I'm feeling you bro! My R32 also broke down because of that sensor. While driving the engine shut down and won't start anymore. After the engine cooled down it started again. A very common problem. Greetz from germany
Fun fact: secondary air pump makes a great door stop. Lol those standoffs are broken on like every car and they're pretty expensive for what they are. Surprised you still have the air pump. To me, it's nothing but extra clutter and a mandatory item to delete. No bouncing tach when cranking= no tach signal. The easiest way to diag a bad crank sensor is exactly what you did by checking the resistance with the DVOM. This goes for basically any car. Usually you don't even need to remove it and you can just back probe the pins. The shielding is gone on yours and surprisingly it didn't fail way sooner. The air gap on the sensor boss can effect the performance of it for sure. I've seen rust jacking/ oxidation actually keep the car from running because the previous installer didn't check it. The sensor wasn't close enough to the trigger wheel. Funny stuff, but kept a few folks scratching they're heads after they threw a new CPS at it and it still wouldn't run.
Mine did this a few months ago. Otherwise, my R32 has been very reliable. I wish I had this video to refer to when mine died haha. I appreciate everything you do, man. Thank you.
Many thanks. I had precisely this problem in the DC area a decade ago with a 2001 VW Golf. It broke down while I was taking a shortcut through some city streets to avoid a jammed up highway. This facilitated towing. Unfortunately, Pep Boys diagnosed the problem as a faulty ignition coil. ($450) I broke down on the same street and block exactly two weeks later. The same tow truck driver took the call which made for a few laughs. The tow truck driver got the truck on the flatbed, but sprung a large hydraulic leak, so I got to see his shop on the way back to Pep Boys. They got it right the second time, for about $500. They didn't offer a rebate for the botched diagnosis. As this was the fourth in a series of repairs. (OXS, water pump) I felt it was time for a nice new GTI.
the problem with the sensor can be traced to three main causes - all related to age: 1) these types of sensors have magnet built into them. As magnets heat up they loose strength. So with many heating cycles, the magnet becomes so weak that the sensor cannot generate signal strong enough for the ECU to recognize and it shuts down. 2) the coil inside of the sensor also ages increasing its resistance with age and temperature, eventually it has resistance high enough and same thing happens, ECU can't read the signal any more and shuts down 3) in this case, VW fell for the same problem that all German manufacturers fell for - GREEN PARTY. In late 90's and early 2000's, the German government mandated that all plastics in a car had to be recyclable or biodegradable. They started making the wire insulation from PLA, biodegradable plastic that lasts about ten years and then completely disintegrates into dust. Mercedes had exactly the same problems with the wiring and the crank position sensors on their engines.
So pleased you were able to nurse an injured Wookie back to life Charles. Yeah, quite an important sensor that. The ECU relies on that for when to inject and fire the plugs. Between tooth pulses it uses time to work out the angle that the engine rotates in that space. It is safe to assume that an engine speed will not change significantly within 5 to 10 degrees, I do not know the tooth count there but this is close enough for illustration. And yes, the gap is a reference point. Very robust as they have no electronics in them, but the wiring does eventually fail. I get the feeling there should be more tutorials about testing automotive sensors or training available, even for dealer techs. Swapping parts blindly till it works is miserable. It's like that though. I enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing. Kind regards, South Africa
@@HumbleMechanic hi from England I'm haveing same issue with my pd150 arl engine code says crankshaft position sensor I reset code then and a few month later it will come bk any advice wat I should b looking out for love your chanal tia
@@christopherwitter9496 Yes it makes a big difference in fuel consumption, as the engine management will then run rich, so as not to have any chance of cylinder temperatures going too high and causing knock, and will also run on a very conservative advance map for the same reason, so your power will drop. IIRC your VR6 engine has 2 knock sensors, and they are not interchangeable, but aftermarket ones are cheap and easy to install.
theres a burger joint in lincoln nebraska called "backyard burger." when you go through the drive thru, they say "thanks for driving through our backyard, what can i get for you today?" its pretty clever
I went to Popeye's to pick up some chicken for lunch today in my 2000 MK4 Jetta 2L. Parked and went in as I hate to idle in the drive-thru. Came out with my order, got in the car, cranked and no start. Instantly thought of this video. Cranked several more times and still no start. Said a Hail Mary and tried again (pushed down on the accelerator this time like in the old days) and she started! Got home and plugged in the code reader which returned a P0322 code. Rewatched your video and there was that code. I'll replace the sensor as soon as I can pick one up. Not going to check the other stuff as I'm sure this 21 year old sensor probably needs replacing regardless. Thanks for posting this video.
