After battery replacement, check engine light on, glow plug light flashing ...

redluv

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Location
NYC
TDI
2003 Golf
Hello,

I have a 2003 Golf TDI. Just had the battery replaced and experiencing some odd symptoms:

CEL on
Glow plug light flashing
Power windows in front don't go up all the way automatically, need to hold the switch in

The battery went bad unexpectedly so it was replaced at a shop without VW or Diesel expertise. The lights come on a few seconds after the car starts running. I asked them about that and they said it will go away in a few days.

Flashing glow plug light indicates brake light failure normally but not the case here.

Kind of annoying that now I need to hold in the window switch like a typical American car to raise the window fully.

I don't have a VAGCOM, would I be able to resolve this with one? Would it help to bring it to the dealer?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide,

redluv
 

gquenstedt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 26, 2006
Location
San Antonio, TX
TDI
'06, '03 x 2, '00
The windows not going up automatically is normal and will reset.

I'm not sure about the rest of the issues though. You could get the codes checked at Autozone maybe and see what they come up with. That is of course if you can't find anyone with VCDS to check them for you.
 

redluv

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Location
NYC
TDI
2003 Golf
Thanks for the reply. I called the stealership and was told "a flashing glow plug light means a problem with the glow plugs" they want $110 to reprogram the power window switch behavior and another $150 to check the glow plugs. I dunno why I bother with them at all. That was Koeppel in Queens NYC.
 

visionlogic

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Location
Daphne, AL, USA
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI
You need to:

1. Stay away from the dealer.
2. Do as gquenstedt said - get the codes read.

Back in '03 MoGolf posted this info regarding the glow plug light:

...list of known reasons for the glow plug light to flash. They are listed with the VW code and generic reader P code.

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

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.
And as general maintenance following the installation of that new battery I'd suggest you make sure your electrical grounds are good, clean and solid.
 

redluv

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Location
NYC
TDI
2003 Golf
Good info, thanks. The power window has now resumed normal operation without me doing anything to fix it. CEL still a problem.

Maybe I can get the repair shop that did my battery to read the codes for free, I'll try that first.
 

redluv

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Location
NYC
TDI
2003 Golf
Final update:

The car is not exhibiting any other problems normally associated with this code, and the light condition has not returned.

Thanks to all who replied for your help in troubleshooting this.
 
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