VW Caddy Starting Issues Point to Fuel System Problems

As someone with some hands-on experience working on VWs, I had a very similar issue with my 2017 VW Transporter diesel. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, intermittent starting problems and rough running without warning lights. After checking the ignition key and starter, which were working fine, I discovered it was actually a blown fuse affecting the fuel pump circuit. The repair was straightforward, just a fuse replacement costing 52€ including diagnostic time at my regular workshop. The engine start issues can have multiple causes though. Before jumping to conclusions, could you share: How many kilometers on the odometer? When was the last fuel filter change? Does it happen more often with cold or warm engine? Any recent fuel fill-ups before issues started? Your ignition switch seems to work since the starter engages, but lets rule out basic things first. Best to get it checked soon, as intermittent running issues while driving could leave you stranded. My workshop also tested the ignition coil and fuel pressure as part of diagnosis, might be worth having those checked too if a fuse replacement doesnt solve it.

Last service was at 116000km and since then I already checked all fuses, they are fine. The problem occurs more with a cold engine and happens since my last fill-up at a new gas station. The starter motor engages normally when turning the key, but sometimes it just wont fire up. Really appreciate the suggestion about the fuel pump circuit, but in my case all electrical components seem to work fine. Will have the workshop look at the ignition coil and fuel pressure next week. Just hoping to avoid unnecessary repairs if someone has dealt with similar starting issues on these engines.

Thanks for the additional details. Since we both have similar VW diesels, your mention of the problem starting after using a new gas station immediately caught my attention. After our initial discussion about the ignition switch, I remembered another issue I had years ago with my Transporter that turned out to be contaminated fuel causing similar car ignition problems. The symptoms were nearly identical, difficult starting with cold engine and rough running. The fuel contamination wasnt severe enough to trigger warning lights, but it was affecting engine start reliability. The fix involved: Draining the fuel tank (175€), Replacing the fuel filter (85€), Cleaning the fuel system (120€) The starting issues cleared up completely after this. Given your car also started having problems after filling up at a new station, you might want to have your workshop check fuel quality before diving into ignition coil diagnostics. Its usually cheaper to start with fuel system cleaning rather than replacing ignition components unnecessarily. A quick test they can do is drawing a fuel sample from your tank to check for water contamination, this often shows up as starting problems with cold engines, just like youre experiencing.

I appreciate the thorough feedback about potential fuel contamination being the culprit. That makes a lot of sense given the timing with the new gas station. The cold start symptoms really match what you experienced too. Think I will ask the workshop to check the fuel quality first before investigating the ignition coil or other starting system components. Much rather deal with a fuel system cleaning than unnecessary parts replacement. At least the starter motor and ignition switch are working normally when turning the key, so that rules out some expensive repairs. Will have them draw a fuel sample first thing and go from there. The total cost you mentioned for the full fuel system service seems reasonable if that ends up being needed. Will update once I know more about what they find with the fuel testing. Really helpful to hear from someone who went through such similar dashboard light-free starting issues with their VW diesel.