Car Won't Start After Erasing Codes

dieselgypsy

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Buckingham, VA
TDI
Beetle, 2000, gray
I have a 2000 Beetle (TDI, manual transmission, made in Mexico) that has 98,000 miles on it. Last month, the check engine light came on. I used my Actron OBDII diagnostic tool to check the code: Bad glow plug.

A few days before I could change out the glow plug, my wife was driving it and she complained that it lost power (won't go up hills, takes a mile on the highway to get up to speed, etc).

On Saturday, I found the bad glow plug and changed the fuel filter (since it was due to be changed).

I started up the car. It ran beautifully! While it was running I thought I would check the diagnostic tool to see what code(s) shows up. The code indicating a bad glow plug showed up and another code: P1556. (I know there is a wealth of info on this forum concerning this code, so I'll figure that out when I get this other problem solved!)

I thought to myself that I'd erase the codes and let them come back on their own. As I told it to ERASE the codes, it SHUT MY CAR DOWN. This is when I realized that I shouldn't have had the engine running when I did this.

Now the car won't start. When I try to start the car, the motor will turn over, but it never fires up. Sometimes the indicator lights on my instrument panel go crazy while I'm trying to start the car. Sometimes my "low oil" light comes on but my oil level is fine.

On a whim, I disconnected the positive battery cable from the positive terminal and let it sit over night. This morning, I reconnected the battery, put the key in the ignition, and it still would not start.

For the record, I read the FAQ about "my car won't start" and nothing on that list (check anti-shutter valve, etc) seems to correct my problem.

Did I fry my ECM? Will this cost me a lot of money?

Any ideas? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
This sounds real strange. Eraseing the codes while the engine is running should not be a problem... I do it all the time with my vag-com.

With the ignition on, can you still talk with the ECU with your scan tool? Where are you located?

-Jason
 

dieselgypsy

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Buckingham, VA
TDI
Beetle, 2000, gray
With the ignition on, I can still talk with the ECU with my scan tool. It does not see any trouble codes.

I'm located in central Virginia (between Charlottesville, Richmond, and Farmville). Anyone on this forum live in this area?
 

dlai

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 6, 2002
Location
The Insane Asylum Known As CA
TDI
2005 Passat, Stonehenge Gray, 2002 Black Golf 5M
I'm going to guess it's your fuel filter since you changed that. Is there bubbles in the clear line going to the fuel filter? Can you see anything flowing throught there? I suspect the tee on the filter has a really slow leak. If the clear line looks like there's nothing flowing, reprime the filter and reset the tee so it's really tight. When you changed the filter, did you also change the little "o" rings?

Good luck.
 

dieselgypsy

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Buckingham, VA
TDI
Beetle, 2000, gray
dlai said:
I'm going to guess it's your fuel filter since you changed that. Is there bubbles in the clear line going to the fuel filter? Can you see anything flowing throught there? I suspect the tee on the filter has a really slow leak. If the clear line looks like there's nothing flowing, reprime the filter and reset the tee so it's really tight. When you changed the filter, did you also change the little "o" rings?

Good luck.
My car has no clear line, unfortunately. I just pumped fuel from the line that goes directly into the injector - I pumped it until just fuel (as few bubbles as possible) came out of the hose... then reconnected it back up to the injector module.

I changed the o-rings, but I may have put each one in the wrong spot (after looking at the how-to video). Both were black and I assumed them to be identical.

I will go out this evening and try it again. Thanks!

Chris
 

dieselgypsy

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Buckingham, VA
TDI
Beetle, 2000, gray
It's Working!!!

Thank you, folks, for your assistance. My wife asked me who she needs to send a cake to! :D

I called Actron (makers of my OBDII scanner) and asked them if I could have hosed my computer using their product. They told me that the computer rejects the scanner's request to erase codes if the engine is running. In other words, it is highly unlikely.

Therefore, I deduced that it was pure coincidence that the car shut down while the codes were being erased! Just as the car shut down (because of air in the injectors), the scanner requested the fault codes to be deleted. And, tada - you get a mixed up situation!

I came home, and cracked the nuts on each injector just as
the tubing goes into the motor - asked my wife to turn the motor over a few times and diesel squirted out for about 10 seconds or so - I retightened everything and she started right up!

Thanks again!
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
Cool - you're running again !

Also good to know knowledge on the Actron - I have the CP9135 myself (useful for GP and TCC errors)..
 
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