I've got a VW Golf 1.9 TDi which is about 18 months old. On Tuesday night I was driving home on the motorway when I suddenly experienced a loss of power. The car didn't stop but the engine wouldn't rev above 2500 rpm and wouldn't get above 60 mph. It was almost as if the engine had lost all turbo assistance. I nursed it off at the next junction, stopped and switched the engine off. About a minute later I switched back on again and everything was fine. The car was fine yesterday but today it did exactly the same thing again.
Personally I think it is either a faulty sensor or a fault in the ECU (I think some Bosch ECUs exhibit this kind of fault).
Has anybody else experienced anything similar?
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I had exactly the same on a Skoda Octavia with the same engine. It was caused by 'a sticking wastegate dump valve' (whatever that is!). Even though the car ran perfectly after switching off then on again, the incident was recorded in the ECU memory. It showed up when the VAG diagnostic computer was plugged in at my friendly Skoda dealer. Get your VW dealer to plug your car in; hopefully the fault will show up.
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some ECUs limit engine speed when they recognise a fault, in order to limit further possible engine damage. If this is the case, then a fault code will be stored which can be read by the dealer's computer, which should give some indication of where the fault is.
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The Golf GT TDi 110 I recently took over developed intermittant hesitancy/loss of power (unwilling to go over 2200rpm)/'quacking' sound under the bonnet. These 3 symtoms would appear singly or in any combination. Loss of power usually disappeared after switching off and restarting. From other VW TDi and Laguna experiences, I suspected
sensor/computer software/wastegate glitches, but my (trusted) VW dealer diagnosed imminent turbo failure, 'which would cause other engine damage', and changed it asap (the following day).
(I took the car to them initially, after it had lost power just a couple of times and they could not find any problem - they showed me the blank computer diagnostic printout. It was approx 3000 miles later at the 30000 service, with the problems more frequent, that they quickly found the problem...)
(Before the usual 'VW rubbish' comments, I have been very pleased with my 110 Passat, 136000 miles (driven from new, bought from leasing company)... The Golf is not as refined, though!)
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Before the usual \'VW rubbish\' comments, I have been very pleased with my 110 Passat, 136000 miles (driven from new, bought from leasing company)\"
Spot on!
One of the urban myths perpetuated in the Backroom is that VWs have poor build quality but Seat and Skoda are marvellous. Methinks this is spread by the \'I saved £3k aren\'t I clever\' brigade.
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I wouldn't say that VW have "poor" build quality, but it is not currently as good as it should be. A couple of years back two colleagues purchased VW Passat TDi's within a few weeks of each other (the 110PS versions I think, but I'm not certain).
I think one has now done about 60k and the other 80k. They both seem to have suffered quite a catalogue of faults, including various problems with alarm and locking, a failed alternator, failed air-con condensor fan bearing, failed driver's door lock (surprisingly expensive!), a failed air flow meter (just last week). One guy currently has his ABS light stuck on plus a suspected failed wheel bearing, the other guy is about to have a clicking CV joint replaced.
Granted, none of these are 'serious' failures and the Passat is certainly a nice car, but for individuals running a car out of their own pockets the expense and inconvenience all adds up.
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Aprilla,
I am not defending VW - although the 2 in my family(98 Polo & 00 Golf 1.8t) have been excellent.
My point was about the lack of objectivity in the Backroom. VWs are constantly slammed but Seats/Skodas constantly praised - usually by the proud owner; and if its a diesel Seat/Skoda then we are even cleverer aren't we?
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I would agree with others - VAG build quality ain't what it once was - as seen on my 1997 A4 TDi - nothing particually serious but enough 'faults' to put doubt in ones mind
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Rather than discussing VW build quality, can we get back on topic and concentrate on answering Keith\'s question please?
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OK!
I'd favour the Air Mass Meter...common VAG failing! ;-) so too on BMW/Rover/SAAB diesels
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No, AMM failure is permanent, it doesn't temporarily 'fix' itself. I'd be looking at turbo wastegate, or possibly a temperature-related sensor failure.
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A somebody said earlier, the VAG diagnostic should show why. I have Avant 1995 142,000 which was losing power at speed, then ok for long period, then lose pwoer again. Took to Bosch engine management specialist, who put through their diagnostic machine, to get 'values,' which told them first choice was a loss of air to engine through a flexible pipe (chaffing): when that replaced, all ok ever since. But could have been, they said, any one of a number of other things. So no piojt guessing is air mass meter, or whatever - for the sake in my case of a £40 diagnostic test, I avoided all manner of expensive 'guesses'
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I totally agree with others.
Chap at work had a Golf V6 4-Motion and the build quality was awfull. He now has a Seat Leon Cupra-R and the build quality is superb. His words were "This is the build quality my Golf should have been"
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I have a VW bora 1.9TDi, was on the motorway and felt a sudden loss of power, unfortunately with my case after switching off and back on no return of power. Now it feels the car keeps juddering, on the motorway can't get it above 2.5K revs and if going uphill on motorway I'm actually losing speed and rev but the pedal is on the floor! plenty of black smoke at the back, it has been a while since back on motorway, it has done over 130K miles now any ideas, have changed the Air mass meter few months back as similar thing happened before did improve a bit, not sure if the same thing again! any ideas??
thanks in advance!
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i suffered something similer with my 98 audi a4 tdi, power would disappear after a set point then be lost until restarted, went on for a few weeks like this until eventally there was no power from startup, all i did was give it a good service including all 3 filters of which the fuel filter certainly looked as if it hadn't been changed in awhile
chris
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Is it possible that this can cause low fuel economy, as before this problem had arose I was averaging higher milage to what I'm getting now. I have had a new air mass sensor put on before I bought the car, but this problem has a arose recently.
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If the car is 18 months old it should be returned to the dealer under warranty.
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This is a 2001 VW Golf GT TDI, recently bought second hand, but I do have a one year warrenty with it. But it still dosn't tell me if it would effect the fuel economy. I need to run it for a while as I cannot get taken in for another week.
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This is Keith Fellows thread, my answer was to him.
If you want help you need to start your own thread so that you know if the answer is for you.
If an engine is running in limp mode with reduced power economy will suffer, considerably less horses are carrying the same weight.
;O)
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Yes i have the same problem VW Golf V 2.0 2004 .. had the problem in its 1st year loss of power when acelerating uphill .. main dealer could not find fault over 3 yrs but changed the turbo anyway .. the car is now 5.5yrs old 36K on the clock and the fault has repeated 3 times last weekend .. now getting fed up switching off at 70mph overtaking .. so its back to main dealer next week probably at my cost this time (unless there is some good will from VW) even though the original fault was in the first year. Fingers crossed they can sort it
SQ
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 24/07/2009 at 01:24
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