Glow Plug Light Blinking

wesintl

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Location
Colorado
TDI
02 jetta tdi
As noted above. 02 jetta tdi, 62k. I hooked up my obd 2 to read the codes and nothing comes back. It tells me it's clean.

Has anyone run into this before? Thanks!

Sorry, feel free to move this to OBD. I haven't been on this board in some time and it's grown alot.
 
Last edited:

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Welcome back...

A flashing glow plug light can be attributed to several conditions, most likely a burned out brake light or two and a defective brake light switch. (There are recalls for those switches, depending on the model year, but it can't hurt to check it and replace - definitely a do-it-yourself project, as the dealers have been known to mess this up... there are instructions here on the board...)

If you don't have a Check Engine Light, then the other possible causes of the blinking light can be dismissed - for now... BTW, most OBD tools aren't sophisticated enough to deal with this... you need a Vag-Com or the VW equivalent...

All the best,

Yuri.
 
Last edited:

wesintl

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Location
Colorado
TDI
02 jetta tdi
THanks Yuri,

I have a innova 3110
http://www.levineautoparts.com/innova3110.html

I was under the impression that it could read under iso 9141. Maybe that's not the case. The check engine light appears to be normal so maybe that is the case. :confused:

Thanks for the reminder on the brake light. The drivers side tail light has been a nucense from the beginning.:rolleyes:
 

wesintl

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Location
Colorado
TDI
02 jetta tdi
Preliminary results show the driver rear taillight out again. Actually it's the F-in connection at the bulb. It's always been a POS product :( I've tried to make sure the bulb stays tight but it's a constant issue.

This connection has caused the bulb to go out before but the glow plug light never came on and blinked before. So this was a new one and happily an easy fix, but like I said before a constant nagging one.
 

wesintl

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Location
Colorado
TDI
02 jetta tdi
ymz said:
Sheesh... that's almost the price of a genuine Ross-Tech Vag-Com !!! I'm not sure if the Innova can get into the more sophisticated levels that Vag-Com accesses... things like Basic Settings and the Airbag modules, ferinstance...
It was only $40 ;)from a friend that moved to a real time scanner. It was mainly used for Toyota 80 series land cruisers. While that price is high I think they generally run $120-130 from most part stores

That was the quickest link i found when posting :rolleyes:
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
TDI
Jetta Wagon, 2003, Red
owners manual

Why isn't this in the owner's manual? I think I looked on every page for what a blinking glow plug light means! I was a little afraid that it might be serious. Oh well. 2 new brake lights appear to have fixed the problem.
 

tjl

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 19, 2001
Location
California, USA
TDI
2001 Golf GLS
wesintl said:
Preliminary results show the driver rear taillight out again. Actually it's the F-in connection at the bulb. It's always been a POS product :( I've tried to make sure the bulb stays tight but it's a constant issue.
You may want to verify that the bulb is of the correct type. Sometimes, there could be more than one type of bulb look similar, and the wrong bulb sort of fits but does not work reliably.
 

ludikris

Veteran Member
Joined
May 14, 2006
Location
north York
TDI
Colorado diesel
mine blinks all of a sudden too... I just removed a trailer harness because I was trying to hunt down my right turn signal short... it keeps blowing fuses... as does the hazard...
issue #2 is that I have led tail light bulbs and I've seen a few of the cluster go out but come back on...I dunno what gives...

I also need to get the brake light switch replaced too as per the recent vw letter I got.....
 

ssjimbo

Active member
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
Location
Tallahassee
TDI
99.5 Jetta
I have this same problem. Usually it will be preceded by the cruise control not working. The brake lights work fine. I just replaced the brake light switch for the second time, the first time was the recall. It was only a week later that the glow plug light was flashing again. It flashed for 15 miles or so until we stopped for fuel. After that it was fine. It came and went for the rest of the weekend trip. Now that we're back, it hasn't happened again, but we're just driving around town.

