Engine died while stopped during regen

NYC-TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Location
NYC
TDI
TDI Free and Loving It
Title says it all. While driving yesterday I pulled up to a red light. The exact instant the car stopped rolling and came to a complete stop the engine died. It was exactly as if someone had turned the key off. There was no check engine lights (or any lights), no audio dings, nothing.

I knew the engine was in DPF regen because when stopped at previous light tach was at 900 rpm and I felt that slight engine vibration which I have come to know as regen mode. The fact that in was in regen may simply be a coincidence but I thought it should be mentioned.

Anyway turned the key off and back on and car started right back up. Drove for another 15-20 minutes and everything was normal.

BTW all this occurred while I was 250 miles away from home on business. Today I fire up the car to head back home and everything's great. When I got home I scanned for codes with my generic OBD scanner and couldn't find anything. (I don't have vagcom). Took a look around battery cables, starter, etc. to see if I could find an obvious ground. Everything looks OK. Left the car running while I tried twisting, pushing, banging around key cylinder. Nothing.

So does anybody have any ideas?

P.S. Mini-Rant: This car has been highly unreliable and I have lost all confidence in it and VW. It will be replaced in the near term. The thought of being stuck somewhere far from home is not a pleasing one yet it is always in my mind whenever I travel. (Up to now all my problems have occurred close to home. Just lucky I guess)
 

NYC-TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Location
NYC
TDI
TDI Free and Loving It
I only had that one incident and hasn't happened again. I have no idea what caused it, but this car is famous for doing strange things and then leaving no trace of what happened that I can find (and dealer too).
 

flylow2

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Location
Hillsborough, NJ
TDI
2010 White Gold JSW TDI 6M (build date 23Feb10)
96K miles here and I can say that during a regen on rare occasions, the engine has a big stumble where the rpm drops suddenly and then returns to normal for the regen. I can easily see one of these stumbles could stall the engine although mine hasn't ever stalled during a regen.
 

fdizz

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Location
Rainier, Wa
TDI
'15 Golf 6MT
Yeah mine didn't even stumble, just died at the stop light. Turned it of, back on and it fired up fine. Got pulled over 10 seconds later for no front plate :D and could smell the regen..
 

NYC-TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Location
NYC
TDI
TDI Free and Loving It
Yeah I've had the stumble during regen before but this was something different, or at least it seems so to me. I was just BAM, no stumble, no tach drop / surge, no rough running, just OFF. Like I said it was as if someone turned the key off.
 

jahlov420

Veteran Member
Joined
May 4, 2012
Location
Fredericksburg Va
TDI
2010 sportwagen MANUAL! DPF-Delete @ stage 2
i've noticed in regen, when i need to slow down and lets stay go from 1st to 2nd a noticeable lag is power happens.
 

dubzga

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Location
Atlanta, GA
TDI
2011 JSW TDI, 6MT Premium Package
FWIW, mine idles like crap during regen. Enough to make passengers ask why the car is shaking. Never had it shut off though.
 

Mxvet1

New member
Joined
May 6, 2016
Location
West Richland, WA
TDI
2010 Golf
Same for me

Just wanted to add to the thread for others who my experience the same.
I was driving my, new to me, 2010 Golf TDI to work and during the transition from freeway down to the off ramp stop the engine quit. No wear sounds nothing...just dead silence. Tried to start and nothing. Would not even crank over. I hind sight I did not cycle the key to full off and then try a restart at this point. Pushed the car throug the intersection to a safe place and made a phone call. Tried to start the car again. This time the key was already in the off position and it started. The car ran a little sluggish with low idle. Was able to go the last mile to my office parking spot. Went to back in to my spot and the car died again. Tried to start the car and nothing...did not cycle the key. Was a little to stressed as was late for a meeting. Locked up the car and went to work. Tried to start a couple hours later and it started right up. Has run fine since.
Been reviewing discussion threads to figure out what happened. Just saw this on and it makes sense. Not knowing what the regen cycle feels like I cannot say it was doing that for sure as there was no instrument light telling me this was underway. :confused: However, if this was the case a DFP delete kit is in my near future.
 

newyorktdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Location
NYC
TDI
Golf
Just wanted to add to the thread for others who my experience the same.
I was driving my, new to me, 2010 Golf TDI to work and during the transition from freeway down to the off ramp stop the engine quit. No wear sounds nothing...just dead silence. Tried to start and nothing. Would not even crank over. I hind sight I did not cycle the key to full off and then try a restart at this point. Pushed the car throug the intersection to a safe place and made a phone call. Tried to start the car again. This time the key was already in the off position and it started. The car ran a little sluggish with low idle. Was able to go the last mile to my office parking spot. Went to back in to my spot and the car died again. Tried to start the car and nothing...did not cycle the key. Was a little to stressed as was late for a meeting. Locked up the car and went to work. Tried to start a couple hours later and it started right up. Has run fine since.
Been reviewing discussion threads to figure out what happened. Just saw this on and it makes sense. Not knowing what the regen cycle feels like I cannot say it was doing that for sure as there was no instrument light telling me this was underway. :confused: However, if this was the case a DFP delete kit is in my near future.
I'm the current owner of the OP's car and I this scenario happened to me 100% to the tee. Not sure what it is to this day. I've gotten to the point where I've accepted that these newer diesels are just not reliable.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
You guys are probably just stalling the car rolling up to the light in gear. I've done it more than once.
 

newyorktdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Location
NYC
TDI
Golf
Do I put the car into neutral when rolling up to the light when doing a regen? I usually keep the car the DSG in 'D' whenever I'm driving the car.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Ah, I'm not familiar with the automatics. The manager at the dealership did mention he had problems with his personal tdi w DSG stalling and lurching from a stop.
 

jpurre

Active member
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Location
South Florida
TDI
2011 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI
I had this happen to me as well. I was at the drive through and regen cycle was on. Came to a stop and the engine stalled. Turned the key off, and then started normally. Very odd.
 

ATR

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Location
Baltimore
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT
It would be nice to know which of you have a DSG VS a manual transmission.

I know that the DSG does have random weirdness and I think that VW may have a software update for the DSGs for issues that are being described in this thread. Specifically the stalling and crumby takeoffs. If all else fails Karma offers a fantastic DSG tune from what I've seen (better suited to stock TDIs).
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
its happened to me in the jetta, coasting in gear down a hill, throw in clutch and then it stalls while car is still rolling.

The tack just kept falling, the control system couldn't keep up.

Good thing the power steering is electric and keeps working until your speed decreases under 5-10mph
 

peytah

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
2010 JSW TDI, 6 sp manual, Pano roof, lifted
I've had this happen to me several times in my 2010 JSW manual. Push in clutch and engine dies.

It's really fun when you've got music playing and don't notice it until you let out the clutch again. Luckily, I don't think I've ever been moving more than 5-10 mph when I let the clutch out again.
 

ATR

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Location
Baltimore
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT
I have the 6 speed manual transmission in my car. The only time the engine died was when I let the clutch out too fast on takeoff not giving the car enough throttle juice.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
I've had this happen to me several times in my 2010 JSW manual. Push in clutch and engine dies.

It's really fun when you've got music playing and don't notice it until you let out the clutch again. Luckily, I don't think I've ever been moving more than 5-10 mph when I let the clutch out again.

try coming to a round-about doing 25 :D
 
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