VW Polo Diesel Stalling: Fuel Regulator Alert

While working on a 2011 VW Golf TDI with similar symptoms, the fuel system had to be properly bled after a fuel filter change. The check engine light came on because the fuel pressure sensor detected irregular readings in the fuel rail. Your symptoms match what happened, stalling at idle and power loss are classic signs of fuel delivery issues. The problem was not actually the fuel pressure regulator, but rather air trapped in the fuel system after the filter change. The fix required: 1. Connecting a diagnostic tool to verify fuel rail pressure readings 2. Performing a proper system bleed using the fuel pump 3. Clearing the stored error codes 4. Test driving to confirm normal fuel pressure The engine misfire and stalling stopped completely after bleeding the system. While this was not a serious mechanical issue, leaving it unfixed could damage the high-pressure fuel pump over time. Suggest having a diagnostic scan done first, if fuel pressure readings are unstable, try bleeding the system before replacing parts. Often the fuel regulator gets blamed, but trapped air is a common root cause in diesel fuel systems.

Thanks for sharing those details about the fuel system bleed fix. That sounds quite similar to what my VW Polo was doing last month, very frustrating issue. Would you remember roughly how much the diagnostic and repair work cost you? Also curious if everything has been running smoothly since the fix or if any other fuel pressure issues showed up later. Mine needed a new pressure sensor too which I didnt expect based on the initial diagnosis. The check engine light kept coming on first due to that bad pressure sensor reading, then later from an engine misfire related to the trapped air, so getting both sorted together made sense.

Actually my case turned out differently than first suspected. After seeing the mechanic, they confirmed the fuel pressure regulator was defective and needed replacement. The diagnostic revealed unstable pressure in the fuel rail caused by the faulty regulator, not trapped air as initially thought. The repair has completely resolved the stalling and power issues. The fuel system is maintaining proper pressure now and the engine runs smoothly without misfires. Had to pay 45€ to clear the error codes after the filter change, but that was minor compared to the regulator replacement cost. The pressure sensor readings are now stable and consistent. No additional fuel pressure problems have occurred since fixing the bad regulator. This shows how important it is to get a proper diagnosis, as similar symptoms can have different root causes in the fuel system, even on similar VW models. Getting both the fuel filter and pressure regulator addressed in one service visit was definitely the right approach. Would suggest having your pressure sensor checked regularly now to catch any early warning signs of fuel system issues.

After dealing with this frustrating situation, I finally got my Polo sorted at the repair shop. The total diagnostic and repair work came to 380€, which included replacing both the pressure regulator and sensor. Initially thought it would be a simple fix, but the mechanic found the failing pressure regulator was causing erratic fuel delivery. The rough idle and stalling issues completely disappeared after the repair. The fuel efficiency has actually improved a bit too, which was an unexpected bonus. The mechanic explained that the pressure drop from the bad regulator was making the engine work harder than necessary. Been driving it for about three weeks now without any engine misfire or check engine warnings. The fuel pump is working perfectly and maintaining steady pressure. Really glad I got it properly diagnosed instead of just trying quick fixes, since the underlying issue needed proper attention. The car runs like new again. It seems VW diesels from this era can be sensitive to fuel system problems, but once fixed properly, they run reliably. Just keeping an eye on the fuel pressure readings during regular services from now on to catch any early warning signs.