VCDS lite was never going to read the faults as this is a newer can based car I believe. Correct me if i'm wrong though. It does point to an immobilizer fault to me too, starting and then cutting out soon after.
Oh god have I lost my engine???
- Thread starter smashingguy
- Start date
If you look back at the original post though you'll see that the car wouldn't start then cut out, it just wouldn't start.
If you look back at the original post though you'll see that the car wouldn't start then cut out, it just wouldn't start.
I think you need to read the begginning again.
I did bud, he says it was smoking like a chimney and wouldn't start then eventually it did and cut out again but the immobiliser doesn't make your car smoke. Diesels always start fine then cut out after a couple of seconds when the immobiliser's playing up, not smoke like a trooper, take forever to start then cut out.
Sorry for any confusion: I have not been able to start the car since i first discovered this problem last week. I guess i should have been clearer in my initially post, in that the car runs for a split second and cuts out. This has been consistent throughout.
It will be a real pain trying to tow it to a dealers (and back), so I guess I will have to either find someone with the vag com software for the car, or find a mobile mechanic who knows what they are doing. I have been ripped off in the past by so called mechanics, and that's why i am not rushing to pick up the yellow pages and call an unknown mechanic. If anyone has any recommendations of a decent mobile mechanic that knows his/her stuff and covers my area (Ruislip/Uxbridge) i would be grateful?
If it was an immobiliser issue, then would the fans run immediately when the ignition is turned on?
It will be a real pain trying to tow it to a dealers (and back), so I guess I will have to either find someone with the vag com software for the car, or find a mobile mechanic who knows what they are doing. I have been ripped off in the past by so called mechanics, and that's why i am not rushing to pick up the yellow pages and call an unknown mechanic. If anyone has any recommendations of a decent mobile mechanic that knows his/her stuff and covers my area (Ruislip/Uxbridge) i would be grateful?
If it was an immobiliser issue, then would the fans run immediately when the ignition is turned on?
Not at all man, I don't mind a debate but I'm wrong and M1KEH's right lol. Have a look at this.
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/immobilizer-VW-Audi-FAQ.htm
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/immobilizer-VW-Audi-FAQ.htm
I just disconnected the positive lead from the car battery (in order to charge the battery), and the car alarm went off. Obviously it must have a seperate battery back up for the alarm, so how do i turn the alarm off when i disconnect the battery?
I think this car has a mind of it's own, because when jgy6000 was here last night and we disconnected the positive lead from the battery, the alarm never sounded????
I think this car has a mind of it's own, because when jgy6000 was here last night and we disconnected the positive lead from the battery, the alarm never sounded????
Alarm sorted: when the alarm went off i used the manual key (non remote) to unlock the car when i removed the positive battery lead, but both times that i used the remote key to unlock the car and then removed the battery lead it was okay (the alarm didn't sound). Can't see why it would make a diffrence, but at least the battery is out now and charging.
green87
Guest
Wee abouts in the country are you located? I have access to vagcom if you within resonable distance i could always drive to you and plug in.
Green 87, That is very decent of you, but unfortunately I live near Uxbridge (close to Heathrow), and that is a bit far from where you are.
How much would it cost to buy for vagcom software that works on my car?
How much would it cost to buy for vagcom software that works on my car?
The program/cable you need will be about £250 or so. PM me if you want the cheapest uk supplier.
Update: A mechanic checked the car today. Some good news, he started the car (that was a relief), but it was running lumpy. I hadn't put the hose back on properly that MJ suggested i disconnect, and the mechanice was also unable to reconnect it (he said they had a special tool at the dealers to reconnect it?).
The car wouldn't start a second or third time, without the mechanic taking one of the relays out and wacking it. He however, didn't believe that this was the cause of the problem, and said that there was no point in me buying a replacement relay at this point.
The dash lights were doing there own thing, and most stayed alight even when the car was running. The oil pressure light was flashing for about 5 mins when the car was first started, but that went off, and the brake light (i) was flashing some of the time.
