Flashing glow plug symbol

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Grapeape

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
Hey all. I hate being a bother but I hope you can help. It was -30 here and when I went to start my 05 jetta tdi the glow plug light was solid then started flashing it turned over very slowly then stopped. It wouldnt turn over anymore. I have the glow plugs I had the fault so I purchased 4 new ones. Also my battery didnt have the cold cranking amps I needed in our cold Ontario weather so I just purchased a new one and put it in. The glow plug light is still going solid then blinking and I believe this is stopping the car from turning over. Thoughts??
 
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K

KLXD

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Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
Never heard of a flashing plug light causing that. Sounds like a bad starter to me, maybe wiring.

Or a bad new battery. Happened to me once in sunny California. Installed it in the store's parking lot and nothing. Buggers wouldn't even hand me a new one. Had to do the warranty paperwork.

How about proof reading your prose?
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

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Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
I have no clue on the 05, but there is a long list of things that will cause the GP light to flash. I use to have the list. Seems MOGolf compiled that list. It may be in a sticky.

VW also used the "the flashing GP light" as an indicator something wasn't happy. Have you had it scanned with VCDS or something similar?
 
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G

Grapeape

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Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
Yes I have the scan software on my laptop and I had the check engine light came on a while ago and I should have changed them then. I bought new ones. As for the scan it came back as 1 and 4 glow plug fault. And I've never had the coil indicator flash until it hit these really cold temperatures.
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Grapeape, this may not be applicable to your 05 .. (it does apply to the ALH engine)

MOGolf .......... credit to him. (this is a copy and paste from one of my posts back in 2015)

Causes of flashing glow plug light

00741 Brake pedal monitoring - implausible signal
01044 Control unit incorrectly coded
16705/P0321 Engine speed sensor - implausible signal
16706/P0322 Engine speed sensor - no signal
16955/P0571 Brake light switch (F) - implausible signal
17653/P1245 Needle lift sender (G80) - short to earth
17654/P1246 Needle lift sender (G80) - Implausible signal
17655/P1247 Needle lift sender (G80) - Open circuit/short to positive
17762/P1354 Modulating piston movement sender (G149) - electrical fault in current circuit
17969/P1561 Metering adjuster (N146) - control difference
17978/P1570 Engine control unit blocked
18020/P1612 Control unit incorrectly coded
18026/P1618 Glow plug relay (J52) - short to positive
18027/P1619 Glow plug relay (J52) - open circuit/short to earth
18040/P1632 Accelerator position sender - voltage supply
17970 - Quantity Adjuster (N146): Upper Limit Reached
P1562 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

It also flashes when an interface tool has put the ECM in 'basic settings' mode.

There may be more; these are the ones I found documented.

The brake light monitoring includes the clutch switch (manual transmission cars). It also includes a possibility of blown brake light bulbs

 
Fahrvegnugen

Fahrvegnugen

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Location
Burlington Vt
TDI
01 golf 1.9 alh gls silver
I guess Battery, ground or electrical problem, is the glow plug harness good? Reading Andy’s list makes me think of a bad cable or ground connection, or wires shorting out.
 
Vince Waldon

Vince Waldon

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Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
The flashing glowplug light means the ECU has detected a "fix me now!" problem NOT related to the glowplugs (dunno why VW chose to use the glowplug light).

Scanning with a good VW-specific scanner is the best next step.. .if there are a bunch of codes clear 'em and see what comes back.
 
Fahrvegnugen

Fahrvegnugen

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Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Location
Burlington Vt
TDI
01 golf 1.9 alh gls silver
Oh that’s right Vince. I recall it getting cold and my glow plug lights would flash and ding and my headlights would turn off. I replaced my battery cables and it never did it again.
 
jokila

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Grapeape said:
I dont think so. It just happened when it was so cold. It seems because of the glow plugs.
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Cranking of the engine is unrelated to the glow plugs. You have a power problem in starting the car. Check the wiring and grounds. Is this a manual car? Anything related to the starting system can be suspect. Did you check the voltage of the battery before deeming it a failure?
 
G

Grapeape

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Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
Update. I just got a new odb scanner to work with my phone. The only stupid thing I did in a hurry to get it fired up was clear the codes before I saved them. I believe it said it was a 7036 or 7042 powertrain fault code. There was 4 of them. I cleared them but it still wont turn over. Any thoughts. The glow plug light is working normal now. I did replace all 4 of them.
 
jokila

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Grapeape said:
Update. I just got a new odb scanner to work with my phone. The only stupid thing I did in a hurry to get it fired up was clear the codes before I saved them. I believe it said it was a 7036 or 7042 powertrain fault code. There was 4 of them. I cleared them but it still wont turn over. Any thoughts. The glow plug light is working normal now. I did replace all 4 of them.
Click to expand...
The codes will come back if the engine is started, but if you are getting zero cranking then you have to look into the starting circuit, from ignition switch to lines that feed power - not necessarily in that order though. eg: clutch safety switch keeps the starter from engaging.

You might try bypassing the starting circuit by jumping the power to the starter. If that works, you would need to figure out the circuit and isolate where the failure point is located.
 
AndyBees

AndyBees

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Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Grapeape said:
Any idea if there is a way to bypass the clutch safety switch or diagnose it.
Click to expand...

I suspect there are two clutch switches.. one is in use when you depress the clutch pedal to start the engine (normally open).

The other switch is normally closed which is for cruise control operation..... tap the clutch pedal and the cruise will be canceled. You could find it, disconnect the plug connector and hot wire... but, it would be unsafe to drive with cruise on.
 
G

Grapeape

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Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
Okay I've done alot of research on diagnosing my issues. I'm trying to get to the starter. I cant see the plug going to it. It seems like it is under my battery tray. I want to pinpoint it to the starter. Would it sound like a good idea to remove my battery and tray to get at the starter connector.
 
jokila

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Grapeape said:
Okay I've done alot of research on diagnosing my issues. I'm trying to get to the starter. I cant see the plug going to it. It seems like it is under my battery tray. I want to pinpoint it to the starter. Would it sound like a good idea to remove my battery and tray to get at the starter connector.
Click to expand...
If the starter ends up needing to be removed you will want to have the battery tray out so go ahead. You can always set the batter back in there without the tray for testing purposes.
 
Vince Waldon

Vince Waldon

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Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Grapeape said:
Does anyone know of the common relay that goes in these Jetta??
Click to expand...
There isn't, at least not that causes the symptoms you're experiencing on your particular model.

Troubleshooting for power at the starter solenoid is a good next step, and yup that's easiest with the battery tray removed.
 
G

Grapeape

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Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
I found the issue melted wire from the solenoid to the starter I'm assuming it broke then melted the casing. New one is ordered.
 
BobnOH

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Grapeape said:
Does anyone know why I cant post attachments in my thread.
Click to expand...
You need to post the link to the data, long instructions in my signature.
Short version:
Log in again at pics.tdiclub.com
Select Upload button, follow prompts (check your file type)
At the end, harvest the url to use as a link for your post
Note there are 3 sizes with separate urls. For large data use the thumbnail, it shows the full size when clicked.
 
G

Grapeape

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2018
Location
Ontario Canada
TDI
05 jetta tdi
The starter is in and starting better then it ever has. I did it all from the top after taking out the battery tray. No need to crawl around on the ground. Thanks everyone.
 
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