Superb MkII 2014 4x4 Haldex question please

[911hillclimber]

Had my '14 superb from new, now 71K miles old. Works perfectly, but....

 

I am not sure the Haldex system is 'engaging'.

There is nothing in the handbook about the 4x4 system, so I would like to see if this can be tested somehow.

If I drop the clutch to force wheel spin on mud the traction control light shows and the brakes take over almost stalling the engine to kill wheel spin. I sense only the fronts are spinning.

 

Can the diagnostics garages have detect if the pump is ok?

 

I had the filter and oil changed about 2 years ago. The filter was choked.

I've read that the choked filter can overload the pump and the pump fail.

 

Anyone with real experience please?

I'd like to understand more before taking it to my local garage who seem competent.

Thanks in advance.

[26DIPP]

If you have access to a DTC / OBD2 reader, check for error codes.

 

If you have a slope or wet grass or sand let someone start the car with a F1 start and watch for turning and spinning rear wheels.

Do you hear or feel the car scratching the road when it is wet and slippery or are you able to still pull away quite brisk?

If the answer is the first you might only have FWD otherwise 4x4.

[911hillclimber]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I tried what you suggest on a wet grassy slope about 3 years ago and felt convinced the 4x4 worked. Minimal wheel spin and the car accelerated smoothly up the (guess) ! in 5 slope.

A few days ago the fronts span slightly out of a twist/slope tarmac road junction and I felt the rears were not doing anything.

 

Some god weather for further testing coming up, so will try to get a better feel for it.

 

Seems a Gen4 Haldex pump/oil kit is about £230 for the bits, maybe 1 hour for a garage to fit it.

That should fix it.

First I will try to get the diagnostics done.

Will report back.

[ethel]

Hi - for what it's worth I had doubts about the performance of my Haldex in the past too but was told by a VW Master Mechanic that a good test is to floor it from a standing start on a wet surface - if it just picks up and goes with no drama then all is well but if if scrabbles for grip, cuts the power, flashes the yellow dash light throughout then you probably have a U/S system.

 

Hope you get it sorted anyway.

 

All the best,

D

[911hillclimber]

Excellent!

Thank you for such a simple test idea, obvious, so will try it when wet, which I'm sure will be soon...

[911hillclimber]

Tried a few 'dump the clutch' starts today, wet slippy surfaces, junctions etc.

 

All sound only front wheels spin, all have dash light on, all kill power.

 

Found a report on a service sheet by an iffy AUDI specialist that in Aug last year @ 62.4K miles, the diagnostics report stated

 

Intermittent fault on Haldex Clutch Pump # 011 Open Circuit.

 

Action taken: clean filter and new oil.

[J.R.]

Sounds like a connector problem, have the fault codes read again.

[911hillclimber]

Plan is to find a dry day next week, jack the rear up and open the pump connector. If the resistance across the 2 terminals is over 8 ohms, then the pump is duff.

 

If not (! as if...) then I'll drop the oil, remove the pump strainer if dirty, clean, replace, new filter and oil.

If over 8 ohms, new pump, filter and oil from Haldex and the job should be good.

[DEL80Y]

23 hours ago, 911hillclimber said:

Plan is to find a dry day next week, jack the rear up and open the pump connector. If the resistance across the 2 terminals is over 8 ohms, then the pump is duff.

 

If not (! as if...) then I'll drop the oil, remove the pump strainer if dirty, clean, replace, new filter and oil.

If over 8 ohms, new pump, filter and oil from Haldex and the job should be good.

Haldex pump replacement kit from Haldex repairs

They repair the haldex ecus as well😀

[J.R.]

On 04/12/2021 at 13:39, 911hillclimber said:

Plan is to find a dry day next week, jack the rear up and open the pump connector. If the resistance across the 2 terminals is over 8 ohms, then the pump is duff.

 

If not (! as if...) then I'll drop the oil, remove the pump strainer if dirty, clean, replace, new filter and oil.

If over 8 ohms, new pump, filter and oil from Haldex and the job should be good.

Sounds a good plan, please let us know how you get on and also if there are only 2 wires in the connector, this will confirm that its a dumb system without any sensors or feedback, my self study guide is in another country so I cannot check for myself at present.

 

From what I recall I think it is dumb and the feedback as such is from the rear wheel speed sensors & when the filter or guaze is blocked full voltage is applied to the pump motor whose output port is blocked.

[911hillclimber]

Well!

Decided to simply change the lot, the Gen4 kit from Haldex Repairs is comprehensive and £250 delivered.

Going to talk to the local garage who service the car to fit it offering to get the parts for them unless they can better the price.

 

hope to get it sorted by Xmas!

[Yearofthegoat]

On 02/12/2021 at 09:17, ethel said:

scrabbles for grip, cuts the power, flashes the yellow dash light throughout then you probably have a U/S system.

 

That's what mine does - OBD11 reports a Haldex fault also.

 

Going to get it fixed after Xmas is out of the way.

 

[911hillclimber]

Mine is booked in for next Tuesday.

They will diagnostic first, but have the pump/filter/oil on order for the worst case!

[DEL80Y]

7 minutes ago, 911hillclimber said:

Mine is booked in for next Tuesday.

They will diagnostic first, but have the pump/filter/oil on order for the worst case!

The real WORSE  case is water in your controller and unreapirable leaving you with a bill for £350😥

Just now, DEL80Y said:

The real WORSE  case is water in your controller and unrepairable leaving you with a bill for £350😥

 

[Stuart-h]

in therory if the car was jacked up and all 4 corners and with the engine running with 1st gear engaged would the 4x4 system engage at all?

[J.R.]

Yes, partially at least, but it's dangerous to make it engage as you have to grip one front wheel to stop it turning, I dont advise it.

 

Been there done that got the scars.

[911hillclimber]

Update:

Took the car to the local garage, not a 1 man band, but a local who serviced the car last time.

Told them it was Gen 4 Haldex, so pump/oil/filter need changing.

 

They only use 'factory' parts, so ordered a SEAT repair kit (!)

Not filled with confidence I asked if the kit included a filter. No, or rather, don't know.

 

Collected the car this afternoon.

"all done"

Did you change the filter?

No, there is no filter to change.

 

After 20 mins of persuasion and google searching, yes, there is indeed a filter.

Can you get one?

Yes, and will drop it and the car in next week to have it fitted.

 

So, £471 later, job not completed. Filter on order by me so should get that & done early next week.

They did a Diagnostic check, the pump is U/S

They removed the pump and checked the resistance, "high" was the reply. Fitted the new one,  "bloody awkward!" so i presume from this they have never done one before.

 

Some things are never easy.

[911hillclimber]

All done.

Dealer fitted the new filter I bought and charged me 1/2 hour with oil topped up too.

Tested it on a wet grassy area at the local Garden Center car park, 1/2 sec of front spin then no-spin traction, so all is well!

What a saga!

[DEL80Y]

So, £471 later, job not completed.

How did it end up costing that much?

The whole kit including new pump from Haldex Repairs is only £237 + delivery

It takes less than an hour to do complete job😕

[J.R.]

High resistance? - Unlikely, open circuit = failed, low resistance = overheated windings and insulation failure, both plausible results of a blocked filter.

 

I'm not even sure that there is a fault code for pump failure, you can log the current drawn, high resistance would show a low  current, its usually high because of a blocked filter or possibly winding insulation meltdown, zero if the pump has failed

 

Much more likely the mechanic does not really know how to use a multi-meter or understand ohms law & basic electrical theory.

 

He knows how to charge though!

Edited 19 December, 2021 by J.R.