2012 Sportwagen No-Start - 45k miles

2012 Sportwagen No-Start - 45k miles (no water in IC)

Hi,
My 2012 TDI sportwagen refused to start yesterday morning. It was cool but not close to freezing out. When turning the key the first time, it fired but only for <1 second. The ECU considered the engine "on" because I had to turn the key off to try starting again. After the stall, when trying to start, the starter spins (but no chugga chugga, its a smooth starter sound). Tried a few times and had it towed to dealer.
Dealer calls and says they got it started after running the starter motor for ~90 seconds. Subsequent restarts throughout the day and it fired up no problem. They did not report any codes and checked the fuel system for contamination. The filter was clean (no shavings) and the diesel fuel looked like diesel fuel. They wanted me to pick up the car but I asked them to check for water in the intercooler piping and they would try again in morning.
This morning they had more trouble to get it to start and suggested that I got a "bad batch" of diesel when I filled up on 5/1 and it will cost $240 to drain and refill. There was no water at all in intercooler piping.
Do these symptoms sound like bad diesel? They suggested the diesel is contaminated with water which settled out and gets pumped through the system resulting in the no start. Does that sound right? I am under the CPO extended warranty, but they won't cover this repair due to it being from the fuel so I opened a claim with Shell.
Before getting the car back is there anything else I should have them check? If it was water could it have damaged the fuel pump due to lack of lubricity?

They 'suggested' that the diesel is contaminated with water.

Then they say they won't cover it because it's the fuel.

Firstly, this sounds like nothing more than speculation, and they're trying to deny coverage when they haven't root-caused the problem. If they opened up the fuel filter, and the filter was clean with no shavings, then they would have seen water in the filter housing if there were any. That's your water separator.

Secondly, if it's water in the tank, it shouldn't be causing a no-start only at certain times. The water would be causing problems at any time of the day.

Something else is going on.

frugality said:

They 'suggested' that the diesel is contaminated with water.

Then they say they won't cover it because it's the fuel.

Firstly, this sounds like nothing more than speculation, and they're trying to deny coverage when they haven't root-caused the problem. If they opened up the fuel filter, and the filter was clean with no shavings, then they would have seen water in the filter housing if there were any. That's your water separator.

Secondly, if it's water in the tank, it shouldn't be causing a no-start only at certain times. The water would be causing problems at any time of the day.

Something else is going on.

Click to expand...

Any ideas on what that something else could be? Seems like the major no-start issues I've read about is the HPFP (easy diagnosis, right?) or water in intercooler when around freezing. I can't seem to find any other common issues. In tank fuel pump losing its prime perhaps? Is there a check valve in the fuel line that can fail?

If it's the intercooler issue it's going to lock up, not crank for 90 seconds. I doubt the water in fuel issue either. They should be able to see that much water in the filter container.

If it's the HPFP it's not going to start randomly. Once they go, it's gone.

It could be the tank pump. I'd say "Fine, I'll pay for you to drain it and if that isn't the problem you are going to reimburse me, correct"?

$240? Damn that's a lot cheaper than my drain and refill, all for $462 including towing charge :-/

I'd make them test the fuel before assuming it is bad and draining it.

ben