Hello, i own a Skoda Octavia Combi TDI 2.0 DSG 150cv, since the last 2 years i has been having a problem, on the Startups the Engine sometimes goes off and i have to try it again, happen mostly when the Engine is hot already or when im stopped in a traffic light and the StartStop goes on and has to startup again, rarely it happens on cold start, mostly when the car is already hot and never ever happens during the march, so if i dont want it to happens while im driving i have just to stop the StartSTOP and done but yet is something that is ****ing me off coz no one knows or can tell me whats the problem or what the prize can be.

 

As i mention before it has been happening for the last 2 years, maybe 1 every 10 Startups so not that much, 1 month ago i did the maintenance to the car and after they done they told about a problem (i didnt tell anything about this to them cause i wanted to tell them later so they wont try to tell me something else so i will have to pay more for whatever) " Cylinder Head Coolant Valve Problem" (sorry if the traslation is bad) and they said this were causing problems on startups (problem wich i knew but i didnt mention to them) so by somehow i believed that it was true, i asked them about prize but they didnt know coz this never happened to them before, they just told that it was going to be expensive, for weeks i try to look for information on internet and i cannot find anything, they are suppose to call me today  to tell me how much it can be but i dont care anymore, im about to change the car and turn this in but yet i wanna know what was this problem and if this was going to be really that expensive.

 

This is what happens:

 

 

 

This is the paper they give me with all the diagnosis and showing where it has the error: 

 

 

I know is in Spanish but i hope it can help a little bit to detect from where the problem comes.

 

As i said im not that worried about that **** anymore in fact im about to change my car, but yet i would like to figure out what is the problem or if someone had it before.

 

Thanks in Advance.

 

 

The part listed on the paper is the engine ECU, which is one of the most reliable bits of the whole car, so is very unlikely to be faulty.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMPUTER-ECU-VW-GOLF-7-2-0-150-KM-04L906021DT-0281018498-WARRANTY/202661752022?hash=item2f2f94ecd6:g:VEwAAOSwO2pcwZL8

 

You need to take the car to someone who has VCDS diagnostics or the dealer system to get an accurate fault diagnosis.

There you have: 

 

 

I went to the Skoda again to ask them for the code error to look for by myself since they cannot  give me a prize yet for the problem.

Can you please type the fault message you have posted in text or translate for us? 

12 minutes ago, TheClient said:

Can you please type the fault message you have posted in text or translate for us? 

coolant valve for cylinder head, interruption

Mmm. Interesting. Is that the same fault as the fault in the photo earlier in the post? 

 

I'm not an expert on diesels there will be others who have more expertise so they may respond.  

 

Sounds like a faulty electrical coolant valve is not working reliably. It could be the valve or the wiring. But what is it and where. Often these things on vw cars have an indetification like Nxxx valve...

 

As to whether this could cause hot starting problems I don't know. Engine thinks it is overheating possibly due to a local coolant hot spot. I've no experience of that. Not sure how many temp sensors there are on your model either. Sorry. 

Edited 11 August, 20205 yr by TheClient

https://forums.ross-tech.com/showthread.php?20417-Measurement-for-EA288-switchable-waterpump

3 hours ago, TheClient said:

https://forums.ross-tech.com/showthread.php?20417-Measurement-for-EA288-switchable-waterpump

 

I dont think this has to be my problem, in fact, my problems is only with warm engine starts not cold ones, and also happens when i stop and StartSTOP goes On.

Valve and coolant thermostats can stick or fail to operate open or closed.

 

But it  would be a real possibility the fault is not related to your hot start and stalling. It could simply be a distraction. 

On 10/08/2020 at 12:45, Cuend@ said:

" Cylinder Head Coolant Valve Problem" (sorry if the traslation is bad) and they said this were causing problems on startups (problem wich i knew but i didnt mention to them) so by somehow i believed that it was true, i asked them about prize but they didnt know coz this never happened to them before, they just told that it was going to be expensive, for weeks i try to look for information on internet and i cannot find anything, they are suppose to call me today  to tell me how much it can be but i dont care anymore, im about to change the car and turn this in but yet i wanna know what was this problem and if this was going to be really that expensive.

 

 

 

Thanks in Advance.

 

 

Hello again. I've done some further research on this. The cylinder head coolant valve is a solenoid as I indicated in my original reply. In fact it is integral and mounted to the switchable water pump.

 

If you search for switchable water pump problems in Audi, vw, skoda Octavia there are lots of posts. Lots of aftermarket technical guidance.

 

The switchchable water pump does not seem that reliable due to the sleeve of the water pump seizing and sticking. Or the water pump failing and leaking badly. A lot of people change to a mechanical only water pump.

 

Apparently vw themselves and a lot of aftermarket offer a choice of mechanical only or switchable replacement. Even when mechanical only is used the solenoid valve n489 is mounted on the water pump as with the switchable version. Otherwise error will be logged.