European cars in general. My BMW would have an intermittent check engine light in the winter. The same code tuned cars get. I just delete it and it never comes back until next winter.
When I saw the title I knew it as crank position sensor. My mk4 2.0 left me stranded twice thankfully it’s easy to get to and I fixed it in an autozone parking lot.
I had a cam position sensor go bad in my mk6 2.5, took me forever to figure it out without it throwing any codes. Car would sputter and cut out at stops. Finally figured it out after replacing the crank sensor. Now runs no issues at all
Honestly my new favourite channel. Never get anything like this in the workshop, just vans and trucks mostly. Nice to see this kinda stuff. One more thing, the lower gearbox mount, is that aftermarket ?
Thanks! I just had my 2000 GTI VR6 with this issue. It would run great and die randomly with absolutely no codes/lights at all. Sometimes it would start back up and sometimes id have to wait a few minutes to 20 minutes for it to start. Replaced the crankshaft position sensor and all is good now. The old sensor was measureing open line when bent a certain way so it definitely had a broken connection inside. Thanks for the video!
I replaced a clutch and DMF on my E46 a few years ago, it was the first big job I ever did, was going great, replaced the rear main seal while I was there, put everything back, no crack signal, after some diagnosis and many nights, I didn't realise at the time but I has removed the crank pulse ring which sits between the RMS and DMF, so it all had to come back off, new ring as I had lost it - lesson learned
I had the crank position sensor on my Mk4 2.0 AEG engine cause the no start one day. Luckily I was parked right by a service shop and they scanned it and found the issue right away, but they didn't have the part. After the car cooled a bit I was able to start it and drove home! I ordered part and got it replaced it with much less effort than your VR6 that's for sure.Still have my 1999.5 Jetta with 265Kmi and still running great but it is gutless but no complaints original clutch too!
Had this problem on my vr6 minutes before I was going on holiday in it. Called AA and the man said it sometimes gets magnetised. He said take the plug off and short it out and then it started and is run ever since.
Well, I read the title and I said to myself, "it's either the crank position sensor, or the cam position sensor." That's the only thing I could think of that would absolutely stop a car dead like that, without even limp-home mode. And how do you get your instrument cluster to pull fault codes?!! I want to do this!!
Don't be afraid. VW makes good cars and engines. I had an Golf II GTD. It also have some breakdowns becuase of age, but mostly because the last owner had given it a rough time. Some R32 have been beated by the early owners but many have also treated the car with love and respect and those will run nicely.
Hey Charles - I believe we just had a conversation about the G28 for an Audi TT Mk2! Glad it turned out okay. There are worse places to wait for a tow truck! Just an FYI, it may be a good time to check the Secondary Air Pump Filter element as they tend to get a bit cruddy depending on where you live and the roads you drive. As always, excellent video. - Cheers from Switzerland! :-)
Just did a 1.8t swap for In my 01 a4 and have crank no start and pretty sure this I’m my issue. Pretty funny how you released this video. Car starts with starter fluid issue is the injectors won’t fire even tho there is fuel pressure and the injectors work perfectly. If anything it teaches me how to replace the sensor properly when I attempt it in the morning
This just happened to my brother’s MK4 1.8T this weekend as we were driving from Fontana Village to the Tail of the Dragon! Luckily the WITW Facebook group confirmed the issue based on the code and the fact that the car shut off as it gets warm and you slow to a stop! We were able to get the part which was about 1.5hrs away and fix it at our cabin in Fontana.
U r great. I literally learn from your videos I am still in training to become a mechanic here in The Netherlands. There are here alot of VW audi cars with lots of problems. So I learnt and still learning from your experience. BIG THANKS AND KEEP MAKING MORE VIDEOS
Tip of the day, don't use a ball end hex driver unless you need to, when they are usually difficult to remove (impossible) and you have to replace the pin.
Wow, Charles, that was very detailed diagnosis! I enjoyed watching how you find the issue and check the old sensor! Kinda extreme! But well worth it!! Many thumbs up!
So many people complaining about not trusting VWs over parts like this failing. It’s a sensor in the engine block, which gets really hot and cools over and over again. It’s not a VW design failure, it’s just not cost effective for any company to engineer sensors that outlive the average car.
