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antonfischer1

VW Diesel Stalling: Fuel Pressure Sensor Symptoms

My diesel VW from 2013 (147000km) has been giving me trouble lately. The engine keeps stalling at idle and runs really rough, especially when accelerating. The check engine light is on and the car jerks when I try to speed up. My last mechanic experience wasnt great, so I want to check if anyone had similar symptoms pointing to a faulty fuel pressure sensor before taking it in. Has anyone dealt with this kind of fuel delivery issue and can recommend how to proceed? Already spent 800€ on repairs this year, so hoping to avoid another costly misdiagnosis.

4 comment(s)

jennifer_mueller4

Having experienced nearly identical symptoms with my 2016 VW Golf TDI, this sounds like a classic fuel delivery problem. The rough running and stalling strongly suggest issues with the fuel pressure sensor or related components. When my fuel pressure sensor failed, the engine would misfire and struggle during acceleration, matching your symptoms precisely. The fuel delivery system wasnt getting proper pressure readings, causing the engine control unit to supply incorrect amounts of fuel. The diagnosis revealed two potential issues: Damaged wiring between the fuel pressure sensor and ECU, Corroded connector pins at the sensor plug The fuel pressure sensor is a critical component that needs immediate attention, as continued driving can lead to complete engine failure or fuel injector damage. The repair involved replacing the entire sensor assembly and checking the surrounding wiring harness for integrity. If experiencing these symptoms, getting a proper diagnostic scan is essential before components start failing. In my case with the Golf, what started as occasional stuttering quickly developed into a serious fuel system problem requiring urgent repair. A competent mechanic with diesel system experience should first verify the fuel pressure readings and check for related fault codes before replacing parts.

antonfischer1 (Author)

Thanks for sharing your Golf TDI experience. The symptoms indeed match my Sharan issues exactly. The engine stalling and rough acceleration really had me worried about fuel injector problems. Did you remember roughly how much the fuel pressure sensor repair ended up costing? Also curious if youve had any fuel economy issues or other problems since getting it fixed? Im trying to budget for this and avoid any surprise expenses at the shop. Would appreciate your insight since youve already been through this. My fuel delivery problems seem to be getting worse and Im hoping to get it sorted before it leads to more serious engine damage.

jennifer_mueller4

Great news, I got my VW fixed last week and the mechanic confirmed it was exactly what I suspected: a faulty fuel pressure sensor. The repair was actually simpler and cheaper than expected at just 95€, as they found a damaged cable connection that was causing the erratic readings. Since the repair, the rough idle and stalling issues have completely disappeared. The check engine light turned off right after they fixed the connection, and fuel economy has returned to normal. The car runs smoothly during acceleration with no more jerking or hesitation. For anyone facing similar fuel delivery problems, its worth checking these connections first before assuming you need a complete sensor replacement. The diagnostic showed the sensor itself was fine, it was just getting poor contact through a worn connector. Going on 500km now since the fix without any issues. The fuel system is working exactly as it should, and Im actually getting better mileage than before when it was misfiring. Definitely worth getting it checked out before it develops into something more serious.

antonfischer1 (Author)

Thanks for the advice. Finally got my car checked out yesterday and wanted to share how it went. Took it to a different workshop specializing in diesel engines. The mechanic found multiple issues with the fuel delivery system, including a failing fuel pump and damaged pressure sensor wiring. Total damage came to 450€ for parts and labor. The engine misfire symptoms completely cleared up after they replaced the faulty components. No more stalling or rough acceleration, and the check engine light is finally off. The car runs perfectly smooth now, much better than before when it was struggling. The mechanic showed me the old fuel pump which had significant wear. Apparently catching it early prevented damage to the injectors, which would have been way more expensive to fix. Really glad I didn't wait any longer to get it looked at. Fuel economy has improved noticeably too, getting about 15% better mileage now that the fuel system is working properly. Should have done this months ago instead of worrying about the repair costs. Lesson learned about not putting off these kinds of issues.

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