I have a 2008 Cali and it randomly drops into limp mode (with the coil spring light flashing amber).

mattf6294 · Jun 16, 2015

I have a 2008 Cali and it randomly drops into limp mode (with the coil spring light flashing amber). This started about September of last year (2014) and when I took the vehicle in to the Loughton VW Van centre to get the front brakes done I asked them to look at the engine management to see what it was. Upon picking it up they told me I needed a new turbo (at a cost of £1500.00). Anyway I had got it booked for a service from my usual centre (Chelmsford) for Feb so thought I would wait and get a 2nd opinion. they told me the same thing, EVEN THOUGH BOTH centres could NOT replicate the fault.

Every time I take it out it happens it is so random it has even happened when the vehicle is in cruise control there is no rhyme or reason to why and when it happens (although it does always seem to happen on A roads and motorway driving and in 5th & 6th gears -never on a local run about town). When i turn the ignition off the coil light goes and I can run the vehicle again OK but it will not be long before it drops into limp mode again.

I am at my wits end the vehicle (when running OK is a beast) but at the moment I may as well be driving a Fiat 500. The vehicle has done 52 000 miles and I have had it from new............by the way the Engine management light (the one that looks like an engine block) is permanently on now ...I was told this is a consequence of the other light keeping being lit if the engine goes into limp mode on a regular basis.

I am loath to spending out £ 1500.00 on a new Turbo when I have no confidence that VW actually beleive it is DEFINITELY the turbo.. what happens if I spend this out to get it done and the problem is NOT fixed HELP..HELP...HELP

calikev · Jun 16, 2015

It could be sticking turbo vains I would take it to a garage and get them to clean it first. You can get turbo cleaner I believe. Worth a try at least

mattf6294 · Jun 16, 2015

Calikev said:
It could be sticking turbo vains I would take it to a garage and get them to clean it first. You can get turbo cleaner I believe. Worth a try at least

Funnily enough when I took it into the VW centre at Chelmsford and this was a separate occasion after the service (and they couldn't replicate the fault - even though they told me they were going to have the vehicle for 4 or 5 days to do full diagnostics the called me back on the day after I had dropped it in to say it was a Turbo issue and that it would cost £ 1570.00 to fix- which was why I was sceptical)

I said to them that I would go down to the centre and go out with the Tecnician because I knew it would happen when I was driving it - and it DID. The Tecnician said for the sake of 4 or 6 weeks and a few tanks of diesel try putting some redex engine cleaner in. I tried that and no luck then spoke to a Turbo specialist company in Northampton and they said that Redex is rubbish I should try the Forte engine cleaner, i tried this and took it out for a long run (over 100 miles) at very different speeds and revs (and this was about 6 weeks ago, if anything the fault is now occurring more regularly and is really hacking me off now

Meoncoast · Jun 16, 2015

Two main dealers are advising the same fault and fix. If you do trust the main dealers either try a turbo specialist or an independent VW specialist. Your fault is not going away it looks like it is getting more frequent, if it was me I think I would be expecting the fix is needed and will not be cheap.

WelshGas · Jun 16, 2015

Why do the Dealers " have to replicate the fault ".?
These faults may only occur at certain speeds and engine temperature. They will hook the vehicle upto their computer system and see what codes have been registered.
In my opinion you have a number of options.
1. Believe them.
2. Get a Diagnostic done by an independent and check the codes yourself.
3. Turbo Specialist

Looking for magic fixes just means delaying the inevitable.

A turbo is used to provide more power for accelerations so the fact that it occurs when ? Cruising could well indicate that the turbo vanes are not in the correct position ie sticking. A turbo specialist may be able to clean or re-furnish it. This is a specialist job that very, very few garages would undertake. They would replace.

Tulgey · Jun 16, 2015

If it's a similar turbo to a Passat then it may be the vanes on the turbo waste gate sticking ( not to be confused with turbo vanes) then it's possible to do it yourself, but you could check first to see if the vacuum powered activator rod is sticking .
Worth while checking for blocked or partially blocked exhaust.
After several VW "specialists" suggested it was waste gate vanes sticking, I spent a few hours removing the turbo only to find no problem with the waste gate. At this point I bought vcds (vagcom) and solved it myself.
(It was a blocked up exhaust, caused by a piece of the catalytic converter intermittently sealing the exhaust!!!!!!!!!!!!)..... Half hour with the gas axe cured it!