Engine Warning Light

[MariusGT]

Ok so i'm driving home, low on fuel (MFD says 30km to go) and a BP servo just up ahead so that's where i am heading. it's pretty heavy traffic and while sitting at a light the idle became really rough.

i glanced down at the tacho and could see it juddering - aside from FEELING the engine stuttering. the engine warning lamp came on (flashing) then the stutter cleared up and the lamp went off....

refueled and all good.

was that the 'crud' at bottom of tank (which i've read people talking about) blocking the fuel filter and causing the engine to stutter before it was actually out of fuel?

or something else?

[Blitzen]

Not likely... It would have been the pick up failing to pick up a steady supply of fuel, much like when you suck the rest of the juice out of the bottom of a popper....

[Greg Roles]

All I can say is I have driven on 0kms for a few times now and there is always a few litres left on refill. It has never missed a beat, although I wouldn't advise doing it! I have had the feeling you describe, but only on my first ever test drive when I had removed the EGR/flap mechanism and the car was tryong to do a regen without these essential parts, it failed, and the car did exactly what you describe. I freaked out, pulled over, restarted the car and it's been fine since.

Keep an eye on it, the injector problems can rear their very ugly head in a similar fashion, with all sorts of weirdness on the leadup to just stoping entirely. Hope that isn't the case, but unless your actual boot plate build date says 04/08 or later, you have the "earlier" injection parts that are failing as far as current knowledge says. My GT is 07/07 so I'm in the firing line there!

[MariusGT]

Yeah- I've driven on a low tank of fuel a few times without a stutter so I tend to agree that it could be something else.

Thanks for the heads up re injectors- im booking my car in for a service and door lock repair (under warranty) and will mention the warning lamp flash etc.

How long does a fault which has registered in the system stick around for a VW tech to see? Or do they wipe after a certain time?

[triode12]

Sounds like a failing coilpack. There is a recall on coilpacks for MkVs. Check it in with the dealer to see if your car is covered.

[Greg Roles]

Ahh don't mind me, you have a TSI, so you don't have to worry about injectors like us diesel guys. My mistake, triode is onto it!!

[bang chong]

Sounds like a failing coilpack. There is a recall on coilpacks for MkVs. Check it in with the dealer to see if your car is covered.

Recall is on quite a few of the ranges actually, basically the range which have coils. The campaign your talking about is 28F5

[MariusGT]

update:

car in for 30k service ($622... i was quoted 580). if i wasn't getting warranty work done (and needed to kill 2 birds) i would never have had it serviced at the dealer.

mentioned engine warning light and they found a faulty recirculation valve. replaced under warranty.

i also told them rear left door doesn't unlock and therefor doesn't open. they had my car for a day and then decide they need to order parts and need the car again next week.

they did offer a free loan car for the extra day (when prompted) so that was good of them.

[bang chong]

update:

car in for 30k service ($622... i was quoted 580). if i wasn't getting warranty work done (and needed to kill 2 birds) i would never have had it serviced at the dealer.

mentioned engine warning light and they found a faulty recirculation valve. replaced under warranty.

i also told them rear left door doesn't unlock and therefor doesn't open. they had my car for a day and then decide they need to order parts and need the car again next week.

they did offer a free loan car for the extra day (when prompted) so that was good of them.

What do you have against dealers? A majority of cars that I see that are out of warranty and have major issues with them were the ones that were serviced outside of dealers. Small garages and even big garages don't know what is specifically needed on each individual service or change the wrong thing too often. Also the poor quality of work from most non dealer garages, I've seen cable ties everywhere, wrong type of screws or bolts used, a heap of parts damaged and that's just a few things.

What every customer doesn't realise that we have your car and another 30+ cars to do a day, my only advice if you want your car to be done first... just tell the advisor that you want to pick up your car after lunch. The workshop controller will see this and make sure your car is done on time. Then go pick up the car at 4pm. All we see on your R/O are times the car is meant to be picked up, not what time the customer has dropped it off.

[bang chong]

..........

[MariusGT]

Bang Chong: WTF??!!

I don't have anything against dealers. A friend of mine used to run a VW service dept and he told me the majority of servicing is done by apprentice mechanics (ie: kids). And when they complete their apprenticeship (gain experience and actually know what they are doing) they move on (get the boot).

I dont go to Lube Mobile or Ultra Tune (prob ok for a holden or ford) i use specialty mechanics (VW/Audi) and have always been looked after (cars have been well looked after) and NOT ripped off.

If you think an engine oil change, filter changes, brake fluid change and wiper change (plus quite a few checks) are worth $622... Then whatever: go service your car at your local dealer and enjoy getting bent over.

[bang chong]

Well I work at a dealer and I know how it all runs and your totally right. Apprentices a lot of the time do mainly service work, but you do get the odd few who actually have a brain and ambition and are quite good at what they do. The trade is full of stupid and I mean STUPID people(mechanics too) as I know a lot of them got into it for the wrong reasons.

If your going to someone who does specialise in VAG well that's good. I've just personally seen cars that get serviced and worked on at other places come to us and it looks like a monkey has gone crazy in the engine bay.