Sad realization about my 2010 MK6 Golf TDI - Mice, hydrolock, and a dead battery!

[ksing44]

It wasn't a good day for my 2010 MK6 Golf TDI with 200K+ miles that I now park outside because I bought a newer 2019 MK75 Golf R. I've been trying to drive the TDI more than my newer Golf R, but little things mostly kept me out of the TDI for the last couple of weeks. First it was a bulb out for the license plate. Not a big deal, but it was annoying to drive until I replaced the bulb and could drive without the warning. Then I had a low tire pressure light because my wheels need to be refinished and one leaks a little air over time. Again, not a big deal but it's been cold and it snowed a couple of times in the last week and I simply drove the Golf R that's parked in my heated garage. Then, today, the TDI wouldn't start. I found a mess under the hood mostly on top of the battery cover, mouse droppings, chewed leaves and seeds. I jumped the TDI with the Golf R. It was a struggle but it finally started. When it did I realized the engine had ingested some water. It blew steam out the exhaust for a few miles, but finally stopped after I drove around the neighborhood and down the highway a couple of times.

Everything seems okay right now, but the experience made me question my decision to keep my TDI as a second car for me. I still enjoy driving the TDI, but I admit it's even more fun to drive the Golf R. But I also like the idea of keeping the Golf R reserved for special occasions and for traveling. I just wish I could keep the TDI inside, but the other spot in the garage is for my wife. It seems parking outside has consequences.

I'm planning to keep on keeping on with the TDI, spending pretty much whatever it takes to keep it on the road. I recently had the clutch replaced and I'll get a new battery next week. But It's sad to watch my TDI deteriorate right in front of my eyes. I think it would be better if it was still in the garage like it was for the previous 13 years of ownership, but that's not going to happen.

Wish me luck you TDI fans!

 

[lemoncurd]

yeah, sadly those earlier year CRTDI's have got issue's electrically (the mice aren't helping ). that paired with normal high mileage + now older car things can make them a bear to own long term. which is a damn shame because theyre excellent cars otherwise.

my mom's 2011 JSW TDI is having some issues with the engine bay fuse box, it's arcing on the fuse that powers half the exterior lights on the car. common problem for the earlier year cars, but an annoyance for sure.

i feel your pain watching a vehicle deteriorate. my 2013 jsw tdi just rolled to 235k miles, i also found some paint chips turned to rust spots on the car while giving it a bath. in the spring ill have to get under it and take a look there too, might be picking up a wire wheel or needle gun, and a bunch of rustoleum

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

These sound like minor problems you'd have with an aging car, whether it sat outside or not. I've found mouse nest attempts under the hood of my GSW and BMW despite them being inside. So far I've suffered no wiring damage. I do set mouse traps, but they seem only slightly effective.

And it sounds like you had some intercooler icing, but it didn't escalate to a real hydrolock. If it had the engine would have stopped and not rotated with when the starter was engaged. You may want to try and drain the interooler piping, however. If you've had some of the wet weather with fluctuating temperatures like we have in New England, moisture in the intercooler would have been pretty unavoidable, even with the car in a garage.

I try to drive all my cars once a week. I'm not very successful in winter because I don't want to drive the GSW or the 335d on salty roads, but I get close. I do keep the cars I don't drive often on battery tenders when parked. That is a huge help both with starting and keeping them (especially the BMW) from throwing codes when the battery gets low.

All that said, maybe you should think about selling the Golf. If it weighs on your mind and you no longer like driving it as much as you like the R, it may be time for it to go.

What motivates me to keep all my diesels is knowing there won't be any more.

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

Unfortunately modern cr diesels seem to be "drive em' or they die" unlike the old idi I've got hibernating out back. Glad you enjoyed its prime for so long, my 11' was one of my all time favorites.

 

[ksing44]

Thank you all for your support! I needed to tell someone about my struggles and concerns!

It's true that so far the issues were small, except of course getting a new clutch wasn't small. I should add that my headliner is also coming down. It's also true the issues are not out of the norm for a car of this age and number of miles. I do have a battery tender, but I was driving the TDI quite a bit until the snow, very cold weather, and the two minor things that made it harder to resist taking the Golf R parked in the heated garage. I'm also lucky because it seems the mice may not have done any real damage to my car. I think it may have just been a one night camping trip on a snowy night. The car runs fine now with no faults.

