All the lights on but nobody at home

[potem]

Has anyone experienced an engine just cutting out?
After a 7 month wait Marvin finally made it to the delivery room. I paid the money had the once-over and was given the keys. The salesman went to make sure my route of the courtyard was clear while I jumped in and turned the key.
That was the end of the excitement for Tuesday. The lights all came on but the engine didn't. "Engineers" jump started him and plugged in their laptops.They pronounced him to be in perfect condition with a better than average battery. "You can go now" said the salesman "she is perfect". "Why wouldn't he start" said I. "The battery was run down with the inspection you had with the salesman" said the engineer. (He never explained how the flat battery had been miraculously restored to full charge in around 10 minutes).
Eventually I agreed to pick him up in the morning after more checks. Next morning after around 10 miles he just stopped when I was stationary at a junction (In gear with clutch fully depressed - which happened to describe me as well). He refused to start for 4 - 5 minutes before once more starting (using the key). He is now in the dealer's A & E department where he has been pronounced free from any fault. "You can collect him now"
I am currently waiting for a response from VW customer care and Marvin is staying with the dealer until I get one.
When refusing to start all the dashboard lights etc worked normally.
Anyone got any experience or ideas.

(The 10 miles were fantastic but not really worth £50k+)

 

[Meoncoast]

that's what I call a "great start" to Cali ownership.

 

[T6 CFO]

No idea! I presume that he now starts and your problem is an understandable lack of confidence. I also presume they are giving no reason and your dealer had no problem when he used it last night?


Mike

 

[potem]

No idea! I presume that he now starts and your problem is an understandable lack of confidence. I also presume they are giving no reason and your dealer had no problem when he used it last night?


Mike

He took the van home with him last night and used every opportunity to stop (to the annoyance of all other road users) but the van performed perfectly (One small unrelated glitch on the display which has been fixed I believe). I have come across one tale of a VW (not a van) deciding it was time for the engine stop/start to cut in on the motorway at 65mph so, yes, I am just a teeny bit apprehensive.

 

[T6 CFO]

He took the van home with him last night and used every opportunity to stop (to the annoyance of all other road users) but the van performed perfectly (One small unrelated glitch on the display which has been fixed I believe). I have come across one tale of a VW (not a van) deciding it was time for the engine stop/start to cut in on the motorway at 65mph so, yes, I am just a teeny bit apprehensive.

That is annoying. Intermittent fault in something as complicated as a Cali is way above me. Hopefully someone will have had similar experience and you get a resolution soon.


Mike

 

[WelshGas]

A wild theory. I wonder if it is something to do with the immobiliser. Either in the pickup mechanism around the ignition key barrel, or even the chip in one of the keys.
I would suggest they re-programme the keys to the vehicle, just in case.

 

[Trebor]

Hello Potem . Sorry to hear your problem . I had a similar issue with a new golf GTD many years ago . The engine kept cutting out at about 70 mph in the fast lane . Very dangerous . I'm trying to remember what the conclusion was . I think it was a poor connection on the earth strap on engine but it took several visits to main dealer to find the problem because it was intermittent. Good luck and hope it's soon sorted .

 

[Loz]

my wild theory is a faulty or sticking clutch switch, needed for(plays a part in) both starting and initiating start stop..

 

[snowy55]

He refused to start for 4 - 5 minutes before once more starting (using the key).

When trying to start was the engine "cranking over" or was there no response when you turned the key?

 

[potem]

When trying to start was the engine "cranking over" or was there no response when you turned the key?

Dead. The lights on the display etc remained bright.

 

[AlanC]

The loaner I had last week needed the clutch to be depressed before the engine would turn over.

Totally threw me as I have a DSG and you have to put your foot on the brake to start it.
Was it that you didn't press the clutch down far enough?

Alan

 

[potem]

The loaner I had last week needed the clutch to be depressed before the engine would turn over.

Totally threw me as I have a DSG and you have to put your foot on the brake to start it.
Was it that you didn't press the clutch down far enough?

Alan

The first time it went was in the dealer's place. Neither the salesman nor the engineer could get it turning over. I assume they were doing it right. Whenever I start a car I behave like an automaton 1 - key in 2 - foot on clutch to the floor 3 - check if in gear or not 4 - turn key. I am pretty sure therefore that I did have my foot to the floor. Bear in mind I repeated the exercise several times before it sprang back into life about 4 - 5 minutes later.

What concerns me is that as they have no idea what is causing it it might be just luck that it has up to now happened when stationary. I do not want to try to emulate Trebor's experience of no power in the fast lane of a motorway.

