2015 Golf TDI long crank first start of the day

dubStrom

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Location
Kansas City Missouri
TDI
2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
My 2015 DSG Sportwagen usually doesn't wait AT ALL before cranking. No time for the glowplugs to even start warming up. So it usually cranks for 3-4 seconds. Once warm, it pops to life instantly.

My 2014 6NT (RIP) always waited for the glow plugs, and always started instantly. I think the 2015 has many electrical hiccups.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Just to add my $.02 to this thread...
Out of nowhere, I started having this problem a few weeks ago. After it starting instantly all winter while rarely using the car (due to...you know...), suddenly it was taking at least 3-4x longer than it was before.

A post earlier in the thread posited that could be some weird pressure imbalance from the fuel tank due to heat/cooling during the summer months. Hadn't filled the tank in a long while (since before the issue started), so I pulled the fuel cap off, put it back on....car fired right up. And same the next day and the day after that.

Problem solved.
(Go figure ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
No - just that once (fuel cap hadn't been removed for a while (weeks), during which we'd had some unusually hot weather).
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Can probably rule out tank venting. If problem returns, the lift pump is suspect. As I've posted before, the pump has had some sort of upgrade as the pump your car has has been replaced with a new part #. What you experienced may be first stage of pump failure.
 

steezymk6

New member
Joined
Aug 29, 2021
Location
canada
TDI
2012 MK6 Golf TDI Highline
I'm a bit late to the party here sorry lol,
I've been having the same problem with my car. It's currently the middle of the summer so cold isn't a problem, my battery is fine, and I replaced the fuel filter about a year ago. It starts every time, but lately it's just been taking a few more cranks than normal and sometimes it will briefly sputter before starting up. Any ideas?
 

ThatBruceGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2015 GSW DSG
The coldstart crank on my GSW has been getting more *sputtery*, in addition to spending more time turning over than I'm comfortable with.

The "press for start for Acc, pedal press 3x, then start" method suggested by JELLOWSUBMARINE has been helpful but not a permanent fix.

Is there a good way (with VCDS) to data-log the Glowplugs when the car first wakes up and starts?
 

hypebeastla

New member
Joined
Sep 22, 2021
Location
Toronto
TDI
2013
I was having this issue for months on my 2013 jetta tdi. Long crank in the morning after sitting and works perfect the rest of the day. Tried everything in these forums and went back and forth with my mechanic for months since there were no codes or anything showing up on the dash . I ended up just changing the battery which was a 630cc to a 730cc battery and I have not had the problem since. Hope this helps someone
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
A good battery will often cure many problems. Incidentally, I just replaced the 14 year old! OE battery on my Kubota today. Got a 720 CCA unit for the 2.2l diesel. If the replacement lasts half as long as the original, I'll be well pleased.
 

Pook

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2021
Location
NC
TDI
2012 Passat 2.0
My work schedule changed and now that my car sometimes sits >24 hours without being driven I noticed it has the same issue.

Battery is known good (swapped it anyway), also tried the fuel cap trick and no dice.

CarFax for the car (bought used at 50K) shows "cold/hard start issue checked" at 35K in 2016. I called them to ask what they specifically did and they said they changed the fuel pump. I'm assuming they're talking about the HPFP but they did the work in 2016 and they couldn't tell me for sure.

Any way to figure out for sure if the VVT solenoid or the lift pump is the issue without just throwing money at one of them and hoping I guessed right?
 

ThatBruceGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2015 GSW DSG
I could likely be the in-take fuel pump. If I press Start to cycle the glowplugs but not pump the pedal for 4sec, then it still cranks longer. However, if I pump the pedal while the car first cycles, then there is no long crank.

Is there a way to datalog the fuel pump and glowplugs with VCDS from a dead start?
 

radiator

Active member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Location
poland
TDI
1.6 clha
Did any of You solve that long crank problem? It started after I had my timing kit replaced. Not at first days after replacing but a few later.
 

ticaf

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Location
US Mid-Atlantic
TDI
Stock 2015 Golf SW S Manual TDI
Did any of You solve that long crank problem? It started after I had my timing kit replaced. Not at first days after replacing but a few later.
Unless it's totally coincidental, i would check the timing belt is still properly aligned.
 

ThatBruceGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
2015 GSW DSG
Seeing a lot of evidence to support the claim that the battery is a link in this chain.
I suppose Step One of this "long crank" problem is to cold-start the engine with a fresh battery (or jump pack) and see if the problem goes away.
 

bmwM5power

Veteran Member
Joined
May 3, 2007
Location
Rochester NY
TDI
15 GSW TDI S 6MT / 02 JETTA TDI GLS 5MT 15 GOLF TDI 6MT
Seeing a lot of evidence to support the claim that the battery is a link in this chain.
I suppose Step One of this "long crank" problem is to cold-start the engine with a fresh battery (or jump pack) and see if the problem goes away.
I actually started to experience this shortly before my battery died, changed it and has never happened since
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
My symptoms seem to have rectified themselves. -10°C where I'm at today, and the car fired up within a second (after glow period before engine started cranking).
Subsequent starts after short / long trips - pretty much the same, so.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 

GolfSW98

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Location
USA
TDI
MK7 TDI
Had the issue for a few days maybe 3 weeks ago, firing up took 3-4 seconds. I thought battery but it tests fine. Issue has been gone since, immediately restarting after the issue occurs and the engine starts as usual so it could be the VVT valve mentioned. Oil changed today so lets see what happens these next few months.
 

