Wet start problem(s).... VW Passat Sport Estate 2007 2.0 TDI (170)

**nick.king** · 10-11-2014,04:16 PM

Looking back I've had this problem a few weeks, ever since the weather took a turn for the worse.

On Saturday I was at work, car started fine at 8am when I set off for work, come 1pm and after several hours of heavy rain I got in the car to come home. It fired up and cut out straight away, started it again, drove about 10m and it spluttered and stalled and wouldn't start again.

Left it about 15-20 mins and after what seems about 30-60 seconds of it turning over it fired up, left it running for 10 mins and it seemed fine.
I had a busy Saturday so I left the car at work as I didn't want to risk it stalling in bad weather on the M1.

Come in to work today and it's started first time.

Over the last few weeks I've had an issue of it starting and it's always when it's raining heavy, never had as much problem as I did this Saturday though to start it.
There is no water in the footwells and the engine bay looks dry.

Basically looking for suggestions? I know someone with VCDS/VAG-COM but I can't get access until later in the week so not sure if they'll get anything off it or not.

**nick.king** · 14-11-2014,03:12 PM

94 views but no suggestions :-(

It's just thrown it down again, I've just been out to start the car and it turned and turned and turned and started. First time since last Saturday that I've had an issue, simply because it hasn't rained as hard and as much as it has today.

Struggling for things to check as the engine bay looks dry and no water on the inside.

vespa · 14-11-2014,03:30 PM

I once was chatting to a chap when I got my car new. He warned me about water ingress via the drain channels where the windscreen wipers are. He said that the water ran in in heavy rain onto the pollen filter and onto nearby electrics. I have never experienced it or heard it mentioned since but it may be worth a look there.

**Flash2** · 14-11-2014,04:36 PM

Sorry, but I can't think of anything rain related that would stop it from starting. When it doesn't start you could take the top off the fuel filter housing and see if it's full. Just be careful not to splash fuel on the belts.

I had a Passat recently that had intermittent non start and cutting out at odd times. Fault was traced to a loose connection in the dash fuse box on the fuel pump fuse (that's the pump inside the tank). Every time it the engine cut out the fuel filter housing was just about empty.

Oh, and I suspect the guy who told vespa about the pollen filter leaks had a 3B Passat and not a 3C like yours. The pollen filter on the 3C is inside the car and I've never come across any leaks in that area on a 3C.

Jim.

**nick.king** · 14-11-2014,04:59 PM

Thanks guys.

**nick.king** · 15-11-2014,07:01 PM

The wet might be a red herring, got in the car today for the first time at 12:15pm, started pretty much straight away with no issues. Left it running for a few minutes while everyone was strapped in, drove probably 500m to drop a parcel off at the post office, left the car running while I was in the post office (2-3 mins max), got back in the car and drove 10-15m and it spluttered and cut out and I knew immediately it was the same issue as last week.

I tried to start it up straight away as had to get my daughter to a party the otherside of town. As you can probably guess it wasn't having it... it turned, and turned and turned then the oil light came on with a "oil pressure warning message".

I stopped straight away and left it 30-60 seconds and tried again, same problem.

I left it about 2 mins before trying again and it turned, turned, turned and fired up. Left it running for near on 2 hours as well as driving 10-15 miles. I took it straight over to a mates and plugged in to VAG-COM (I'll post the results shortly once he sends them me) but as far as we can tell no errors. Stopped/started the engine while there and started straight away, drove it back home 2-3 miles and it's now on the drive.

Any ideas?