 

[AlanC]

The first time it went was in the dealer's place. Neither the salesman nor the engineer could get it turning over. I assume they were doing it right. Whenever I start a car I behave like an automaton 1 - key in 2 - foot on clutch to the floor 3 - check if in gear or not 4 - turn key. I am pretty sure therefore that I did have my foot to the floor. Bear in mind I repeated the exercise several times before it sprang back into life about 4 - 5 minutes later.

What concerns me is that as they have no idea what is causing it it might be just luck that it has up to now happened when stationary. I do not want to try to emulate Trebor's experience of no power in the fast lane of a motorway.

I think that is a faulty sensor on the clutch pedal, or may be the ignition switch.

Modern vehicles are stuffed with electronics now. It is a wonder to me sometimes that they work at all.

Alan

 

[MattBW]

Yeah my first thoughts would be clutch switch would be my first check and maybe the stop start relay/speed sensor and wiring not sensing correctly?

Then again clutch switch wouldnt explain it conking out whllst driving?.

My alfa once had a weird intermittant problem with the cruise which kept disengaging and it was a faulty brake switch.

 

[briwy]

Faulty glow plug sensor? The engine won't start until the glow plug light goes out.

 

[T6 CFO]

I think a prize is warranted.

Hopefully to be won by man from VW with his laptop.


Mike

 

[motacyclist]

After a 7 month wait Marvin finally made it to the delivery room.

Ah, two months premature, that's the problem!

 

[Amarillo]

Next morning after around 10 miles he just stopped when I was stationary at a junction (In gear with clutch fully depressed - which happened to describe me as well). He refused to start for 4 - 5 minutes before once more starting (using the key).

My first car, a Ford Capri (or, perhaps, Crapi) was like that. Every few miles, between 0 and 50, it would just cut out, diabolical fuel consumption also, 6-13 mpg. After a few weeks I managed to sell it for £50 less than I had paid, and bought a Peugeot 309. A few weeks later I had a letter from an insurance company asking me what the mileage on sale had been. Apparently it had been stolen - I often wonder how far the thieves got in it before it cut out.

I suspect that the cutting out problem was the self-fitted (not by me) engine immobiliser, I have no idea what the problem with the fuel consumption could have been.

 

[WelshGas]

The first time it went was in the dealer's place. Neither the salesman nor the engineer could get it turning over. I assume they were doing it right. Whenever I start a car I behave like an automaton 1 - key in 2 - foot on clutch to the floor 3 - check if in gear or not 4 - turn key. I am pretty sure therefore that I did have my foot to the floor. Bear in mind I repeated the exercise several times before it sprang back into life about 4 - 5 minutes later.

What concerns me is that as they have no idea what is causing it it might be just luck that it has up to now happened when stationary. I do not want to try to emulate Trebor's experience of no power in the fast lane of a motorway.

Any news. Surely it's been diagnosed by now.

 

[potem]

Any news. Surely it's been diagnosed by now.

The news is 'there is no news'
VW customer service lived up to their reputation. They told me that as the fault had not been found I should revert to the van centre which sold me the car. They got very stroppy when I suggested they were saying they were saying they could do nothing and then confirmed when pressed that they could indeed do nothing.
I went back to the centre who agreed I could reject the vehicle now, but they assured me that if I took the vehicle it would not affect my ability to reject it if the problem returned.
I have the van at home and so far so good.
Marvin is getting a bit p*ssed off I would think "Brain the size of a planet and all he asks me to do is keep stopping and starting just so he can provoke me to give up the will to live. Give me Ford Prefect any day......".

 

[WelshGas]

The news is 'there is no news'
VW customer service lived up to their reputation. They told me that as the fault had not been found I should revert to the van centre which sold me the car. They got very stroppy when I suggested they were saying they were saying they could do nothing and then confirmed when pressed that they could indeed do nothing.
I went back to the centre who agreed I could reject the vehicle now, but they assured me that if I took the vehicle it would not affect my ability to reject it if the problem returned.
I have the van at home and so far so good.
Marvin is getting a bit p*ssed off I would think "Brain the size of a planet and all he asks me to do is keep stopping and starting just so he can provoke me to give up the will to live. Give me Ford Prefect any day......".

You have my sympathy. Maybe they were birthing pangs. Not ready to leave his mum, VW, for the big wide world. Phone VW Assist if it happens again. Don't esparto and get them to plug their Diagnostic Computer in at the roadside, but it probably won't happen .