Hard Start Plus Check Engine Light and Blinking Glow Plug Indicator

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Yesterday My 03 (71K Miles) NB began to have trouble starting.

It goes like this:

CHUG(1000)CHUG(1000)CHUG(1000)CHUG(1000)CHUG(1000)CHUGCHUGCHCH VROOM!

It is almost as if the battery is dead, but we replaced the battery just four weeks ago, and the old battery would go:

CHUG(1000)CHUG(1000,2,2000)CH(1000,2,2000,3,3000) Nothing....You know, like a dying battery should do.

It startes everytime eventually, so I have ruled out the battery.

So anyhow, yesterday we were not getting any lights on the dash. Today at noon however, on the fourth hard start I get the blinking glow plug and Check Engine Light. "Ahh, Bad GP's, possible harness, read about this before and Wingnut has that great FAQ"...

So off to the forums I go looking for info on replacing the glow plugs and harness and start coming across all sorts of terrible threads where people have shot heads and blown fuel pumps and now I am starting to have all sorts of terrible visions of coolant in my electrical system, which would make sense as one of my front headlights works itermittently, fog lights don't work at all, and the airbag light is on.

Sheesh. My car has issues. I'll keep posting to this thread to build upon the repository of what can go wrong with these cars, and what fixes them.

Steps To Take:

Go to AutoZone, get the code
Replace Fuel Filter (it is time)
Replace Glow Plugs
Replace GP Harness
Check Relay 109

I did notice that my last battery appears to have leaked acid onto the parts below it. What important electrical and starting parts are underneath the battery?


Thanks for Reading! I will post results as I go through the troubleshooting steps.
 

MOGolf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Location
underneath something
TDI
2001 Golf GLS TDI Reflex silver, rough road suspension and steel skid plate, 2004 Passat Variant, Candy White, rough road suspension and geared balanced shaft module, and much, much more. 2016 LR RR HSE TD6, 2019 Jaguar I-PACE
Ground point is under the battery.
Fan control module is also under the battery.

Give us a location and someone with VAG-COM or experience may be able to come to your aid.
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Oh yeah, another thing!

My wife just called, stranded at the gas station. A nice fellow with a huge 250 diesel truck jumped the car and it started right up.

I am thinking that perhaps the battery I just bought is bad, or there is an electrical gremlin discharging the battery somewhere.

The mentioning of the ground point beneath the battery may be a clue.

We only have one car and a million things to do this afternoon, and as much as I hate it, we have to be driving the car right now like this.

If someone with Vag Com could meet me tomorrow or the next day that would be great.
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Took the car by the auto shop to have the battery tested. Sure enough, the battery appears to be bad.

The question now is, was the battery drained by an electrical problem with the car?
 

scuba1968girl

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
New York
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI
Flashing glowplug/engine/hard start

HELP!! I'm a new TDIClub member. I have been doing a lot of research on the problems my 2002 Jetta TDI is having. I've read that the VAG-COM can give me more answers than the OBD-II readers. I saw your name on the list and decided to ask you for your services.

I have had problems with my brake switch (intermittently) for about 2 months now. Last weekend my boyfriend replaced it with a lavender colored switch (and now sometimes the light doesn't go out unless I lift up on the brake pedal). Everything was working great until last week when my check engine light came on in addition to my glow plug light flashing. I have read about 8 different reasons for the glow plug light to be flashing, so I'm not sure where to start.

Since the cold weather has started, my (somewhat weak battery) has not been able to start my car without spraying starter fluid in the intake or the block heater being plugged in. The battery has died several times just trying to start the car. I can't plug the car in at work during the day, so I'm forced to start the car using the starter fluid. My car also shakes A LOT when stopped at red lights, so I need to put it in neutral to stop it from shaking (it still shakes then, but not as much).

The codes that were pulled at Advanced Auto are:
P0106
P1562
P0128


Any help you may be able to offer me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Alicia
 

MOGolf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Location
underneath something
TDI
2001 Golf GLS TDI Reflex silver, rough road suspension and steel skid plate, 2004 Passat Variant, Candy White, rough road suspension and geared balanced shaft module, and much, much more. 2016 LR RR HSE TD6, 2019 Jaguar I-PACE
Has the fuel filter ever been changed? If not, your engine is possibly starving for fuel causing the P1562 and jerking.

