Bad fuel. Need Help

I have a 2010 Touareg TDI 3.0. Has been trouble free since I got it until about 6 months ago. Approximately 80,000 miles on it and the engine light would come on when it was cold. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the EGR valve and it seemed to be good for about 4 months and the light started coming on again, mostly when cold. Contacted the dealer and took it in today. On the way the glowplug light came on so I stopped and turned off the engine and when I restarted it went out. Took it to the dealer, approx. 100 miles. They checked it out and notified me that I had bad gas. Showed me the fuel filter, which was full of mud. Bad news: Complete fuel system replace. Estimate of $13,000. I cannot afford this work so my option is to try to find used or aftermarket parts and repair myself. I have mechanical skills but am not familiar with the electronics. I have access to a hoist.

Questions I have. .
1. They want to replace the fuel tank, and everything between the injectors to the fuel tank. Can't the tank and lines be cleaned?
2. Is it reasonable to clean everything, replace the fuel pumps, and see if it runs. Was running fine when I dropped it at the dealers.
3. If the injectors do not work after replacing the pumps, are they rebuild-able or must they be replaced? If they are removed, do I need to take it to a dealer to have them programmed.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Do you save your fuel receipts ? I'd be going after the last place where I filled up...

uintasno said:

I have a 2010 Touareg TDI 3.0. Has been trouble free since I got it until about 6 months ago. Approximately 80,000 miles on it and the engine light would come on when it was cold. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the EGR valve and it seemed to be good for about 4 months and the light started coming on again, mostly when cold. Contacted the dealer and took it in today. On the way the glowplug light came on so I stopped and turned off the engine and when I restarted it went out. Took it to the dealer, approx. 100 miles. They checked it out and notified me that I had bad gas. Showed me the fuel filter, which was full of mud. Bad news: Complete fuel system replace. Estimate of $13,000. I cannot afford this work so my option is to try to find used or aftermarket parts and repair myself. I have mechanical skills but am not familiar with the electronics. I have access to a hoist.
Questions I have. .
1. They want to replace the fuel tank, and everything between the injectors to the fuel tank. Can't the tank and lines be cleaned?
2. Is it reasonable to clean everything, replace the fuel pumps, and see if it runs. Was running fine when I dropped it at the dealers.
3. If the injectors do not work after replacing the pumps, are they rebuild-able or must they be replaced? If they are removed, do I need to take it to a dealer to have them programmed.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

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The tank and lines CAN be cleaned - BUT the dealers won't usually do this because the labor to do it right costs at least as much as the new stuff. In addition they don't have any techs trained to do it. Same with the other stuff. If you are going to tackle the job, buy a VAG-Com cable from Ross-Tech so you can read the electrical systems and reset things as necessary (Ross-Tech will be of some help there). Best also buy a CD/DVD of the Bentley manual for the details on how to take things apart and put them back. If you get everything but the common rail parts cleaned and the engine can be made to run, you got lucky, if not, you still have the ability to replace the HPFP stuff. And you don't HAVE to buy the parts from your dealer. Most of it is available on line.
It will take a while but it is doable.

uintasno said:

They checked it out and notified me that I had bad gas.

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I usually just open the window when I have this problem. No need to go to the dealer.

All jokes aside, the dealer has given you a completely BS repair quote. Go out and buy a VCDS so that you can actually read the codes you're getting and also have the ability to activate the fuel pump if need be. Save yourself some money :

1. Tow the TReg home
2. Rip out the fuel filter canister, clean it thoroughly, and install a fresh filter.
3. Remove whatever fuel lines you can and blow them out with compressed air, reinstall.

Begin with these steps and see how it drives afterwards. It's important that you READ CODES if any. It's very possible that your injectors are damaged. If so, there is no rebuilding possible that I'm aware of. The diameter of the injector holes are in the nano scale. If they're clogged there is nothing you can do to clean them out. Good luck and keep us posted!

I have been working on this. I don't have fuel receipts, but I have credit card documentation of purchase. I have contacted the fuel company and filed an investigation request. The touareg is still at the dealers. The fuel company is supposed to get back with me an let me know if they can do anything. I'm not holding my breath on that.
I also contacted my insurance company and filed a claim. Supposed to know something next week. They are going to the dealership to inspect the vehicle. Don't know what they expect to see, but the dealer did take pictures of the filter container with about 2-3 tablespoon full of fuel.
My present plan, if I get no results from either, is to purchase new pumps, clean the tank, blow out all the fuel lines with air and try it. It was running fine when they tore it down, so I would think the injectors are still good. If not I am going to try to identify the bad ones and change them.
It was running fine when I dropped it at the dealer, except it would bog and throw the glow plug warning if you stepped on the accelerator peddle. If I stopped and shut it off, it would then run OK. They opened the filter and also removed the fuel line from the filter to the rail to inspect. After they cleaned the filter and reinstalled the fuel line, it will not run. It starts and idles, but if you put it in gear it dies. I wonder if it could be air locked in the fuel line.
I signed up for www.clubtouareg.com, but it will not let me post. I can log on, but when I try to post it says the administrator has disabled it or it is waiting activation. It never did send notification to my email for me to activate. Don't know whats going on there.
Will post the result of the fuel company and insurance claim. Thanks for the reply.

Prior to giving it to the dealer when was the fuel filter last replaced? How many miles were on the last tank of fuel and did you buy the fuel from the same place you normally get it?

It sounds like your plugged fuel filter would not deliver enough fuel for power output.
The idea of a fuel filter is (oddly enough) to filter the fuel before it gets into the expensive HPFP etc.
Change the filter and see of it runs.
The crud may have damaged the lift pumps and if so change them.
This may not be as extensive or expensive as stated if the filter did it's job.
Actually a dirty filter would filter the fuel finer than a new one, but the flow capacity would be reduced as it gets dirty.
This is up to the point the filter might fail and tear or separate, but I doubt that this is the case.

