VW Phaeton Engine Stalling: Bad Fuel Pressure Sensor Fix

I had very similar issues with my 2006 VW Passat. As someone with some hands-on experience maintaining cars, I initially thought it was a major engine issue when my car showed these symptoms. The check engine light came on, and I noticed engine misfires particularly during acceleration. The engine stalling was quite concerning, especially in traffic. After experiencing these issues for about a week, I took it to my regular workshop. The diagnosis revealed it was actually a loose connection in the wiring harness connected to the fuel pressure sensor. The mechanic found that several connections had corroded, causing intermittent signal issues. The repair involved cleaning the connections and replacing some damaged wiring, which cost 95€ in total. This might be your issue, but to give more specific advice, could you share: Have you scanned for error codes? When did these symptoms first appear? Does the problem get worse in wet weather? Has any recent work been done on the fuel system? These details would help determine if your Phaeton is experiencing the same electrical connection problems I encountered.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My last service was 2 months ago at 101118km, and they didnt spot any issues with the fuel system back then. I scanned for codes yesterday using an OBD reader, got P0190 and P0193, both related to the fuel rail pressure sensor circuit. The symptoms started about 3 weeks ago and have gotten progressively worse, especially the engine stalling during city driving. The fuel economy has also dropped significantly. No recent work was done on the fuel injector system or related components. Weather doesnt seem to affect the problem. Given these codes and symptoms, plus what you shared about your experience, I will have the sensor connections checked first before replacing parts. The rough idle and stalling match exactly what you described.

Thanks for providing those details. Based on those specific OBD codes and your description, your situation seems more severe than what I encountered with my Passat. While my issue was just corroded connections, your symptoms and codes strongly suggest a failed fuel pressure sensor rather than just loose wiring. The significant drop in fuel economy combined with P0190 and P0193 codes typically indicates the fuel delivery system is getting incorrect pressure readings. This causes the engine control module to deliver either too much or too little fuel, explaining the rough running and stalling issues. In my case, cleaning connections solved it, but after hearing your symptoms, I recommend replacing the fuel rail pressure sensor. The repair should cost between 150-200€ for parts and labor. The sensor itself usually runs about 80€. The progressive worsening of symptoms you mentioned is also typical of a failing sensor rather than just bad connections. When you get it replaced, make sure they check the entire fuel delivery system, including the wiring harness, to prevent similar issues in the future. Quick tip: While waiting for repairs, try to keep your fuel tank above quarter full, as low fuel levels can sometimes worsen these symptoms.

Thanks for bringing this all together. Based on both the codes and these symptoms, plus what I learned from others experiences, I am now confident its the fuel pressure sensor that needs replacing. The engine misfire issues and deteriorating fuel economy match the typical sensor failure pattern that others have described. I will book the car in next week and ask them to check the complete fuel delivery system while replacing the sensor. Makes sense to have them inspect the wiring harness too, considering how a bad connection alone can cause similar problems. The rough idle and stalling have become really annoying during city driving, so I will keep the tank filled above quarter as suggested until it gets fixed. Hopefully replacing the sensor will sort out all these issues. The 200€ repair cost seems reasonable compared to the stress of unusual stalling and poor performance. Will update the forum once the work is done in case others run into similar problems with their Phaetons.