Down and Out ...!

[Mudbug]

Good morning all (Well not really it isn't ) ,
Took the van for a exterior jetwash last night and it refused to start afterwards ! Marooned in a jetwash bay behind a Tesco Express !Had to ask a couple of passing Rozzers to push me out whilst I waited for Recovery ! Luckily not far from home so didn't take long but the shame .
Recovery guy checked battery and was all fine and plugged in his OBD checker but said there were no codes !! So ...I have a very shiny lump of useless metal stuck on my drive and no clue what's wrong ! I don't have Carista etc either . All I can see is that when you turn the ignition on , the ECU does its usual checks and leaves the glow plug light flashing and the engine Mgmt light on . If you turn the key nothing ...doesn't even try to turnover ( although it coughed and turned over for 2 secs on one attempt last night ( 1 attempt out of a 100 !! ) . The van is a 2016 T32 180 DSG camper , not not started before and had a new alternator fitted 500 miles ago . The jet wash was panels and wheels only , not the engine bay ( never do ) .
Any ideas .??

 

[T6ARF]

@mmi @Robert @Dellmassive @Loz @Dav-Tec Can any of you experts help here?

 

[Johnod17]

Good morning all (Well not really it isn't ) ,
Took the van for a exterior jetwash last night and it refused to start afterwards ! Marooned in a jetwash bay behind a Tesco Express !Had to ask a couple of passing Rozzers to push me out whilst I waited for Recovery ! Luckily not far from home so didn't take long but the shame .
Recovery guy checked battery and was all fine and plugged in his OBD checker but said there were no codes !! So ...I have a very shiny lump of useless metal stuck on my drive and no clue what's wrong ! I don't have Carista etc either . All I can see is that when you turn the ignition on , the ECU does its usual checks and leaves the glow plug light flashing and the engine Mgmt light on . If you turn the key nothing ...doesn't even try to turnover ( although it coughed and turned over for 2 secs on one attempt last night ( 1 attempt out of a 100 !! ) . The van is a 2016 T32 180 DSG camper , not not started before and had a new alternator fitted 500 miles ago . The jet wash was panels and wheels only , not the engine bay ( never do ) .
Any ideas .??

I had some strange things on my t5.1 and the clever people on the forum told me to do a capacitive discharge (disconnect the battery and after a couple of seconds short the + and - leads together this will reset the electronics )
This may be worth a punt

John

 

[Dellmassive]

See here...

[Guide] Full Van ECU Reset (Capacitive Discharge) -- How I Done It --

Full Van ECU Reset (Capacitive Discharge) -- How I Done It -- The T6 is full of ECU`s, Modules, CAN Buses and Data packets . . . . . Just like your Phone or PC right. The motor vehicle industry has spent years with research and development making the modern car/van Data and electrical system...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[Dellmassive]

Have you got a multimeter to check battery voltage?

Can you take pic or vid of the dash cluster?

Is it an adblue version? MY16?

I'm wondering about a sticky ignition key barrel?

Tried a bit of WD40 in key barrel?... Wiggle key in barrel?

Does key feel good in barrel?

you will need to have it scanned for codes.

also check all main powers and grounds . .

so both main battery connections,

plus main ground straps . . . i think @Loz has highlighted issues with a main earth strap corrosion before (engine to chassis)

....

but will need more feedback on the above to help further.

if you need help these VAG guys are local ish . .

Whatlington Garage: VW, Audi, Seat & Skoda Specialist

Whatlington Garage for mechanics, servicing, repairs, tyres and MOT's near Hastings, East Sussex. We are your local VW group specialists.

www.whatlingtongarage.co.uk

 

[Mudbug]

Have you got a multimeter to check battery voltage?

Can you take pic or vid of the dash cluster?

Is it an adblue version? MY16?

Hi
It's not the adblue version . I haven't got a multimeter but the recovery guy did and checked it and said it was really good .
Here's the dash ..
Brake light prompt comes on as usual , goes off when depressed as usual .
Will try the capacitive discharge process next .
Thanks

you will need to have it scanned for codes.

also check all main powers and grounds . .

so both main battery connections,

plus main ground straps . . . i think @Loz has highlighted issues with a main earth strap corrosion before (engine to chassis)

....

but will need more feedback on the above to help further.

No codes from basic recovery chaps reader. Battery leads firm . Just trying to check basic stuff before I pay hundreds to get it recovered to a specialist ! Almost feels like the starter motor is stuck ??

