasant experience.

RAC man reckons it could be the immobiliser electrics.

!FUMING!

 

[benw123]

Any other 170 owners with problems?

 

[PJLarge]

Interesting... 2 faults logged on VAG-COM:

Address 01: Engine
Part No SW: 03G 906 018 DN HW: 03G 906 018 DN
Component: R4 2.0l PPD1.2 0111
Coding: 0000078
Shop #: WSC 06314

3 Faults Found:
001648 - Glow Plug Module 1; Glow Plug Circuit: Electrical Malfunction
P0670 - 006 - Short to Plus - Intermittent - MIL ON
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 10100001
Fault Priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 5
Reset counter: 40
Mileage: 1229 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2006.10.06
Time: 07:45:49

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 1696 /min
Torque: 120.0 Nm
Speed: 4.0 km/h
: 30.03 %
Voltage: 14.46 V
Bin. Bits: 10110000
Temperature: 30.0°C

001651 - Cylinder 3 Glow Plug Circuit (Q12): Electrical Fault
P0673 - 006 - Short to Plus - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 37
Mileage: 1293 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2006.10.06
Time: 17:30:49

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 1472 /min
Torque: 80.0 Nm
Speed: 20.0 km/h
: 24.18 %
Voltage: 14.46 V
Bin. Bits: 10110000
Temperature: 21.0°C

001652 - Cylinder 4 Glow Plug Circuit (Q13): Electrical Fault
P0674 - 006 - Short to Plus - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 2
Reset counter: 40
Mileage: 1293 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2006.10.06
Time: 17:30:49

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 1472 /min
Torque: 80.0 Nm
Speed: 4.0 km/h
: 30.03 %
Voltage: 14.46 V
Bin. Bits: 10110000
Temperature: 30.0°C

Readiness: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio
Part No SW: 8P0 035 186 C HW: 8P0 035 186 C
Component: concert II EU H52 0100
Coding: 0001001
Shop #: WSC 06435

1 Fault Found:
00858 - Connection; Radio ZF Output to Antenna Amplifier
007 - Short to Ground - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100111
Fault Priority: 5
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 58
Mileage: 636 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2006.10.01
Time: 16:08:38


So it looks like it is the glow plug system as I suspected.
A question for all the 2.0 TDI owners. Does your plug light stay on until you start the engine, or does it come on and go off once they've done their pre-heat like my old TDI130 used to?

Thanks
Phil.

 

[ren]

this isn't good news. my 170 has been faultless for the 2000 odd miles i've done so far. i'm about to embark on a mini-epic and do not want to lose all power at a crucial moment on the M1...

to answer your question about the glowplug light, pjlarge, mine has never stayed on for more than about a second. i suspect it will take longer as the days get colder, but it's very quick at pre-heating compared to older diesels i have driven.

 

[PJLarge]

to answer your question about the glowplug light, pjlarge, mine has never stayed on for more than about a second. i suspect it will take longer as the days get colder, but it's very quick at pre-heating compared to older diesels i have driven.

Thanks - that confirms the fact that something's not right then. Thinking about it, the 140 I test drove fired up right away whereas mine has always needed 1.5 seconds or thereabouts on the starter, so maybe the plugs haven't been working for a few days. All useful information, it's booked in for tomorrow morning. Should I tell them I've had VAG-COM on it?

Phil.

 

[mikelds]

My car went (140 TDI) into the dealers for some warranty work last week and I was supposed to get an A3 170 TDi courtesy car but apparently the dealer has stopped using the 170's for the time being due to a problem with heater plugs and I was given an 1.9 Avant instead.

 

[Vertigo1]

Should I tell them I've had VAG-COM on it?

I wouldn't, they could use it to squirm out of warranty work if they wanted, although this is unlikely on such a new car.

Out of interest, you asked about the glowplug light but didn't say what yours does. Does yours stay on indefinitely until you start the engine?

 

[PJLarge]

Out of interest, you asked about the glowplug light but didn't say what yours does. Does yours stay on indefinitely until you start the engine?

