Macan Diesel: Glow Plug Issues & Black Smoke Problems

Hey there! I had a very similar issue with my 2012 Cayenne Diesel last winter. Same symptoms, glow plug light stuck on, black smoke, and terrible cold starts. Took it to my trusted workshop and they diagnosed a failed glow plug in cylinder 3. Total repair was about 560€ including parts and labor. They replaced the faulty plug and checked the others while they were at it. Can you tell us which engine variant your Macan has and how many miles/km are on it? Would be good to know if you've had any other warning lights or performance issues recently. Hope this helps point you in the right direction!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Just had my latest service done and currently sitting at 30261 KM. I'm seeing exactly those symptoms you described. Been keeping it well-maintained, but this issue popped up suddenly last week. No other warning lights showing up on the dash, and the engine runs okay once it's warmed up. But those cold starts are rough! Think I'll get it checked at my local Porsche specialist. Anyone else had this fixed recently and can share what it cost them?

Hey again! Yeah, I totally get what you're going through, had that exact same headache with my Cayenne last year. Rough cold starts are super annoying, right? Just to follow up on my earlier reply, since you mentioned your mileage is around 30K km, that's actually pretty similar to when my issue popped up (I was at about 35K km). One thing I should've mentioned earlier: after they replaced my glow plug, they also found that the wiring harness for the glow plug system had some minor damage. Ended up getting that fixed too, which pushed my total repair cost to about 700€. But honestly, it was worth every cent, car's been running like a dream since then. Interesting that you're not seeing any other warning lights though. In my case, I did get an occasional EPC light flashing, but that might've been because I waited a bit longer before getting it fixed (not my smartest move, I'll admit!). If you're heading to a Porsche specialist, they'll probably run a proper diagnostic first. My mechanic showed me the actual failed plug when they took it out, it was completely shot. Just make sure they check all the plugs while they're in there. Better safe than sorry! Keep us posted on what they find, curious to know if it's the same issue I had!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! That bit about the wiring harness is really helpful, I'll definitely ask them to check that too when I take it in. Your experience is almost exactly like mine, except for the EPC light. Guess I caught it earlier! I've booked it in for next Tuesday at my local Porsche specialist. Will update the thread once I know what they find. Really hoping it's just a glow plug issue and nothing more serious. The 700€ cost seems reasonable if it fixes everything like it did for your Cayenne. Thanks again for all the help everyone! It's great having a community to turn to when these issues pop up. Will let you know how it goes!