Code 17552 MAF Problems??

cdiamond

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2000
Location
Destin, Florida, USA
I searched and read every thread about code 17552 and found no real answers concerning a car that only throws the one code. A lot of cars that throw multiple codes in addition to 17552 seem to have either ground problems or vacuum problems. But the ones that only throw a 17552 seem to cured with an MAF replacement. Now the story.........................



My 2000 Beetle (147K miles, bought new and no chip) threw a code last week. Vag-Com said it was Code 17552/ P1144 35-00 MAF Open or Short to Ground. I immediately thought it was connector corrosion. So I pulled the plug and recoated the contacts with OxGuard. I then cleared the code but it came back immediately. Traced wires looking for a short or open and found nothing.

Checked MAF connector and found that my Car has only three wires on the connector. In position 2 is the yellow/black; in position 3 is a green wire; position 4 has red/purple (or lavender) wire. With the key on and motor not running I checked the output of these wires at the connector. The yellow/black wire has 12V. The Green wire has 1.8V and the Red/green wire has 5V. Position one and five are unused. Note that there is no ground wire.

At this point I decided the MAF must really be bad so I installed a new one. It did not solve the problem. The code still returns immediately after it is cleared.

I bought the replace plug and wire connector kit and replaced the entire connector. It did not solve the problem. The code still returns immediately after it is cleared.

What’s next?
 
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Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
Well, I realize this is probably a year too late to help you. However, I did have this same problem today that I spent 2 hours diagnosing and trying to correct.

VAG-COM threw ONLY the 17552 code and no other codes. Poor boost performance (as in limp mode). After checking all the contacts and removing the battery and checking the ground wires and such, nothing solved the problem. I replaced the MAF with a couple other MAFs to see, but the same problem happened with all MAFs, so it clearly wasn't the MAF itself.

I eventually started to take the ECU out to try and replace it - upon looking closer at the ECU, I noticed that one of the plugs was not seated all the way. I reseated both plugs onto the ECU and the code went away and car function returned to normal. So... the ECU plug was ultimately the culprit. What is strange about this is the fact that the 17552 code was the only code generated due to this condition. One would typically think you'd get other error codes and/or intermittent operation - this was not the case. The only symptom was the 17552 code. So I'm just posting this in hopes that if someone else runs across this problem in the future, they'll not spend the 2 hours I did trying to track down faulty wiring or ground and check the ECU first.
 

eng.Vladi

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Location
Seattle
TDI
New Beetle 2000 TDI
I wanted to share my experience. I had a local diesel dedicated garage run a scan and they said I had a bad MAF, they did not tell me what the code was at the time. Well, few months down the road, I decided to change it and I got a refurbished sensor from NAPA, it actually made it worse with RPM fluctuations on idle until engine warms up then it was fine. I still had the CEL (check engine light) on and then I hooked up an OBDII scanner, which found P0380, glow plugs! And that was the only code, I checked them and found at least 3 bad and I changed all 4. The problem still persisted with the hesitation at idle (RPM goes up and down fluctuating) and I had to remove the so called refurbished MAF and I reinstalled the original MAF. Just a day later my wife drove the car and CEL illuminated again and the scanner this time showed P1144. I have not checked the ECU yet, and my MAF connector may need replacement (it is a cheap plastic connector as you all know), however I do think that electrically works fine. Any suggestions? Thanks
 

seaglf

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Location
Houston Texas
TDI
2002 Golf GLS Automatic
*** do I do

