VW Touran Dead After ECU Light, Mechanic Alert

Had a similar situation on my 2008 VW Golf with the 1.4 TSI engine. The symptoms matched exactly, engine fault light followed by complete failure to start. After diagnostics, it turned out the battery cables had significant corrosion at the terminals, causing poor contact. This created voltage drops that confused the ECU, triggering the check engine light. The poor connection eventually prevented enough current from reaching the starter. The fix involved: Cleaning both battery terminals and cable ends, Replacing corroded cable connectors, Checking ground straps, Resetting the engine fault codes, Testing the charging system Even though it seems simple, neglected battery connections can mimic serious engine software problems. The ECU issues cleared up immediately after proper repairs. For your Touran, start with having the battery connections inspected before assuming ECU programming problems. A certified VW specialist should check both mechanical and electronic systems, as power supply issues often trigger multiple fault codes. This is definitely worth getting a second opinion if you are unsure about your current shop. Modern engines rely heavily on stable power supply for proper ECU function.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My VW Touran had exactly the same symptoms last winter. Battery connections were indeed the culprit, just as you described. The check engine light went off right after fixing the corroded terminals. Did you remember roughly how much the repair ended up costing? Also curious if you had any engine software issues since getting it fixed. My engine diagnostics showed a few other minor codes at the time, but they all cleared up after the battery work.

The repair totaled 155€ for cleaning and replacing the corroded battery connections. Since fixing those power supply issues, the engine control malfunction completely resolved itself and never returned. Like your case, those initial engine diagnostics showed several fault codes, but they were all just symptoms of the unstable power connection, not actual ECU failure problems. The engine light stayed off after the fix, and the car has been running perfectly. This really shows how important good battery connections are for preventing false engine software warnings. A proper electrical connection is crucial for accurate engine diagnostics and stable ECU operation. It is quite common for power supply problems to trigger multiple error codes that can seem like serious engine stalling or software issues. Getting the battery connections properly serviced was definitely the right call for preventing any long-term ECU damage.

Thanks for the helpful advice. After taking my Touran to a new mechanic, they found heavily corroded battery terminals causing the starting problems. The repair was straightforward, just needed a thorough cleaning and new connectors installed, costing around 140€ total. The check engine light disappeared immediately after fixing the connections. All those concerning fault codes cleared up on their own once the ECU got proper power. No engine stalling or starting problems since then. Really glad I got a second opinion instead of jumping into expensive engine software repairs. For anyone else seeing similar symptoms, definitely check those battery connections first. Would have saved me some stress if I had known how common this issue is with these models. The fuel injection and other systems work perfectly now that the power supply is stable.