1300 miles & shut down

logskidder · Nov 8, 2011

My wife and I purchased a 2012 passat tdi Oct 22. Our first ever VW purchase. Nice car and love the mileage. Last week the check engine light came on for a few miles then went off. Yesterday it came on again and my wife was a few miles from home. She called the dealer and set up an appointment to have it checked out. I got home from work to check the car out and got in it and it wouldnt start back at all, just sets and cranks. My wife almost blew a fuse. We havent made the first payment yet. Calling the dealer today to have it towed to the dealership.

tryin · Nov 8, 2011

Oh boy, here we go!

I'm on my first VW as well, new Passat TDI. Coming from 15 years of all Honda's, never an issue. This is the wifes car, and it was bought for primarily a 300 mile trip back and forth from WV to Charlotte, I pray we don't have issues like this or my wife will flip.

Please keep us posted.

gergg · Nov 8, 2011

I'm curious to see what the issue is as well.

logskidder · Nov 8, 2011

Does anyone know if a standard OBD II will scan this car. I have a cheap one that I purchased from sears but not sure if it would be compatible with the car. Hate for it to be something simple and could maybe scan it before the dealer cam to get it.
Will keep you guys posted.

leicaman · Nov 8, 2011

I am sure VW will be spot on with it. They don't want this car to be a failure, so be nice and firm. Heck even as I type this VW is replacing a slightly rusted fender at 107k. I think VW understands finally what is at stake in the USA market.

TomB · Nov 8, 2011

All cars have issues.

Even my neighbors 20th Anniversary Honda Accord (Made in JAPAN) had an issue with a pinched wire in the wiring harness that caused intermittent engine issues, so this claim that Honda is flawless are not absolute.

They all have issues, it is how the Company and the Dealership handle the issue that REALLY counts.

TomB · Nov 8, 2011

Oh and if you think Honda service is flawless, try again. A co-workers transmission died just after the warranty and their idea of fair was a $1,000 of an NEW $3000 transmission.

wolfsburg_de · Nov 8, 2011

logskidder said:
Does anyone know if a standard OBD II will scan this car. I have a cheap one that I purchased from sears but not sure if it would be compatible with the car. Hate for it to be something simple and could maybe scan it before the dealer cam to get it.
Will keep you guys posted.

You can try it but this car uses CAN-Bus diagnostics so many older generic scanners wouldn't work. In addition to access the really interesting stuff, you'd need to use the latest VCDS (or the factory scan tool). There are cases where a generic scanner won't even show you the cause of a non-start, like this example:

http://ross-tech.com/vag-com/dtc-comparison.html

A $249 Micro-CAN would work great with your car:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/VCuCAN.html

You could also try to find someone in your area with one to scan it but they'd have to come to you since the car isn't drivable.

One other thing to check, there's a service campaign for the Passat that entails checking the torque on several power connections next to the fuses. The M6 fasteners should all be torqued to 8-10 Nm. You could get lucky and have it be just a loose wire.

Here's a pic of the fasteners (exposed silver nuts):

Just checked mine and they were all snug.

logskidder · Nov 8, 2011

The dealer we purchased it from is about 3 hrs away and our closest dealer is 2hrs. So I thought if I could scan it it may be something simple. When she came home the car was running and when I went to start it back it just cranked. I removed the battery cable to reset and the car did start but started missing and died. Then wouldnt start back again.

wolfsburg_de · Nov 8, 2011

Try your generic scanner first since you have it. Otherwise, I'd get hold of VCDS and find out what's up. Perfect excuse to get one for enabling rain sensing wipers and stuff. "Honey, I bought this to find out why your car died! It's a safety issue!"

tryin · Nov 8, 2011

TomB said:
All cars have issues.

Even my neighbors 20th Anniversary Honda Accord (Made in JAPAN) had an issue with a pinched wire in the wiring harness that caused intermittent engine issues, so this claim that Honda is flawless are not absolute.

They all have issues, it is how the Company and the Dealership handle the issue that REALLY counts.

Tom,
I'm not defending Honda, just stating that over the past 15 years, the ones that I have owned and driven have been problem free. I still drive the same Civic I bought new in High School (1995) back and forth to work everyday, 260K now, starts and runs like new, 40mpg in my commute and 45 on trips.

