Hi,

 

Last year my parents bought a 2011 2.0 TDI PD Laurin + Klement 5d DSG. It’s in great condition and has been well looked after with 1 owner from new. There have been some intermittent issues which their local garage could see in the logs but haven’t been able to resolve because none are consistent. The 3 main issues are:

 

1. The most frequent seems to be when they try and start the engine, it turns over but doesn’t fire. If they give it 20-30 seconds and try again, it starts but for the rest of the journey, the yellow engine warning light is on. They always allow the glow plug warning light to go off before trying to start the engine. This happens from both cold and hot starts.
2. More recently, when they start the engine, it’ll idle for 10-20 seconds and then shut off showing “ESP Error!” on the display. If they give it 20-30 seconds and try again, it starts but for the rest of the journey, the yellow engine warning light is on. This again happens from both cold and hot starts.
3. Occasionally when they put it into drive, instead of showing "D1", it alternates between showing "D" and a spanner symbol. It won’t move so each time they put it back into park and shut the engine off. After restarting, it goes into "D1" but for the rest of the journey, the yellow engine warning light is on.

 

Performance doesn’t seem to be effected when the yellow engine warning light is on, the car still seems to have plenty of power. These issues don’t happen on every journey, perhaps 1 in 5, but are definitely getting more frequent.

 

The garage printed off the log - below are the malfunctions and faults that it lists:

 

• 01-Engine -- Status: Sporadic communication error  1000
• 02-Auto Trans -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 03-ABS Brakes -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 08-Auto HVAC -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 17-Instruments -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 19-CAN Gateway -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 44-Steering Assist -- Status: Malfunction 0010
• 55-Headlight Range -- Status: Malfunction 0010

 

Address 02: Auto Trans
2 Faults Found:

• 18258 - Powertrain Data Bus
  • P1850 - 000 - Missing Message from ECU - Intermittent - MIL ON
• 01196 - Engine-Transmission Data Bus
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

Address 03: ABS Brakes (J104)
1 Fault Found:

• 01314 - Engine Control Module
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

Address 09: Cent. Elect. (J519)
1 Fault Found:

• 01314 - Engine Control Module
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

Address 19: CAN Gateway (J533)
1 Fault Found:

• 01314 - Engine Control Module
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

Address 44: Steering Assist
1 Fault Found:

• 01314 - Engine Control Module
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

Address 55: Headlight Range
1 Fault Found:

• 01314 - Engine Control Module
  • 004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

 

It’s a brilliant car when it’s working, but my parents are rapidly loosing faith in it because these issues are becoming more frequent. Living in a rural location as well, they really rely on the car.

 

Any help would be be appreciated - thanks!

i had many of them problems until I done this. Disconnect both battery leads. Clamp them both together and leave them for about 20 mins. Reconnect both to battery.Mine started right away and  no longer have them problems

On 26/01/2025 at 18:48, pastiche said:

i had many of them problems until I done this. Disconnect both battery leads. Clamp them both together and leave them for about 20 mins. Reconnect both to battery.Mine started right away and  no longer have them problems

 

Thanks for the suggestion - what does this do, is it clearing the fault codes from the log?

Well to me it done that. I did leave out one thing in that comment and that was turning on the headlights with the leads off. of course they will not come on but maybe it is draining  the last bit of energy in the system. So, I can now start the the car in an instant instead of waiting ages for it to go.

On 31/01/2025 at 10:51, pastiche said:

Well to me it done that. I did leave out one thing in that comment and that was turning on the headlights with the leads off. of course they will not come on but maybe it is draining  the last bit of energy in the system. So, I can now start the the car in an instant instead of waiting ages for it to go.

 

Thanks and I'll give that a try 👍

On 31/01/2025 at 10:26, Cometssing said:

 

Thanks for the suggestion - what does this do, is it clearing the fault codes from the log?

I think it drains all stored residual voltage/current in ECU. When its powered up again it doses a proper restart. Had an imobiliser stuck on and it couldn't be removed. Mechanic mate said try it and it worked. You may still have to clear the fault codes first but try the battery trick first.

Alasdair

All the fault codes seem to point to ECU or ecu related. Might be worth dissconnecting cleaning and reconnecting ecu main connector plus check main ECU fuse. If its not blown I would remove and check the contacts as well for corosion. I think there is an ECU relay as well but not sure which one. I believe its under the bonnet. I would disconnect battery and touch cables together before removing or disconnecting anything to be on the safe side.

Alasdair

Thanks for explaining that and suggesting the ECU connector and fuse. It's booked in for an MOT soon so they'll pass those suggestions onto the garage.

 

Be great if it was something so simple!

On 02/02/2025 at 15:17, Alasdair1 said:

heck main ECU fuse. If its not blown I would remove and check the contacts as well for corosion

 

Engine would not run if it were blown.

On 31/01/2025 at 11:26, Cometssing said:

Thanks for the suggestion - what does this do, is it clearing the fault codes from the log?

 

It does nothing that isn't done whenever the keys are removed from the ignition but there will always be those that swear by it. It will certainly not remove fault codes, you would not want to remove valuable diagnostic information and in any case removing a fault code does not remove a fault, it just makes it harder to find.

 

Your problem would appear to be intermittent comms between the canbus modules and the gateway controller, definitely check all live feeds and earths to the controllers, the problem is likely to be with one of those with a high current requirement, engine ECU, power steering, whatever controls the glowplugs, ABS modules frequently cause problems.

 

When you are faced with something like this then the cost of VCDS becomes a very good value investment.

Three times was seen by Skoda with all the fancy gear and did not do any improvement.  So done the disconnecting  thing and all my problems were solved. Forget the key comment in my case.

Hello, I see several comments about the ECU fuse and ECU connector. Searching the fuse chart in my Haynes manual, I find no reference to "ECU fuse". Can somebody please enlighten me? Thanks!