I thought that I was the only one that was stranded at a drive thru Lol for the same issue, just did mine about 4 month ago and I was freezing putting the new sensor, we got to love our vr6, food luck Charls!
My Mk4 R32 crank sensor (VSS) has failed twice in the 5 years I've owned it. Won't start without it, that's for sure. Mine was easier as the secondary air has been deleted.
great video. been there, done that! my 97 MK3 VR6 turns itself off if it goes over 5000-5500 RPM and was reporting faulty crank AND cam position sensor. Luckily just throwing this crank sensor at it seems to have fixed that error but still dying over 5k RPM and saying cam position sensor is out of range. I was going to just throw another sensor at it but given what you're saying here I suspect there's going to be something else going on. I've just dealt with it for years now as local mechanics haven't been helpful and I don't know where to look.
Considering the condition of the insulation & seeing how close that harness comes to the engine I am surprised you didn't recommend some heat wrap on it. Perhaps the tight fit may prevent that from being used in this case. Good job on the diagnosis. Did you tell the wife you used her toothbrush? LoL 😂.
that happened to my buddy before at a Tim Hortons drive thru with a 2003 1.8t Jetta Wagon. hahahaha everyone behind him was honking and he was just waving his hand out the window showing that it wasn't his fault. He ended up having to ask the drive thru attendant through the speaker for some help pushing his car. what a time lol
Oh yes. Totally aware of that sensor in my A3 8L. In my case, the good thing was it only went into reduced power mode with a check engine light AND ESP light on. I was able to reset it by stopping, turning car off and on again. I assume it did not leave me stranded, because my car also has the G40 at the camshaft (which also failed quite recently AND that thing is behind the camshaft wheel (AVU)). VAGs and their sensors are quite annoying.
Oh man... my 89 Accord had an engine coolant temp sensor *SLOWLY* die...or as Honda called it, a thermo water sensor. Never threw a CEL, just acted weird and made me look at SO many other things. Tore the distributor down to clean and re-lube it, cleaned and applied new heat sink paste on the igniter, replaced the ignition coil (res *was* out of spec), plugs with a tighter gap... also new fpr, new injectors, almost went with a new pump, re-soldered my main relay (did need it...) Everything was pointing towards ignition and fuel issues... until the sensor FINALLY failed and caused the engine to flood on start up. $15 later, and it ran like a dream after that. **btw, the car had 3 separate coolant temp sensors: the TW sensor (to the computer), the temp switch (fans), and the sender (signal to dash). None of them communicate with each other, and they all did different shit.
So why do Audis, BMWs, and VWs wiring insulation just completely disintegrate like this? I know it is partly from heat over several years but it seems like those brands by far have this problem.
As a fellow Passat B7 owner with 246k miles on the car, nothing bring more peace to my mind than driving around with a BlueDriver cheap diagnostic tool in my glovebox 😂😂😂
A guy had a car that had a bad wheel speed sensor...that caused the power steering (electric) not to work, along with the traction control, ABS, cruise control systems. Scotty from Star Trek once said, the more you complicate the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.
Had the exact same issue (one of the only 2 -and there are people that speak bad about Alfa... - in 285000km - 177k miles, the other being a little known problem to the under-seats connectors of the safety belt tensioners that triggered the airbag warning light) in my Alfa Romeo 156. The car had 1 month of life and I was coming back from a work dinner in Milan (Italy), I was 27 miles from home, it was 1AM, smartphones and relative GPS were not yet a thing, and I was in an area I wouldn't know how to describe to any friend to ask for rescue. The car was driving fine for like 4/5 mins, then when the oil started to heat up, the tachometer was going to 0 and the car was stopping. Wait 20 minutes to let it cool down and it restarted for other 5 minutes... Driving home would have taken the whole night or more... I managed to find an Alfa Romeo official car service (not a dealer) and I slept in my car in front of it that night. The morning after I got the guys there going for an espresso in a bar next the workshop, I intercepted them and explained I slept in my car and the situation, they looked at me like 😳😳😳 and then in 30 mins fixed the problem (in guarantee) and I was able, after 3 shots of coffee, to finally drive home :D
That's what I love. The issues are consistent and if its not on already on a recall list, I'd rather run into a problem that been solved online a thousand times. Easier for the DIY'rs.