The VW we just bought is superior to the loaded Accord we traded in almost every way, but if it doesn't run, who cares.

BTW, I absolutely love the VW, and mine runs flawlessly, but I'm still nervous after reading about all the HPFP issues in the past. Really hope it doesn't show up in the new Passat.

Logskidder, keep us posted, hope it's just something simple.

aja8888 · Nov 8, 2011

*Subscribed*...good luck and please do keep us posted.

MyAvocation · Nov 8, 2011

And while you're checking the torque on several power connections in the above picture, spray some battery terminal dressing on them. You'll thank yourself in 4 years.

tdi90hp · Nov 8, 2011

what a shame on a new car...we all expect a new car to be so good but they do have challenges....I hope it has a very happy ending...like your thingamagig on the whatchacallit got twisted around....like the rest of us...keep us posted.

740GLE · Nov 8, 2011

sounds like an intermitant problem. good luck, some jettas have had bad ECUs recently (not saying you have a bad ECU) but things to happen and hopefully after this small bump you'll be trouble free for many miles.

Def document this with the dealer (could be the the begining of a lemon law case), stress how big of an issue this is for traveling back and forth, maybe they can do something to help you out.

Guess we can't blame the tequila as if this was a jetta/sportwagen on this one, must have been the moonshine the assebly line was enjoying at lunch.

logskidder · Nov 8, 2011

We'll the dealer had a towing company come and get the car. Should know in a couple days the outcome. Will keep you guys posted.

meowguy · Nov 9, 2011

but things to happen and hopefully after this small bump you'll be trouble free for many miles.

I have found a small thing wrong with a car that is easily fixed, is often good luck. It's like the car gets it out of its system and will be fine for many, many miles to come.

See the thread "My JSW got drowned."

logskidder · Nov 9, 2011

Dealer has called already this morning and VW has already followed up with them. They got everyone in the service department trying to figure it out. Should know something later today.

VeeDubTDI · Nov 9, 2011

Subscribed. Good luck... I hope VW resolves the issue quickly.

wolfsburg_de · Nov 9, 2011

Please ask the dealer for the VAS report so we can see details of what's up. Did they at least give you a loaner?

logskidder · Nov 9, 2011

Since they came and got it we didnt make a trip to the dealer so no loaner, but we still had our old trusty envoy that we didnt trade in. My wifes driving it today. Going to push for anything we can get, reimbursement on fuel, ect.

logskidder · Nov 9, 2011

Service department just called and said they could not figure the problem out, so they are flying in a VW specialist/engineer. The car is running now but the check engine light is still on and they cant figure out why. They said that by friday if it wasnt fixed one way or another they would make arrangement for a us to get a new one.

MyAvocation · Nov 9, 2011

VW immediately willing to replace with new? Had to pinch myself. Glad to hear you're getting proper attention. I wonder if it's serious enough to be shipped back to engineers for thorough deconstruction/analysis.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try to obtain as much detail as possible.

740GLE · Nov 9, 2011

well, we'll see what they do come Friday. Either way it's good news the dealer seems to be doing everything they can to help you out.

abctdi · Nov 9, 2011

Maybe there is a real sense of ownership now that it is made locally.

darrelld · Nov 9, 2011

I noticed some cosmetic issues with the dash and front bumper on my Passat before taking delivery. VW techs were flown in from Chatanooga and parts were overnighted to replace the defective ones.

At least in my case they have handled things well.

Santa2ya · Nov 9, 2011

It's nice to see VW working so diligently on this.

VW knows they have over a billion reasons to make this new passat a seller here in the USA.

logskidder · Nov 11, 2011

Well guys finally got an answer on the problem. BAD ECU/ECM. New part supposed to be there this morning. Dealership and Volkswagon has been great thru the ordeal. Up to 4 phone calls per day keeping us updated. Supposed to pick the car up today or later this evening. Just glad its almost over and we can get our brand new car back.

gergg · Nov 11, 2011

Glad they figured it out, guess it could have been much worse news than that.

TonyJetta · Nov 11, 2011

Glad to hear it!

At least VW stuck with you, and it sounds like you've got a good dealership to work with.

Tony

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