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Coil shaped icon flashing on dash, Not there now after restarting car?
susie_mcg
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:17
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Drive a Golf 2.0 TDi and on my journey home today an cool.gif orange light shaped like a spring/coil started flashing on the dashboard. An error message saying something along the lines of "engine fault, contact workshop" appeared and the car felt like it had lost a bit of its power when going up even a slight hill.
Got it home and parked outside the house as I was scared to stop somewhere random in case it didn't start again. Tried turning it over again after a quick look on google and expected it to struggle or even fail as a glow plug fault was suggested but it started as normal. The error message and flashing light have gone and I've taken it a drive locally and up a few steep hills and seems to have its mojo back.
Looking further into it, it is suggested that a fault with the brake lights can also trigger this icon on the dash. They are definitely working now but I can't guarantee they were when the fault message appeared.
Very weird....anyone have any experience of this, particularly as an intermittent fault?
Got an appointment down south again tomorrow but I'm a bit reluctant to start the journey if I'm likely to end up stranded!
Thanks :-)
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post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:17
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jobo
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:20
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i have strange warnings all the time, ignore them unless the car stops wont start OR take it to VW who can read the fault

This post has been edited by jobo: Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:23


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GAZ237
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:25
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If its a glowplug problem, you wont know until its started from cold. Trouble with warning lights they can just come on and go off and you never get to the root of the problem.
The fault should still be loaded on the system, so i would advise taking it in to have the fault codes read.

If the glowplugs are failing you will be left stranded when the engine is cold. (could be the injectors if you was loosing power).
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cieranc
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:28
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On earlier models, the glow plug light would double up as an engine management light. In my experience, rarely does a glow plug light on the dash turn out to be a fault with the glow plugs!

It is true that (with later golfs), if a brake light bulb blows, the engine management light comes on. First one I attended I couldn't believe that was the fault, but I replaced the brake light bulbs, cleared the fault codes and the EML stayed off.

Given your car showed the glow plug light, I don't think the brake lights are the problem. It's rare to get an intermittant fault with brake lights, usually they either work or they don't, but they don't come and go.

Call into your local garage, get them to give it a quick scan for fault codes.


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susie_mcg
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:41
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Thanks to all of you for your quick and helpful replies!

Looks like I will leave it until the morning and see how it starts when cold.

I've had the "one off" fault light in a car before, never to be seen again, but that was a Punto and you know what they say about Fiats!
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GAZ237
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:51
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Fiat = Just dont go there. rolleyes.gif
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articmonkey
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 21:31
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QUOTE (susie_mcg @ Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 19:17) *
Drive a Golf 2.0 TDi and on my journey home today an cool.gif orange light shaped like a spring/coil started flashing on the dashboard. An error message saying something along the lines of "engine fault, contact workshop" appeared and the car felt like it had lost a bit of its power when going up even a slight hill.
Got it home and parked outside the house as I was scared to stop somewhere random in case it didn't start again. Tried turning it over again after a quick look on google and expected it to struggle or even fail as a glow plug fault was suggested but it started as normal. The error message and flashing light have gone and I've taken it a drive locally and up a few steep hills and seems to have its mojo back.
Looking further into it, it is suggested that a fault with the brake lights can also trigger this icon on the dash. They are definitely working now but I can't guarantee they were when the fault message appeared.
Very weird....anyone have any experience of this, particularly as an intermittent fault?
Got an appointment down south again tomorrow but I'm a bit reluctant to start the journey if I'm likely to end up stranded!
Thanks :-)


From the way you describe the fault, it sounds exactly the same as the problem I have. Although, in the Caddy Van, I don't get the engine management warning light you mention. (probably a cost thing, its even got manual winders)

Every now and then it would lose power and struggle badly. I found it usually happened before the engine reached its optimum operating temperature, had your engine warmed up fully?

It was the same for me with regard to re-starting the engine, no problems starting and the problem just disappeared.

In the end I asked my mechanic about it and he recckons this is a known intermittent fault with the air mass meter. Simply switch off the ignition then re-start.

The good news is that I have had this happen to me approx 2-3 times per year over the last 10 years, usually in the winter, and I have found that making sure the engine is fully warmed, before applying too much right foot, helps. Personally, I take the Caddy on 400-500 mile round trips and never give it a second thought.

Just remembered something else, if it happens again, have a look if it's blowing out black exhaust fumes, like it's a bit choked up. That is what happens to the Caddy, it's not big clouds, just a bit more than usual.
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cieranc
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 21:42
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Hotwire type mass air flow sensors are prone to 'gumming up', affecting their reading.
They are very fragile and the wire mustn't be touched or rubbed, but a light squish with aerostart works wonders for de-greasing them!


