Ridiclously cold temps, no glow plug light, car still starts?

tjfudge

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Location
Calgary AB
TDI
2012 Mk6 Golf Highline 6speed
Hey first time poster here. So I bought a 2012 golf this summer so this is my first winter with it. Its deleted with malone stage 2.


So as everyone aware its been miserable this last week and up here in northern Alberta Canada hasn't been any better.


So my car has sat for the last week unplugged in a compound in -20c to -50c temps and I just got home to it last night. Tried the remote start and it just cranked and wouldn't go. I got in and cycled the key and I have no glow plug light. I cycled the key a few times letting it run as long as I figured glow plugs would cycle (15sec ish) and it cranked for probably 10 seconds or so and it started up on the 2nd go around.



Now I've read about the relay being an issue and codes etc. I do have an obd eleven in the car so I checked. I have no related engine codes and I did the output test for the glow plug light on the dash and it came on and off as per.


If it were glow plugs the car wouldn't have started in this temps tho right? And should show some glow plug codes?



Any insight would be appreciated before I take it to a shop and have them take $130/h to tell me I just need a relay or its nothing to worry about.
 

Wilkins

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Location
British Columbia
TDI
05 Jetta Wagon 5sp, 10 Sportwagen 6MT
Assuming you mean it was sub -20 when you started the car I think the glowplugs must have been working. I don't think you would have got it started below -10 without them.

Weird things happen below -20 IMHO - stuff acts up or usually just breaks.

When it started was it reasonably smooth or much rougher than usual? What has happened since? Does it start normally? Is the glow light working now? Deleted you probably get a puff of smoke but is it more than usual?

Except for a longer wait for the glow light to go out my CR starts just about the same in any temperature. Coldest start I have done was a -30 morning and totally drama free, but to be fair it had only been that cold for a few hours so engine was probably warmer than -25.

Starting my BEW with the first gen recall plugs which did not provide enough heat to start much below -10 took 2-3 tries with the engine sputtering and almost running then dying on the first tries. That is what I associate with not working or weak glowplugs.
 

tjfudge

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Location
Calgary AB
TDI
2012 Mk6 Golf Highline 6speed
When it started that time it was pretty grumpy but smoothed out after a couple minutes. The next time I started it was yesterday morning -30 again. Still no glow plug light, turned key on for about 10 sec and then turned it over for about 5 sec or so and it started up. So just hit my remote start this morning -30 again and it fired up like 5 seconds after I hit the button without hesitation. Idled a bit rougher for a minute or so but its smooth now. As for smoke there's definitely some smoke right now but I'm gonna say that's just because of how cold the ambient air is as there is a ford suv running behind me with the same amount.
 

ihatespeed

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Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Location
holbrook, ma
TDI
11 tdi wagon 6mt 15 golf 6mt (Wife's) 2000 Ford 350 7.3l 6mt 4x4 (technically a TDI)
maybe your instrument light is shot, its pretty unlikely you would achieve a start with a bad glowplug circuit, and since they also monitor cyl pressure your harnesses must be good otherwise you would be seeing codes. I would get / borrow / rent a vcds reader to pull the real codes before you take it to a stealer, OBd2 is just basic emissions stuff.
 

tjfudge

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Location
Calgary AB
TDI
2012 Mk6 Golf Highline 6speed
No codes. Light isn't shot as I said I tested it already. So as in stands I replaced the relay with no change to the light. I messaged Malone tuning and he made me a new tune for the car with an increased glow plug duration and temp and I got my remote start delay lengthened to 7sec. Starts great now, but the cold snap has ended so its not really testing it haha.


Pretty sure we got it all solved tho!
 

HPsenicka

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Location
Orangeville, Ontario
TDI
2 x 2004 Jetta Sport BEW (Malone Stage 1.5), 2014 GSW TDI - Wolfsburg Edition, 2015 Passat TDI -Sport Trim
No codes. Light isn't shot as I said I tested it already. So as in stands I replaced the relay with no change to the light. I messaged Malone tuning and he made me a new tune for the car with an increased glow plug duration and temp and I got my remote start delay lengthened to 7sec. Starts great now, but the cold snap has ended so its not really testing it haha.


Pretty sure we got it all solved tho!



... except the light still doesn't work?
 

tjfudge

New member
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Location
Calgary AB
TDI
2012 Mk6 Golf Highline 6speed
The light comes on initially but turns off immediately. But after talking to Mark Malone and my local shop I’ve learned that the light itself isn’t directly related to the plugs actually functioning.
 

jerrymander

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Location
ur mum
TDI
f
The light comes on initially but turns off immediately. But after talking to Mark Malone and my local shop I’ve learned that the light itself isn’t directly related to the plugs actually functioning.
LOL
sounds about right


My 2011 had no trouble starting in the middle of winter in Duluth (-40 F/ -40 C) in 2016/2017 with original glow plugs and 110,000 miles. But the light was really hit or miss for me, too. Worried me the first time then I just forgot about it. Key on, wait 15 seconds, car fires right up like on a summer day.


Loadsa smoke and rough idle for a few minutes, but otherwise 100% fine.
 
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