Another "No Start", "No Crank" issue

mr2dux

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Location
Franklin, OH
TDI
2004 sedan
My son has a 2003 TDI, and he knows almost nothing about cars,so the information I have about the onset of this problem is sketchy...Here is what I heard:
Came to a stoplight and the car just died, stopped, shut off. (I didn't get whether it was a sudden jerky 'my engine seized up' stop, or a more quiet event) Will not crank. Just had an oil change at the dealer a week ago. Oil is full.

When I got the car it has electric power, lights on the dash all work, 12V at the battery, relatively new battery. Turning the key switch causes the starter solonoid to click strongly. Starter motor does not turn.

VAG-COM results are:
Address 01-Engine 3 Faults:
17055 - Cyl. 1 Glow Plug Circuit P0671 - 35-10 - Electrical fault - Intermittent
17656 - Start of injection timing Regulation P1248 - 35-10 Control Deviation Intermittant
16512 - Coolant Thermostat Valve (N214) P0128 - 35-00 - Temperature below control range

Address 03-ABS Brakes 1 Fault
01314 Engine Control Module 013 - Check DTC Memory - Intermittant

Address 15 Airbags 2 Faults
00532 - Supply voltage B+ 07-10 - Signal too low - Intermittant
00588 - Airbag Igniter Driver side (N95) 32-10 Resistance too high - Intermittant

Address 17 Instruments 1 Fault
01314 - Engine Control Module 49-10 No Communications - Intermittant

Address 19 CAN Gateway 1 Fault
01314 - Engine Control Module 49-10 No Communications - Intermittant

While I have the Vag-Com cable, I am certainly not the guru capable of interpreting these results. I have checked fuses but not relays under the dash.

Where do I go from here? If it was just a starter issue, I do not know why it would have died suddenly.

Thanks for any available wisdom!
 

Rdsoxx

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Location
Ct
TDI
2002 jetta tdi, 2002 silverado diesel
Give the timing belt a quick visual to confirm its ok. You can also rotate the motor by hand to check it moves ok and isnt seized, which is unlikely. Those ECU codes are kinda interesting, but they could be a result of a power issue.

Is it a 5 speed?
 

mr2dux

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Location
Franklin, OH
TDI
2004 sedan
Hokay, so we have a dead engine. Low speed failure, so might not be too dire engine damage?? Can this be possibly repaired with a new head? Is there a thread on assessing this?? Thanks
 

danny miller

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Location
Austin
TDI
2003 Jetta 1.9 ALH
How many miles on it?

Lotsa threads on this. But TDIs have almost no clearance between the piston crown and valves. Even at low speed breakage, the prognosis isn't too good. However, a new head isn't the end of the world.
 

Rdsoxx

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Location
Ct
TDI
2002 jetta tdi, 2002 silverado diesel
Sux to hear man. If you're not ready to give up on it, time to yank the head and see what you got for damage. Head is pretty simple to remove, especially with a "pre-removed" timing belt :)

And of course you can fix it with a new / rebuilt head. When you pull the existing one, you'll want to tank a look a the top of the pistons. And if you do decide to bring her back, you'll obviously want to replace all the idlers, the tensioner, and the water pump.
 
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