VW Crafter Fuel Pressure Issues Causing Engine Stalls

I had a very similar issue with my 2010 VW Transporter TDI a few months back. Having worked on several diesel engines, I have some experience with fuel system problems. The check engine light and power loss symptoms match exactly what I encountered. After changing my fuel filter, the engine started misfiring and running rough. The workshop found that the fuel pressure readings were inconsistent, suggesting issues with the fuel rail pressure regulation. The fix was actually quite straightforward, they needed to properly bleed the fuel system and reset the engine management system. The total cost was 45€ for diagnostics and system reset. No parts needed replacement in my case, though the symptoms initially pointed to a faulty fuel regulator. Before suggesting more specific solutions, could you share: Current mileage on your Crafter? When was the last fuel filter change performed? Are you getting any specific error codes? Have you noticed any issues with fuel efficiency lately? These details would help determine if your situation matches what I experienced or if there might be other underlying issues in the fuel delivery system.

My van has 131953KM on the clock. Regarding the rough idle issue, I took it to another mechanic who discovered air in the fuel rail system. The fuel pressure regulator was actually fine after testing. They performed a complete fuel system bleed which helped significantly with the engine misfire problems Im experiencing. Worth noting that my fuel pump also showed slightly low pressure readings, but still within acceptable range. Getting much smoother performance now after the bleed, though still monitoring to ensure no underlying issues remain. Thanks for noting your experience, its helpful to compare similar cases even if the root cause ends up being different.

Good to hear you got the fuel system properly bled, that can definitely cause those rough idle symptoms we discussed earlier. Your experience matches what I discovered with my Transporter, these diesel engines are sensitive to air in the fuel lines and proper bleeding is crucial to prevent engine misfire issues. The slightly low fuel pump readings you mentioned are worth monitoring. On my van, I eventually had to replace the fuel pump about 20000km after experiencing similar pressure variations. While your readings are still acceptable, keeping an eye on fuel pressure trends through regular diagnostic checks helped me catch issues before they became serious problems. Since your van has similar mileage to when I had these fuel system problems, consider getting the entire fuel delivery system inspected during your next service. My mechanic found that doing preventive maintenance on the fuel pressure sensor and associated components helped maintain consistent performance and prevented future rough idle conditions. Have you noticed any improvement in overall engine performance since the system bleed? When my fuel system was properly bled, the power delivery became much more consistent and the check engine light issues were completely resolved.

The system bleed has definitely improved things, engine runs much smoother now and power delivery is more consistent. The check engine light finally went off after about 50km of driving post-bleed. The advice about monitoring the fuel pump pressure readings is particularly helpful. I plan to have the pressure sensor and fuel rail components checked during the next service interval. The current fuel pump readings being slightly low but acceptable make me think preventive maintenance might be smart, especially given the mileage. Its been educational learning how sensitive these diesel fuel systems are to air infiltration. What seemed like a major fuel regulator problem turned out to be mainly trapped air affecting the pressure readings. Will definitely keep records of future pressure measurements to track any developing trends in the fuel delivery system. Overall, its running much better now. Thanks for the detailed insights about watching for potential fuel pump issues down the road. Having a baseline for normal operation will help catch any future problems early.