Interesting note during a 20K service today on my 2012 Passat

Fastbird

Veteran Member
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Oct 12, 2013
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
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2012 Passat SEL, 2015 Sportwagen SEL
Supposedly the lift pumps aren't supposed to prime when you initially key on (or in my case power on with the start/stop button).

Mine does. I've always heard it but thought it was something else. After priming via VCDS and listening to the pump sound changing as pressure built, I could hear the change when I initially power on too.

Oh and broke a Snap On T20 Torx when opening the fuel filter canister. Yaay. Thankfully I had spares, but it took a bolt out to get the one bolt to loosen.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
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Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
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2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Must have been a running change in production. My early 2012 (demo) did NOT prime with push button. A few 2013 owners have posted that their's DOES prime.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
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Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
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... None :S
I was just going to post the same thing... our mid 2012 doesn't prime when turning the key, but the 2013s that I've seen do.

-J
 

BKmetz

Administrator, Member #10
Staff member
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Sep 25, 1997
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Illinois
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2015 Passat, titanium beige, 6MT
My 2014 does run the fuel pump when turning on the key. You can easily hear the whirring sound it makes.

I'll pay more attention to my 2015.

:)
 

Rico567

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Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Our '13 SEL w/ KESSY does not run the lift pump when the "ignition" is on. I have run the pump w/VCDS after changing the FF and the sound is quite distinctive.
 
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16vjohn

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Salt Lake City, UT
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EA288 CVCA 6MT
Devil's advocate here... but do you want to count on a key-on prime when the factory service manual specifies a 30 second run of the lift pump via diagnostics system?

I'm not going to give VW any reason to deny a fuel system claim on the new dieselgate warranty.
 

Fastbird

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Oct 12, 2013
Location
Fort Wayne, IN
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2012 Passat SEL, 2015 Sportwagen SEL
Devil's advocate here... but do you want to count on a key-on prime when the factory service manual specifies a 30 second run of the lift pump via diagnostics system?
I'm not going to give VW any reason to deny a fuel system claim on the new dieselgate warranty.
For one, no one here was discussing using the auto prime for the fuel system to prime after a fuel filter change. The thread was started because I simply noted that the system would prime when I initially power on contrary to normal expectations.

Two, how would a dealership tech EVER tell that the fuel system was primed via auto prime or using VCDS, especially if you did it at home?

Some of you guys here really overthink things.
 

tdiatlast

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Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
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2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
I know 3 diff. dealerships, 3 diff states, that attempted to start one of my cars w/o priming.
I'll bet most dealerships don't bother to prime...
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
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Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
they also don't clean out the filter canister either, pull out the old, slide in the new.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
they also don't clean out the filter canister either, pull out the old, slide in the new.
I have changed the filter several times, and the last time I did it there was only maybe 1/2 teaspoon of grit down in there when I shined a flashlight in the canister.....and that was at the 60K change, so I didn't fool around trying to clean that little bit out.
 

16vjohn

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Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
TDI
EA288 CVCA 6MT
For one, no one here was discussing using the auto prime for the fuel system to prime after a fuel filter change. The thread was started because I simply noted that the system would prime when I initially power on contrary to normal expectations.
Two, how would a dealership tech EVER tell that the fuel system was primed via auto prime or using VCDS, especially if you did it at home?
Some of you guys here really overthink things.
Overthink? Indeed. Trying to get ahead of what I know to be true, non-anecdotal stories of VWoA denying fuel system warranty claims for highly arbitrary reasons.

This is a valid discussion within the context of your original post, but so sorry to offend you.

Regardless of what dealer does or doesn't do isn't really the point. The point is, the proper service procedure says key on is not to be used as part of fuel system service procedures. The fact that it does or doesn't run on key on isn't really the point.

Your car, do what you want with it.
 
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