WolfiSchubi

VW Passat model year 2010: Black smoke, loss of power and engine problems

Hello, I have a problem with my 2010 VW Passat with a gasoline engine. It has recently started to emit black smoke from the exhaust when accelerating, the engine light comes on, the engine stops by itself, makes strange noises and jerks when accelerating. There is also a significant loss of power, poor fuel consumption, a strong exhaust smell and it stalls when idling. I suspect that it could be due to a faulty fuel level sensor. Have you ever had similar problems and how did you fix them at your garage? Any tips would be appreciated as I'm stuck myself. Thanks in advance!

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

Hi, I have a VW Golf 2008, a different model but quite similar to yours. I have a bit of experience with cars, but not a professional. I had a similar problem, the engine sounded funny and there was also smoke coming out of the exhaust. I went to my garage and they found that the fuse was faulty (if there was one). After replacing the fuse for 52 euros, everything worked fine again. Of course, you need to check exactly what is wrong with your car. What symptoms did your car show when the problem first occurred? How often does the problem occur? And what have you already tried to fix the problem? This could help me to help you further.

(Translated from German)

Hi, thanks for your reply. My Passat already has almost 190 thousand kilometers on the clock, so it could actually be anything. When the problem first occurred, the exhaust smoked a lot and the engine stopped while I was driving. Now it occurs almost every day. I've only tried reading the fault memory so far, but I'm not sure I've identified all the faults. Maybe I really should take it to a garage. But a clueless attempt, no? Thanks for your help!

(Translated from German)

Moin, that really sounds like a major problem. With your high mileage, it could really be almost anything. The way you describe it, it could actually be the fuel pressure regulator that is no longer working properly. But it has more to do with your fuel system than just the fuel level sensor. I once had a similar judder and reduced power in my Golf and it was due to a faulty mass air flow sensor. But your problem seems to be more extensive and could have several causes. Have you perhaps already changed the fuel filter? If it is clogged, this can also lead to such problems. The fuse could also be a possibility. But in the end, you probably really can't avoid going to a workshop. They can read out the fault memory more precisely and have more experience with such things. As annoying as it is, I wouldn't take it lightly given your symptoms. It can only get more expensive if you wait too long. Keep at it and don't give up!

(Translated from German)

Hey, I really appreciate your advice. I haven't checked the fuel filter yet, I will definitely try that and maybe inspect the mass airflow sensor as well. I'm going to take it to the garage this week and have the fault memory read accurately. You're right, it's better to get it checked now before it gets more expensive. I hope to solve the problem soon. Thanks again for your support!

(Translated from German)

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