Non-Starting Cupra - Whats Wrong Now? (Inc Video)

Igor23

Growing old disgracefully
Dec 7, 2006
495
0
Loughborough
Woah, that made for some un-comfortable reading. I'm going to mention the Fuel Pump tomorrow, as mine was changed too (But it's not the APR one), and could well be an issue, however it would have surfaced yesterday?

There's an issue with the CAM and CAM Follower wearing out very early on mapped cars. It could also be this?

Didn't you get your cam follower checked when you got your pump done? JBS checked mine prior to fitting the pump, saves a lot of grief later...
 

wild willy

Full Member
Aug 4, 2003
2,323
0
Wales
Possibly electrical connections left loose on the battery or fuses connected to actual battery if this area was disrupted to fit twinercooler.
 

RCS2K4

Active Member
Aug 28, 2007
399
0
Milton Keynes
www.xrct.co.uk
Didn't you get your cam follower checked when you got your pump done? JBS checked mine prior to fitting the pump, saves a lot of grief later...
I would like to think it was checked first. I wasn't present when they installed that, but nothing was mentioned. If they thought something was wrong, they would say...

I've got so many questions to ask them tomorrow!
 

Al

Active Member
Aug 29, 2005
7,331
9
Maybe the mechanical autotech fuel pump has a problem?

The pump is something I thought of the other day mate. The fact that it cranks but does not start is almost as if there is no fuel getting in there.

This would not cause the lack of commincations though.
 

warren_cox

Back from the dead
My S3 has been struggling to start recently. But once it fails it then starts second time round. It is due to get a Haldex diff oil change in the next week or so, so will ask dealer to check cam.

Whats the difference between the APR fuel pump and the fuel pump upgrade you have done? Is yours just internals?
 

RCS2K4

Active Member
Aug 28, 2007
399
0
Milton Keynes
www.xrct.co.uk
Ok peeps, I have had a pretty **** day because of the car. I have calmed down a bit, so will post the results here.

But it's not good...

This morning, Seat UK formally confirmed that the car's warranty on the ECU and Engine is void. They are not prepared to investigate the matter any further, believeing the REVO code, and that alone is the cause of the ECU's inability to communicate with the rest of the car, and VAGCOM. Furthermore, they have cancelled the breakdown assistance for the vehicle too, as it has been substantially altered outside of the original spec. They said that any further breakdown on the car is highly unlikley going to be atributed to the OE hardware in the car, and is due to the engine running outside of the recommended spec.

The vehice is under a contracted finance agreement also, and they also believe I have broken the terms of that contract, and have demanded payment in full within 28 days for the outstanding balance, or the goods returned to them in original condition (fair wear and tear excluded). I have asked for written proof of this by Friday.

They have also cancelled and taken back the hire car. [:@]

The guys at VagTech were present when this was all being discussed with the suited chap from Seat who was there this afternoon, and explained to him how none of the cars electricts ect were touched, but the person from Seat wasn't bothered. While he was there, they built a test bench with the aid of Carl from REVO to see if ECU info can be pulled up from it when it is removed from the vehicle.

As he expected, when the ECU is taken out the car, it did function correctly. This would lead to a wireing fault, but he said it's a needle in a haystack situation. And they also confirmed that no wires were touched during the IC installation. Seat still refuse to believe this.

Despite the fact that there is no longer a warrenty on this 9 month old car, Seat have instructed VagTech to stop carrying out work on the ECU, as it's their property! A few choice words from myself and the guys at VagTech were exchanged, then the Seat person left.

The instruction was then given to strip ALL modifications from the vehicle. The IC has now been removed, and the Miltek is being done tomorrow. I'm going back on Saturday to remove the Forge DV/Spacer, Carbonio and they are doing the Fuel Pump.

The car is then being towed back to Seat in stock condition where they are going to carry out fault finding on the wireing, at my own expense. The car will then be sold from that dealer once it is fixed, on a sale or return basis that they have agreed to.