I had the dealer replace the filter, with intentions of taking it home, but after they replaced it, it starts and idles, but when you put it in gear, or depress the accelerator peddle, it dies. Left it at the dealers for now to see what the outcome with the insurance and fuel suppler is. I get most of my fuel from the same suppler, and that includes the last 3 tanks. I took a picture of the filter canister here but can't figure how to download it.

They should check the fuel pressure under load at the inlet to the HPFP. If it is low then the lift pumps amy not be delivering enoigh fuel or the inlet in the tanl may be blocked. I don't know if there is a pre filter in the tank, but if so then I would suspect that might be the culprit.
Also if sludge is involved the inlet may be partially blocked with that.

The dealer mechanic says that dirt got through the filter to the injectors and believes the injectors are compromised. He showed me the injectors and says he thinks they are damaged from the dirt. When I felt them I expected to feel something gritty, but never. At the cost of the injectors I am inclined to do what you say. I think I will pull the tank and clean it, flush the line from the tank to the filter, replace the tank pumps (2). and try it. If it doesn't run, I can check the HPFP and/or the injectors. If I have to replace the injectors, is that something I can do, or do they have to be set up by a dealer?

I can't answer that question, but my thought is that the injectors unscrew and screw back in and there are no adjustments on them, but there may be something in the programming.
As to that I cannot say, but perhaps someone who knows more than I Do can join in.
Personally I don't think an incompromised filter will let the dirt through. The sludge will serve to increase fineness of the filtering at the cost of the reduced flow.
I think the downside costconsideration would be if you don't succeed what is the additional cost?
That is the bet against cleaning the tank and (checking) the pumps.
I would try cleaning the tank and inspecting the internal lift pump. There could be crap in it. I would perhaps change it and then try the system and replace the other pump if it was better with cleaned tank and first lift pump.
If the injector is plugged I think the VCDS will show that, but again I cannot be certain about that. The typical dealers reapons is to throw (your) money at the problem.
Two reasons 1. Higher likelyhood of fixing the problem without a comeback.
2. More profit.

I called my insurance company to see what the status of my claim was, and they told me they had contacted the dealer and asked for an estimate directly from VW before they would make a decision. I then called the dealer to see what the status of that was. The dealer told me that there was a chance that VW was going to step up to the plate and pay for the repairs. We will see. Also got an update from the fuel company. They completed their investigation and notified me that it could not be their fuel. There are apparently no other claims for bad fuel, and all of their tanks have a 3 micron filter which eliminates any dirt. Kind of what I as expecting from them.

uintasno said:

snip and all of their tanks have a 3 micron filter which eliminates any dirt. snip.

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And they have documentation that the filter(s) on all their pumps at the station you used were last changed when?

An old dirty 3 micron filter will run slowly, very slowly and filter the fuel finer because of the colgging.
The dirt serves as deeper filter media.
the car mounted flter should have done the same thing for the same reason.
Perhaps the filter media blew out from the higher differiential pressure across the filter, but I doubt it.
Water could be forced through if no attention were paid to the water traps in most filters.
I wonder if the OP had anyone actually look for dirt past his filter?
The dealer stated the car would not produce power at higher settings indicating loss of pressure at higher flow rates. This could be due to a clogged in-tank filter (if one exists), plugged fuel pickup, poor lift pump performance due to wear from the crap in the fuel.
If the filters did their job I would look to the lines from the tank to the pumps and filter and the pumps themselves as the problem.
As to where the crap came from the water and biological growth along with the ferrous metal (rust)it could be from the fuel station, condensate, or who knows what.
I doubt that the 3 micron filters have water traps built in like aviation jet fuel fitlers and often the additives will cause the water to be suspended in the fuel since Diesel fuel is more hydrophyllic than gasoline.
As to the injectors it is unlikely that all are plugged just the same and the high pressure sensor should let you know if the HPFP is not meeting spec.
Is the dirt past the filter a surmise on the part of the mechanic or canhe show you the results in the codes from bad injectors?

Bad Fuel

It was an epic day today. Got calls from the fuel suppler, insurance company and from the Dealer. Fuel company says they did further investigation, took samples of the fuel from the vehicle, and inspected the vehicle. They contend that they will not help with repairing the vehicle, that there is no evidence that the fuel is bad or was delivered bad to the vehicle. Got a call from the insurance company and they have agreed to cover the repairs. About an hour later I got a call from the dealer, and VW has authorized them to repair the vehicle at no cost.

I am still a little worried about this issue. It appears from research that this is a fairly common issue. I am wondering if anyone has had repeat problems after VW has repaired their vehicle. Although the problem with mine was blamed on bad fuel, it appears that there have been problems with these fuel systems and VW has stepped up to the plate and made repairs. I would think that because of the cost of the repairs, they have looked carefully at the issue and come up with a fix.

By the way, VW did look closely at the problem, getting samples of the material in the filter, samples of fuel, and who knows what else. It took approximately 2 weeks to get an answer from them, so I am sure they either feel there was a VW problem, or that the public relations was worth the cost.

Good for you.
It is nice to have VW step up on such an expensive car.
Best of luck.

Congrats! Let us know how it works out.

Picked up my Touareg last Wed. VW paid for all repairs. Thanks for the support.

Great story and great customer service on their end. Glad it worked out.


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Excellent result.

Thanks for the update.

Do you have an update on what was actually replaced and the labor costs?

They never gave me an invoice on cost, but they replaced all the fuel pumps, injectors and fuel lines. Cleaned the fuel tank.