VW Up Multiple System Failures Causing Control Issues

I had a very similar issue with my 2021 VW Polo TSI last year. Having some experience with basic car maintenance, I initially thought it was just a software glitch when multiple warning lights started appearing out of nowhere. The malfunction indicator would come on and off, the infotainment system would reset itself, and the OBD-II scan showed various error codes that made little sense together. After attempting a basic ECU reset which did not help, I took it to a workshop for proper engine diagnostics. The service required turned out to be relatively straightforward. The technician found a faulty cable connection to the control unit that was disrupting the BUS system communication. The repair took about 2 hours and cost 155€, including a full system diagnostic check and error code clearing. To help provide more specific advice for your case, could you share: Have you noticed any pattern when these issues occur? (wet weather, cold starts, etc.), What specific error codes are stored in the system? Did the problems start suddenly or develop gradually? Has any recent work been done on the electrical system? These details would help determine if your Up is experiencing the same underlying issue as my Polo did.

Thanks for sharing those details about the Polo issues. My Up is at 83005km with the last service completed just 2 months ago. During that service nothing unusual was reported. The check engine light patterns seem different from what you experienced. In my case, the system failure warnings appear mostly during highway driving, not just unusual city trips. The control module issues seem more severe, affecting multiple car systems simultaneously rather than just individual components. I ran a preliminary diagnostic scan which showed error codes P0606 and U0101, suggesting more complex electronic communication problems than a loose connection. These warning signals started appearing quite suddenly last week, with no prior indication of any issues. Would you know if the workshop checked for any software updates during your repair? That might be worth exploring since your fix was related to the communication system.

Thanks for those additional details about your Up. The symptoms you describe are indeed more severe than what I experienced with my Polo, especially given the specific error codes and highway-speed occurrence pattern. The check engine light and system failures in my case were eventually traced to that single connection issue, but your error codes point to something potentially more complex. While my repair was mainly hardware-focused, the workshop did perform a full system software update as part of their standard engine diagnostics protocol. The P0606 code typically indicates an ECM/PCM processor fault, while U0101 suggests lost communication with the transmission control module. These are different from the intermittent BUS errors I dealt with, and the malfunction indicator behavior sounds more systematic in your case. Given that these issues started suddenly and affect multiple systems during highway driving, I would strongly recommend getting a comprehensive diagnostic scan at a specialized workshop. My 2-hour repair might not be representative for your situation, as these codes often require more extensive testing and potentially ECU programming. For reference, has the scan tool shown any transmission-related codes alongside the P0606 and U0101? In my case, even the seemingly unrelated audio system issues were connected to the main control unit problem.

The highway driving pattern you mentioned does make this sound more serious than the common electrical gremlins I initially suspected. The error codes P0606 and U0101 appearing together definitely point to a central communication problem rather than individual system failures. I will schedule a full diagnostic scan at the dealership this week. The malfunction indicator coming on at highway speeds combined with those specific error codes suggests this could be safety-critical. The scan tool did show additional transmission codes P0700 and P0730 during my latest check. Interesting point about your audio system being tied to the control module issues. Looking back, my infotainment problems also started right before the other system failures appeared. Maybe thats an early warning sign of larger electronic communication problems. I will update once the workshop completes their service required procedures. The service advisor mentioned they will check for any pending software updates that might address these exact system failure symptoms. Thanks for helping narrow down the likely causes.