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GTD Engine Failed

Stuay96

New member
Location
Edinburgh
Hello,

Looking for some help/advice. Tonight as I was out driving my engine randomly failed as I pulled out onto a roundabout.

At first I thought it was maybe just a normal stall, but the car wouldn't start back up when I depressed the clutch. I pulled out onto the roundabout while rolling at around 2mph in Second Gear, the car launched forward as normal then suddenly the engine died. The car rolled forward and as I thought it was a stall I pushed the clutch in and expected the car to come back to life - but it didn't.

Next thing the steering wheel seized up and became very difficult to turn. I managed to position myself on the inside of the roundabout and get the hazards on, then came to a full stop. I then restarted the car fully and it was a bit slow coming back to life. I was sat in the middle of the roundabout for about 5 seconds waiting on the engine to come back on, then as soon as it did everything was normal again??

I've never experienced anything like this before, like I said if it was a stall then why did it not restart when I depressed the clutch? And it didn't feel like a stall as the car didn't jerk forward, it simply just seemed to rev then die, and then for it to take so long to restart again and for the steering to seize? Is there something that could have caused this?

I'm hoping its just a one time glitch but thought I'd ask here in case it could be something more serious or if anyone has had a similar experience?

Thanks in advance.
 

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
Location
UK
Car(s)
2016 3Dr GTi DSG CSG
No manual car will restart by just pressing the clutch in! You can only restart from a stall by letting the clutch out while in gear which bump starts the car, so probably was just a stall! Even then sometimes if you don’t catch the stall right it won’t restart with the clutch and will need an ignition cycle, which, sometimes for a split second feels like it’s not working, As for the steering, it does go very heavy on the mk7 due to the assist cutting out while engine is off (for example, when start stop activates, or you stall!), on the mk7.5 however the steering assist remains on when the engine stalls or start stop activates, meaning the steering remains light!
The cause in this case, is in my opinion, operator error! [emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
No manual car will restart by just pressing the clutch in! You can only restart from a stall by letting the clutch out while in gear which bump starts the car, so probably was just a stall! Even then sometimes if you don’t catch the stall right it won’t restart with the clutch and will need an ignition cycle, which, sometimes for a split second feels like it’s not working, As for the steering, it does go very heavy on the mk7 due to the assist cutting out while engine is off (for example, when start stop activates, or you stall!), on the mk7.5 however the steering assist remains on when the engine stalls or start stop activates, meaning the steering remains light!
The cause in this case, is in my opinion, operator error! [emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Multiple UK owners talk about restarting the car just by depressing the clutch, and lots of other manufacturers have that as a feature.
 

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
Location
UK
Car(s)
2016 3Dr GTi DSG CSG
Multiple UK owners talk about restarting the car just by depressing the clutch, and lots of other manufacturers have that as a feature.



Under normal circumstances you CAN’T restart a car by depressing the clutch! [emoji23][emoji1787]! what you are confusing it with is when the car has a stop start system, which when active and has killed the engine allows depressing the clutch to restart the engine ready to select a gear and move off! If you stall however, pushing the clutch in will have no effect, letting it back out while still moving fast enough and a gear such as second is selected though will bump start the car back into life 99% of the time!


I like traffic lights, I LIKE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, especially when they’re green, especially when they’re green!
 
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Jayzeable

Passed Driver's Ed
If I stall my GTD (2016 6MT)and press the clutch pedal, the car restarts without any intervention.

The start stop feature only works when the car is in neutral, to stall you’ll need in a gear. [emoji848]
 

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
Location
UK
Car(s)
2016 3Dr GTi DSG CSG
If I stall my GTD (2016 6MT)and press the clutch pedal, the car restarts without any intervention.

The start stop feature only works when the car is in neutral, to stall you’ll need in a gear. [emoji848]


Hmm! Well this is news to me, I stand corrected I guess! When was this introduced? Mk6? I’m curious what the prerequisites are for this to be possible?


I like traffic lights, I LIKE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, especially when they’re green, especially when they’re green!
 

Jayzeable

Passed Driver's Ed
I don’t know what Golf version Volkswagen changed or introduced this feature, all I can say is that mine is a Mk7 and a late build of 2016, prior to the 7.5 build starting on the line. It arrived in the Uk on the last few days in November.

One thing that’s worth mentioning, if I have stalled the GTD and don’t respond by pressing the clutch pedal within a certain time, it won’t restart. At this point, I must press the ‘Start/Stop’ button and press the clutch peddle (as it’ll be in gear), then she’ll fire up fine...

Reference to the OP’s original question, I’ve had the same problem, and in my ownership since new (2Yrs 4Mth) has only ever done it once. It felt like the car cut out, rather than a stall.
 

Iceman22

New member
Location
Czech Republic
How old is your car and how slow was it coming back to life? I had a similar issue with my old Passat. It's probably gonna be something else since my Passat (B5.5 1.9 TDi) had 300 000 km at that point and a bunch of stuff was slowly failing, but might as well throw it out there just in case...

It would randomly shut down a couple of times, while I was driving for no reason and had trouble starting - it felt like no fuel was going into the engine. After I started it back up first time it happened, I managed to drive for another 5 000 km no problem and I forgot about it, figured the fuel just froze or something, but then it happened again so I took it to the shop. Turns out the tank fuel pump as well as piston head seals were failing. After they got replaced, it ran perfectly. They found fuel in the engine oil, so if you think you might have a similar problem, maybe you can check that.

Btw I hope I translated the technical stuff right. I'm certainly no car expert and English isn't my first language.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Need fault codes read....possibly the cars battery failing....or as others have said the fuel pump...

how is the car with the engine off & ignition on??...radio, sat nav, lights, etc??
 
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