Glow plug warning light / loss of power

Dewd

New member
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
2010 Sportwagon
Hi all, I'm a newbie here, so first thing....hi!
Today on my way to work, the indicator for the glow plugs on my dash popped on with a nice audio warning. I instantly felt a drop in power from the engine. It didn't matter how hard I pushed the pedal down, I couldn't accelerate much at all. This is the second time that this has happened. The first time was just a month or two after I bought the car (May 2010), and now it happened again 11 months into the life of the car. It's starting to concern me. Has anyone else experience this problem? The dealership thought that maybe it was that they were getting fouled by the diesel fuel, and wondered if I was using cheap diesel. Of course today, I have to question "is there such a thing as cheap diesel fuel?". But that's another issue I guess. Anyway, both times, I stopped the car, turned off and restarted, and the light went away, and the power came back. Very strange.

Anyone?

Thanks,

Don W.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Location
NC
TDI
2011 Sportwagon
Newbie here too, but I can say that my turbo intercooler got fouled up and was accompanied by a loss of power as you describe (i.e. no turbo) and a flashing GP warning light.

Of course, my problem occured when I nosedived off of a particularly nasty rr crossing (ugh), so the cause was obvious, but in your case... I have read many here describe an issue that can develop with water in the intercooler tube (apparently relatively easy to drain/clean?). Someone wiser than me can probably add to this or correct me :)
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2017 Alltrack SE; Totaled 2015 Passat SEL, BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat SE w/ Nav,
A code should be stored stating something caused limp mode, that code should point some place to look.

Demand the dealer look at it and fix it (at least look for a code), otherwise two years from now, with 60K on the clock, when you have this problem and cycling power won't solve it the dealer will gladly look into it when you're paying the bill not VWoA.

Btw what dealer are you taking it to?
 

Dewd

New member
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
2010 Sportwagon
The dealer looked at it yesterday, and felt it was software related, and made an update. I don't really understand it myself, but so far today there's no indication that there was ever an issue. I use Scott VW in East Providence RI. I've had great service there with rarely a complaint.
 

rte2MA

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Location
Massachusetts
TDI
2011 Golf TDI
Well, I had 2-3 similar episodes with my 2010 Golf, but the car always recovered after a few seconds and then when I started up again, the glow plug light was off. So I let it go. But then at 17500 miles I had a complete loss of power and an engine stall while driving on a highway. The dealership couldn't reproduce the problem but when it happened to me a second time at 18800 miles, they promptly replaced the fuel pump (in Jan 2011).
So does this mean you're headed for a HPFP problem? I dunno. The temporary loss of power with the glow plug light happened to me AGAIN a couple months AFTER the fuel pump replacement. That time the dealer responded by replacing the fuel pump relays - I guess I still had the original relays? So maybe these things are related - and maybe they're not.
Let's both keep our fingers crossed. But just to be safe, if you do experience another loss of power, play it safe and pull over to the side of the road in case you are headed for a total stall. The two times my engine stalled out on me, the engine wouldn't restart. Better to be off the roadway if that's going to happen.
 

Dewd

New member
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
2010 Sportwagon
Rte2,

Yeah, it's a little unnerving when you're on Rt 95 or 495 and this happens. Worse if you're in the passing lane (high speed lane for you Rhode Islanders). Fortunately the power came back and the idiot light went away after I turned it off and restarted it in both cases. I will not be pleased if this keeps happening. If it does, then it will probably be my last VW, sad to say. My last Jetta, a 2000 1.8T had the turbo blow up on the highway, leaving me stranded on a bridge. Nice. At least they rebuilt the engine under warranty, and I got another 90K out of it until the timing belt/chain went.
 

Jetta_TDI_Fan

Active member
Joined
May 4, 2006
Location
Fort Riley, KS
TDI
2012 JSW
This exact thing just happened to me this weekend. Power loss on the highway and the light blinking. Pulled over, turned the engine off, restarted and it's like it never happened. I'm taking it to the dealship on Monday to have it looked at. I hope they find the issue since it's still under warranty and I've only owned it for a little over a month.
 

Marney_5

New member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Location
UK
TDI
VW Golf GT
Had the exact same problem as Dewd yesterday!

Golf GT (170) TDI 2008

If it happens again then I will be taking it back to the dealer!
 

specsalot

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2011
Location
Florida
TDI
Currently none
Just went through this in early April (~14.4k miles). I posted a thread here on the experience. Mine turned out to be an over boost condition. Hasn't done it in the last 2k miles. No one at the dealer identified the root cause. These things bear watching over time.

Dewd - The glow plug light in your case sounds like it was pointing toward issues with the glow plugs themselves. The dealership should be looking a stored diagnostic trouble codes. If they are saying you have fouled glow plugs due to fuel quality issues this sounds like mis-information. Ask them what codes were scanned and let us know. Their explanation doesn't sound correct at all.

rte2MA - Stalling out is another matter. Stall events point toward more serious issues in the fuel system. Stalls with flashing glow plugs should not be fooled around with.

Underwarranty all issues should be a trip to the shop. If you have doubts about shop advice / actions please post your experiences in a thread here. Lots of good advice on these boards.
 

maniago

Active member
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Location
Bowie MD
TDI
'13 Passat TDI 1/2SE-1/2SEL DSG
Just took my 2013 Passat to the dealer on a roll back. Blinking glowplug light, engine light, turn signal out light - all at the turn of the key in my driveway - none of which were there on its last outing yesterday. Started up normal, but when I dropped it in gear, it quit. Started again, but quit in gear. Wouldn't take the load.

79k. Of course. 3K out of warrantee ....
 
Top