Glow Plugs light flashing

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
2007 VW Passat Tdi Var 125kw, Suddenly, glow plugs light flashing while driving, cruise not working at the same time, I checked stop lights, they were working fine, scan it, no code there.
Turn off the engine and start it immediately, glow plugs light working as normal before but cruise still not working, but if i turn off the car for a while, every thing will work fine as before.
This is happening every one or two months.
Brake light switch attached at the bottom of brake master cylinder with T30 bolt. how to reach that bolt, what tool you need to use to open it easily?
 

Dave_D

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2003
Location
Gaithersburg, MD, USA
TDI
2015 Passat Titanium Beige six speed manual & Jetta, 1999.5, Tornado Red
How are you scanning it? Non-VAG code scanners might miss a VW specific code. There is a long list of mission-critical sensors that trigger the flashing glow plug light. Most common with a non-functioning cruise control are brake switch and clutch switch. If you have VAG-COM/VCDS check for functioning of those two in particular.

Dave
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
The problem is not happening all the time, plus once I turned off the engine and started again, everything will work as before. If (after this stage) I did scanning with VAG-COM/VCDS, do you think I will get a fault code?
and please, any hint how to reach to brake light switch bolt and open it easily?
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
How do you reach to its screw? my car is RHS wheel steering, so, brake master cylinder at RHS too. I couldn't reach it from top. I can see it underneath the car but not much space. Any ideas please?
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
update to brake light switch status. Turbocharger is gone, car smokes heavily, I opened it, play in the propller (side exhaust), and oil inside. I am in New Zealand, asked a part shop for VW, they told me that it will cost $2600 +GST, imported from Singapore, (Genuine one). That's only the part. I am trying to find one from Europe. Since to open the turbo, you need to open the exhaust, so, there is a lot of space to reach to the brake light switch which is under the brake master cylinder. I will order that too. I will update you when I get the part and install it back again.
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
I found one second hand one in Holland. It costed me with shipping and bank commission for changing currency 576 nzd. Also, I found a new brake light switch from Holland too (24 euro), my cousin lives there he sent it to me. I will send him a T-shirt for All Blacks :)
I installed the turbo and the brake light switch. Start the car, heavy smoke at the back, left it idling for 3 hours, second day run it for 1 hour. Tonight I drove the car on rural roads to get rid whatever left in the exhaust system. It looks perfect.
 

vincej

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2015
Location
Calgary
TDI
2014 Golf Wagon
Good that you got it done. How many kilometers on it before the turbo failed?
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
I don't really know and that's because I bought the car last year. The mileage at that time was 202000 km, after 2 or 3 weeks, I noticed a heavy blue smoke while I was driving. It suddenly appeared and last for about 5 seconds and then gone. I suspected a failure in the turbo but I kept driving it like that. every 3 or 4 weeks appears a heavy blue smoke until the mileage reached 222000 km. One day, I was returning from shopping, started the car and a hell of smoke of different kind of colours and never stops. Now, it is another turbo and runs fine. I assume the previous owner knew about these problems.
 

IronFighter

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Location
New Zealand
TDI
VW Passat
Update about glow plug light when flashing. I managed it to be scan by a scanner (Autel, MaxiSys), that's the name and the model of the scanner and it found P2279 code which is "Intake air system leaks". After a smoke test, it was leaking from the elbos hose that connects to the turbo, open it, O-ring there was not good, I didn't notice it when I put it back when installing the turbo, replace this O-ring, re-set ECU, test it now for 3 days, all works fine.
 
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