IanEricson

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Location
Fort Mill, SC, USA
TDI
2011 Sportwagen TDI DSG
I have a 2011 Sportwagen TDI and it has been doing that intermittently for what seems like several years. There are not any DTC codes stored and it is not getting any worse. It has a little over 200,000 miles and runs good. Once in a while I end up in the north during winter and it starts about the same even when it is cold. I saw a previous post about this happening more when the battery is on the way out. I had that same thought recently. In my case the occasional longer cranking during the first start of the day has been ocuring for a long time and does not seem to be something that gets worse or becomes a problem.
 

Pook

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2021
Location
NC
TDI
2012 Passat 2.0
My symptoms seem to have rectified themselves. -10°C where I'm at today, and the car fired up within a second (after glow period before engine started cranking).
Subsequent starts after short / long trips - pretty much the same, so.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
same, I bought the car in August and had the problem up until early November. I haven't had any problems since it got cooler out.

I'm assuming it'll start again when the temperature warms back up, but for now it's fixed :censored:
 

leicaman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Location
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2005 TDI GLS, RIP
I had this issue for awhile a few months back. What fixed it was changing out my fuel filter and then running some power service in the tank. It has been brilliant since. Recently I was due for filters to be changed after another fussless 20k miles and the filter was dirtier than I thought could be. I refuse to buy fuel than other from two different suppliers now and all seems spot on.
 

marcusku

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2003
Location
Madison, Wisconsin
TDI
Golf Sportwagen, 15', red
Still an unsolved mystery for me, and has done it since day 1. My battery has been replaced, I've replaced with lift pump with the newest part number. The person who started the thread replaced the VVT valve with no luck. I've never had a problem when it's cold (say less than 30). Starts almost instantly when it's cold. It only happens when it's warm. I wonder if it isn't a programing glitch. Maybe it cranks too soon when it's warm before fuel pressure has built? Mystery continues.....
 

Ted Hurst

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Location
44224
TDI
2015 GSW
It’s the damn push button start. If you press it once before pushing in the clutch and wait for the glow plug light to go out. Then push in the clutch hit the push button start it will crank right up. I think that procedure works on an automatic with the brake pedal.
 

ACommonRail

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2022
Location
UK
TDI
Golf (7) Sportsvan 1.6TDi
Another with long crank issues here. I'm in the UK and engine is a 1.6.

So, if there is a common issue causing the long cranks, then VVT can't be it, as an EU 1.6 doesn't have VVT.

Also, although the car battery is original and so several years old it shows 12.5V in WeConnect after resting for days. Plus my long cranks are in warmer weather (I think) so rules out battery I think.

I need to find time to rewatch videos I took of cranks over several months but I'm fairly certain the long crank is ambient temp dependent, worse in summer (a heat wave here is mid 20s C and up), no issue in winter (generally 0-8 C). But it may also be fuel tank level dependent (worse when full). Can't be RH as it is 80%+ here from summer through to the end of winter.

I've seen at least one person, located in Switzerland, reporting short cranking at their particular low temperatures, longer cranking at their particular warmer temperatures. So maybe any temperature relation is about the offset from one to the other, rather than absolute ambient temps. They appear to strongly believe the cause is injector drift but my issues started at less than 20000 miles on the clock, which seems way too early for injector ageing that causes drift.

If I immediately stop the engine after cranking, 2nd crank will almost always be quicker, most often by 3 or 4 shots (sorry, don't know the technical term for the multiple shot/cough noises made during crank), but very occasionally longer. If I then switch off immediately again and leave the car for a few minutes, the 3rd crank also tends to be longer (not as long as 1st) and the 4th shorter than3rd.

On some of the long cranks the crank clearly stumbles/splutters just before starts (ie feels like the engine catches for a fraction of a second, loses it and then soon after cranking again successfully starts). But I suspect the stumble/sputter is more common as I think I can hear it faintly/briefly on recordings where I didn't notice it at the time.

I also had 2 possibly related issues. Fuel smell and misfires/surges/loss of power.

I noticed the fuel smell outside the car last week when it was garaged and I'd cycled the ignition (not starting) multiple times. But I think maybe there is also a fuel smell immediately after starting that I would not normally have any way of noticing.

Re misfires, I mention these because the major misfires happened within at most 4 or 5 miles from home and the same days would have long cranks. I think I've had plenty more misfires but by the time I've parked at destination I've forgotten details t note down. The major misfires were up to 10+ bucks/jerks in a row, and they all occurred in cruise control at 20mph or 30mph on I think just 4 short local stretches of road that all have slight inclines. They also seem strongly related to either a regen being due to start within a handful of miles or one having completed a handful of miles before I completed my previous trip. When I was experiencing these misfires I also experienced very low power in 1st gear on a handful of occasions and at least 2 surges, similar speeds to above.

I've read lots of threads and made a list of suggested causes. But does anything stand out from all of this as a likely culprit please? Or, as importantly, clearly not a culprit?
 

GolfSW98

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Location
USA
TDI
MK7 TDI
Opened my fuel cap today and heard an insanely loud whoosh noise (sucking air in) Venting fuel cap issue? I haven't had any long cranks for a few weeks though.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
I've had a couple of long cranks after long drives; maybe it's not related, but I've found that when I do remove the fuel cap and then put it back on (after maybe a third-to-half of the fuel's been used), I don't have the issue. Whether this is some random correlation or causation... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
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