Safety issue- Engine dies when changing gear.

[Mupp3tt]

@toonaroon add me to your list of this cut out at low revs happening. i though it was myself and it appears not. 204ps manual T32 kombi, just reading through this for a resolution but guessing there isnt. also seem to have low power on the Van 175bhp...

 

[Mud Digger]

@toonaroon add me to your list of this cut out at low revs happening. i though it was myself and it appears not. 204ps manual T32 kombi, just reading through this for a resolution but guessing there isnt. also seem to have low power on the Van 175bhp...

There's a few this happens to it seems but try a quaility fuel for you lower power loss my old diesels in the passed have dropped down to 50 mph on a slope on a motorway full throttle and supermarket fuel .

 

[ScottyMac]

I've not read through this full thread but this sounds like the reason I haven't touched VWs for many years...

I used to have a 2007 Passat 2.0TDi which decided to cut the engine whilst on my way home from work. I used to commute from Leeds to Bolton every day so it was crazy M62 all the way. luckily the car stopped just as I aimed myself up the off ramp.... no power steering, no brakes to speak of... very scary. Again, luck helped out as the off ramp was a fairly steep hill so I coasted to a halt blocking the only right hand lane, which made me very unpopular. I managed to push the car across 4 lanes of traffic (by myself - no-one offered to help) and got it to the side of the road to call AA. AA man was stumped.

I'd already been reading about this behaviour on owners forum so I knew that it related to dodgy fuel injectors. This had been a recall in North America as VW were being sued left right and centre. Thus ensued a lengthy argument with VW dealer who refused to take responsibility - at one point they were trying to say the engine had seized and would need replacing. I kept banging on about the injectors which according the them would set me back £1800 so I called VW UK and explained that VOSA were already investigating lots of other reports of the same thing at which point they agreed to replace the faulty injector for free but only the one that failed, I'd have to wait for this scenario to happen 3 more times before they were all replaced - We'd just had a baby so driving waiting for the next 1 of 3 chances at a crash meant I didn't want to drive it anymore. That car was sold in a couple of weeks and I haven't looked at VAG products for nearly 10 years.

Just about a week after I sold the car, I got a call from VW Germany and a very nice German lady listened to my story and was very shocked, so said she'd take it away and see what could be done. About 6 months later I got a recall letter about major fault with injectors but by that time it was too late. In all honesty, If VW had been nicer about the whole thing, I would probably have kept the car as I like their products.

Last year I bought my wife a new Polo which she loves. As It gets near the end of its warranty, It'll be going back. Cracking car but I still have an inherent distrust. My Caravelle will be the same - great product but driving without warranty could be costly.

 

[Mupp3tt]

Cheers for this, The last fuel i used was Morrisons i think, usually one of the better supermarket fuels , bit limited due to the location i live in unfortunately. will soon see with the EGR as now in with an old friends garage outside the VW dealer as they just try to take the P. any other advise welcome.

 

[broom_broom]

I had the same issue with my T6 T32 HL 102 Kombi.
AA guy checked it out and told me it was fine and the issue is from stalling....try not to ride the clutch and change gear correctly (clutch fully depressed etc).
Since being more conscious of how sensitive the clutch and gear changing is (in comparison to my previous car), I've never had the issue again.

 

[Euan Black]

I’ve got a 2018 trend line 150 manual 6 speed converted and have the same issue, the engine cuts out when going down the gears, it’s happened at all speeds, on the motorway as well. The dealer has the van at the moment but is at a loss as they can’t replicate the fault. Has anyone been able to find out what the problem actually is and is there a fix for it? I’m in the process of writing to vw but having read this thread I’m not holding out much hope....

Cheers.

 

[DaveF]

I’ve got a 2018 trend line 150 manual 6 speed converted and have the same issue, the engine cuts out when going down the gears, it’s happened at all speeds, on the motorway as well. The dealer has the van at the moment but is at a loss as they can’t replicate the fault. Has anyone been able to find out what the problem actually is and is there a fix for it? I’m in the process of writing to vw but having read this thread I’m not holding out much hope....

Cheers.

My 2017 van did it once or twice until the battery was changed under warranty. I thought it was linked to the stop/start system and the fact my battery wasn't holding enough charge and probably confusing the system. Once the MOL battery was replaced it never happened again.

 

[Mud Digger]

its frustrating this comes up a lot all i can assume with this is its down to driving technique and not fully pushing the clutch peddle down to the floor. Don't ride the clutch or slipping it it in for a smooth decline , it might be activating the stop/start

it happened 3 times to me on a roundabout a couple of weeks ago i had not driven the van in a while and was used to driving my car with a very light clutch

now its not doing it at all a few hundred miles in

 

[Euan Black]

Thanks for the replies, it’s a real pain.