Iniitially the engine management light wouldn't come on, but then it came on, and stayed on when the car was running. He got the same code as me when he did a scan (P0600), which indicated a comms fault.
He said that the car needs to go to seat for a full scan. He wrote: No EML & ECM fault.
The mechanic said that I shouldn't drive the car (even if i can get it started). I have a skoda dealer close to me, and a seat dealer miles away, so would the skoda dealer be able to do the same scan as the seat dealers, or am i best off getting the car towed to the seat dealer?
Thanks for advice you guys have given me, and although the car is still stuck on the drive, at least it doesn't have a blown engine. I just hope it isn't going to be a big issue tying to find the cause of the problem.
The mechanic further said that the ECU may just require an upgrade which often happens with VW engines?
Although
The car wouldn't start a second or third time, without the mechanic taking one of the relays out and wacking it. He however, didn't believe that this was the cause of the problem, and said that there was no point in me buying a replacement relay at this point.
The dash lights were doing there own thing, and most stayed alight even when the car was running. The oil pressure light was flashing for about 5 mins when the car was first started, but that went off, and the brake light (i) was flashing some of the time.
Iniitially the engine management light wouldn't come on, but then it came on, and stayed on when the car was running. He got the same code as me when he did a scan (P0600), which indicated a comms fault.
He said that the car needs to go to seat for a full scan. He wrote: No EML & ECM fault.
The mechanic said that I shouldn't drive the car (even if i can get it started). I have a skoda dealer close to me, and a seat dealer miles away, so would the skoda dealer be able to do the same scan as the seat dealers, or am i best off getting the car towed to the seat dealer?
Thanks for advice you guys have given me, and although the car is still stuck on the drive, at least it doesn't have a blown engine. I just hope it isn't going to be a big issue tying to find the cause of the problem.
The mechanic further said that the ECU may just require an upgrade which often happens with VW engines?
Although
MJ wrote...
Your mechanic diagnosed the same fault and temporary repair, yet dismissed it as not relevant.
I presume he had a full diagnostic machine to try and scan the car? If so and he got no communications with the ECU then it certainly sounds like that relay is the fault.
As regards the dealers tool to reconnect the boost pipe, that's balls. I've had that particular pipe disconnected a couple of times and it's not a hard job to reconnect.
Personally, I'd spend a few quid on that relay and go from there rather than £90 odd at a dealers for an hours labour to run a scan which they won't be able to do anyway if the ECU relay is fecked.
Or it could be the wire powering the ecu control relay in the engine bay fuse box. The wiring loom can rub through the battery tray and brake - causing this fault.
Thanks for the replies. I did ask the mechanic if the seat garage would be able to use their diagonstic equipment to identify the problem, even though he couldn't read anything due to a comms fault, and he was entirely confident that they could! He even suggested they might do a free ECU software upgrade? This is exactly the reason why I haven't rushed to put it in a garage. I have been ripped off by garages/mechanics so many times in the past, that I dread parting with my hard earn cash for them to replace overpriced/unnecessary parts and charge me over inflated prices for the priviledge. I am not suggesting all garages/mechanics rip you off (just many of them I have dealt with).
I again just swapped the relays over (373), and the car started, but as before, lots of lights still remained on the dash.
Mj, It's a shame you are so far away, because I would have trusted you to have sorted the problem.
I will try and put the hose back on tomorrow. I also thought the mechanic might be talking bull suggesting it needed a special tool.
The question is, where do I go from here. The 2 seat specialists I called when I first had the problem didn't fill me with confidence. Any suggestions of a decent (trustworthy) garage/mechanic I could try in the West London area would be appreciated?
I again just swapped the relays over (373), and the car started, but as before, lots of lights still remained on the dash.
Mj, It's a shame you are so far away, because I would have trusted you to have sorted the problem.
I will try and put the hose back on tomorrow. I also thought the mechanic might be talking bull suggesting it needed a special tool.
The question is, where do I go from here. The 2 seat specialists I called when I first had the problem didn't fill me with confidence. Any suggestions of a decent (trustworthy) garage/mechanic I could try in the West London area would be appreciated?
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