All the parts removed will be sold on here to any takers, and consist of:
Milltek 100 Cell Sports Cat w/3" downpipe
Milltek non-res exhaust from the cat back
Forge DV Spacer
Forge Pressure Related DV
Carbonio CAI and Pannel Filter
Forge Twin Intercooler (Almost new!) with all hoses and fittings

Didn't see it ending like this TBH, but if they want to get really crappy over the financing and playing the legal card, i'm more than happy to show them the middle finger and buy something else.

Thanks to everyone on here for being so positive though, and Seat or no Seat, i'll still frequent this site as it is excellent...
 
Last edited:

UncleFester

Grumpier by the day!
Apr 30, 2006
4,764
1
Milton Keynes
www.facebook.com
Ouch - that's an expensive day! Surely when they got the ECU out of the car and got it working they could have scanned it for any faults ( including wiring) as it does have a memory? I guess this is all irrelevant now.
 

RCS2K4

Active Member
Aug 28, 2007
399
0
Milton Keynes
www.xrct.co.uk
Ouch - that's an expensive day! Surely when they got the ECU out of the car and got it working they could have scanned it for any faults ( including wiring) as it does have a memory? I guess this is all irrelevant now.
When the ECU was taken out the car, 100's of fault codes come up as none of the sensors ect were connected to it.

They would need to go thru each code one by one, to rule them out? This would be the only way to establish which fault codes were caused prior to it being removed, and afterwards - Unless there's another way?
 

UncleFester

Grumpier by the day!
Apr 30, 2006
4,764
1
Milton Keynes
www.facebook.com
When the ECU was taken out the car, 100's of fault codes come up as none of the sensors ect were connected to it.

They would need to go thru each code one by one, to rule them out? This would be the only way to establish which fault codes were caused prior to it being removed, and afterwards - Unless there's another way?

I guess it will overwrite old codes with new ones :( If it weren't for the other people who'd had odd issues with the wiring i'd be inclined to argue to keep the car however if they've effectively taken it back then there is little you can do.

It's sods law that as soon as it's all back to standard the ECU will fire up and so will the car - it's still a harsh end result :(
 

P0LKR

Full Member
Nov 13, 2005
929
2
Newton Mortgage, Glasgow
Ok peeps, I have had a pretty **** day because of the car. I have calmed down a bit, so will post the results here.

But it's not good...

This morning, Seat UK formally confirmed that the car's warranty on the ECU and Engine is void. They are not prepared to investigate the matter any further, believeing the REVO code, and that alone is the cause of the ECU's inability to communicate with the rest of the car, and VAGCOM. Furthermore, they have cancelled the breakdown assistance for the vehicle too, as it has been substantially altered outside of the original spec. They said that any further breakdown on the car is highly unlikley going to be atributed to the OE hardware in the car, and is due to the engine running outside of the recommended spec.

The vehice is under a contracted finance agreement also, and they also believe I have broken the terms of that contract, and have demanded payment in full within 28 days for the outstanding balance, or the goods returned to them in original condition (fair wear and tear excluded). I have asked for written proof of this by Friday.

They have also cancelled and taken back the hire car. [:@]

The guys at VagTech were present when this was all being discussed with the suited chap from Seat who was there this afternoon, and explained to him how none of the cars electricts ect were touched, but the person from Seat wasn't bothered. While he was there, they built a test bench with the aid of Carl from REVO to see if ECU info can be pulled up from it when it is removed from the vehicle.

As he expected, when the ECU is taken out the car, it did function correctly. This would lead to a wireing fault, but he said it's a needle in a haystack situation. And they also confirmed that no wires were touched during the IC installation. Seat still refuse to believe this.

Despite the fact that there is no longer a warrenty on this 9 month old car, Seat have instructed VagTech to stop carrying out work on the ECU, as it's their property! A few choice words from myself and the guys at VagTech were exchanged, then the Seat person left.

The instruction was then given to strip ALL modifications from the vehicle. The IC has now been removed, and the Miltek is being done tomorrow. I'm going back on Saturday to remove the Forge DV/Spacer, Carbonio and they are doing the Fuel Pump.

