VW Arteon Engine Stalls, Fuel System Issues Alert

I had a similar issue with my 2018 VW Passat last summer. Having worked on basic car maintenance tasks, I have some experience with fuel system problems. Initially I also thought it was related to wrong fuel or fuel contamination, since the symptoms matched, engine stalling at idle and check engine light. However, when I took it to the workshop, they diagnosed a faulty connection in the fuel pressure sensor wiring harness. The loose connection was causing incorrect readings, making the engine run rough. The repair involved replacing the damaged wiring and connector to the fuel pressure sensor, which cost 95€ including labor. After fixing this, both the stalling and engine knock completely disappeared, and fuel economy returned to normal. Before you assume its bad fuel, it would help to know: What error codes is your scanner showing? When did you last fill up, and from where? Does the problem get worse after refueling? Have you tried any fuel additives? The Arteon shares many fuel system components with the Passat, so I suspect it could be a similar electrical issue rather than actual fuel contamination. A proper diagnostic scan should help identify if its a sensor/wiring problem versus actual fuel quality issues.

Last service was at 135000km and everything was fine until now. Thanks for the detailed info, those symptoms do sound very similar. The error codes I got were P0171 and P0300 which point to fuel mixture problems. The issues started right after filling up at a new station, and the engine knock gets noticeably worse during acceleration. I have not tried any fuel additives yet since I wanted to confirm the root cause first. The fuel quality definitely seems suspect given the timing. Planning to get it properly checked next week but wanted to gather some insights from others experiences before then.

Thanks for the error codes, P0171 and P0300 match what I saw before thinking it was fuel contamination in my Passat. After your update, I am even more convinced your Arteon has similar symptoms to what I experienced. Since your issues started after using a new fuel station, testing fuel quality makes sense. Before spending on diagnostics, I would try running a quality fuel system cleaner through your next full tank. This helped temporarily improve my symptoms, though it did not fix the root cause. In my case, even after trying premium fuel and additives, the problems persisted until the faulty sensor connection was fixed. The fuel mixture problems and engine knock were actually caused by incorrect readings from the damaged wiring, not contaminated fuel. A few things that might help: Fill up at a trusted station with fresh fuel, Check if the fuel filter was replaced during last service, Use a fuel system cleaner to rule out deposits in the combustion chamber, Have the fuel pressure sensor connections inspected The timing with the new fuel station is suspicious, but sensor issues can coincidentally appear similar. Getting proper diagnostics will save time versus assuming its bad fuel and trying various treatments first.

The error codes definitely point to fuel mixture issues, and I appreciate you sharing such a detailed experience with a similar VW. After comparing our symptoms, the connections to the fuel pressure sensor seem like a likely culprit, especially since the engine knock and stalling happen in similar situations. I checked my maintenance records and the fuel filter was replaced during the 120000km service, so that should still be good. Given your experience, I will try running a tank of premium fuel with a quality fuel system cleaner first to see if it helps the combustion chamber issues. However, I will still get the sensor connections checked at my upcoming appointment since the timing with the new fuel station could be coincidental. The workshop fees you mentioned seem reasonable if it turns out to be a similar wiring problem. Better to fix the root cause than keep having poor fuel economy and risking engine damage from the constant knocking. Will update once I get a proper diagnosis and repair completed. Thanks for helping narrow down the likely causes.