Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

Limp mode

Oggie

Oggie

VIP Member
Messages
58
Location
Wales
Hi,

A mate s van has started playing up and I wondered if anyone had similar problem with theirs as the garage can t work it out. Nothing comes up on the diagnostics.... When it reaches 4k revs all the power goes and van will drive but very slow, no power like in limp mode. When switched off and on it s ok again until it reaches 4k revs. No warning lights or any other indication of whats wrong??

I m sure one of you clever guys on here will know :)

Thanks,
Rob

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2
 
That has all of the hall marks of a sticking turbo vane.

It occurs at the higher RPM where boost pressure is greatest and then causes an overboost which in turn puts the vehicle into limp mode. As you describe, turning off and back on again clears this but it shouldn't become common practice, limp mode is for protection.

Is it a VW garage or 3rd party? I'd be really surprised if it was sticking VNT and a VW dealer or good VW specialist couldn't diagnose it.

VW garage will tell you it needs a new turbo, but in some cases they can be cleaned.
 
Thanks very much for that, don't think it was a vw garage but she s booked it in next week and will now be armed with your info.....

Rob
 
I've had this problem before with our Audi A3 and the problem was as Stu says. The garage just cleaned it and the problem hasn't reoccurred.
 
Mine's going in to have the variable vane turbo cleaned out next Tuesday at VAG Tech. It's only gone into limp mode a total of 3 times and only happened when giving it more welly than usual. They're fairly confident that it will rectify the problem.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Mine has gone into limp mode a few times whilst accelerating hard. Does anybody know how long the diagnostic code stays in the memory for before its written over so that I get it checked before?
 
In short I'm not sure Andy. It depends on the severity, some will never clear however some will clear themselves after a number of drive cycles.
 
Oggie said:
Thanks very much for that, don't think it was a vw garage but she s booked it in next week and will now be armed with your info.....

Rob

Let us know how it goes Rob. :thumb
 
I had Mitsubishi outlander which runs a two litre vw pd Diesel engine same thing happened it was eventually diagnosed ar variable vane on turbo not turning so engine goes to limp mode mine annoyingly diagnosed after warranty expired so ÂŁ1600 for new turbo :sad
 
ÂŁ170 today for the 'turbo revive', i.e. variable vane cleaning - roughly half for the de-coking chemicals, half for the labour - it's a long job and has to start with the turbo cold.

Still smoking under hard acceleration but initial impression is that it feels smoother - had a 'lump' around 1250rpm which seems to have disappeared. I rarely go anywhere near 4000rpm so will give it the beans tomorrow when no one around and report back. To be honest it's only gone into limp mode when I've been moving past 85mph so there you go...... Maybe I'll actually find out what the remap can do but tbh not really interested in top speed - the flexibility and driveability low down is just terrific now and I'm really enjoying it. Heaven knows what an upgraded Forge intercooler would do to it. Yikes :)
 
RobdeBear said:
ÂŁ170 today for the 'turbo revive', i.e. variable vane cleaning - roughly half for the de-coking chemicals, half for the labour - it's a long job and has to start with the turbo cold.

Still smoking under hard acceleration but initial impression is that it feels smoother - had a 'lump' around 1250rpm which seems to have disappeared. I rarely go anywhere near 4000rpm so will give it the beans tomorrow when no one around and report back. To be honest it's only gone into limp mode when I've been moving past 85mph so there you go...... Maybe I'll actually find out what the remap can do but tbh not really interested in top speed - the flexibility and driveability low down is just terrific now and I'm really enjoying it. Heaven knows what an intercooler would do to it. Yikes.
i thought all TDi engines had inter-coolers anyway ?
 
beardie said:
RobdeBear said:
ÂŁ170 today for the 'turbo revive', i.e. variable vane cleaning - roughly half for the de-coking chemicals, half for the labour - it's a long job and has to start with the turbo cold.

Still smoking under hard acceleration but initial impression is that it feels smoother - had a 'lump' around 1250rpm which seems to have disappeared. I rarely go anywhere near 4000rpm so will give it the beans tomorrow when no one around and report back. To be honest it's only gone into limp mode when I've been moving past 85mph so there you go...... Maybe I'll actually find out what the remap can do but tbh not really interested in top speed - the flexibility and driveability low down is just terrific now and I'm really enjoying it. Heaven knows what an intercooler would do to it. Yikes.
i thought all TDi engines had inter-coolers anyway ?

It will have an intercooler yes
 
Sorry, I meant the Forge upgraded intercooler. I've seen a couple of very nice Vanworx T5s with them, but not a Cali - yet ;-)
 
She got it back from the garage and its running fine now. All they did wash clean the veins which seems to have done the trick and it only cost her 15 bucks..

Thanks again for the advice....

Rob

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2
 
RobdeBear said:
Sorry, I meant the Forge upgraded intercooler. I've seen a couple of very nice Vanworx T5s with them, but not a Cali - yet ;-)

T5wob on the forum has one fitted to his black Cali. With remap I believe he gets about 115 bhp.
 
Andy said:
RobdeBear said:
Sorry, I meant the Forge upgraded intercooler. I've seen a couple of very nice Vanworx T5s with them, but not a Cali - yet ;-)

T5wob on the forum has one fitted to his black Cali. With remap I believe he gets about 115 bhp.


I think you mean 215 bhp andy :laugh2 :laugh2 he wouldn't be happy with 115
 
Calikev said:
Andy said:
RobdeBear said:
Sorry, I meant the Forge upgraded intercooler. I've seen a couple of very nice Vanworx T5s with them, but not a Cali - yet ;-)

T5wob on the forum has one fitted to his black Cali. With remap I believe he gets about 115 bhp.


I think you mean 215 bhp andy :laugh2 :laugh2 he wouldn't be happy with 115

Yep you are correct, a senior moment !

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 2
 
Back
Top