VW Polo Diesel Stalling: Fuel Pump Warning Signs

Had similar issues on a 2004 VW Golf TDI. The symptoms matched exactly, engine stalling at idle, difficult starting, increased fuel consumption, and check engine light. Fuel injector issues can often be misdiagnosed as pump failure. The root cause turned out to be failing fuel injectors and damaged wiring harness connections. The wiring had corroded, causing inconsistent gasoline delivery signals. This created the erratic performance and starting problems. Main repairs required: Testing all fuel injectors, Replacing two faulty injectors, Repairing wiring harness connections, Clearing stored error codes, Full system diagnostic This was a serious repair requiring specialized diagnostic equipment. The fuel system in these engines is complex and needs proper testing. Its important to find a shop that specializes in diesel fuel systems and can properly diagnose injector problems versus pump issues. Getting a complete diagnostic before any repairs is crucial. A proper shop will test the entire fuel delivery system before replacing parts. Some warning signs like rough idle and hard starts can point to multiple issues, so thorough testing prevents unnecessary repairs.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Same thing happened with my 2002 Polo diesel, rough idle and car performance issues. Finally got it fixed last month after the fuel system completely failed. The mechanic found both injector and pump issues. Really helpful to hear your detailed fix list regarding the fuel injector replacement and wiring. Mind sharing what the total repair cost was in your case? And has everything been running smoothly since the fix? Just want to compare notes since these repairs can get expensive.

Thanks for asking about the repair costs. My Golf issue turned out much simpler than expected. After seeing a mechanic who specializes in fuel system diagnostics, they found the real problem was just a faulty connection to the fuel pump, not the major injector issue I initially suspected. The total repair came to 95€, which covered fixing the cable connection and testing the fuel delivery system. Much better than the potential cost of new injectors. Since the repair, car performance has been perfect. No more stalling, normal fuel consumption, and the engine runs smoothly at idle. The proper gasoline delivery was restored once the pump connection was fixed. This experience taught me that sometimes what seems like serious pump failure can be a simple wiring issue. Good to hear you got your Polo fixed as well. These VW diesel engines are generally reliable once the fuel system issues are properly diagnosed and repaired by a qualified auto repair specialist.

After dealing with major car performance issues for weeks, I finally got my Polo fixed at a new repair shop. Total bill came to 780€, definitely not cheap but worth every cent for proper diagnosis and repair. They found multiple problems in the fuel system, including two bad injectors and a failing pump. The mechanic took time explaining everything and showed me the damaged parts. Really different experience from my previous sketchy repair shop. Engine stalling is completely gone now and fuel consumption is back to normal. Even the startup is smoother than before. Biggest lesson learned was finding the right auto repair specialist who actually knows diesel engines. The diagnostic testing they did caught issues my previous mechanic missed entirely. Car runs like new now, hoping it stays that way for the next 100000km. Thanks again for sharing your experience. It helped me know what to expect during the repair process. Going to stick with this mechanic for future services since they clearly know what theyre doing with these engines.