detlef_friedrich1

Seat Arosa Diesel Engine Light and Fuel Consumption Issues

I'm at my wit's end with my 2003 Seat Arosa diesel. The check engine light is mocking me constantly! I'm getting higher fuel consumption. My mechanic suspects the inlet VANOS mechanics are faulty. He mentioned something about a defect in one of the camshaft solenoid valves or power supply. Has anyone else experienced this? It's got 196024 km on the clock. Could it be related to the timing chain? I am not feeling any engine misfire or low power.

4 comment(s)

Whoa, sounds familiar! I had a similar headache with my Arosa. Check engine light, felt like it was drinking fuel, the whole shebang. I'd put money on it being the VANOS solenoid. They're notorious for causing trouble. Have you checked for oil sludge? It can mess things up.

VANOS solenoid, eh? Where is that located, and is it something I can tackle myself? I'm fairly handy with a wrench. And what's the deal with the oil sludge? Where would I look for that?

Yeah, definitely sounds like the solenoid. It's usually bolted onto the cylinder head, near the camshaft. You can probably find some videos online showing how to replace it. As for the oil sludge, check under the valve cover. If it's gunked up in there, it could be affecting the VANOS system. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, get it checked out at a workshop. Better safe than sorry!

You are a lifesaver! It was indeed the VANOS solenoid. Changed it out, cleared the error codes, and she's running like new. Fuel consumption is back to normal, and that check engine light is finally off! Cost me around 250€, but well worth it. Thanks again for the help!

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