OK here is my history. I bought my car a few years ago used, its a 2002 VW Golf GLS TDI with the 01m transmission. I was getting about 45 or more on the highway.A couple years ago I ran over a curb on the passenger side at an angel, and it broke the oil pan, right front tire and some suspension components. VW fixed everything but ever since I have been getting increasingly worse molage and power, and seemed like the transmission was slipping. Anyway I took it to Todd with Dieseltoyz, a trusted mechanic on this site. I had the intake cleaned, EGR cleaned, new Diesel geek timing belt, and had the transmission oil and filter changed. After I got the car the transmission was slipping on exceleration from a complete stop, and then locking up hard, and jerking when I came to a stop. I went back and had him add a little OIL and it seemed to work better for awhile. Now it still seemed like it had low power, and I assumed it was the transmission. So we talked about it and I have read numerous forums on problems with the 01m, and ordered a new valve body from Central Valve Bodies....with the Sonnax sure cure kit. So I am in the Houston area now and replaced the valve body, put a transmission cooler replacement kit. I went to a VW specialist here in Houston and had the VAG COM scan done and he said I was getting a code for the MAF, and actually ran the engine while reading the parameters and said they where way off. I ordered a new MAF from MJM Autohauss, I went to VW dealer and checked the serial number and the appearance of the MAF myself and the one I bought was Identical. I also replaced the g68 transmission sensor the Crankshaft sensor the Temperature sensor,( with the new Green one) which by the way was the p108 code I was getting originally from my scan Gauge II. I cleaned the intake from the throttle body to the intake on top. there was oil pouring out of the inter cooler. I put everything back properly so there is no lose hoses. Now I filled the inter cooler up with degreaser and water, and there where no leaks. OK I went back to the VW guy here in Houston yesterday and he did another scan and flashed the hole computer and still got the wrong parameters for the MAF, also low boost pressure. when I was checking the inter cooler I noticed it had been hit and bent a little but did not leak when I put water in it. He told me it could be leaking under pressure though. Anyway I got a wheel speed sensor signal ( changed the brakes too),. And I put dielectric grease on every connection I put back including the MAP on the inter cooler. Could the Dielectric grease be effecting everything. I intend to clean the connection to the MAF and test the voltage like it says in my Haynes book and try it. I have been going through hell trying to figure this out and I am tired of throwing money into this car. I am also aware of the possibility of the VNT actuator or the Vanes being caked up with carbon, or the Catylitic converter. Please help me if you can....What exactly are the sensors you mentioned from the VAG COM description. By the way do you know where I can find A VAG COM and software cheap.
 

seaglf

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Location
Houston Texas
TDI
2002 Golf GLS Automatic
stuff

I am going to check the plug with a voltmeter like it says in my Haynes Book, despite the fact that my Mechanic said to buy another one form VW Dealer this time. and maybe its the ECU....How do you check the ECU.
 

Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
I'm not sure what either of your problems really have to do with 17552 Error Codes - you should probably start another thread.

However, to answer your question, Vladi: Is your car an automatic or a manual? If it's a manual, the symptoms you describe sound exactly like your ECU being set for an automatic. If you have an automatic, then without knowing what year your car is, it's hard to say. How is your intake and EGR?

Seaglf:

It's likely not the ECU, if you haven't removed it. Since I (at the time) was tuning my car quite a bit, I had removed and replaced the ECU 40 or 50 times and apparently I didn't get the plug in all the way at the time I made the above post. Making sure it's connected, you would verify that both plugs are all the way in and the click/lock brackets are fully inserted into the body of the plugs. Mine were not because I was removing it so often, I would only put them about 3/4 of the way in.
 

eng.Vladi

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Location
Seattle
TDI
New Beetle 2000 TDI
Nitrowolf, Yes it is manual. So, you do think the ECU is wrongly set? How do I know if the EGR is OK. Visually it appears just fine, the car has excellent start on cold days. It is New Beetle, 2000.
 

eng.Vladi

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Location
Seattle
TDI
New Beetle 2000 TDI
I would like to update the resolution of my MAF problem and Code P1144, possibly for somebody that reads this thread in the future. I purchased a new MAF from a local Autozones parts store and replaced the unit. I cleared the code and turned OFF MIL and no re-occurrence after that. But, before I performed the replacement, I did confirm harness and connector pin voltages, as follows: Pin 2 and GND: (battery voltage) VDC; Pin 2 and Pin 3: (battery voltage) VDC; Pin 4 and GND: (approx.) 5 VDC; Pin 4 and Pin 3: (approx.) 5 VDC. All checked good.
The moral of this story for me is that you can still buy a bad part from the stores around ("bad from stock"). Thant performs bad, however can "fool" the diagnostic system and not trigger a fault.
 

splendid

Active member
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
TDI
2000 Jetta
17552/ p1144-35-00 fix

I recently encountered the 17552/ P1144 35-00 MAF Open or Short to Ground problem with my car. Searching for this code brought up this thread, so I'm posting my experience for future readers.

Driving one day power suddenly dropped out and the cel light came on. Scanning the car produced the 17552 code. I used a multimeter to make sure the voltage at the connector was correct, then put in a new MAF sensor. Problem fixed!
 
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