Any ideas?

rgardner said:
What if the glow plug light just blinks intermittently?
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
Peter2003Jetta said:
Why isn't this in the owner's manual? I think I looked on every page for what a blinking glow plug light means! I was a little afraid that it might be serious. Oh well. 2 new brake lights appear to have fixed the problem.
It's in my '01 manual, but it's not described under the glow plug lamp but the ECM (or whatever it is) lamp for the gassers.
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
ludikris said:
mine blinks all of a sudden too... I just removed a trailer harness because I was trying to hunt down my right turn signal short... it keeps blowing fuses... as does the hazard...
....
If you didn't use a convertor box then you run the risk of frying the computer. You can usually find these at trailer or camping stores.
 

ludikris

Veteran Member
Joined
May 14, 2006
Location
north York
TDI
Colorado diesel
I did have a converter box..... I still dont know what the issue but I can't use my right signal or hazards without blowing the fuse.... and the hazard buzzes when I press it so, there must be a short.... as well... the alarm no longer flashes any lights upon arming or disarming anymore...even during the short periods that both signals were working....

I"m lost... I dunno what do do.

btw... my glow plug light stopped flashing as soon as I replaced the aftermarket led bulbs with oem ones....
 

R2point0

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Location
Poolesville, MD
TDI
Passat, 2015, Silver; Passat, 1997, Blue
ssjimbo said:
I have this same problem. Usually it will be preceded by the cruise control not working.
Any ideas?
Same thing happened tonight on the way home from PA: Cruise no workee, flashing GP light for 5-10 miles, light goes out, cruie works again. I thought it was coincidence until seeing this post.

R2.0
 

meganuke

TDIClub Contributor, Vendor
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Location
VA/CT
TDI
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
Cruise not working is a classic symptom of a dirty or defective brake switch. You can pull it out, carefully take it apart and clean it, or just buy a new one for less than $15.
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
ludikris said:
replaced the led tail lights with regular bulbs and the gpl stopped flashing.
The computer detects the LEDs as an open circuit and thinks the bulb blew. Hence it blinks. You have to put a resistor in parallel with it, but don't ask me how much.
 

ssjimbo

Active member
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
Location
Tallahassee
TDI
99.5 Jetta
meganuke said:
Cruise not working is a classic symptom of a dirty or defective brake switch. You can pull it out, carefully take it apart and clean it, or just buy a new one for less than $15.
What if the brake switch was only one week old? Then what might it be?
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
ssjimbo said:
What if the brake switch was only one week old? Then what might it be?
Aside from brake lights themselves, it could be a defective brake switch or one that was installed incorrectly... (many dealers have trouble with this procedure...)

If you're asking about the cruise control not working, that could also be from a bad clutch switch (if your car has a manual transmission)...

Yuri.
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
RRunner said:
Where can I find the brake switch ? Thanks
Can't comment directly on the right-hand drive vehicles such as you have over in the U.K., but it's normally just above the brake pedal itself... if there's a cover, it must be removed, and you should look at the back (towards the driver) side of the hinge assembly for the pedals...

A brake switch replacement procedure can be found here:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1158315
It's for North American models, but I would guess (dangerous, yes, I know) that it's similar on the British models...

Yuri.
 

NorthernFreezer

New member
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta
weedeater said:
The computer detects the LEDs as an open circuit and thinks the bulb blew. Hence it blinks. You have to put a resistor in parallel with it, but don't ask me how much.
I have LEDs in also and same thing GPL flashes and cruise won't work at all... How would I find out what type of resistor I need what size. I would like to fix this as my lights are super sexy and I drive on the Highway alot so I need that cruise control big time. :confused:
 

ChuckMason

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
Location
L.A. CA
TDI
Jetta wagon, '03, silver, auto
Can't comment directly on the right-hand drive vehicles such as you have over in the U.K., but it's normally just above the brake pedal itself... if there's a cover, it must be removed, and you should look at the back



Ah yes, another tool to buy. It appears to be a 3mm Torx bit or something. And then I can lie on my back for a while and work about 3" above my nose. I guess it's time for those reading glasses.
 