And the frozen intercooler thing, in retrospect, I suppose it was predictable after driving in very cold weather previously and then starting the car on a day when it was suddenly quite warm here in SE Pennsylvania. The car would not turn over, even when connected to my Golf R it took a while to finally try to turn over. Then after trying repeatedly, the car finally started but stalled a number of times. Then it finally stayed running, but steam kept coming out of my exhaust for a number of miles. Again, I think I was lucky, because I probably should not have kept pushing the car to start. I just though it was all the battery, until I finally realized what happened. It happened once before to me, but that was more than 10-years ago.

It just felt like the TDI was slipping away from me. I don't want that to happen. Winter and parking outside just made things a bit worse lately. Like @lemoncurd, spring cleaning will be a good thing for the TDI. The warmer weather will also make it easier to choose the TDI parked outside vs the Golf R in the heated garage. I already have a quote for the headliner to be replaced and I already spoke to someone local that can refinish my wheels. I'll get a new battery this week and drive the TDI as much as possible to keep it alive and well. Looking forward to spring!

Thank you again for your comments and support!

 

[lemoncurd]

fwiw, theyre still good cars and i dont intend on ever letting mine go. only way ill part with it is it rusts into the ground or it gets into an accident.

 

[Analogeezer]

Oh man tell me about rodents and such, my place has groundhogs. I wound up trapping about six of the things the first few years we lived here and hauling them off but some are still sticking around. I took them 9 miles away so I know they did not return.

So my 2013 JSW was still under the emissions warranty and I get a MIL light and the ABS/TPMS and TC/SC light was on. I put it in the shop and they covered the MIL light (it was a sensor) and the other light was a roached wheel speed sensor, the ABS/TPMS and TC/SC all get their signals from the wheel sensors.

So I get the car home, three days later it won't start at all and literally every light in the dash was on. Had it flat towed in and got the call "you've got a rodent problem". They sent me pix and sure enough I did.

Turns out the ******* groundhog not only ate the newly installed emissions sensor and wheel speed sensor wires, but also ate through another wiring loom and the one that controls the clutch interlock. Since the emissions warranty does not cover rodent damage, I had to pay to get that fixed, after not paying three days earlier.

Total bill (dealer) was $1,654. Well since I have comprehensive I made a claim, they lowballed me on the cost to fix and I also had to pay a $250 deductible. In the end it cost me $350 net. Far better than $1,654 though.

Tell you what, the next groundhog will not be released into the wild, well he will be released but only his corpse.

If you have comprehensive you might want to run the wiring damage as a claim.

Analogeezer

 

[ksing44]

I'm mostly recovered from my woe worrying about my 2010 MK6 TDI deteriorating and I'm moving forward just trying to enjoy still having and driving the TDI. In fact, I just got new Apex 17" x 8.5" ET43 wheels last week! (pictured below with my 2019 MK7.5 Golf R on a nice spring morning in southeast Pennsylvania) I was planning to refinsh the old wheels, but at the last minute I decided to buy new Apex wheels during their spring sale. I bought race silver. I like the look of the new wheels even though the more open design exposes the small rusty brakes on my TDI. With the considerably lighter and also wider wheels the car feels lighter on its feet, more nimble, and secure. With the old wheels, I was concerned they might not be completely round. They were on my car a long time. I also had new TPMS sensors installed on the new wheels. They're not responding at the moment but I think I'll probably be able to get that straightened out in the future.

I'm getting some suspension work done on Monday, starting with replacing the very rusty rear lower control arms and a thorough assessment of what else might be needed to keep me on the road. A couple of months ago I had the secondary polishing fuel filter removed to make routine maintenance a bit easier and because it probably isn't necessary with the more robust CP3 pump. I got a new windshield over the winter too! It's very nice see more clearly without the 200K+ mile sandblasted windshield! Commuting all those years took a toll. And I have a quote to get the headliner replaced at a trusted and very experienced auto upholstery shop.

And finally, I also realized that parking under my deck was part of the problem. It seemed like a good idea, it's paved under my deck and I thought it would be good to keep the car partially shielded from the elements. I was wrong. Under the deck the car was staying wet longer than if it was out in the open. Also, lots of dirt washed from the deck down onto the car when it rained. Now, out in the open, the rain keeps my car cleaner! It also seems to have stopped the rodent invasion, after I eliminated the family of 4 that initially took up residence on top of my battery cover. I also cut the top of the cover off to eliminate what looked like their home. So far, it appears the mice didn't eat other parts of the car and it runs great.

New Apex wheels on my MK6 TDI (pictured with MK7.5 Golf R)

on Flickr