2005 Passat B6 Diesel 1.9 starting issue.

cycocycle · 02-04-2013 11:34am #1

Bought my Passat three weeks ago. 140k kilometres on the clock. I had a feeling the battery might have been on its last legs as it was slightly hesitant to start cold. Yesterday morning after lying up for 2 days it refused to start so I stuck it on charge. It started fine after that while checking it. Went to make a journey last night and when I started it the yellow steering wheel light stayed on for a minute or two but then went out. A couple of minutes later the engine died completely without warning while I was driving. I tried to start up again and it turned over fine but would not fire. Battery died off pretty quickly after that. Having it checked with Vag Com later but was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience and what was the outcome?

johnayo · 02-04-2013 11:39am

If the battery was flat or disconnected, then the steering light will come on until you drive a short distance, that's normal. As for the cutting out, best to see what the vag com comes up with. Too many possibilities there.

cycocycle · 02-04-2013 4:19pm

Tried the car there with a fully charged battery and it started grand. As I was fitting the battery there was a heavy spark at the terminals. Wondering what could be causing such a heavy load. Any way it ran fine for maybe 3 minutes and then the idle sound changed like it started missing. Gave it a rev and it died. Same thing then where it turned over no bother but would not fire. Maybe whatever issue it has is temperature related but the electrical load is a weird one.

Nissan doctor · 02-04-2013 8:37pm

Have you checked that the battery is charging when the engine is running?

The yellow steering light is normal after a flat battery. It just means that the steering angle sensor needs to re-learn the straight ahead position, which it does after a short drive.

cycocycle · 02-04-2013 8:48pm

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Have you checked that the battery is charging when the engine is running?.

Other than the fact that there is no charging light, no. It's being checked with Vag Com at the moment so I'll see if that sheds any more light on it.

cycocycle · 03-04-2013 4:25pm

I think I have isolated the issue somewhat. I have no power at the fuel pump in the tank when I open the drivers door or when the ignition is on. I removed the pump and put power directly to it and the motor ran. The fuel pump fuse has power across it as well.
I dont really understand what should be happening so I cant tell when its not doing what it should. Does the pump run constantly and if so could I take power from, say, the alternator to provide power once the engine is running? Does the pump send some kind of trigger signal through the gauge sender wiring to run the fuel pump?
Not entirely sure which relay controls the fuel pump either. I found a pretty badly burned relay under the dash to the right of the steering column.
The plot thickens.

2005 Passat B6 Diesel 1.9 starting issue.

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