VW Lupo Glow Plug Warning Light Stuck, Repair Needed

Had the same glow plug problem with my 2004 VW Polo TDI at 62000km. The engine light came on and starting got really difficult, especially during cold weather. The issue turned out to be more serious than just replacing the faulty glow plugs. The diagnostic showed two failed glow plugs, but the real problem was damage to the glow plug control module. When glow plugs fail, they can sometimes cause electrical issues in the control unit. In my case, this affected the entire fuel efficiency and engine combustion system. The repair involved: Testing all glow plugs, Replacing 2 defective glow plugs, Installing a new glow plug control module, Clearing all engine fault codes, Testing cold start performance It was a complex job because accessing the glow plugs required partial removal of the intake manifold. The diesel car needed to stay at the garage for 2 full days. This type of repair should only be done by shops with proper diagnostic equipment and experience with VW diesel engines. The warning signs you describe match exactly what happened with my Polo before things got worse. Would strongly suggest getting it checked soon to prevent potential damage to the control module.

Thanks for sharing your Polo experience. Same thing happened with my Lupo last winter, cold start became a nightmare and those warning lights kept haunting me. The repair worked out well though and now shes running perfectly for about 6 months. Just wondering, do you remember the total cost for your fix? My bill seemed pretty steep but maybe thats standard for this kind of work. Also curious if youve had any check engine warnings or starting problems since getting it repaired? Your case sounds really similar to what I dealt with, especially the fuel efficiency issues that popped up. Good thing you caught the control module problem before it caused more engine combustion trouble.

Really glad to hear your Lupo is running smoothly now. For my Polo repair mentioned above, the total came to 440€ which covered both the glow plug replacements and the control module work. The rough idle and starting problems completely disappeared after the fix, and the check engine light hasnt come back since. The glow plug failure was definitely causing those fuel efficiency issues, but once the mechanic sorted it out, the diesel car has been performing perfectly. No more cold start problems or warning lights in the last year. The engine combustion is much smoother now too. Even though the cost might seem high, dealing with both the glow plugs and control module is pretty technical work. Plus preventing further engine damage made it worth the investment. Sounds like both our cars are back to proper working order now.

Thanks for the detailed responses. After seeing your experiences, I finally took my Lupo to a different mechanic who really knew his diesel engines. The whole repair including parts and labor came to 380€. They found the same issue, bad glow plugs affecting the control module. The cold start problems and rough idle are completely gone now. No more check engine light either. The mechanic was really thorough, did all the testing before and after, and even showed me the worn glow plugs they removed. The car stayed at the shop for about a day and a half. Best part is the fuel consumption has improved quite a bit since the fix. Really happy I got it sorted before winter. Thanks again for helping me understand what I was dealing with.