VW Amarok Glow Plug Issues: Symptoms and Solutions

Having dealt with a similar glow plug issue on my 2018 VW Tiguan diesel, I can share my experience. The symptoms you describe match what I encountered, engine light on, preheating indicator staying lit, and that characteristic smoke during acceleration. After monitoring these vehicle stalling symptoms for about a week, I took it to my regular workshop for car maintenance. The diagnostic showed a faulty cable connection to the glow plug control module. The heating element was functioning, but the connection was compromised. Total repair cost was 95€, which included testing and fixing the connection. Before you head to a workshop, could you share: Does the issue occur more frequently during cold starts? Have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption? Are there any additional warning lights besides the engine light? How long has this been happening? This information would help determine if your Amarok is facing the same glow plug connection issue or if there might be other factors involved. While the symptoms align with what I experienced, proper diagnosis is crucial for diesel engines with these starting issues. Would strongly suggest not delaying the repair, as continuous issues with the glow plug system can lead to more serious engine problems over time.

Last service was at 80000km, so these symptoms are quite recent. The cold start problems started occurring more frequently over the past 2 weeks. Fuel consumption has increased by about 15% and the engine misfire light started flashing occasionally during morning starts. The diagnostic test performed by my OBD reader shows error code P0674 which seems to point to cylinder 4 glow plug circuit issues. No other warning lights besides the engine and preheat indicators. The control unit seems to be sending irregular signals based on the readings. The smoke gets worse particularly during cold weather acceleration. Has anyone had experience with this specific error code on an Amarok diesel engine?

Based on your P0674 error code and symptoms, I can confirm this matches exactly what happened with my Tiguan before the complete glow plug system failure. The irregular signals from the control unit combined with increased fuel consumption are telltale signs of a failing system, not just a connection issue as initially thought in my case. When my vehicle showed these exact symptoms, I waited too long and ended up needing a complete glow plug replacement along with a new control unit. The total repair ended up costing 780€, significantly more than if I had addressed it when the first cold start problems appeared. The cylinder 4 glow plug circuit malfunction can spread to other cylinders if left unchecked. After my experience, I strongly recommend getting this fixed soon, especially with cold weather impacting start performance. The 15% increase in fuel consumption you mentioned is actually worse than what I experienced (mine was around 10%), suggesting your issue might be more advanced. The intermittent engine misfire light is particularly concerning, this was the final warning sign before my vehicle started experiencing serious starting issues. The diagnostic test results suggest a more complex problem than just a faulty connection as in my initial repair.

Thanks for the detailed feedback on your Tiguan experience. The P0674 code definitely helps narrow down the issue. Going to book it in for repair next week since these cold start problems are getting worse and I dont want to risk further damage. The increased fuel consumption and engine misfire symptoms are concerning enough. The smoke during acceleration and constant preheating lamp match what you described. Good to know about the potential for issues spreading to other cylinders, definitely dont want to wait until the entire glow plug system fails. A 780€ repair bill would hurt a lot more than catching it early. Will make sure to mention the car maintenance history and all these symptoms to the workshop. The irregular control unit signals combined with that specific error code should help them diagnose it faster. Hoping its just the cylinder 4 glow plug circuit and not a more extensive problem. Thanks again for sharing your experience. The timing of this is actually helpful since winter is approaching and these cold start issues would likely get worse.