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susie_mcg
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 22:56
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I was on the road back from Carlisle, had done about 80 miles when it pinged up on the dashboard.

It was pretty cold outside but not the coldest the car has been exposed to since I got it.

Didn't notice the lack of power until I got off the motorway and onto to a steep stretch of road I can usually accelerate pretty rapidly up, even in 4th it struggled and told me to drop to 3rd at about 50mph. I usually take great pleasure in passing other cars on that road but instead had to stay in the left lane and pee other people off!

Will look at the exhaust tomorrow morning if it starts :-s

Thanks again!
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mickR
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 23:30
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this type of problem can also occur if the cat is faulty. in a ceramic cat the element can break up and sometimes temporarily restrict gas flow.
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glasgow_bhoy
post Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 23:42
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My Astra did this last week- looks like the EGR Valve, but its not came back again. Do Golf's have problems with this part does anyone know?
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Tancred
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 00:36
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I have had the same problem with the same engine in an Octavia (2.0TDI PD 170), the car would be in limp home mode with the coil light flashing but if you turned off and on it disappeared and the car would start and drive normally, this was in the summer so not a cold problem. It logged an error you can read with VCDS but it didn't make much sense, Skoda couldn't find anything wrong with the car and it was behaving fine otherwise. I found someone on a Skoda forum with the same error and they said it was a bad earth on one of the connections which was causing the problem in his case although it's stopped occurring on mine a while back.
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Sparxy
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 02:15
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I'm with Tancred, possibly limp home mode - get the codes read either by a garage or a mate with a code reader, alternatively you may be able to find a method of reading them yourself (Some vauxhalls if you press the clutch and brake fully in, and then turn the key to II, you get a flashing light which means something).
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susie_mcg
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 10:26
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Started it at 7.30am and have just driven 144 miles in it and no sign of the dreaded springy icon!

No power issues either!

Keep your fingers crossed that I make it home tonight lol
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albert2008
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:00
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QUOTE (glasgow_bhoy @ Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 23:42) *
My Astra did this last week- looks like the EGR Valve, but its not came back again. Do Golf's have problems with this part does anyone know?


1998 Astra mk4 2.0 DI, egr cleaned every 1000 miles, ever if its needed or not,
just get the engine light on, no loss of power,
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The Rookie
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:19
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Any garage with an 'OBD reader' can read the code and tell you wnat the system thought was at fault, flashing lights are more serious than fixed, for a few quid (most local garages won't charge more for the 5 minutes it takes) it's worth finding out what the system, thought was wrong.

Simon


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articmonkey
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:27
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Try a 'google' for VW air mass meter problems, you will see it is a common fault.

If you unplug the air mass meter and take it for a drive it should behave in the same manner as you described in the OP, this will confirm the problem, or not.

But as I said, my VW 2.0 TDi has had this 'problem' for years, with no real problem.
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glasgow_bhoy
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:32
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QUOTE (albert2008 @ Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:00) *
QUOTE (glasgow_bhoy @ Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 23:42) *
My Astra did this last week- looks like the EGR Valve, but its not came back again. Do Golf's have problems with this part does anyone know?


1998 Astra mk4 2.0 DI, egr cleaned every 1000 miles, ever if its needed or not,
just get the engine light on, no loss of power,

I'm the 53 1.7CDTi.. EGR doesn't come apart like in the 2.0/1.9. Its only done it once with limp home though.

Was just wondering if this happens to VW's cos I know it's very common with Vauxhall engines.
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Mike7777777
post Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 20:40
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QUOTE (albert2008 @ Wed, 7 Mar 2012 - 11:00) *
QUOTE (glasgow_bhoy @ Tue, 6 Mar 2012 - 23:42) *
My Astra did this last week- looks like the EGR Valve, but its not came back again. Do Golf's have problems with this part does anyone know?


1998 Astra mk4 2.0 DI, egr cleaned every 1000 miles, ever if its needed or not,
just get the engine light on, no loss of power,

Can you not fit a blanking plate? 1998 VX has an EGR?
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Border_Collie
post Thu, 8 Mar 2012 - 00:05
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With many modern cars applying the brakes sends a signal to the computer which cuts the fuel down for economy. If the switch goes faulty it continually tells the computer you are braking even when your not, as a result you will find a loss of power, especially on inclines. Switch usually found at the very top of the brake pedal.
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