01237 - Fuel Shut-Off Valve (N109): Open/Short to Ground

markward

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Location
Loxahatchee, Florida
TDI
82 Vanagon and 2011 JSW
Hello, Not sure where to post, but will start here. I have a 1.9 TDI from a 98 Beetle installed in our Vanagon. Have had 45,000 trouble free miles. Recently, out of the blue going down the highway the engine has quit. If I cycle the key, it restarts.
I have recorded this fault.
01237 - Fuel Shut-Off Valve (N109): Open/Short to Ground
If I clear the code, it stays away till the next time the engine quits. Checking the wiring diagram, the fuel cutoff gets power directly from the ECU. Cycling the key would reboot the ECU. I have not dug into it further at this point. It is quitting more often, 4 times over 800 miles. A little internet research indicates relay 109 could be the cause. When the engine quits, my scan gauge is still displaying values, but it happens so infrequently and usually at the worst time, so I don't have time to really see what happened.
I am thinking about running a temporary indicator light to see if the switch is loosing power at the moment the engine quits. My bet is that it is. I could also check/monitor the power supply relay output. I also need to check my grounds just incase. I posted here to see if someone might have another idea. Relay 109 seems to be more related to a no start which might be coming. Thank you. mark
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
I'd just pop in a new 109 to get it out of my mind: I carry new spares.

Might be a bad wire to the fuel shutoff.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Partial from the good old Ross Tech wiki-
Possible Causes
Fuse(s) faulty
Wiring and/or Connector(s) from/to Fuel Shut-Off Valve (N109) faulty
Fuel Shut-Off Valve (N109) faulty
 

markward

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Location
Loxahatchee, Florida
TDI
82 Vanagon and 2011 JSW
Power comes directly from pin 77 on my 80 pin ECU to the cutoff switch. I see one factory 10 pin connector. If the engine is running and I disconnect the fuel cutoff switch, that should throw the same code? Seems odd that if the valve were the culprit that it would run fine for miles and at highway speed stop working and throw the code. I could see it more likely the a bad valve would cause a "no start". What other symptoms would a failed relay 109 have? Odd that the valve and relay have the same number "109" Thank you to both for replying though. mark
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
You're thinkin it's telling you the 109 is bad, I'm thinkin it's a wire or connector. Could even be at the big ole ECU connector, could be the wire in between there and the 10-pin.
Real pain to track these down.
That vehicle sounds pretty nice, did you do the conversion yourself?
 

markward

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Location
Loxahatchee, Florida
TDI
82 Vanagon and 2011 JSW
Yes I did the conversion myself. I am suspect of the connections myself. Intermittent problems are the worse. I can't duplicate the problem in a safe environment. At some point it will happen when I can troubleshoot it. That's where the idea of a warning light came from. If it goes out, the engine should quit. If it stays lit, then that should rule
out the elec. Simple circuit of the ones that could have a problem.
 
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