Running rough and hesitating - struggles to start

I have had a problem with my TDI arosa now for nearly 2 months. When driving along at a steady speed it will hesitat very badly then carry on, it does it when hot or cold but first started when low on diesel. I have changed the fuel filter and air filter. Over Christmas it refused to start so i changed the coolant temp sensor but still no joy. Green Flag got it started by spraying alot of Easystart down the air filter tubing after the MAF. Main Seat garage then diagnosed a dirty EGR which they cleaned up (albeit only charging for 20 minutes labour, thought it would take longer to clean) Since then it is still running rough and hesitating so i have cleaned the MAF sensor and reset ECU after reading various posts. Also it has had a load of Forte diesel treatment.

The car this morning struggled to start AND still runs rough. Any ideas ?

Oh and the weird bit from the is when i turned my radio on after ECU reset it asked for a code which i don't have (SAFE on display), left it off for 2 days and turned it on yesterday and the thing works ! and has remembered all the preset radio stations, HOW ???

Cheers for the advice, i still havn't sorted this problem out, It wouldn't start again yesterday so i removed the pump from the tank and cleaned out all the fuel lines but to no avail, i know it's nasty stuff but the only way it would start was by spraying Easystart down the air filter housing, it fired up straight away, could it be the tandem pump ?

Came here to post about the same problems I've been having with my own TDi.

Similar symptoms to what you describe--I could be driving along at a steady speed and it'd suddenly hesitate for a wee second. That's been recurring intermittently since Xmas for me as well. Then, on Thursday, it failed to start completely after sitting for a day in snowy weather. However, even now it's thawed the car still won't start.

At least I have a couple of ideas to look at thanks to this thread. Still, I just had the car serviced a couple of weeks ago, so to be sitting here with no car is really pissing me off...


G

gdelargy said:

Came here to post about the same problems I've been having with my own TDi.

Similar symptoms to what you describe--I could be driving along at a steady speed and it'd suddenly hesitate for a wee second. That's been recurring intermittently since Xmas for me as well. Then, on Thursday, it failed to start completely after sitting for a day in snowy weather. However, even now it's thawed the car still won't start.

At least I have a couple of ideas to look at thanks to this thread. Still, I just had the car serviced a couple of weeks ago, so to be sitting here with no car is really pissing me off...


G

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I feel for ya ! - it's driving me mad, if you are desperate to get it started spray some easystart down the air filter housing, disconnect your glow plugs first, i've been told it's not particularly good stuff to use on Diesels but if your desperate it's up to you, I have been back to Seat (again) who have diagnosed blocked injectors due to "bad" fuel, i have now completely drained it of all fuel and started from scratch but to no avail, it is severly getting on my nerves now, Spoke to an injection expert today who have advised the injector theory is unlikely as it would probably be running terrible all the time, i'm at a complete loss now, i tried kicking it yesterday a few times yesterday though

mr biscuit i will be buying one tomorrow and if it works i will be forever grateful, i take it this is different from the coolant temp sensor as i have already changed that, i have noticed mine takes AGES to warm up, could this be another symptom

blast !, if i unplug the coolant sensor would i be right in thinking the ecu would just be "told" the engine is cold, just wondering if it's worth me unplugging it and seeng how it runs in case i have replaced a dodgy sensor with another dodgy sensor

mmmmmm, i'm not convinced but on Friday via a complete fluke i noticed fuse number 32 (engine electrics) was not seated properly, since then it's been running fine !! surely not ...... could i really be this lucky

robreidmotors said:

Is it possible that the easy start, rather than igniting as such, helped clean everywhere it went? maybe loosening up parts that were carboned up etc?

On petrols you can use throttle body cleaner, diesels dont have one, im hoping diesel heads will be able to help on this one. Is it possible to use something to clean up from the ducting onwards?

On a simple not id check the air filter also, as dirty ones cause havoc on any car, petrol or diesel.

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It's back in garage, now in limp mode, now diagnosed as needing a new tandem pump, i am seriously regretting buying the little pain in the

and the hits just keep on coming .......... Ran lovely for 20 minutes after pump change, then died, seems a diagnosis before of a blocked injector may be true as thats what diagnostics is now showing,sooooooo now having injector replaced, £35 road tax=lovely, 65mpg=lovely, £700 bill (so far) to keep it running NOT SO BL**DY LOVELY

CatB1 said:

Seems like the Tdi's are all catching a similar bug. My daily driver Arosa Tdi refused to start a few weeks ago, had it towed to mates garage, crank sensor was OK & Tandem pump was pressurising to 40psi at cranking speed. Diagnostics was showing injector 1, 2 & 3 to be at fault. Mates garage could not believe all three faulty at the same time. Took it to SEAT main dealers, more checks & diagnosed all three injectors could be faulty. Injectors taken out (diagnostics, labour & cost of sending injectors to specialist) & confirmed all three to be U/S. Originally quoted £300 per injector, now its £220 plus VAT. Bill at the moment is about £1100, car tax renewed today & insurance now also due. The 16V Cupra MOT was done in Feb, the Arosa had a new exhaust, also in Feb to get that through the MOT & the 1.8T MOT is now also due. Oh dear, expensive couple of months.

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I feel for you mate, mine now has new tandem pump and 1 new injector and is still failing ! now told ECU, not sure what to do as the VW independant "specialist" still hasn't fixed it but i'm up to £760,Anyone know where i can get the ECU checked/repaired. ps my cupra leon is due a service, tax and 4 new tyres, deep joy

CatB1 said:

Picked the Arosa up this morning after having all three injectors replaced, hope you guys have got your problems sorted.


Pete

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afraid not, got in it today after being on hols for a week, started lovely drove like a pig, tried starting it after 30 minutes, turns over and over and over but will not start, aa man turned up filled it with easy start and i'm off again, i've had enough now, spose my last chance is an ecu test, anyone wanna buy it ?