GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

2012 GTi not able to restart while hot

irex511

New member
Hey Everyone! Ran in to some trouble with my car and hoping that someone can help to guide me in the right direction.

The car is a 2012 GTi (non PZEV - iirc that makes it a ccta) with 35,500. It is bone stock with the exception of a DG short shifter and an ECS Dogbone Insert.

My wife and I were road tripping down to FL to see our families and have been having a big problem where the GTi will seemingly not re-start when the motor is hot (ie stopping for gas on a long road trip). We've now been to dealers across the country and am hoping that Leesburg, FL will be the place to take care of it!

At any rate, here's the symptoms that have happened 4 or 5 times. The car runs totally perfectly, driving around 70-80 mph for several hundred miles. When I stop, I fill the car with gas and grab a bite to eat (maybe 10-45 min), when I go to start it, it will fire up for a few seconds and then die. The subsequent few tries generally result in the same, but a bit less consistent RPMs . From that point on, it cranks fine, but will make no interest in starting.

If I let the car cool down completely (today was about 1.75 hours, yesterday about 1 hour), the car will start right up and be totally fine, though sometimes the start comes with a sputter. No CEL, no lights.

It doesn't do it at all on shorter trips or around town, or seemingly in cold weather.

The first dealer said that they could not reproduce and sent us on our way. The second found some faults from the MAF and replaced it (I think unrelated) and the third has the car now and won't look into it until Friday.

My thoughts based on searching (thanks to all previous posters) :

- HPFP starting to go
- Coil Packs
-...

Any thoughts or suggestions? Am I barking up the right trees?

Though I've gotten to spend some quality time in gas stations with my wife, our warranty will be up before we get home, and we'd really love to get this resolved.

Thanks for your help and happy holidays!

Cheers,

Mike
 
Last edited:

BigLar11

New member
I've been having this problem since i bought my MK6 about a year ago and when I first brought it to the dealer last December. The dealer couldn't replicate the problem and the car never gave a code so they gave it back. However, I went to another dealer and I was telling the tech about the problem and he said it was probably the fuel pump.

Luckily, the car stalled while they were moving it so they knew what they were dealing with. In the end, the problem is one of the 2 fuel pumps (low pressure or high pressure). The high pressure fuel pump is the one that's probably bad and it's mounted on the engine whereas the low pressure is in the tank.

I hope I helped out a bit and I hope you can get this issue sorted out!
 

irex511

New member
Thanks, Guys! This dealer said that they once again could not reproduce and can't replace the pump without a failure.

They were really very nice, but couldn't help. I've just opened a case with VWNA but it very likely won't be resolved before we leave.

I'll keep you posted if they come back with anything! Any other tips are greatly appreciated!
 

BigLar11

New member
I'd say the best thing you could do for them to replicate it would be to bring the car to them after bringing it up to temperature and have them go out and drive it after it sits for a few minutes.

I hate how they can't just take your word for it and at least check the pump out. It makes this already annoying problem even more irritating
 

zrickety

The Fixer

POPSMK61

Ready to race!
This might be a long shot but happened to my 06 Passat with the FSI engine. same exact symptoms. Only would start when engine is cold. I had to replace the Camshaft Position Sensor. Good Luck!
 

zrickety

The Fixer
I have also seen cam/crank sensor issues on non-vw cars.
 

jasonyu668

Passed Driver's Ed
I have the same issues. The dealer couldn't reproduce the problem. They ran fuel pressure test and said HPFP is fine.
 

Pooley

Ready to race!
I had the exact same thing happen on my old 2000 Audi A6 2.7T. Mine was being caused by the coolant temp sensor. Got stranded a few times in a short amount of time. Got the sensor, swapped it, and was perfect after that. Figured I'd mention it since the symptoms were identical, cold and warm starts fine, no go once hot, just an engine cranking and not firing.
 

irex511

New member
Jason, your video is exactly what mine will do. If I try a bunch of times (8-10), it eventually stops starting and will just sit and crank until the car cools down.

Interestingly enough, the more the problem arises, the more it seems to be temperature related (Pooley, maybe your thought on the Coolant Temp Sensor is a good shot). Driving back home, the car would do it consistently through FL and Georgia. When we stopped for the night in SC, I tested it, and the car still sputtered, but kept itself alive (~60 degF outside temp). Now that we're back home (35 degF), it doesn't happen at all. It also seemed much worse and likely to happen after driving the car more spiritedly(back roads, higher revs). No symptoms at all while driving.

Though all of my gut feelings seem to point to the HPFP, the temperature thing throws a wrench into it. Is there anything in or around the HPFP that would be temp dependent (or potentially get so heat soaked it could fail)?

I talked with VWOA yesterday afternoon, and they're moving my case back to the VA area (maybe I should pop over to HQ and say hello). They've asked me to bring it into the dealer to see if they can replicate it, but I'm hesitant to waste my time, since I can't even seem to do it in this weather. I'm a full believer that problems don't just resolve themselves, so am really at a loss for the best path forward.

Anyway, thanks for all of the feedback. I'll keep you guys posted as I continue my quest.
 

irex511

New member
Zrickety, just saw your post about the controller. (not sure how I missed it earlier). This sounds like a good fit for the heat related symptoms that I'm seeing. Assuming so, but any idea if the Mk6 works and is wired the same way?

I'm going to run out of money before I can replace this stuff. Any good way to test the sensors? Sounds like not unless the car is in it's "not starting" condition.

New suspected list of culprits:

- Coolant Temp Sensor
- Camshaft Position Sesnor
- Crankshaft Position Sensor?
- LPFP Controller Overheating
- HPFP

Cheers,

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

zrickety

The Fixer
I was told it's the same but can't verify. The sensor won't be found unless you can test it after it's hot and not working. Aren't you still under warranty? Let the dealer handle this. Find another one and ask them to drive it long distance if necessary.
 

irex511

New member
Awesome, thanks! Car was under warranty until it ticked over 36k on the drive up. Hoping the dealer will still cover with the history of the issue (one of the main reasons I involved VWOA).
 

zrickety

The Fixer
Yeah document everything, they should cover the repair.
 
Top