not getting current to glow plugs

[roy bird]

No start problem due to no current getting to glow plugs, replaced relay and checked fuses , suspect no grounding to terminal 85 of glow relay. Wondering if there is a common problem with the ECM?

 

[STDOUBT]

Hey, Roy!
Welcome to TDIClub.
Go ahead and remove your home address from your profile, bud.
This reply will wait, go on.

There. OK. Usually the problem with what you're seeing is caused by the glow plug harness itself.
You can make your own pretty easily if you know how to solder.

$80 Glow Plug Harness?! Not on My TDI! | The Art of Diesel

www.theartofdiesel.com

Or buy a new one.
I would test the harness and test the plugs while you're at it.

Glow plugs 101 ***Ver. 2.0***

Well, its been over a year since my original glow plugs 101 thread. I just got the code back so I had to do the testing procedure again and thought I would redo my How to with new pics & info. So here goes. The glow plug codes are a popular code to be thrown on our cars. Several versions of...

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[Vince Waldon]

Hi Roy and welcome to the forum.

The ECU is basically bullet-proof, and other than the dead of winter your car will start well below freezing without glowplugs... just run a bit rough in the beginning.

Unless it's very very cold where you are there's probably something bigger going on.. perhaps back up a bit and talk about what you're experiencing and what you've tried so far?

 

[roy bird]

thanks guys, I will follow your tips tomorrow.

 

[irvingj]

Ditto on the harness -- a known issue. On my 2005 (BEW), I've had to remove my harness, clean contacts & re-install 2 or 3 times. That always cures the "bad GP" code and she works again.

 

[oilhammer]

OBD works, start there. If you have a glow system problem, you will have a glow system related DTC, and the MIL will be on. If you do not have that, then (as far as the ECU is concerned), your glow system is fine. Not all hard/no starts are glow system related (in fact, most are not).

 

[wonneber]

Need a bit more info.

Do your dash lights come on?
If not check relay 109. (it's not the GP relay)

How did you determine ' no current getting to glow plugs ' ??
What year is the car?
My old 03 had 2 50 amp fuses in the fuse box above the battery.
Each for 2 plugs.
Check them with a test light or meter.
Should always power on them.

GP relay ground should be around the center of the firewall.

 

[freakwithracket]

Years ago I had a problem where I could not get my glow plugs working. Light would come on for just a second no matter how cold. Replaced plugs, harness, relay. Hell, I even spent an hour talking to an engineer from Bosch up in Michigan trying to figure out what the issue was. Tested the plug, etc. It turned out to be a connector in the right side of the engine bay (facing the engine standing in front of the car) just to the right of the battery sort of in down under the fender there. I don't remember the number for the plug but it was a 10 or 12 pin plug. It had melted somehow. Nothing else in the car seemed to be broken. I found this by chance. I replaced the plug and wouldn't you know, by glow plugs started working again.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

I too was going to mention the connector below the battery. anything near the battery has a really good chance of corroding.