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moritzmaier3

VW Caddy Rough Running Points to Injector Issues

My 2010 VW Caddy is struggling lately, rough idle, hard starts, and drinks way more fuel than usual. The engine feels weak and sometimes stalls when idling. Noticed these issues about two weeks ago and they seem to be getting worse. Previous mechanic suggested faulty injectors but I am skeptical about their diagnosis. Car has 107301km and runs on gasoline. Has anyone dealt with similar symptoms and how did you confirm it was actually the injectors? Worried about getting overcharged for unnecessary repairs after a bad experience with my last shop.

4 comment(s)

nicokoenig2

Had similar symptoms with my 2013 VW Golf TSI. The rough idle and increased fuel consumption were classic signs of dirty or failing injectors. After proper diagnosis with fuel pressure testing and injector spray pattern analysis, the repair confirmed contaminated injectors were causing the misfire and performance issues. A dirty injection system affects the entire fuel delivery, leading to incomplete combustion and the symptoms you describe. The repair involved ultrasonic cleaning of all injectors and replacing two that were beyond salvage. The vehicle performance improved immediately, smooth idle returned, fuel economy normalized, and the engine regained its proper power delivery. This is considered a serious repair since faulty injectors can lead to catalyst damage and engine misfires if left untreated. The symptoms match typical injector problems, especially given your vehicles age and mileage. Getting a second opinion from a shop specializing in fuel system diagnostics would be worthwhile to confirm the diagnosis. The rough running and stalling issues are clear indicators of fuel delivery problems. While there could be other causes, injector issues are a common culprit in gasoline engines showing these exact symptoms.

moritzmaier3 (Author)

Thanks for your detailed reply about the injector problems. Your case sounds very similar to what I am experiencing with my vehicle now. After hearing your feedback, I am more confident the previous mechanic might have been right about the injectors being the root cause. The poor performance and high emissions from incomplete combustion match my symptoms exactly. Did you remember how much the full repair ended up costing? Also, have you experienced any related issues since getting it fixed? Want to make sure this will be a lasting solution before committing to such a major repair.

nicokoenig2

After getting the injector system properly diagnosed and repaired, my VW has been running perfectly for over 8 months now. The repair cost came to 515€ for cleaning the injection system and replacing one defective nozzle that was causing the misfire. The improvement was immediate, no more rough idle, the engine runs smoothly, and fuel consumption returned to normal levels. The emissions are also back to where they should be since the gasoline is now burning correctly. Having a professional mechanic confirm it was indeed a faulty injector proved worthwhile. The diagnostic testing showed exactly where the fuel delivery was compromised. Getting it fixed prevented potential long-term engine damage that could have been much more expensive to repair. The diesel variant might have different costs, but for our gasoline engines, this is a fairly standard repair price when dealing with contaminated or failed injectors. The investment was definitely worth it given how well the car has performed since the repair.

moritzmaier3 (Author)

Just got back from getting my Caddy checked out and fixed, what a relief! Took it to a reputable shop that specializes in fuel system repairs. They ran comprehensive tests and confirmed it was definitely injector issues causing all those problems. The diagnostic showed two injectors were severely clogged and one was completely failing, leading to the misfire and poor performance. Total bill came to 680€ for cleaning the entire system and replacing the bad injector. More than I wanted to spend, but watching them test the spray patterns before and after really showed the difference. The vehicle feels like new again, smooth idle, quick starts, and back to normal fuel consumption. Already put 500km on it since the repair and no issues at all. The emissions have improved significantly and that worrying stalling problem is completely gone. Definitely glad I got a second opinion and went ahead with the full repair. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it helped me make the right call on this one.

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