The car is then being towed back to Seat in stock condition where they are going to carry out fault finding on the wireing, at my own expense. The car will then be sold from that dealer once it is fixed, on a sale or return basis that they have agreed to.

All the parts removed will be sold on here to any takers, and consist of:
Milltek 100 Cell Sports Cat w/3" downpipe
Milltek non-res exhaust from the cat back
Forge DV Spacer
Forge Pressure Related DV
Carbonio CAI and Pannel Filter
Forge Twin Intercooler (Almost new!) with all hoses and fittings

Didn't see it ending like this TBH, but if they want to get really crappy over the financing and playing the legal card, i'm more than happy to show them the middle finger and buy something else.

Thanks to everyone on here for being so positive though, and Seat or no Seat, i'll still frequent this site as it is excellent...

I feel so sorry for you.

This kind of thing is the worst case scenario when modifying a car. Half of me says that I don't blame them but they really have thrown their toys out of the pram. SEAT have gone too far and been quite unreasonable. Cars like the cupra are bought mainly by enthusiasts like us and this kind of behaviour will only alienate a lot of their customer base. I think they could have been more pleasant about it and given a bit of ground.

Surely they must know that a very large percentage of performance turbo VAG cars are at least remapped. They are shooting themselves in the foot with regard to the overall picture.
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
I can't quite work out where SEAT got involved with the car at Vag-Tech? that makes no sense to me.

They've got no interest in diagnosing faults with "molested" cars - and that is the risk that is taken when you change parts.

Check your contract, but I imagine they're in the right terminating the hire contract. I bet you'll owe someone some money though...

Bad luck
 

warren_cox

Back from the dead
Wow, that is SUPER special. I guess I have absolutely no right to be surprised as manufacturers determine the rules, but then this opens a VERY big can of worms as not many people buy a car outright in CASH (other than pikeys who pave driveways for a living), so in essence they could stop you from doing anything to a vehicle unless you own it in full.

In my mind if you have the intent to keep the car rather than hand it back after 3 years of motoring the law may be on your side, but this may start some fairly serious discussions at SEAT UK HQ.

I was only thinking this morning that the rate they churn out cars these days they get less time to do long term testing. The 240/260PS Leon/S3 engine obviously has fuelling issues as they have just changed the fuelling system on the latest versions. If they had done proper long term tests this hould have been uncovered. Hence in my mind the cars we modify may have underlying significant weaknesses which may show in OE or modified spec.

I'm so sorry for you mate, what an awful way for it to end. I know they hold most of the cards, but there is NO need for this toys out the pram approach. At no point have you been unreasonable or expected anything for nothing. If I were you I'd let them have the car back as long as they don't hit you too hard on the return of any funds you may have sunk in.

I'm so tempted to switch from VAG to a brand which supplies product in group and embrasses the passionate motorist (Mercedes / BMW) as the VAG group are missing a trick not offering performance packs for their cars.

Really wish you the best of luck and hope you get a satisfactory outcome and a decent motor under you. I'd advise against an S3 unless you use Oxford Audi as the dealers down South are pretty awful too.
 

Igor23

Growing old disgracefully
Dec 7, 2006
495
0
Loughborough
Jeez that's harsh, I've got a hunch that somewhere in the front end of the car, a wiring connector/part of the loom has become pinched or cracked, and this is generating the fault, but finding it from a list of 100's of fault codes is like finding the proverbial in a haystack. I'd take the IC off your hands in a second if I had any spare cash... :(
 

Poverty

Guest
This is really foofin stupid on SEAT UK's part. What the hell are they thinking????

In germany VAG embraces the likes of MTM and ABT, selling their kit as approved or endorsed products.

I think all of us SEAT owners should take something from this and perhaps try and take some action.

We should spread this thread/topic around the different VAG sites and perhaps get some sort of petition going as surely this doesnt make good business sense at all. Perhaps the likes of autocar, pistonheads, and worldcarfans could show some interest in running this story.
 
Nimbus hosting - Based solely in the UK.