VW Transporter Rough Start & Stalling: Camshaft Sensor Fix

As someone with moderate experience in car repairs, I had a very similar issue with my Caravelle 2.0 from 2004. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, engine stalling, rough idle, and the check engine light coming on. After the initial sensor testing, my mechanic found that the encoder wheel on the camshafts was defective, which was causing incorrect readings for the engine control unit. The total repair cost was 695€, including parts and labor. The workshop first ran a diagnostic scan which pointed to camshaft sensor related codes. However, they discovered the actual problem wasnt the sensor itself, but rather the encoder wheel it reads from. They mentioned this is a known issue with these engines. To help provide more specific advice for your situation, could you share: Has the check engine light been scanned for error codes? Does the stalling happen more when the engine is cold or warm? Are there any unusual noises from the engine? Have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption? This information would help determine if your issue is identical to what I experienced or if there might be other factors involved.

Just had my last service 2 months ago at 24776km. The engine has been scanned and showed error code P0341. The stalling mostly occurs when the engine is warm, especially in stop-and-go traffic. No unusual engine noises, but fuel consumption has increased by about 15% recently. The symptoms started gradually over the past few weeks. The car runs smoother at highway speeds, but city driving has become increasingly difficult with the engine stalling issues. The camshaft position sensor readings are inconsistent according to the diagnostic report, leading to poor ignition timing and engine control. Would appreciate any insight on whether these additional details confirm the diagnosis suggested.

Having gone through this exact situation with my Caravelle, the P0341 code and your symptoms strongly align with what I experienced. The increased fuel consumption and stalling in warm conditions particularly mirror my case. The error code specifically relates to camshaft position sensor circuit range/performance, which matches the inconsistent readings youre getting. The timing between crankshaft sensor and camshaft position signals becomes erratic when the encoder wheel deteriorates, causing the engine control unit to miscalculate ignition timing. This explains why highway driving feels smoother, the constant engine speed requires fewer sensor readings than stop-and-go traffic. Based on my repair experience, I recommend having both the sensor and encoder wheel inspected. While sensor failure is common, my issue stemmed from the encoder wheel, and replacing just the sensor wouldnt have solved the problem. The fact that your symptoms developed gradually also matches the pattern of encoder wheel wear rather than sudden sensor failure. The 15% increase in fuel consumption is particularly telling, this happened with mine too as the engine management system compensated for poor timing signals by running a richer fuel mixture. Worth noting that when my mechanic did the repair, they found some metal debris near the timing components, which had contributed to the encoder wheel wear. Might be worth asking your workshop to check for similar issues during inspection.

Thanks for all the detailed responses, especially about the encoder wheel issue. Given the matching error code P0341 and nearly identical symptoms, I feel much more confident about the diagnosis now. The explanation about highway versus city driving makes perfect sense, as does the fuel consumption increase due to the engine running rich to compensate. I will definitely have both the camshaft position sensor and encoder wheel checked when I take it to the workshop. Your experience with the metal debris is particularly helpful, I will make sure to mention this to the mechanic so they can inspect for similar damage during the repair. The engine misfire and stalling issues have been quite concerning, but knowing this is a documented problem with a clear solution is reassuring. I will schedule the repair soon and hope to resolve these symptoms before they potentially worsen. Will likely need to budget around 700€ based on your repair costs, which helps with planning. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it has been invaluable in understanding what Im dealing with.