2.0 TDI won't start

[BirdDog]

Drove home last night with no problems. Got into the car an hour ago and it won't start! It turns over but just won't fire. I didn't get any warning lights or messages. I left it for 15 mins or so and tried again. This time when I let go of the key, I got an oil pressure warning. Oil is fine. My initial thought is the fuel cut-off as it is like there is no fuel in the beast but I don't know how likely this is?

Any ideas?

Dave.

 

[TelLeon]

Had exactly the same issue - when you say oil is fine, so was mine - I thought, but my drive is on sloping ground, so the 'level' was not true. I called the AA, he checked fault memory = nothing, but the give away was the oil light coming on when you're turning it over. AA man put less than half a litre in, and it started 1st hit!!

 

[FR Scott]

I happen to be having a few issues with mine as well at the moment.

Sometimes it just won’t start, turns over but doesn’t fire.....
Other times (like today, about 5 mins ago) it started but hesitated, gave it some revs and on the revs settling back down it cut out and wouldn’t start again.

After holding the key for what seems to be a very long time it has started in the past but it is starting to get a bit annoying now that a 2007, x thousand pound car doesn’t always start and is becoming more frequent in not doing so. Hence Seat assistance been on their way to me now.

Anyone had any similar issues, what has the AA advised you after looking at the car??

Cheers
Scott

 

[BirdDog]

Well...I have managed to start the bugger. I tried disconnecting the battery this morning and shorted the cables (away from the battery!) for 30 seconds or so and reconnecting. I tried to start it again but that didn't work. After about 30mins I tried again but this time just kept cranking it over for much longer and it began to fire, eventually bursting into life!

The only thing I can think of is that I had a service about 6 weeks ago where they replaced the fuel filter. Maybe the seal isn't quite right and is letting air into the pipes...not sure...

It is going back into the dealers shortly for them to replace the wing mirror which was damaged at the last service so I will moan at them to check the fuel system.

Dave.

 

[FR Scott]

I can’t say I have tried anything else other then holding the key and waiting for it to come to life. The AA guy has just been, he did the same...... just sat in it and waited for it to fire.

It went into the dealers before for this issue, they came back to me and said no faults were logged and they can’t find anything wrong with it. Obviously there is something causing it but they haven’t looked hard enough.

If I am honest I can’t say I have a lot of confidence with my local Seat dealer. I would like to try taking it to a VW garage or something (as we are all VAG group) if this is possible although the AA guy seemed to think they wouldn’t be able to carry out warranty work.

I don’t suppose anyone can recommend a Seat garage in the East Yorkshire area??

 

[Bedlam]

Wills & Ellis in York, am told they are thorough but not the cheapest

 

[FR Scott]

Thanks for that.

It is all warranty work I want doing anyway, so price doesnt matter.

 

[Nath.]

Doesn't cranking the starter for long periods get the starter motor hot? What about the starter wiring with all those amps going through it for so long?

On the vauxhalls the ECU only lets you crank the starter for 20 secs and then forces you to wait before it will allow you to do another 20 for these very reasons.

We don't want any hot motors and wiring causing any fires now do we?

 

[fr550wolf]

sounds like fuel pump? known prolem with leon mine went after a few months

 

[intruder]

Is your fuel pump working? Should make a buzzing noise if ok.
Worth checking the electrical connection of the fuel pump itself. Mine was loose and the pump didn't work at all. Happened sometimes and there was no fault message, just engine didn't fire but turned over.

 

[FR Scott]

Cheers for the responses guys..... I will check both of those tomorrow.

Got it booked in this Friday at Wills & Ellis in York, as recommended a couple of posts back.

 

[FR Scott]

Hi Guys,

From what I could tell the fuel pump seemed to be in order: buzzing and all connected ok.

I took it to Wills and Ellis (in York) yesterday. They performed a diagnostic and all was showing as ok however on further investigation (they thought it was a fuel pump related issue from my description of the issue) they found some small pieces of metal inside the fuel pump - doesn’t sound good I know. Possibly something breaking up in the fuel system.

Currently with Seat technical so we will see what they say.

 

[Bedlam]

Sorry to hear the diagnosis but at least the fault seems to have been found, and within warranty

Were Wills & Ellis OK as I had been advised?
I intend using them for my 2.0 TSFI FR DSG

 

[FR Scott]

It will be interesting to see what Seat technical advise them to do......

Yeah, I would definitely recommend them. Thorough seems to be pretty accurate description: they didn’t stop at the no issues present diagnostic (like the previous garage did), they investigated where they thought the problem may be - thus finding the contamination. Thumbs up from me!

It is about a 50min drive away from me (all be it 'spirited roads') but I would rather travel the distance as opposed to using my local.

Thanks again for the recommendation

 

[olddog]

a mate of mine had a similar fault with his leon and took it to wills and ellis. they stripped the fuel system and replaced the cylinder head. he was realy pleased with them, they took him into the workshop and showed him what was wrong and gave a realy good explanation. his car now starts and runs fine. wills and ellis seem to realy care about getting to the bottom of the fault.

 

[yorkie1]

nice to see someone using their heads and no just computers

 

[techie]

Couple of things that I hve had on the 2.0 TDi

Fuel lift pump
Crank sensor
Injector, I have had one injector short internally which stops all of them working so not even a missfire.
Wrong fuel

 

[MalcB]

Drove home last night with no problems. Got into the car an hour ago and it won't start! It turns over but just won't fire. I didn't get any warning lights or messages. I left it for 15 mins or so and tried again. This time when I let go of the key, I got an oil pressure warning. Oil is fine. My initial thought is the fuel cut-off as it is like there is no fuel in the beast but I don't know how likely this is?

Any ideas?

Dave.

Isn't tinterweb a wonderful place. Just found this old thread My FR TDi wouldn't start having driven home OK last night. Was on the verge of calling the AA but following the above I checked oil level and it was a bit low. Put 1/2 litre in and away she went
Due for a service anyway.