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kurt_lang1

VW Sharan Diesel Ignition Issues: Causes & Fixes

Having issues with my 2016 VW Sharan diesel. When I turn the key in the ignition switch, the engine either wont start, runs rough, or suddenly shuts off while driving. This happens out of nowhere and the dashboard lights come on normally when attempting to start. Already checked the battery which is fine. The starter motor seems to be working but something is clearly wrong with the ignition system. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms and got them fixed? Particularly interested in what the actual issue was and what parts needed replacement. Would really appreciate hearing about your repair experiences to help diagnose this problem.

4 comment(s)

jakobhofmann79

This issue sounds very similar to what I experienced with my 2014 VW Touran diesel last year. I have some experience working on VAG diesel engines, though I usually leave complex electronic issues to professionals. The symptoms you describe match exactly what happened with my car, inconsistent starting, rough running, and unusual shutoffs. Initially, I thought it was the ignition coil or the ignition switch itself, but after having it diagnosed, the issue turned out to be much simpler. The workshop found a blown fuse that was causing intermittent power supply issues to the engine management system. The total repair cost was 52€, including diagnostic time and the new fuse installation. The starting issue was resolved completely after this fix. Before you proceed with more expensive repairs, it would be helpful to know: Are there any error codes showing up? Does the check engine light come on during these episodes? Have you noticed any pattern when the problem occurs (cold starts, hot weather, etc)? What kind of mileage does your Sharan have? This type of electrical problem can have multiple causes, so having this information would help narrow down whether your issue is similar to what I experienced or if it might be something else in the ignition system.

jakobhofmann79

This issue sounds very similar to what I experienced with my 2014 VW Touran diesel last year. I have some experience working on VAG diesel engines, though I usually leave complex electronic issues to professionals. The symptoms you describe match exactly what happened with my car, inconsistent starting, rough running, and unusual shutoffs. Initially, I thought it was the ignition coil or the ignition switch itself, but after having it diagnosed, the issue turned out to be much simpler. The workshop found a blown fuse that was causing intermittent power supply issues to the engine management system. The total repair cost was 52€, including diagnostic time and the new fuse installation. The starting issue was resolved completely after this fix. Before you proceed with more expensive repairs, it would be helpful to know: Are there any error codes showing up? Does the check engine light come on during these episodes? Have you noticed any pattern when the problem occurs (cold starts, hot weather, etc)? What kind of mileage does your Sharan have? This type of electrical problem can have multiple causes, so having this information would help narrow down whether your issue is similar to what I experienced or if it might be something else in the ignition system.

jakobhofmann79

This issue sounds very similar to what I experienced with my 2014 VW Touran diesel last year. I have some experience working on VAG diesel engines, though I usually leave complex electronic issues to professionals. The symptoms you describe match exactly what happened with my car, inconsistent starting, rough running, and unusual shutoffs. Initially, I thought it was the ignition coil or the ignition switch itself, but after having it diagnosed, the issue turned out to be much simpler. The workshop found a blown fuse that was causing intermittent power supply issues to the engine management system. The total repair cost was 52€, including diagnostic time and the new fuse installation. The starting issue was resolved completely after this fix. Before you proceed with more expensive repairs, it would be helpful to know: Are there any error codes showing up? Does the check engine light come on during these episodes? Have you noticed any pattern when the problem occurs (cold starts, hot weather, etc)? What kind of mileage does your Sharan have? This type of electrical problem can have multiple causes, so having this information would help narrow down whether your issue is similar to what I experienced or if it might be something else in the ignition system.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Last service was done at 90100km and they found no issues with the car electronics or ignition system. The check engine light started flashing yesterday, and I noticed it particularly when the engine stalls. The issue seems worse during cold starts. The car runs fine for about 10-15 minutes after warming up, but then suddenly loses power and stalls. Just checked with a basic OBD scanner and got error code P0201, which points to a fuel injector circuit problem. Given the symptoms and error code, could this be more than just a fuse issue? The ignition coil seems to work normally when the engine does start.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Last service was done at 90100km and they found no issues with the car electronics or ignition system. The check engine light started flashing yesterday, and I noticed it particularly when the engine stalls. The issue seems worse during cold starts. The car runs fine for about 10-15 minutes after warming up, but then suddenly loses power and stalls. Just checked with a basic OBD scanner and got error code P0201, which points to a fuel injector circuit problem. Given the symptoms and error code, could this be more than just a fuse issue? The ignition coil seems to work normally when the engine does start.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Last service was done at 90100km and they found no issues with the car electronics or ignition system. The check engine light started flashing yesterday, and I noticed it particularly when the engine stalls. The issue seems worse during cold starts. The car runs fine for about 10-15 minutes after warming up, but then suddenly loses power and stalls. Just checked with a basic OBD scanner and got error code P0201, which points to a fuel injector circuit problem. Given the symptoms and error code, could this be more than just a fuse issue? The ignition coil seems to work normally when the engine does start.

