Stalling TDi DSG

[richardh]

Has anyone with a TDi DSG Altea noticed an issue with occasional stalling? My car has now done about 1000 miles (i.e. barely run in) but on several occasions the car has stalled as the accelerator is applies to move off (especially on a slight incline) or even once whilst reversing.

The issue seems to go away after a minute or two of driving (i.e. once the engine starts to warm up). I've noticed in those first couple of minutes that the engine idles fairly lumpily and you can sometimes see the revs drop to almost stalling point when holding the car stationary with the brake whilst still in Drive. It's at this point when it can stall.

 

[aceman]

Not sure if this is related but I know on the audi/VW side alot of people have been experiencing problems with lumpy idle etc. on the 2.0 TDI lump and several people have had their ECU's reprogrammed more than once to try and eliminate the problems. Maybe yours is sufferring from the same but although mine is still young at ~300 miles it is as sweet as a nut and cannot feel it ticking over.

 

[Tell]

My DSG has never stalled but a couple of times it's been lumpy when first started [dampness in the fuel line ?]. You just wait or put your foot down on the pedal to give it more gas so it doesn't stall and it shooks out smoke, only once did it do that. Only twice it's done that [played about when starting] and once it wasn't keen on starting at all [that could have been me, early days with the Altea then]. So I wouldn't head down the road untill it's ticking over correctly. Diesels are pretty difficult to stall in general although I've done it a couple of times in the ten years that I've been driving a diesel [my old ZX]. You know that you have done something pretty stupid, when that happens.

 

[loadswine]

I think mine has done this about twice, only when cold and when changing from reverse to first or vice versa. Maybe I was still moving or something. However two occasions in 4500 miles haven't given me cause for concern.

 

[spyke85]

I think at Audi where I work we have had about 5 cars in with this problem, one of them the 3.2 TT, all the others A3's with the 2.0TDi engine in. The TT had a whole new gearbox fitted...and still the problem persists. I don't think anyone has a clue what is causing it.

 

[Seasider]

Yep, mine has stalled three times in 1400 miles.
Same circumstances as you, Loadswine - reverse out of parking space, select Drive, car stalls.

When I saw the start of Spyke85's post I thought the explanation was coming up!

Good point Tell, I'll try giving mine a touch more welly on startup.

 

[spyke85]

Yep, mine has stalled three times in 1400 miles.
Same circumstances as you, Loadswine - reverse out of parking space, select Drive, car stalls.

When I saw the start of Spyke85's post I thought the explanation was coming up!

Good point Tell, I'll try giving mine a touch more welly on startup.

Sorry seasider! Are you a Blackpool fan by any chance? If so, snap!

 

[Seasider]

Hi Spyke, yes I'm a BFC fan.

Another rollercoaster season for us, eh? And we've missed out on our annual trip to Cardiff - I was getting quite used to those

 

[spyke85]

Hi Spyke, yes I'm a BFC fan.

Another rollercoaster season for us, eh? And we've missed out on our annual trip to Cardiff - I was getting quite used to those

I'd describe the season as a DSG box with problems!

 

[richardh]

Update on the stalling. Booked the car in today and miracle of miracles the car stalled whilst the dealer was moving it. Apparently SEAT have issued a technical bulletin today that describes the problem and provides an ECU update to resolve the issue. The dealer duly applied it and now the car is completely immobilised!

I'm now driving a Cordoba whilst they work out what went wrong!

 

[aceman]

Takes about an hour to reprogram the ECU for the 2.0TDI so probably bombed out whilst writing to the ECU and dealer probably panicked slightly. I am sure it will get sorted as from what I can gather this is not a rare occurance.

 

[loadswine]

Did they remap the engine ECU, or is there a separate ECU for the gearbox?

 

[richardh]

I believe they remapped the engine ECU although I was told there is a seperate unit for the gearbox. I should get an update from the dealer later so I'll post any progress later.

 

[altea-ego]

Told my wife about this, and she said ours stalled in the middle of reversing the other day. Must be the warmer weather having an effect as its not happened before.

 

[Tell]

Yes and mine would not start today either.. grrrr. It did after I turned the ignition 6 or so times and put my foot down on the pedal. I got rid of the ZX since it wouldn't start and when it did it puffed out black smoke.

Any how if your all going off to get your ECU re-programmed tell me and I'll pop round to my dealer as well.

Yeah the only thing I can say is that I did back it down the road to park up, before leaving it for the week. Perhaps it doesn't like short journeys ?.

 

[richardh]

I've spent the weekend "sans Altea". The dealer has been unable to revive the car since they tried the "Stall fix" 5 days ago. They're awaiting a new disk from SEAT but the mechanic didn't seem too confident (they are very embarrassed apparently however...I bet they are!).

Still tomorrow's another week and you never know!

 

[aceman]

Sounds like a new ECU may be coming your way

 

[richardh]

Stalling ALTEA update. After more than a week (with the car immobilised) the dealer has managed to update the ECU with the latest engine/gearbox software. So far it hasn't stalled and the gear changes seem a little smoother than before. Time will tell.

If you get yours done make sure that the dealer has the latest "base software disc" as well as the update as without this the upgrade will not work (and you will be left stranded).

 

[Tell]

Glad to hear that your DSG is back on the road again. I don't think I'll go in for a bit of re-programming for the hell of it. More recently I've been thinking that the gear changes are a bit snatchy, but I have noticed that they are a lot smoother once the car has warmed up. Presume oil in the box.

But on the good news side it turned in 50 MPG on a brim to brim fill up and I've the same as you, DSG, 17", TDI 2.0.... so you never know, summers [sort of] come and fuel economy could be getting better:

Date Miles Litres Total Lites Overal Ave Ave between Fills
10 0 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0!
09/01/2005 1184 138.75 138.75 38.46 38.46
07/02/2005 1607 50.67 189.42 38.32 37.95
04/03/2005 2035 48.2 237.62 38.74 40.36
06/03/2005 2298 30.7 268.32 38.76 38.94
12/03/2005 2636 39.68 308 38.75 38.72
17/04/2005 2981 40.54 348.54 38.75 38.68
14/05/2005 3487 45.41 393.95 40.12 50.65

only for pleasure... yes I know I didn't get 138.75 litres into it on the 9/1/2005 those were all the fill ups in the Xmas trip to Germany when I hadn't got the Excel sheet set up. Will be off on another European jaunt soon so that will blow the economy figures.

 

[Rolyen]

Stalling DSG

Hey folks,

Just had my DSG in for its first oil change (7k). In the last 1,000 miles, it stalled 3 times, twice at roundabouts and once going from reverse to drive.

I mentioned this to the dealers at the service and it turns out there is a problem with the ECU, and they had to reprogram it. Whether it was the engine or gearbox ECU, I don't know, but they did say that they had had a bulletin from SEAT about the problem.

For those with the same problem still, might be worth having a word with your suppliers!