GTD starting Problems

[IWMTom]

I’ve had such an issue where every couple weeks or thereabouts my 2014 GTD will take an extra second or 2 to start, it had done a couple of fairly lengthy cranks and I had VW install a slow start software update, I’ve had it serviced and I run it on premium diesel, I could spend hundreds on having injectors and glow plugs etc tested but I reckon I wouldn’t be any the wiser, seems I just have to put up with it

This is a well known issue:

 

[Dbriggs85]

Battery on the way out??

No battery was changed 6 months ago, it’s really doing my head in, my heart sinks when it happens.

 

[Lth0ms0n]

Mine is like this on the odd occasion and I'm wondering if the battery is behind it also.. 70k miles on the same one, it does seem to be hit or miss as to whether or not it will actually do it.

If the glow plugs are part of the issue, why doesn't the car tell you when they're ready? My parents had a Discovery with a glow plug indicator on it and they knew not to start it until it was out...

If this is still a requirement with diesels now, why did VW miss this out?

 

[IWMTom]

Mine is like this on the odd occasion and I'm wondering if the battery is behind it also.. 70k miles on the same one, it does seem to be hit or miss as to whether or not it will actually do it.

If the glow plugs are part of the issue, why doesn't the car tell you when they're ready? My parents had a Discovery with a glow plug indicator on it and they knew not to start it until it was out...

If this is still a requirement with diesels now, why did VW miss this out?

It does......

The issue is nothing to do with glow plugs, it's the VVT. It's a well known problem.

 

[Lth0ms0n]

It does......

The issue is nothing to do with glow plugs, it's the VVT. It's a well known problem.

I assure you, no light on my dashboard goes out to tell me they’re ready to start the car…

 

[Dbriggs85]

Mine is like this on the odd occasion and I'm wondering if the battery is behind it also.. 70k miles on the same one, it does seem to be hit or miss as to whether or not it will actually do it.

If the glow plugs are part of the issue, why doesn't the car tell you when they're ready? My parents had a Discovery with a glow plug indicator on it and they knew not to start it until it was out...

If this is still a requirement with diesels now, why did VW miss this out?

It does tell you they are ready in the sense that the glow plug light goes out, it seems to me now that there is an exact moment when to start the engine and if you start the engine a split second either side you will get a extra crank

 

[IWMTom]

I assure you, no light on my dashboard goes out to tell me they’re ready to start the car…

Yes it does. The glow plug light illuminates when you switch the ignition on and it will switch off within a second or two.

 

[Dbriggs85]

When replacing the VVT does both the housing and valve have to be replaced or just the valve??

 

[Lth0ms0n]

It does tell you they are ready in the sense that the glow plug light goes out, it seems to me now that there is an exact moment when to start the engine and if you start the engine a split second either side you will get a extra crank

I mean I’ve noticed that but it always goes out immediately on mine so I’ve never taken any heed of it. It’s never still been lit when I’ve tried to start it and had the problem.

I guess I know what I’m doing tomorrow

 

[Lth0ms0n]

He mentions P00 codes in that video. Are those possible error codes reported by the car to indicate there’s a problem?

I’m considering looking at this for mine because it’s been doing it for ages. Seeing the radical way they redesign the part has me really thinking about it - mine has been doing this for the longest time and it’s annoying me.

 

[IWMTom]

He mentions P00 codes in that video. Are those possible error codes reported by the car to indicate there’s a problem?

I’m considering looking at this for mine because it’s been doing it for ages. Seeing the radical way they redesign the part has me really thinking about it - mine has been doing this for the longest time and it’s annoying me.

Yeah. They won't always flag up though.

 

[Lth0ms0n]

Yeah. They won't always flag up though.

Ok. Stupid question - if they don’t come up and all I have to go on is the starting issue, is that being the root cause a safe assumption to make? Is there anyone way of identifying it as the source of the problem, without going through all the diagnostic tests he did?

I suppose tomorrow morning I could test it myself by starting it (while timing it) running it for a few mins, switching it off and repeating the exercise again..

Given it’s a known issue, I don’t feel it’s a wild thing to assume…

 

[Lth0ms0n]

HA! I just had a look back at the very first scan I did with my OBD11.

From the engine control unit…

From The Flying Dutchman

So…that’s that then.

 

[Lth0ms0n]

Well, it’s good to see that VAG UK have gotten more helpful since the time they tried to tell me my Audi A1 1.4TFSI 185PS was burning oil at a rate of 1L/1000 miles “to make it more efficient”.

They pulled that engine in 2014 (I think)

Tried to find a service bulletin today to confirm this is the problem and that’s the fix but of course they won’t give me that without taking it to a retailer first.

Is there anything else this feasibly COULD be caused by or do I need to look down this route solely? Intimating that I want to do this to the car (not that it matters) has my Dad in a cold sweat…

 

[IWMTom]

Well, it’s good to see that VAG UK have gotten more helpful since the time they tried to tell me my Audi A1 1.4TFSI 185PS was burning oil at a rate of 1L/1000 miles “to make it more efficient”.

They pulled that engine in 2014 (I think)

Tried to find a service bulletin today to confirm this is the problem and that’s the fix but of course they won’t give me that without taking it to a retailer first.

Is there anything else this feasibly COULD be caused by or do I need to look down this route solely? Intimating that I want to do this to the car (not that it matters) has my Dad in a cold sweat…

Whilst it's a known issue, it's not one that VAG have released a TSB for AFAIK.