2.0 CR Glow Plug Indicator

Hello all,
Another noob querstion from the newbie... Reading my handy dandy owner's manual - I see that "If your glow plug warming indicator doesn't illuminate on a cold engine, contact your local dealership." Or something along those lines... Well, I live in a very warm climate (south Alabama), and I don't think I've ever seen my glow plug light illuminate, even in the winter. It illuminates briefly with all the cluster lights upon ignition. The car has always run perfectly. I'm assuming this is normal??

Yours sounds like it is acting normally. Your winter is about like here in East Texas. I know since we lived in Birmingham for 20 years. The temperature has to be in the single digits before I see my glow plug indicator. And then only for about 2-3 seconds. By the time I turn the key to start the light is out normally.

Kman308 said:

Hello all,
Another noob querstion from the newbie... Reading my handy dandy owner's manual - I see that "If your glow plug warming indicator doesn't illuminate on a cold engine, contact your local dealership." Or something along those lines... Well, I live in a very warm climate (south Alabama), and I don't think I've ever seen my glow plug light illuminate, even in the winter. It illuminates briefly with all the cluster lights upon ignition. The car has always run perfectly. I'm assuming this is normal??

Click to expand...

The instrument cluster briefly does a lamp test function when it first powers up. This means the GP indicator will always light briefly at cluster power-up, even when the engine is warm enough to not require any preglow time. When the engine is cold enough that it needs some preglow time, that's when you see the GP light stay on for a longer period after the cluster finishes the lamp test function. By "cold enough" that's usually at temperatures around freezing and below.

What you're describing is 100% normal. Diesel ON.

Good luck and Welcome to TDIclub.

Thanks for the replies Rosh and n1! Great to hear from you all. I'm learning... I'm gonna order a VCDS VAG-COM soon to tool around with. Mainly for some general maintenance needs and a few basic changes - Data logging later.

C'mon up to Minnesota in January where you really get to see some GP light time.

Sounds normal to me, you just turn to starter position when the glow light extinguishes which may be nil to several seconds in very cold temperatures.

I gather that the glow plugs are required they then remain active for a variable period after initial ignition until the engine warms up and that the period can be altered in VCDS for the local conditions

I don't think the above mentioned after glow duration can be adjusted with VCDS. If so, I would like to know the procedure.

I will pass Purple! I've been in Minneapolis several times for business - one memorable stent in January/early February. I prefer cooler weather when it may snow a few times per year, but you can keep the bone-aching cold!