Flashing Glo plug lamp

[transparu]

Hi Folks,

I'd appreciate any comments and suggestions please. I HAVE spent quite a bit of time searching on this matter to no real avail. I have an auto 2012 T5.1, 132kw as below.

Recently the Glo plug lamp has started flashing whilst driving. The first time it happened last week I stopped the car and restarted and the matter was solved. I drove 100+km without an issue. I have driven the car a few times since on short trips with no issue. Today the lamp started flashing again so I started reading in this and other fora.

It is NOT an issue with the brake switch, as the rear brake lights work as they should.

I should say that much of the 206,000km I have travelled has been on longer trips so issues of a dirty DPD are unlikely - even my VW mechanic has said this is never likely to be an issue for me.

I have run diagnostics on my vehicle and partial results are below. (A radio error is due to my having an aftermarket radio and the ambient air temperature error has been a feature of my vehicle since new!).

I'd appreciate any suggestion as to where the flashing light issue might be coming from please - that is, which of these errors might be pointing to it. It is only a matter of about 6 weeks and maybe 400km since my last VW service. I don't really want to go back to them $o $oon.

Sorry the print in the file is so small. Clicking on it should pop the image out.)



Any suggests would be appreciated, especially if there are matters I can address myself.

Thanks folks.

David

[Lucas_R]

Firstly, your glow plug lamp has nothing to do with your brake lights - so you can dismiss that theory.

The glow plug light will illuminate for various reasons, but they are all related to the engine/sensors/emissions equipment/DPF.

All of those faults could be contributing to your DPF no longer self-cleaning like it usually does, and the flashing glow plug light is almost certainly an early indication that your DPF is getting too full.

- Some cars use the ambient temp sensor as part of the algorithm to allow the DPF self-cleaning procedure to take place
- Your coolant fan error will most definitely be a contrubutor, as the fan runs at full speed when the DPF self-clean process is taking place. So if your fan isnt working then this will be a problem - not to mention the fact that with the hotter months coming, you will need to get this fixed anyway.
- And your mass air flow sensor error is likely to be contributing as well.

Your mechanic is correct in saying that with long drives that you are very unlikely to ever have DPF issues.......but he may have failed to mention that if any of the many sensors on the engine play up that this will cause the DPF self-cleaning process to not take place.

You will need to fix all of the issues and then (fingers crossed) the DPF will start self-cleaning as usual. But, once the DPF reaches a certain level above 100% full, it will no longer self clean and the car will go into limp mode and the only way to rectify this is to have the DPF cleaned and reset by a mechanic. So the more you drive it with these faults, the higher the chances that you will need to have a mechanic clean and reset the DPF...adding extra $$$ onto your total bill.

[transparu]

Lucas_R.
Thanks SO much for your response. I appreciate your expertise, information and explanations!
This does make me wonder a little - and something for me to check today.
Some months ago a goat hit us (jumped out from behind bushes on a roadside bank) and caused over $10K damage. Several items in the front were damaged including the radiator. It is POSSIBLE that there was unrecognized damage to the fan (or possibly electrical connections weren't checked when replaced).

In any case, I do appreciate your response.

I am aware that some possible solutions might be quite costly!

Regards,

Dave

[Lucas_R]

No problem. Id say the goat incident is the reason why your ambient air temperature sensor isnt functioning anymore as they are generally located behind the front bumper - so any front impact will likely damage it. There are just a cheap part. Your broken fan is also probably due to the goat incident.

As for the mass air flow sensor, this is showing 2x different errors - so looks like its dead or dying. Would be best to source a replacement as this is a critical component to the engine running correctly.

[transparu]

Mmm! Just was looking at the mass flow sensor for the part no. I went to pull the plug off (it was easier to do than most VW connectors) and when I put it back I realized that it had not been completely home in the first place! That could well explain part of the problem I have!. I THINK this is a step in the right direction.
Thanks again.

Dave

[Rebuild]

Firstly, your glow plug lamp has nothing to do with your brake lights - so you can dismiss that theory.

On my T5, glow plug light flashing CAN be an indication of faulty brake switch. Had it myself. Weird how VW operates its fault conditions, huh!

OP, yeah was gonna suggest checking the mass flow connections

[Lucas_R]

Plugging the mass air flow sensor back in is certainly a step in the right direction.

[Lucas_R]

On my T5, glow plug light flashing CAN be an indication of faulty brake switch. Had it myself. Weird how VW operates its fault conditions, huh!

I had no idea about this - you learn something new every day. So apparently if the brake light switch is faulty, or if multiple brake lights are not working then you will get a flashing glow plug light.......why on earth wouldn't they just use the bulb error light!!

[Greg Roles]

Looks like the goat smash has screwed your ambient air sensor, it's out the front of the radiator. That's not a big deal.

Also seems the fans aren't plugged back in properly, still damaged, wire problem, again likely from the smash.

I'd guess the DPF may be interrupted from doing normal regens if the MAF is throwing errors, the car needs to regulate the intake and exhaust air flow during a regen, and the MAF sensor is a big part of that. Be worth scanning the measuring blocks and finding the soot load of the DPF, but yeah, VW glow plug lights can come on for a number of odd reasons. German sense of humour I guess.

[transparu]

Thanks everyone.

The error disappeared the minute I reseated the Mass Flow Sensor plug. I know who was responsible for this and it wasn't just any mechanic, unfortunately - nor me.
I can now look at the other errors.

[jets]

On my T5, glow plug light flashing CAN be an indication of faulty brake switch.

For anyone reading this post with a T4, the same applies. When I bought my first T4, I had the glow plug light flashing
& I assumed that a glow plug had failed & even phoned for a price before someone wised me up.