Sorry - yes the plug light stays on until the engine is running, but the engine seems to want to be cranked more than you'd expect for it to fire up. The cold start that triggered the engine light on Saturday was a very lumpy and smokey affair - like the plugs hadn't done any pre-heat. After 5-10 seconds it cleared itself and settled into a normal idle. This morning I gave it a double prime of the plugs (ie key on / off / on then start) and it fired up no problem.

It's in the garage now. Rather than telling them I'd had a look I said that I 'had a feeling' it was something with the plugs as cold starts were awful

Phil.

 

[steve184]

New cars - your more likely to have a problems with them when they are new than at any other time - they have just been built don't forget and any problem that is there will immediately show itself up. Once the car settles downa dn you have fixed the niggles it will be fine. My 140 broke down twice in the first week when i got it - and i put it down to this and laughed - never had a single hiccup since.

As far as glowplugs - they are very fast - with reasonable temperatures i don't even wait til the light goes out i just put key in and twist straight to start (like a petrol) and it fires immediately everytime (think they are so fast that the time it takes to turn the key and crank the engine for half a second is enough) when the weather is colder however i do leave the light on for a second or two first as i find if you don't the car still starts but kind of hiccups a bit as it starts if that makes sense. My glowplug light doesn't stay on until the engine is started it goes on and goes off seemingly in a predetermined amount of time (dependant upon temperature obviously).

steve

 

[Amchlolor]

My 140 seems to have this intermittent problem.
I always wait for the glowplug light to go out before turning the key (harking back to my white-van-man days).
Some days it starts as soon as I turn the key.
Other days it churns over like a 1978 Escort with dodgy points,then splutters into life cylinder by cylinder,spewing out white smoke in the process,like one of the planes in 'thos magnificent men in their flying machines'.
The dealer can't find a fault.
They 'helpfully' suggested it might be watery diesel "or something"....

Ho hum.

 

[PJLarge]

Right - it's back. They tell me it's a known fault with the glow plug controller module and it'll have to be replaced. Unfortunately the parts are on back order, so it'll be the end of the month before it goes back in. They've reset the light for now, but said it'll probably come back on at some point.

They took it for a drive to test it out and have adjusted *everything* that is adjustable. All mirrors, seat recline, seat height, seatbelt height, steering wheel, stereo settings (!), totally reset both DIS1 and DIS2. It took me 10 minutes to get it all back to normal - it felt like I'd gotten into someone elses car by mistake...

 

[Amchlolor]

They took it for a drive to test it out and have adjusted *everything* that is adjustable. All mirrors, seat recline, seat height, seatbelt height, steering wheel, stereo settings (!), totally reset both DIS1 and DIS2. It took me 10 minutes to get it all back to normal - it felt like I'd gotten into someone elses car by mistake...

Oh man,you've hit upon a pet gripe of mine.
My dealer collects and delivers my car,using old blokes.
It's only a 15 minute drive but as with your car,if it can be adjusted,they adjust it.
It's intensely annoying.
Sometimes takes me days to get comfy in my own car again.
If I ever borrow a colleagues car,I keep any adjustments to a minimum,out of common courtesy.

 

[Vertigo1]

If I ever borrow a colleagues car,I keep any adjustments to a minimum,out of common courtesy.

I just make sure no-one drives my car.

Our insurance policy legally permits any employee to drive any company car but in reality, they'd have to prise the keys out of my dead hands first!

In the 9 years I've been driving company cars, only the two bosses have ever driven my car and then only to nip down the road when theirs were blocked in. No way am I ever letting the other gimps drive it, primarily as they have no respect for company cars in general and theirs are covered in minor dings and parking scrapes.

 

[TuffLittleUnit]

Oh man,you've hit upon a pet gripe of mine.
My dealer collects and delivers my car,using old blokes.
It's only a 15 minute drive but as with your car,if it can be adjusted,they adjust it.
It's intensely annoying.

Hah! I'm the other way. I get upset when they *haven't* adjusted anything because it means they haven't been driving the car properly/safely. If all my mirrors are at wonky angles when I get in I feel reassured that whoever was driving my car before me took the time to make sure they could see behind them.