Seat Altea diesel glow plug issue

I am writing to seek assistance with an issue I am experiencing with my 2013 Seat Altea, equipped with a diesel engine. The vehicle currently has 76922 km on the odometer. Recently, I have observed that the preheating lamp on the dashboard persistently remains illuminated, failing to extinguish as it normally should. Furthermore, upon conducting a diagnostic scan, an error code pertaining to the glow plugs has been registered in the error memory. Based on my research and preliminary assessments, the most probable cause appears to be a defective glow plug. Has anyone encountered a similar predicament, and could perhaps offer some insight or guidance? I am particularly concerned about the potential impact of this issue on engine combustion, especially during cold start conditions. The estimated repair cost is around 440€.

4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar. I had a similar issue with my Altea a while back. The engine light was on, and it was particularly noticeable during cold starts. Have you tried checking the glow plug relay? That was also a possible cause when I looked into it.

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't checked the glow plug relay specifically. Where is it located, and is there a way to test it without specialized equipment? I'm fairly new to working on diesel cars, but I am eager to learn.

I didn't check the relay myself, to be honest. I'm not that confident working on the electricals. My engine light issue and the cold start problems were definitely down to the glow plugs being faulty. Replacing them sorted everything out. If you're not sure, it might be best to get it checked out by a workshop. It could save you time and potential headaches.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I followed your advice and took my Altea to a trusted workshop. The diagnostic confirmed that the glow plugs were indeed the culprit. They replaced all four, and the preheating lamp now switches off as it should. The final bill came to 440€, which is within the range I was expecting. Hopefully, this resolves the issue for good.

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