I'm pretty sure the resistance rise you saw with heating is completely normal. There's a pretty long coil of wire in there and with heat there is bound to be resistance rise. This will of course reduce the signal amplitude a bit but I'm sure the cable insulation falling apart is a bigger problem.
Strange that the motor crapped out when the G28 died - the ECU is supposed to fall back on the G40 (or G300/G301) camshaft position sensor until you shut the ignition off. Then you're screwed until the sensor cools down, usually 😛 I have gotten to the point of just replacing the G28 on all my cars every 5 years or so, when the cable just starts to get stiff. A $25 sensor every 5 years is just $5 a year - beats paying for a tow!
I live in Russia and we have a cold winter now, the temperature reaches -24. I have a Passat B5 with a 1.8 turbo engine. Recently, a disaster happened, the oil radiator gasket burst and all the oil leaked out. I didn't notice it and drove a few miles. As a result, my engine started pounding. The gasket costs $3, engine repair will cost $1400 VAG!
My 2002 passat started to run like crap at first start. If you tried to Rev it up it would bog out and stall. No check engine light, then it didn't want to start for 3 or 4 turns and when it did it would bog and stall. Ended up being the engine coolant temp sensor, pretty crazy that sensor could cause those problems.
Whaaaaaa ...... Charles you don’t carry your scan tool with you wherever you go!? 🤣 Good tip about rocking the sensor out of its spot. I wonder how many technicians have snapped / broken the sensor just by removing it.
a friends Mk6 TDI had the post turbo O2 sensor go and they kept driving 600 miles, prior to the phase 2 fix, Dealer refused due to check engine light , and they would be putting a new filter on anyways,, But wanted $5K to fix before the fix. The regen wouldnt work and the DPF plugged past the 50% so cant be done, took a sensor from hell change, to a clean of dpf to a forced regen to get it cleared, So fix stuff like o2's FAST ,
Had the same issue luckily mine was dying slowly and intermittently so I drove it home then changed the sensor. It’s so cheap it’s easier just to buy a new one instead of wasting time to troubleshoot.
That is exactly what happened to my car (2004 VW Jetta GLI VR6 2.8L 24v) this week. After 10 minutes or so, the car shuts off (regardless of it is idle or driving). No engine oil pressure light showing. I scanned it and it returned a P0322 "Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit No Signal". The funny thing is if you let it cool off for a while, the car starts back on for the next 10 minutes or so. I wonder which part no. and brand I need for the crankshaft position sensor? I have seen ones that have the cable heat shield on it and without it as well.
FIRST time?! 😂🤣 Come on Charles, we're all VW owners here, you don't need to pretend. 😅 We know the pain, the torment, the horror of the check engine lights warm amber glow...
@@HumbleMechanic If it makes you feel better, my R is in the shop right now too. 😅 I love how we VW owners poke fun at ourselves. No other car community is so easy going. :)
I remember my crank position sensor going out on my 2.8 and shortly after my clutch master cylinder . Took me a whole two lunches at work to replace the parts and bleed the clutch line out . Good times !!! 😂 Cheers! #wookieforlife
Damn happened to me last winter in the evening.But at this time I worked at the dealership.Towed the car in with my father.Repaired it the day after.Ordered the parts in the morning and got them in the afternoon.I also saw that the "people" who repaired it before cut the wire of the old sensor and left it in the bracket and also destroyed the plug holder tongue in the plug coming from the loom.Took me another lunch break to repair the plug.
Don't buy an aftermarket crank sensor either...... mine would randomly stop working for a few seconds then totally died after a few months. The bosch/VW one is the one to have. Expensive but you know it will work.
after 6 years with my 3.6 it finally let me down. replaced sensor and she's back. had to hammer a torx bit onto the 5mm Allen cause rust and 300,000km +
Humble Mechanic, R32 was probably the last good R Type VW Golf in the times before all the plastic inlet manifolds, sumps etc. Maybe now you appreciate that some of us prefer less complicated cars with less electronics. I used to buy BMWs, Mercs and Audi/VW but for the last 10 years have been buying Toyota and Lexus because they don't go wrong and I have put it down to the lack of complicated unnecessary electronics and simplicity. I was also wasting one hour taking off all those plastic beauty covers before even getting to the engine on those German cars. I would rather drive a normally aspirated Mazda 3 than a VW Golf with its small engine and twin turbo chargers.
