Problems with engine performance and check engine light on Seat Leon Diesel 2018 - possible causes and solutions

Hi mate, I'm no expert but I do have some experience with cars. I remember my 2016 Seat Ibiza Diesel which had a similar problem. I had a faulty gearbox intake manifold actuator which caused me similar symptoms. My garage read out the fault and replaced the gearshift intake manifold actuator. It cost me 1330 euros, but after that the car ran like clockwork again. To help you further, I would need more information about your Seat Leon - have you had any error codes read out? Does the garage already suspect what the problem might be?

(Translated from German)

Hello, thanks for your quick reply. Well, the garage really wanted to read out the error, but I decided against it because I wanted to try it myself first. My Leon has 103584 km on the clock and the last service was not too long ago. I haven't had the codes read out yet, but I will if I can't figure it out myself. I just hope it won't be as expensive as your shift intake manifold actuator. So far I don't have any specific suspicions as to what it might be, but I'll keep your idea in mind. I'm going to assume it's the swirl flap, but that's just a shot in the dark.

(Translated from German)

Hey, if you describe the symptoms like that, it could really be the swirl flap. It's often the bearings or the gaps that cause problems. I also had these symptoms with my Ibiza back then. In this case, the engine oil was drawn into the intake tract through the defective swirl flap and the combustion was no longer correct, which is why the engine ran unevenly and the car jerked when accelerating. But as I said, it's difficult to say without having the fault code read out. It could also be other things, such as problems with the turbo, the injection pump or even the cylinder head gasket. The repair of my swirl flap cost me around 500 euros at the time. So it's much cheaper than the intake manifold actuator. I would definitely advise you to have it checked in the workshop. You shouldn't take anything lightly. A broken intake manifold can quickly become expensive, especially if it has to be completely replaced. So it's better to invest a few euros now before it's too late. Stay tuned and keep us up to date!

(Translated from German)

Hi, thanks for your detailed reply and helpful tips. It seems that I really need to have the fault code read out to make sure what the problem is. Your experience and the cost comparison are really helpful. I will follow your advice and take the car to the garage. I really hope it's just the swirl flap and I don't need to replace the intake manifold. I will definitely keep you guys posted. Thanks again for your time and help!

(Translated from German)