 

[toonaroon]

It's dangerous, it's frightening, and it's a travesty!!! Surely by now VW should acknowledge that there is a problem? If it is of any help, I have noticed that you must not let the rev's go to low when changing gear or slowing down in a low gear always change up to keep the rev's up.. this issue can occur with start stop on or off.
Nevertheless VW are blatantly not interested in doing any research or even to collect detailed data from customers to alleviate (in my opinion) this serious fault.

 

[Jason Stancliffe]

It's dangerous, it's frightening, and it's a travesty!!! Surely by now VW should acknowledge that there is a problem? If it is of any help, I have noticed that you must not let the rev's go to low when changing gear or slowing down in a low gear always change up to keep the rev's up.. this issue can occur with start stop on or off.
Nevertheless VW are blatantly not interested in doing any research or even to collect detailed data from customers to alleviate (in my opinion) this serious fault.

Yes I totally agree
I thought it was just my driving, or the stop start function (which I switch off all the time now)

 

[AussieMick]

This happens to me when I am coming up to a roundabout or corner and I accidentally put it into 4th instead of 2nd, engine stalls so lose power steering and power brakes , dash tells me to start car manually. Once engine is off brakes and steering heavy to operate, no power assist. I realize I caused it by wrong gear selection, first time wtf but when it happens now I recognize it and just turn off stop/start, turn the key on or sometimes drop the clutch in 2nd and engine restarts. A bit disconcerting but only happens once in a blue moon at very low speed when stop/start is on and I select the wrong gear and stall engine.
It is a possibility in all manual cars with stop/start systems.

 

[SENTINEL]

As a matter of interest has anyone with a T6.1 had this problem yet?

 

[ScottyMac]

As a matter of interest has anyone with a T6.1 had this problem yet?

I've got a T6.1... It's a DSG, so a little off topic but, what I wanted to say is that VW's start/stop stop is quirky compared to other brands... the engine stops way too fast (maybe to shave a few grams off the emissions?) and cuts when you're still moving, which immediately alters the brake pressure and causes a sudden stop. I'm sure I'll get used to it but it's not the most friendly of systems. Also, when you come to a stop and the engine cuts, you can't just put it in neutral or park with the handbrake on because it instantly starts the engine again. So I spent a fair bit of time in stopped traffic with the engine running for no reason.

 

[Mud Digger]

I've got a T6.1... It's a DSG, so a little off topic but, what I wanted to say is that VW's start/stop stop is quirky compared to other brands... the engine stops way too fast (maybe to shave a few grams off the emissions?) and cuts when you're still moving, which immediately alters the brake pressure and causes a sudden stop. I'm sure I'll get used to it but it's not the most friendly of systems. Also, when you come to a stop and the engine cuts, you can't just put it in neutral or park with the handbrake on because it instantly starts the engine again. So I spent a fair bit of time in stopped traffic with the engine running for no reason.

@ScottyMac yes its the bit that it cuts out when still moving changing down the box is what is throwing us all in the thread

 

[Longy]

Hi took my 2019 T6 for first real drive yesterday and it happened to me slowing down on a narrow road to overtake a cyclist.
I just assumed as new to the car I had changed gears incorrectly and it was some sort of stall prevention but was scary how it just died and stopped.
With travel restrictions lifted going on a 400 mile round trip to the dentist tomorrow and will be a tad nervous at each roundabout on the A1

 

[narrative_escapes]

Having driven the van a lot more now during the period we were allowed out of Lockdown in 2020 I am 99.9% sure it was my doing and being in too high a gear.

Then it stalls and all power steering is lost. That is working as intended.

This is not to say others aren't experiencing some form of fault but I don't believe I am.

 

[rod_vw]

I'm sure it's driving habit not a vehicle fault. It's so easy to be in too high a gear and when the revs drop below a certain point the ECU simply shuts the engine down.
The saving grace is being able to use the re-start facility by simply depressing the clutch. After driving forty plus years and having to manually restart if an engine stalls it takes a bit of getting used to having that facility.

 

[Davetom]

It’s not a driving habit, it’s my 5th Transporter that it happened on. Depressing the clutch doesn’t work either, you have to turn ignition off then back on. Not easy when PAS isn’t now working !

 

[rod_vw]

It’s not a driving habit, it’s my 5th Transporter that it happened on. Depressing the clutch doesn’t work either, you have to turn ignition off then back on. Not easy when PAS and PaB aren’t now working !

Strange that yours doesn't re-start by depressing the clutch. Mine is a 2016 140ps Highline with manual gearbox and it always works.