 

Back to your case. The water pump set up you have is reported to have likelihood of failure. This is likely to be a problem with either overheating or a coolant leak. The pump should be inspected when the timing belt is replaced. Has this been done. This is the easiest and least costly time to replace the water pump. But if you wait too long it could catch you by failing before renewal.

 

As far as your difficulty starting and stalling. I now really think it unlikely to be connected to the coolant valve. The valve is a separate replaceable part

 Around 70 Euro but given the weaknesses in the pump I doubt it would be a good idea to replace on its own. 

 

Also as recommended check wiring continuity to the valve on the water pump. 

As for the poor starting, you have to understand the sequence of events that go with starting up an Octavia.  Cars these days are super-smart.  They check all of the valves and sensors before they even attempt to start.  It sounds like you have an event that is so severe that the car is refusing the start until it is resolved.  Annoying that it is intermittent, but that points to either an intermittent sensor or valve reading.  There are certain events that happen that will be labelled 'critical' in terms of the car operations.  Having no coolant is a sure-fire way of not having a car starting.  If a value or sensor has gone faulty it will be giving interminate readings.  These maybe saying to the ECU - that there is no cooling - and therefore the engine will be protecting itself and refusing to start.

 

Okay - I have checked out the error code you have given me:

 

P199E00 states - Cylinder Head Coolant Value - Circuit Open.

 

This is a 'critical' error and cannot be bypassed.  The Valve which provides the coolant to the block is reading open circuit (it has failed or is failing).  It maybe the actual value is faulty....who knows....but it will need to be replaced ASAP.

 

 

1 hour ago, varaderoguy said:

  Having no coolant is a sure-fire way of not having a car starting.  If a value or sensor has gone faulty it will be giving interminate readings.  These maybe saying to the ECU - that there is no cooling - and therefore the engine will be protecting itself and refusing to start.

 

 

Not true, try draining your coolant if you dont believe me, you could even drain your engine oil but I dont recommend it.

 

Ever heard of L.O.S. (limited operating strategy)?

 

Not depressing the clutch before starting, now that is a different story and clearly very serious

Edited 12 August, 20205 yr by J.R.

If the ECU detects it hasn't got any cooling services available to it due to a faulty valve then that is quite a different issue from no coolant liquid being available.

 

It is still a critical error.

I bow to your superior knowledge.

Interesting. I can see the logic @varaderoguy lays out. But in the ross tech forum even with the sleeve stuck, solenoid inoperative and car overheating the enginr still operated.

 

I'm not convinced but I'm far from always right.  but a 70 Euro replacement of the n489 solenoid will prove it and a check of electrical wiring continuity to solenoid. 

Edited 12 August, 20205 yr by TheClient

How many miles are on the car?

Before you spend money on the solonoid, can you hear any squeaking/grumply noises from the cambelt end of the engine?

 

If so you might want to consider just getting the belt, pully/tensioners and water pump changed as it could be due soon or the pully/tensioner could be on the way out (I believe some pully/tensioner revisions would start to fail early, although usually with a fairly obvious noise)

 

Obviously you'll be best to check these with a suitably qualified mechanic with the correct equipment before doing anything.

@Cuend@

A proper diagnose means scanning for stored errors then doing some tests to find the EVIDENCE for the fault. No matter how knowledgeable people on this forum are, nobody can tell you remotely what is wrong.

The best we can say is that for sure there is not a faulty ECU.

So it's not about the cost ('prize' as you say) but about finding a smart and honest mechanic (aka not a parts changer monkey). It is very possible they know exactly what the issue is (from previous similar cases) but they might want to take advantage of you coming with invented costly horror stories...

I doubt the op will want to do the timing belt - that was my question and suggestion as well. They say they are selling or returning the car soon. I suspect it will become someone else's problem, so we may see come up again.  

Some answers for you guys:

 

- The Car actually has 215.000KM and is from October 2013 (i bough it with 176.000km in February of 2018).

 

- I changed timing belt and water pump 2 years ago.

 

- Reasson why i change it coz i wanted the car for 3-4 years so far then replace it, but now i have to change front tyres and spare tyre, rear suspension, battery, fix the passenger heater wich shot cold air instead of hot and add to it the new problem, if not were for the last problem i would change tyres, battery and keep going 1 year more but spending nearly 2000€ on a car wich the highes value i get for it is arround 6000€, keeping 1 year more will cause on lossing like 1000€ more of value and arround 2000€ on fixing and replacing stuffs...

 

- Another problem that i have is that i dont have a trusted mechanic so my only place to bring the car is the Skoda official service (not for the tyres or battery ofc) so this will cause a higher prize of all the matter.

 

 

 

I were pretty honest to the place that i bring the car and i told them everything, i was afraid to turn in the car for another one and later on having problems coz i gave them a broken car, he said literally, thanks for being honest but we just care about selling car, i dont care if the engine dies a day after u give me the car.......

 

And the only thing that i care is how critical this problem is to keep driving the car 2 or 3 months more in case i have to wait for a new car.

 

 

The cold air rather than warm air from ventilation system could well be related to the coolant valve or a thermostat.

Or a split silica bag blocking something up....

so many possibilities sadly.