HELP!!!!!!!

So while leaving school today I went to merge onto the service road of the expressway. I floored it. The car crawled. I look down and notice that the check engine light is on. Get onto a side street, stop the car, try and figured out what's wrong. I haven't changed anything today (or recently). Stare at tuning box and wonder if i should bring my car in.

So here's what happens. just before the light comes on (when i shut off the car and start it again, sometimes the light goes off), when i accelerate the engine revs to 2000rpms and refuses to go any higher for a bit. then it will let me accelerate to 3000 rpms the next times. the engine seems to have less power. it will rev higher once at speed, but it doesnt want to. acceleration is tolerable (after that first 2000 limit) in the city (smooth, but not at all powerful), but it is not something that should be happening! Also, no smoke, possibly because it isn't revving high.

Has Rick Lazio been anywhere near your car lately???????

The dreaded Warp Field Collapse? (Run a search.) Try removing the tuning box and see if the car heals itself.

-mickey

First of all, i thought that only happened at high rpms? this starts as soon as the engine exceeds 2000 rpms..

Second, how do I remove the box? (dumb question, but i wasn't the one who installed it...)

You are right TDI Steve. This sounds almost exactly like my problem (it is near the top again, I had thought Relay 109). I'd say it is a broken MAF sensor. Check the connections, and if not, that would be my guess. Every time I turned off the car I would have to floor it and it would pause at 2300 rpm, and then let me go (until I turned the car off again), but at reduced power. Sometimes the check engine light would not come on right away after turning the car off, just like in your case. I hope are still in the limited warranty period. Take it to the dealer. They will probably have to order the MAF sensor, and then it will take them awhile to install it.

John

I had my car do that this weekend just before we pulled my tranny on Saturday. Lucky for me the friend that was helping me with it is a mechanic and he had a scanner and the problem was with my MAF sensor. The problem was that the wire spliter that came with my tuning box cut the wire right in half so we soldered it all together and left a connector so I can still remove it. The engine light can be on for anything though.

Thanks guys... looks like we're getting there, and seeing another common problem.

relay 109, fuel cutoff o-ring, and maf failure. all things to look out for. definately should add these to the faq.


BG's mechanic should be making some time for me tonight. I'll have him check for codes and see what can be done. I have an appointment at the dealer tomorrow, so I'll remove the tuning box. I'll probably wipe down the car so that it doesn't look abused (poor thing, hasn't been washed in over a month due to a crappy work/school schedule).

Maybe while I'm at the dealer I'll finally by a replacement antenna!


I think I'm going to sell the tuning box and try and get rene and upsolute to work magic on my car. (any offers? ;-)

16485 (P0101) Mass or Volume air Flow Circuit Range/Performance

Sounds like your TDI went into "limp" mode, like Ric's ride has been in for years.

I've experienced the warp-field collapse before and it only occured at 4,000 RPM's.

I suggest that you have the Box removed and then take it to VW to diagnose or have a buddy with a Scan Tool check it out.

Make sure the connector on the MAF is on good... I've had that stop (slow) me in my tracks !!

If I am not mistaken that was BG 's non adjustable box, you probably need to take it off and see if the car run's OK afterwards