VW Taos No-Start: Solenoid Clicks But Engine Dead

Had a very similar issue with my VW T-Cross 2019 last winter. As someone with basic car maintenance experience, I also first checked the battery terminal connections. The starter solenoid click sound was identical to what you describe. Initially thought it was just a dead battery, but the power supply to other systems seemed fine. Took it to a workshop where they diagnosed a faulty wiring harness connection near the starter. Some cables had worn through their insulation, causing an intermittent circuit break. The repair involved replacing a section of the wiring and properly securing the harness. Total cost was 95€ including diagnostic time. Before suggesting more specific solutions, could you share: Does the check engine light stay on? What error codes are you getting exactly? Have you noticed any other electrical issues recently? Does this happen every time or intermittently? These details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced or if it might be something else in the ignition circuit.

Latest service was at 95000km. Thanks for sharing your experience. The check engine light flashes briefly then stays on. Getting error code P0615 consistently with every start attempt. No other electrical issues noticed before this. Problems started suddenly this morning and happen every time, completely consistent behavior. The voltage drop test shows 12.6V at rest but drops significantly during start attempts. This points more toward a faulty relay switch or ignition switch problem rather than the wiring harness issue you experienced. Good point about checking the complete ignition circuit. Already scheduled a workshop visit, but wanted to gather some real-world experiences first to better understand potential fixes.

Thanks for the additional details. That error code P0615 definitely narrows it down. The symptoms on my T-Cross were a bit different since I had the wiring harness issue, but your voltage readings and consistent error point strongly toward the starter relay. When my wiring problem was fixed, the voltage stayed stable during cranking. Your significant voltage drop during start attempts, combined with that specific error code, suggests the ignition switch or starter relay are not properly engaging the starter circuit. The starter relay is typically located in the main fuse box. Before my harness issue, I actually had a similar relay problem on a previous car that showed identical symptoms, the characteristic click but no start. The fix was just swapping the starter relay, which cost around 35€. Since your battery voltage is good at rest but drops under load, definitely have them check: 1. Starter relay in the fuse box 2. The ignition switch connections 3. Voltage drop across the entire starter circuit These components are much simpler to replace than a full wiring harness repair like I needed. The consistent error code makes the diagnosis pretty straightforward compared to my intermittent issue.

Thanks for the helpful advice. Your experience with both the relay and wiring harness issues really helps put things in perspective. Based on the symptoms you described, my voltage readings, and that P0615 error code, I am now fairly confident the starter relay in the fuse box is the likely culprit. I will have the workshop check the relay switch first before moving on to more complex diagnostics. The consistent behavior and error code definitely seem to match the relay failure pattern you mentioned rather than your previous wiring harness problem. Good to know the relay replacement was relatively inexpensive at 35€ compared to more extensive repairs. I will make sure they verify the voltage drop across all relevant starter solenoid circuits and check the ignition switch connections as you suggested. Having this information helps me discuss the repair more knowledgeably with the technician and hopefully avoid unnecessary parts replacement. Will update once I know the actual cause. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences with both types of starting system failures.