VW Amarok Diesel Stalling Fix, Fuel Filter Heater Guide

I had almost identical issues with my 2013 VW Transporter 2.0 TDI. As someone with moderate experience working on diesel engines, these symptoms immediately pointed to fuel system problems. The rough idle and power loss were exactly like your description. After a particularly cold start one morning, the engine barely ran at all. The fuel efficiency had dropped significantly over a few weeks before that. My workshop diagnosed a faulty wiring connection to the fuel filter heater. The cable had deteriorated over time, causing intermittent contact. This explained both the cold start issues and the error codes. Total repair cost was 95€, which covered diagnostic time and fixing the defective connection. The fix completely resolved the power loss and restored normal fuel efficiency. The rough idle disappeared immediately after the repair. To provide more specific advice for your case, could you share: Current mileage on your Amarok, Exact error codes showing, How long have these symptoms been present, Any recent fuel filter changes, Does the problem get worse in cold weather This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced with my VW.

Latest service was 200 hours ago and the mileage reads 60142km. After checking the error codes you mentioned, they match exactly what I experienced. Our issues seem identical. The fuel system problems started gradually getting worse over 3 weeks. No recent fuel filter changes on my end, but I noticed the rough idle becomes much more pronounced during cold starts. Power loss is most noticeable when accelerating on highways. Dealer quoted 450€ just for diagnostics, which seems excessive considering your repair costs. Think I will have my regular workshop check the wiring connection first based on your experience. The timing of these symptoms with colder weather really points to the fuel filter heater being the likely cause. Have you experienced any repeat issues since your repair was completed?

Thanks for providing those details. My repair has held up perfectly since getting it fixed, no repeat issues with either cold starts or power loss in the 8 months since. That 450€ diagnostic quote seems way too high. My regular workshop charged just 45€ for the initial diagnosis, and they had it figured out within an hour using their diagnostic computer. The symptoms progression matches exactly, mine also developed over several weeks before becoming really noticeable. The fuel efficiency kept getting worse until I finally got it looked at. The cold start problems and engine stalling were the final push to get it checked. Quick tip from my experience: Have them check the wiring harness leading to the fuel filter heater thoroughly, not just the immediate connection. My mechanic found the insulation had deteriorated along a section of the wire, causing intermittent shorts. They ended up replacing that entire section rather than just fixing the end connection. Given your identical error codes and matching symptoms, especially the correlation with cold weather, I would bet your fuel filter heater circuit has the same issue. You should see a dramatic improvement in power and fuel efficiency once repaired.

Yes, it seems I'm dealing with the exact same problem. Reading through all our back and forth really helped confirm my suspicions about the fuel filter heater. The matching error codes and identical symptoms leave little doubt. Will book it in with my regular workshop next week. Their more reasonable rates make much more sense than the dealer quote. Based on your long-term success after the repair, I feel confident this will resolve my fuel efficiency issues and rough idle problems. Really appreciate you sharing the tip about checking the entire wiring harness. Will make sure they inspect the full length for deterioration rather than just focusing on the connection points. Seems like catching any additional wire damage now could prevent future problems. The correlation between cold starts and these symptoms, combined with your successful repair outcome, gives me a clear direction for fixing these fuel system issues. Thanks for walking through your repair experience in such detail.