Engine cuts out and refuses to start

stetru

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2025
Location
Bucharest
TDI
Golf 5 Plus 1.9 BXJ
Hi,

So here's an issue that have left us and our mechanic scratching our heads.

A few weeks ago wife was commuting and the car stalled out at the traffic lights and left her stranded, car would NOT want to restart, cranked fine, but seemed like it did not get any fuel.

Took the car to my mechanic, left the car to sit overnight, next day it started just fine - absolutely NO error codes. Took the car out for a long joyride, ran just fine. He was absolutely baffled, mentioning that the tandem pump might be at fault, but can't tell for sure.

Fast forward to today, car left wife stranded again, this time while driving, she mentioned it started sputtering and the engine cut out, cranked but did not want to start again. Left the car for a few hours on the side of the road, tried cranking it and it restarted, but cut out after just a few minutes of driving.

Anyone experienced this before? Surely i'll grab a used tandem pump and will have my mechanic replace it, but wondering if that's gonna fix it or not.

Car is a 2008 Golf MKV Plus 1.9 TDI BXJ
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Assuming this engine is a PD, I would think the lift pump in the tank would be more likely. You can also check the cranking RPM with a suitable scan tool if it will not start, like a failure of the CKP sensor. They do not always flag a DTC.
 

Rx7145

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 Jetta BRM
Did the RPM gauge go up when cranking?
I would also pull out the filter and see if you see any water in the bottom of the filter bowl.
I would also check the torsion, if it’s too far advanced, they don’t like to restart hot, but that shouldn’t cause it to stall and it shouldn’t appear out of nowhere, but if you already have the computer hooked up it’s something to check.
I had this exact same problem and it was the screen for the intake pump inside the tank was plugged. On another car (with the same problem) it was the fuel lines on top of the fuel tank were switched by the previous owner.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
The tandem pump is very unlikely to come and go, but a crank sensor sure will.

Assuming you can hear a good repeatable buzz from the lift pump under the back seat when the car won't start my money would go towards a new crank sensor before I'd do the tandem pump... especially if, as noted above, you witness no tach movement while cranking during a no-start.
 

stetru

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2025
Location
Bucharest
TDI
Golf 5 Plus 1.9 BXJ
Hi all,

Thank you for the replies.

Left the car overnight hoping she'll start again today but no dice. Rpms slightly rise when cranking, the needle ever so slightly moves up (100-200 revs) and just hangs there, it doesn't really fluctuate.

So, crank sensor? Or cam sensors? Need to know for sure what to tell mechanic

Here's a video of the car cranking

 
Last edited:

stetru

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2025
Location
Bucharest
TDI
Golf 5 Plus 1.9 BXJ
Update

Took the car in to the shop, mechanic has plugged in scan tool and confirmed both crank and cam sensors are working when cranking

They disconnected the delivery hoses from out of the fuel filter and they were dry - seems like the engine is not receiving any fuel - investigating the fuel pump from inside the tank now
 
Last edited:

Rx7145

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Location
Ohio
TDI
2006 Jetta BRM
Yep, the screen is plugged or the pump has failed. Same symptoms I was having.
 
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