VW Jetta TDI Stalling Issues Point to Cam Sensor

I had a similar issue with my 2009 VW Passat TDI last year. The symptoms you describe are very familiar, especially the starting problems and check engine light staying on. Based on my moderate experience with diesel engines, these symptoms often point to camshaft position related problems. In my case, the engine control unit was logging multiple camshaft sensor errors. After taking it to a workshop, they discovered the encoder wheel on the camshafts was defective, causing incorrect readings and engine misfire issues. The complete repair, including parts and labor, cost 695€. The diagnosis process involved: Computer diagnostic scan, Physical inspection of the camshaft sensor area, Testing of sensor signals, Verification of timing belt condition To help provide more specific advice, could you share: Current mileage on your Jetta, Whether you notice these issues more during cold starts, If the check engine light flashes or stays solid, Any unusual engine sounds, Recent maintenance history These details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced with my Passat. Considering the similar engine design between our vehicles, it could well be the same problem.

Last service was in November, and with 50351km on the clock, I can confirm these exact symptoms. The check engine light stays solid rather than flashing, and the problems are definitely worse during cold starts. The engine makes a slight ticking noise before stalling. After connecting an OBD scanner, I got multiple camshaft sensor failure codes. The timing belt was replaced at 45000km, so that should be fine. These symptoms happening consistently with sensor testing showing faults really points toward the camshaft sensor being the culprit. Going to have it checked but wanted to confirm others experiences with similar engine misfire patterns first. Thanks for sharing such detailed diagnostic steps.

I can confirm that after replacing both the camshaft sensor and the encoder wheel on my Passat, all those symptoms disappeared completely. The ticking noise you mention is exactly what I experienced, it's typically caused by the engine running with incorrect camshaft timing data. The scan codes you got match my situation perfectly. Since your timing belt is relatively new, we can likely rule that out as a cause. The solid check engine light rather than flashing also aligns with a sensor failure rather than a severe engine misfire condition. One thing I learned from my experience: make sure they check the wiring harness to the sensor as well. In my case, there was slight damage to the wiring that needed repair. The total job ended up taking about 3 hours of labor, but it resolved all the stalling and starting issues. Given the similarity of our situations, especially the cold start problems and consistent sensor failure codes, I would bet you are dealing with the same issue. The crankshaft sensor readings on these engines rely on proper camshaft position data, so when one fails, it can create a cascade of problems. A complete fix including parts and labor should run around 600-700€ depending on whether the wiring needs attention.

Thanks for all the detailed feedback. After hearing about your similar experience with the Passat, I feel much more confident about the diagnosis. The matching symptoms, especially the ticking noise and cold start issues, really help confirm my suspicions about the camshaft sensor being the problem. The car stalling patterns and engine misfire issues you described are exactly what I am experiencing. Since my timing belt maintenance is current and the OBD codes specifically point to camshaft position sensor problems, I will go ahead and schedule the repair. The tip about checking the wiring harness is particularly helpful. I will make sure they inspect that during the repair. The 600-700€ estimate gives me a good baseline for what to expect cost-wise. Good to know the engine control system should work properly again once the faulty sensor is replaced. Going to book it in next week and have them do a complete check of both the sensor and encoder wheel. Hopefully this will resolve all the starting and stalling issues just like it did in your case.