Engine and Glow plug lights

rpeasley

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
sault Sainte Marie MI
TDI
96 Passat
My 96 VW Passat has a blinking glow plug light and a steady engine light. They don't come on immediately upon turning the car on, but do come usually within the first minute. The mechanic I take my cars to said he wasn't sure what the cause was and suggested I take it to another place in town. They were unable to diagnose it also saying that their diagnostic equipment wouldn't "go deep enough". The closest VW dealer is over 3 hours away, so I am hoping I might get some help here. Also, it may or may not be related, but the valve cover gasket needs to be replaced - small oil leak there. I do have a code reader and looking into purchasing a Bentley service manual. This is my first TDI and I have only had it for 11 months - great car.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
The blinking GP light could be from a burnt out brake light bulb, faulty brake light switch among other things. A search in this section or the one more specific to your Passat should get you a list of causes.
The CEL could be hundreds of things. A proper scan with a VW specific tool (VCDS is about the only non-dealer such thing), and there are probably members closer than you know with that cable and software. There is a VCDS locator list on the site also.
Get the code read, clear it and see if it comes back. Typically the light won't go out until cleared and the issue(s) resolved.
 

rpeasley

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
sault Sainte Marie MI
TDI
96 Passat
Thanks Jettawreck. I did check the vcds locator list - closest one listed is about 4 hours away. Also, the lights are not on when the car is initially started each time. In fact, I have put my car in neutral while driving, turned it off and "roll" started it and the lights would be off and then after driving for about 30 seconds or so they would come back on. Do you know anything about the difference between VCDS-lite ($99) and the full versions ($250 and up).
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
It's common for such lights to take a while to come on as you experience.
The Lite VCDS version has some limits as to functions, but not sure entirely what they are. I do believe the TDI timing check graph isn't available in Lite. No doubt there are a lot of forum (and no forum) VCDS owners not on the list, myself included, I believe.
 

rpeasley

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
sault Sainte Marie MI
TDI
96 Passat
I checked with Advance Auto and they only have the OBD2 reader. I think I may try the lite because according to the Ross site, that purchase can go toward the full version.
 

rpeasley

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
sault Sainte Marie MI
TDI
96 Passat
Thanks for that link. I talked with a Ross-tech rep. He said because the 96 is so basic I should go on ebay and pick up a KKL cable and then use the shareware version of VCDS-Lite or if necessary buy the full version of Lite ($99). I ordered the cable today, so hopefully I will be able to get some helpful codes the first of next week.
 

rpeasley

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
sault Sainte Marie MI
TDI
96 Passat
I realized while checking my subscribed threads in my Control panel that I had never followed up with this thread. I did find that the blinking glow plug light was connected to the brake. If I remember correctly there was a fuse or something related to the brakes that I replaced and then the blinking stopped.
 
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