VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start

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Wed 27 Apr 2011 15:30
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - Oli

Hello All,

I have a Golf 1.9 TDI DSG on an 05 plate, it';s done 95k and is serviced regularly.

For approx the last nine months it has a completely random issue when you try to start it.

One day it will start straight away, another it will turn over anywhere between 3 or five times to more than 10.There is no pattern. it was worse durung the very cold weather, but the problem is also happeing now.

The battery has been tested and is fine, the local garage had it yesterday and said that two glow plugs came up on the dignostics, so they replaced them, still is not sorted though.

Any ideas??

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Wed 27 Apr 2011 18:30
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - unthrottled

Could well be a bad earth. Sounds like the injectors are not getting a reliable signal from the ECU. Tends to only manifest itself on starting because the starter motor is a bi grain on the battery.

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Thu 28 Apr 2011 01:00
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - PETER 4768

could be a leaky injector seal, which would manifest it self in 2 ways, first when the car is parked up for more than a few hours it allows air into the fuel system, so every time you start its as if you are starting a car that has run out of diesel, it will start quite quickly because you have to only push the air in the system a short distance before it is cleared and secondly the faulty washer will allow diesel to leak into the sump, unfortunately the leak, if thats what it is, isnt severe enough to notice a rise in the oil level overnight and will need to be watched for weeks.

a bad earth would trigger a fault code in the ecu so it is unlikely to be that but not impossible

if no other faults are stored in the ecu memory i would have all the injector seals/washers changed, the parts will cost less than £20 and about 2 hours work to do

regards peter

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Thu 28 Apr 2011 01:09
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - unthrottled
But wouldn't a leaky injector seal cause a systematic starting problem, rather than a random one? (Of course some problems appear random because all the variables are seldom perfectly controlled). If I can't find a pattern in the circumstances of a fault, I would always suspect an electrical problem somewhere.
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Thu 28 Apr 2011 08:22
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - PETER 4768

a problem with wiring to the injectors, which is something these type of engines suffer with in a big way, would nearly always put the check engine light on but as i said its not impossible.

leaky injector seals, especially a very small leak would present all of the symptoms of an intermttent start problem

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Thu 28 Apr 2011 15:04
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - unthrottled

Thanks. I'll file that in the memory bank trouble shooting guide.

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Fri 20 May 2011 10:33
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - SCOTTIBIZA

I have a similar problem with the same model, but it is the same on all starts. The engine is jumpy as you turn it over. VW have told me it is the starter motor that needs replacing and they cleared the warning lights on the dashboard while I wait for part to arrive. They both came back on a day or two later (starter not yet replaced). One looks like an engine block the other a speedo. I am wondering whether I could have the problem with the wiring to the injectors? Any thoughts appreciated.

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Wed 25 May 2011 12:45
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - kummererm

Hi - I've been having problems with my Golf IV (112k) firing up too. I've had a new cam belt, 4 new glows and new clutch in last 12 mnths so I was a bit miffed when it stopped firing up. My garage called out an Auto Electrician and it came down to bad earth connection and has been resolved through a deep clean of the earth circuits - all sorted now. According to the Auto Electricitian its pretty common on this car or this mileage....

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Fri 17 Jun 2011 12:38
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - Oli

Hi,

Mine has now done 100k, the problem is still there, car is going in for a new starter motor today, so once done will let you know if it 's sorted.

Is it me, or are Golf's b***** expensive to maintain.

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Fri 17 Jun 2011 15:33
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - 659FBE

Diagnosing this type of problem remotely without fault codes is difficult. I have, on occasions attended to PD engines with intermittent poor starting and have almost invariably found the cause to be one of the following:

Chinese fuel filters (includes "genuine VAG" filters). The bore for the thermostatic plastic "T" is poorly made causing an air leak. Buy a filter from a motor factor made by either Mann & Hummel or Bosch. Fit new "O" rings in the correct order and lubricate them with oil prior to assembly.

Relay 219 in the ECU box (Passat reference, the Golf might be different) has solder fatigue cracks - open the case and reflow all of the soldered joints every 5 years. This has been a perennial VAG fault (remember "relay 109"?) for as long as anyone can remember. They must be proud of themselves...

659.

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Sat 18 Jun 2011 16:54
VW Golf 1.9 TDI DSG - Difficut to start - Oli

new starter motor fitted, problem solved......£350 lighter.

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