BEW Glow Plug Recall, worn glow plugs at 1 year

004 Jetta BEW Glow Plug Recall, worn glow plugs at 1 year.

We had our 2004 Jetta TDI BEW in to the dealer a year ago in January. The glow plug recall had not been performed. So the first stop in the dealer they did a computer flash and installed 7v glow plugs N105916.09. The car did not like to start below 20 deg. F. I measured the voltage and it was 7 vdc than dropped to 5 vdc after a short time.

Second trip to the dealer, (rev. of recall) they did another flash and installed 7v glow plugs N105916.04. This week #4 glow plug failed. I removed the glow plug and it was eroded. I removed the other glow plugs and they are also eroded. I have N105916.09 glow plugs from my 05 Passat with over 100k miles and they are not eroded.

I checked with the parts department and the N105916.04 are updated to N105916.08. There is a difference in the metal. At the portion going into the head is a shiny metal like the N105916.09s. The N105916.04 appear to be the same metal to the tip.


Do I have glow plug module problem, injector problem, or just defective glow plugs and they have changed them to the -08 now?

The picture shows all for just removed -04s and one -09 with >100K miles.


Thanks!

N10591609 are the correct 7V plug for BEW. See this other thread, and the TSB linked there.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=456839

Cannot tell from your picture if the metal is burst open or its just got gunk stuck to it.

Also, if you had hard starting with the N10591609's the problem is probably not the plugs themselves. We have no issue at all on our BEW at cold temps 10 deg F recently it started real easily, albeit with a cough.

gatz said:

N10591609 are the correct 7V plug for BEW. See this other thread, and the TSB linked there.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=456839

Cannot tell from your picture if the metal is burst open or its just got gunk stuck to it.

Click to expand...

It is not burst open but eroded away. There is a bit of what appears to be carbon on part of it. All four have erosion. The 100k plus -09 has no erosion. No gunk stuck to them I did wipe any loose black soot off. The failed plug measured 161 ohms. The other three 0.7 ohms.

gatz said:

Also, if you had hard starting with the N10591609's the problem is probably not the plugs themselves. We have no issue at all on our BEW at cold temps 10 deg F recently it started real easily, albeit with a cough.

Click to expand...

First trip to the dealer, they put the -09 in with a flash and maybe a glow plug module change. The car was very hard to start below 20 deg. F. Then the second dealer trip they flashed the computer again, said they put 5 v glow plugs in however that the second set of glow plugs were the -04 and labeled 7 v. The -04 and -08 are 5 mm longer than the -09. Not sure what the original ceramic glow plug lengths were.

I'm not really sure. From a quick search says the BRM plugs are supposed to be longer, maybe that's why they put em in to address your complaint. However, N10591604 was superceded by N10591608 like you said quite a few years ago. Where did the dealer get them? I find the whole situation very strange that the dealer would put obsolete BRM plugs in a BEW engine. Regardless, the engines are similar enough and they should still work.

This newer post says the 09 are on hold and dealers are using the 08:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=4981744&postcount=1621

I don't think this really addresses your question as to why they are failed though. Not sure.

gatz said:

I'm not really sure. From a quick search says the BRM plugs are supposed to be longer, maybe that's why they put em in to address your complaint. However, N10591604 was superceded by N10591608 like you said quite a few years ago. Where did the dealer get them? I find the whole situation very strange that the dealer would put obsolete BRM plugs in a BEW engine. Regardless, the engines are similar enough and they should still work.

Click to expand...

Today the dealer had both the -04 and the -08 in stock. Of course they had the -09 too.

-08 Glow plugs, hard starting

So I have the -08 Glow Plugs in. No CEL, no codes unless I crank too long. The measured voltage at the glow plug starts at 7 v then drops to 5 quite quickly. So I believe that I need to get the 5 v glow plugs -07. Will try that next. The car starts nice when I plug the engine heater in. New fuel filter, no change.