Your boyfriend probably failed to hold the pedal up while installing the brake light switch. Have him reach down there and give it a strong sharp pull up. That might fix the brake light problem, or you need another new switch. Your car was recalled for this. It could be a free repair.
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
What MoGolf says.

Get you fuel filter replaced, and then have your battery checked.
 

scuba1968girl

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
New York
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI
I replaced the fuel filter about 2 months ago, so I don't think it has anything to do with my flashing glowplug light. I've read on here multiple reasons for the flashing glowplug and check engine light on:
  • engine coolant temp. sensor
  • the cold start valve
  • fuel coolant temp. sensor
  • anti-shudder valve
  • water in the diesel
  • brake switch
  • weak battery
  • dirty intake manifold
I'd go broke replacing all these parts. I don't understand how there could be so many different reasons for the flashing glowplug light with the check engine light on.

My multiple symptoms are:
  • occasional loss of power on take off
  • hiccuping (or slight loss of power)while driving at steady speeds
  • bad shaking at low idle/red lights while in drive (not as bad when in park or neutral)
  • occasional difficulty starting vehicle when block heater is plugged in
  • a lot of difficulty starting vehicle when vehicle is cold and temp is below 50 degrees (probably due to weak battery)
  • only way to start vehicle when vehicle is cold and block heater not plugged in is to spray starter fluid in the intake (possibly the reason for the vehicle shaking a lot when at low idle/stop lights)
  • too much fuel consumption
  • codes P0106, P1562, P0128
  • glowplug light only stays on for 1/2 a second prior to attempted starting
  • needing to jump start vehicle all the time (weak battery)
  • airbag light stays will not go out
I think this is the complete list of all my symptoms. Will a VAG-COM help me figure out the exact reason for my car problems or should I just replace the battery and the engine coolant temp. sensor (already replaced the brake switch) and see what happens? Will the VAG-COM be able to figure out why my airbag light stays on?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks,
Alicia
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Replace your battery first

Your symptoms have a lot in similar with mine, albeit you have several more than I do, but really, get that battery replaced and go from there.

The *new* battery (three weeks old) that replaced my old battery (3 years old) failed, and since replacing with yet another battery (for free) last night, the car has been running swimmingly.
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Airbag light-

Apparently the only way to reset it is with Vag Com...Or a trip to the stealership.
 

scuba1968girl

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
New York
TDI
2002 VW Jetta TDI
Greg_Morgan said:
Your symptoms have a lot in similar with mine, albeit you have several more than I do, but really, get that battery replaced and go from there.

The *new* battery (three weeks old) that replaced my old battery (3 years old) failed, and since replacing with yet another battery (for free) last night, the car has been running swimmingly.
I replaced the battery yesterday afternoon. I drove to the store for my battery, had it replaced there, car was off and cooling off for about an hour and half (low 40's degrees) and still had trouble starting it. It started on like the 4th try and there was no change in car symptoms.

It's quite scary though when I'm driving 65, the car starts to lose power (I have to lift my foot off the gas pedal for a second, or 2 or 3 before pressing the gas again for power) and then the car that is following close behind me is almost hitting me because I've slowed down about 5 or so MPH (without my brake lights being on). :eek:

I also purchased the coolant temp. sensor at the stealership yesterday, so we will be putting that in "hopefully" on Saturday.

Any more suggestions as to my previous post with all the symptoms?

Alicia
 

Doug Huffman

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Location
Washington Island, on the other side of Death's Do
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2K3 Silver gone to new home
Two suggestions for Alicia. Take your car to a listed guru and start your own thread. Two alarms CEL and MIL and your list of symptoms suggests that the car has been - well - not cared for and a guru will need to use his intuition and consult the force. When I select a thread to read I look to the number of responses and who has. Your own thread might catch an eye. Maybe post to TDI 101 since some online gurus seem to lurk there for interesting problems. I am sorry that I can't help more.
 

Greg_Morgan

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
TDI
2003 Beetle Midnight Blue
Yes, What doug says, start a new thread

Start a new thread over at the 101 forums, and keep coming back!
 
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