DrDon

Active member
Joined
Feb 8, 2001
Location
Paradise, Oregon, USA 2001 NB
TDI
NB, 2001, Silver
thanks all;
and ymz, for the Vortex thread, was very informative with definitive guides, photo's, Dx/Tx, brake-light switch innards, DOT complaints, recalls, etc as the blinking glow plug icon +/- no brake lights/cruise/limp mode... as it evolved over the last ten years; and culminating finally in a new design with simple install (Green 1C0 945 511 A NAR) that I bought this AM; leave pedal as is, lube tip, push in to match ears, twist clock-wise until click (allows nubs to push contact arms and supposedly set plunger to correct distance)
Bought two at $3.75 each; cleared the brake-light fault code (implausible value or whatever) with VAG-COM 504 (connected by 2x25ft serial cables to the old ASUS P2B computer with a serial port--as the serial header on the premium Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 MotherBoard [especially purchased for the serial and parallel headers and then a pain to find a serial/parallel bracket and cables to the headers]...would not work (evidently a non standard pin-out to be sorted out some day).

Our Vehicle NB 2001 TDI.
Our problem by the way, was wife called with blinking glow plug light yesterday on way home from Intel, and mentioned on arrival home that cruise control was not working.
Brake lights worked, fuses intact, no LED's (though have some but were not bright enough); owner manual useless>>take to dealer with no list of causes/possibilities; don't know where I put the Bentley's CD; VW NB Service Manual 98,99 (paper) no help;
did not feel like setting up the old system, so looked here.
Switch (Lavender 1J0 945 511D) pins 1-4 with continuity, but not with pins 2-3 (to ECU); took apart: 1-4 contact burned/pitted but functional. 2-3 contact arm was not touching contact as cracked near base and then fell off when examined....hence down to Armstrong for hopefully the new improved version..and that is what they had.
So now was semi-forced to hook up the old BORG system and string out the serial cable to reset the fault code(s); looked up on Ross-Tech and now see that is up to version 10.6 from my 504.1.

All seems back to normal and have a spare...
Thanks all
 

67comet

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Location
Layton, UT
TDI
1999 Beetle
This topic shows when I search; but all of the things that people mention are the same things I've done (swapped both rear bulbs, swapped the brake light switch (as per the instructions; who'd a thunk it'd be so technical to swap a plunger) and found one thread that mentioned brake fluid so I checked and topped that off.
I've got a 1999 VW TDI with a few hacks. We purchased it out of Oregon; it has 190,000+/- miles on it, old stereo system wires up under the dash and into the engine bay (all disconnected) at both ends. The battery box is gone so the little box on top with the terminals in it is resting to the side by the air cleaner box and the radio its self looks like it's been beaten with an ugly stick.

The issue started TODAY and we've been driving it off and on for the last 3 months with no issues besides the occasional Battery light on because some black wire out of the floating terminal box doesn't seem to be happy unless you touch it (literally, when the light comes on; pop the hood, jiggle (barely) the black wire and you hear the alternator click (not the A/C).

I know this car has a plethora of electrical gremlins but I can't swing and OBD tester right now; and from the sounds of things AutoZone's can't narrow things down past the smog items (I had a Passat VR6 that they could only tell me "one" of the o2 sensors was bad; one was $200 the other was $180 - That's expensive trouble shooting).

Could have the bulbs and switch fixed it and I just need the ECU cleared? (I did pull the battery terminals for a bit earlier today (after the blinking glow plug/steady check engine light issue).
Ideas? I'm out .. ;)
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Comet, it sounds like your car is mad at you for taking from it's home. I' know I'm cranky if I have to leave Oregon.

Did you know that a blinking GP light can be more than a brake light problem? Mogolf has a post listing the other possibilities. Of course those other possibilities involve more than a code reader. Have you searched for someone local with VCDS?
 
Top