VW Transporter Fuel Rail Sensor Failures Explained

I experienced a very similar issue with my 2014 VW Crafter. As someone with moderate experience working on cars, I initially thought it was just a dirty fuel filter causing the power loss and stalling. The symptoms matched exactly what you describe, check engine light, stalling at idle, and significant power loss during acceleration. The fuel rail pressure sensor was indeed the culprit, affecting the entire fuel injection system. My workshop ran a full diagnostic on the fuel rail and confirmed the pressure sensor was sending incorrect readings to the ECU. The fix involved replacing the faulty pressure sensor and running a complete system reset. Total cost was 240€ including parts and labor. Engine performance returned to normal immediately after the repair. To provide more specific advice about your situation, could you share: Current mileage on your Transporter, Whether you notice any specific conditions when the stalling occurs (cold starts, after highway driving, etc.), If you have access to diagnostic codes from the check engine light, Any recent fuel system maintenance history This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced or if there might be other factors to consider.

My Transporter has 98675km and had its last service 3 months ago. After seeing your response, I suspect we are dealing with the same issue. The engine stalling happens mostly during cold starts, and the engine performance drops significantly when the sensor signal starts acting up. Yesterday I got it scanned and the error code points to a fuel rail pressure malfunction. The garage quoted me 280€ for the pressure sensor replacement. Based on your experience, that seems reasonable. Did you notice any other issues after the repair or was it a complete fix? I want to make sure I am not overlooking anything before authorizing the work.

The 280€ quote sounds in line with what I paid. After my fuel rail pressure sensor replacement, the fix was indeed complete, no recurring issues for over 30,000km now. The check engine light stayed off, and the engine performance returned to normal right away. Just to give you peace of mind: when my workshop did the repair, they also checked the entire fuel rail system and fuel lines as a precaution. This is standard practice since a faulty pressure sensor can sometimes mask other fuel delivery issues. In my case, everything else was fine, and the sensor replacement solved all symptoms. One tip from my experience, make sure they clear all fault codes and run the engine through a complete drive cycle after installing the new pressure sensor. This ensures the ECU properly calibrates with the new sensor readings. The cold start issues you mentioned are particularly telling, that is exactly how mine presented before the repair. The ECU receives incorrect fuel rail pressure readings during cold starts, causing the engine to either flood or starve for fuel.

Thanks for all the information, everyone. I feel much more confident about proceeding with the repair now. The symptoms match perfectly, especially the cold start issues and the fuel rail pressure sensor malfunction code. The diesel engine behavior and price quote align with what others experienced. I have scheduled the repair for next week. The workshop confirmed they will conduct a complete fuel system inspection alongside the pressure sensor replacement, plus clear all codes and perform a proper drive cycle test. This should ensure the ECU gets correct sensor signals after the fix. Will update the thread once the work is done, but based on the responses, I am optimistic this will resolve the stalling and power loss issues. The 280€ investment seems worthwhile to restore proper engine performance and prevent any potential damage from incorrect fuel pressure readings. Just need to get through a few more cold starts until the appointment. Thanks again for sharing your experiences, really helped confirm I am on the right track with this repair.