 

[Dellmassive]

Can you hear and clicking from the starter solenoid?

The starter is ECU controlled, not direct from the key barrel.

But you said it tried to start before.

 

[Dellmassive]

You not got AA cover?

AA are VW approved callout guys.

They have the VW assist contact ATM.

IE free callout?

You can sign up today and get a callout today.

May help in the diagnosis

 

[Mudbug]

Can you hear and clicking from the starter solenoid?

The starter is ECU controlled, not direct from the key barrel.

But you said it tried to start before.

It literally turned over and coughed once last night . Can't hear the starter click but with my stuck under the bonnet I can hear a short buzzing and a whirring then it stops ?

 

[Mudbug]

You not got AA cover?

AA are VW approved callout guys.

They have the VW assist contact ATM.

IE free callout?

You can sign up today and get a callout today.

May help in the diagnosis

No it's Nationwide bank cover . They didn't send a van just a recovery truck . It was past 5pm so no garages open so I guess they knew to take me home -was only 3 miles away .

 

[Dellmassive]

It literally turned over and coughed once last night . Can't hear the starter click but with my stuck under the bonnet I can hear a short buzzing and a whirring then it stops ?

oh trying the old "hit the starter with a pole" trick to get it to kick in?

 

[Howzat]

It literally turned over and coughed once last night . Can't hear the starter click but with my stuck under the bonnet I can hear a short buzzing and a whirring then it stops ?

That sounds like your solenoid has gone. Check the connections at the starter and if any are loose first pull the earth lead of the battery then tighten the loose connector. Sometimes you may see a spark on turnover if anything is loose. Once connections are checked and you still have the issue then it's probably the starter solenoid.

 

[Mudbug]

See here...

[Guide] Full Van ECU Reset (Capacitive Discharge) -- How I Done It --

Full Van ECU Reset (Capacitive Discharge) -- How I Done It -- The T6 is full of ECU`s, Modules, CAN Buses and Data packets . . . . . Just like your Phone or PC right. The motor vehicle industry has spent years with research and development making the modern car/van Data and electrical system...

www.t6forum.com

.

oh trying the old "hit the starter with a pole" trick to get it to kick in?

Huh ?

 

[Dellmassive]

in the old days . . . mechanics would diangnose a bad starter by banging it with a pole . . .

if it come to life with the shock then it was most likley a bad starter.

though you had a lot more room in an engine bay back in those days.

 

[Dellmassive]

sounds like you need a call-out from a VAG guy.

if you havent got the tools to scan the van and do basic tests you are stuck.

AA or the local firm above will be able to come to you and start a disgnostic.

 

[mmi]

plugged in his OBD checker but said there were no codes

leaves the glow plug light flashing and the engine Mgmt light on

Not helping at all but sounds that indeed was only OBD checker (emissions) - not a tester for VW internals.
Flashing glow plug light definitely leaves traces into ECU fault memory.

 

[Dellmassive]

FYI,

main engine fuses are in engine bay under battery.

secondary engine fuses are in small engine fuse box in front of battery.

VW T6 Electrical Info

Fuse Identification Lists & General Electrical Info

www.t6forum.com

VW T6 Electrical Info

Fuse Identification Lists & General Electrical Info

www.t6forum.com

VIP Membership

VIP Membership Information

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[Mudbug]

Thanks for all your help guys . I'm a very basic mechanic and can't even get to the leisure battery to remove the earth wire as the seat doesn't slide enough or seem to lift like the passenger seat , let alone isolate the solar ! I Can't see the starter motor through the engine bay and can't get underneath to even find it so I think I'm gonna have to accept my inadequacies and find a local vw guy - preferably a mobile one !
Heresy I know but I'm starting to wish I'd kept my T25 Westfalia !!

 

[Loz]

Is it showing in park when you start it, try neutral.

Are the brake lights working?

 

[Mudbug]

Hi
Yep tried Park and Neutral - no joy ! Brake lights working ok and brake sensor responding ok on dash . I am not in any way a mechanic but it reminds me of a stuck starter motor in previous vehicles . I'd tap it if I could get to it but can't even jack it up as it's on a gravel sloping drive and lowered !! Wife's already pissed off with it as it broke down in Somerset a month ago so I fear it's days might be numbered !! Shame because its a lovely looking van and generally really well behaved ..