jakobhofmann79

Thanks for the additional details. The error code P0201 definitely changes my initial assessment about it being just a fuse problem like on my Touran. While both our cars share similar VAG diesel architecture, the symptoms combined with that specific error code suggest a different issue. After your description, I now strongly suspect it is an issue with the fuel injector system rather than the ignition switch or ignition coil. On my car, when I had a similar error code last month, it turned out the fuel injector wiring harness had deteriorated, causing intermittent connection issues. The symptoms were nearly identical, cold start problems, stalling after warm-up, and flashing check engine light. The repair involved: Replacing the faulty wiring harness, Testing all fuel injectors, Reprogramming the injector codes Total cost was around 450€ Some key points to consider: 1. The deteriorated wiring was causing false signals to the car electronics 2. The fuel injector itself was fine, just the electrical connection was faulty 3. The problem got progressively worse with cold starts Given these similarities, I recommend getting the fuel injector wiring checked before exploring other potential causes. The ignition system components appear to be working correctly based on your description.

jakobhofmann79

Thanks for the additional details. The error code P0201 definitely changes my initial assessment about it being just a fuse problem like on my Touran. While both our cars share similar VAG diesel architecture, the symptoms combined with that specific error code suggest a different issue. After your description, I now strongly suspect it is an issue with the fuel injector system rather than the ignition switch or ignition coil. On my car, when I had a similar error code last month, it turned out the fuel injector wiring harness had deteriorated, causing intermittent connection issues. The symptoms were nearly identical, cold start problems, stalling after warm-up, and flashing check engine light. The repair involved: Replacing the faulty wiring harness, Testing all fuel injectors, Reprogramming the injector codes Total cost was around 450€ Some key points to consider: 1. The deteriorated wiring was causing false signals to the car electronics 2. The fuel injector itself was fine, just the electrical connection was faulty 3. The problem got progressively worse with cold starts Given these similarities, I recommend getting the fuel injector wiring checked before exploring other potential causes. The ignition system components appear to be working correctly based on your description.

jakobhofmann79

Thanks for the additional details. The error code P0201 definitely changes my initial assessment about it being just a fuse problem like on my Touran. While both our cars share similar VAG diesel architecture, the symptoms combined with that specific error code suggest a different issue. After your description, I now strongly suspect it is an issue with the fuel injector system rather than the ignition switch or ignition coil. On my car, when I had a similar error code last month, it turned out the fuel injector wiring harness had deteriorated, causing intermittent connection issues. The symptoms were nearly identical, cold start problems, stalling after warm-up, and flashing check engine light. The repair involved: Replacing the faulty wiring harness, Testing all fuel injectors, Reprogramming the injector codes Total cost was around 450€ Some key points to consider: 1. The deteriorated wiring was causing false signals to the car electronics 2. The fuel injector itself was fine, just the electrical connection was faulty 3. The problem got progressively worse with cold starts Given these similarities, I recommend getting the fuel injector wiring checked before exploring other potential causes. The ignition system components appear to be working correctly based on your description.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Thanks for the detailed response about the wiring harness. This definitely sounds like it could be the root cause of my problems, especially since the symptoms match so closely. The cold start issues and stalling after warm-up are exactly what I'm experiencing. I just called my regular mechanic and scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them check the fuel injector wiring. Going to mention the P0201 code and the symptoms we discussed. The 450€ repair cost you mentioned seems reasonable if it completely resolves these starting and stalling issues. One last question, after your repair, did you notice any improvement in how the engine ran during cold starts? My starter motor always turns over fine, but that initial start-up is when I notice the most problems. Just want to make sure I'm following the right diagnostic path before authorizing any major work on the fuel injection system. Will update once I get the results from the mechanic. If it does turn out to be the wiring harness like in your case, this information will probably help other diesel owners experiencing similar ignition key and starting problems.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Thanks for the detailed response about the wiring harness. This definitely sounds like it could be the root cause of my problems, especially since the symptoms match so closely. The cold start issues and stalling after warm-up are exactly what I'm experiencing. I just called my regular mechanic and scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them check the fuel injector wiring. Going to mention the P0201 code and the symptoms we discussed. The 450€ repair cost you mentioned seems reasonable if it completely resolves these starting and stalling issues. One last question, after your repair, did you notice any improvement in how the engine ran during cold starts? My starter motor always turns over fine, but that initial start-up is when I notice the most problems. Just want to make sure I'm following the right diagnostic path before authorizing any major work on the fuel injection system. Will update once I get the results from the mechanic. If it does turn out to be the wiring harness like in your case, this information will probably help other diesel owners experiencing similar ignition key and starting problems.

kurt_lang1 (Author)

Thanks for the detailed response about the wiring harness. This definitely sounds like it could be the root cause of my problems, especially since the symptoms match so closely. The cold start issues and stalling after warm-up are exactly what I'm experiencing. I just called my regular mechanic and scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning to have them check the fuel injector wiring. Going to mention the P0201 code and the symptoms we discussed. The 450€ repair cost you mentioned seems reasonable if it completely resolves these starting and stalling issues. One last question, after your repair, did you notice any improvement in how the engine ran during cold starts? My starter motor always turns over fine, but that initial start-up is when I notice the most problems. Just want to make sure I'm following the right diagnostic path before authorizing any major work on the fuel injection system. Will update once I get the results from the mechanic. If it does turn out to be the wiring harness like in your case, this information will probably help other diesel owners experiencing similar ignition key and starting problems.

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