@John The Accountant Bingo....cars of any make have become way to complex, over engineered, and prone to having failures that will leave you stranded. I'd gladly pay to be able to buy a brand new MKI Golf (Rabbit) GTI from the 1980s! They were inexpensive to buy, much more fun to drive, and cheap to repair.
Those G28 sensors .... My B5 S4 won't start after shopping some groceries, after disengaging and reconnecting the batterie the fault was gone for roughly a week. Then it died again on the Autobahn (car was getting slower with full throttle and after pressing the clutch it shut down), this time I needed a tow truck. Ordered a new Bosch sensor online, swaped it and the car wasn't starting. Long story short, after 3 weeks I checked the crank sensor once more and it was broken from factory (no rpm readings with VCDS) ... with the old sensor the enging started right now.
“You don’t want to go into our hole without some lubricant! “
This channel is full of life advice
K as in Kayak, Y as in Yukon.
Coconut oil. Slippery, cheap, doesn’t spill and never gets sticky.
@@dillydave13 doesn't taste bad, either.
@@jameshaulenbeek5931
Oh jeez!
I'm feeling you bro! My R32 also broke down because of that sensor. While driving the engine shut down and won't start anymore. After the engine cooled down it started again. A very common problem. Greetz from germany
Fun fact: secondary air pump makes a great door stop. Lol those standoffs are broken on like every car and they're pretty expensive for what they are. Surprised you still have the air pump. To me, it's nothing but extra clutter and a mandatory item to delete. No bouncing tach when cranking= no tach signal. The easiest way to diag a bad crank sensor is exactly what you did by checking the resistance with the DVOM. This goes for basically any car. Usually you don't even need to remove it and you can just back probe the pins. The shielding is gone on yours and surprisingly it didn't fail way sooner. The air gap on the sensor boss can effect the performance of it for sure. I've seen rust jacking/ oxidation actually keep the car from running because the previous installer didn't check it. The sensor wasn't close enough to the trigger wheel. Funny stuff, but kept a few folks scratching they're heads after they threw a new CPS at it and it still wouldn't run.
SAI delete IS DEF mandatory on the mk4. What a waste of space and they break so easy!
I'm adding the crank position sensor to a list of one-time preventative maintenance tasks for my 2.8L VR6.
I needed this video 4.5 years ago 😭
'02 VR6 is gone and have a CC now. About to upgrade to an Arteon.
Mine did this a few months ago. Otherwise, my R32 has been very reliable. I wish I had this video to refer to when mine died haha. I appreciate everything you do, man. Thank you.
Many thanks. I had precisely this problem in the DC area a decade ago with a 2001 VW Golf. It broke down while I was taking a shortcut through some city streets to avoid a jammed up highway. This facilitated towing. Unfortunately, Pep Boys diagnosed the problem as a faulty ignition coil. ($450) I broke down on the same street and block exactly two weeks later. The same tow truck driver took the call which made for a few laughs. The tow truck driver got the truck on the flatbed, but sprung a large hydraulic leak, so I got to see his shop on the way back to Pep Boys. They got it right the second time, for about $500. They didn't offer a rebate for the botched diagnosis. As this was the fourth in a series of repairs. (OXS, water pump) I felt it was time for a nice new GTI.
the problem with the sensor can be traced to three main causes - all related to age:
1) these types of sensors have magnet built into them. As magnets heat up they loose strength. So with many heating cycles, the magnet becomes so weak that the sensor cannot generate signal strong enough for the ECU to recognize and it shuts down.
2) the coil inside of the sensor also ages increasing its resistance with age and temperature, eventually it has resistance high enough and same thing happens, ECU can't read the signal any more and shuts down
3) in this case, VW fell for the same problem that all German manufacturers fell for - GREEN PARTY. In late 90's and early 2000's, the German government mandated that all plastics in a car had to be recyclable or biodegradable. They started making the wire insulation from PLA, biodegradable plastic that lasts about ten years and then completely disintegrates into dust.
Mercedes had exactly the same problems with the wiring and the crank position sensors on their engines.
So pleased you were able to nurse an injured Wookie back to life Charles.
Yeah, quite an important sensor that.
The ECU relies on that for when to inject and fire the plugs.
Between tooth pulses it uses time to work out the angle that the engine rotates in that space.
It is safe to assume that an engine speed will not change significantly within 5 to 10 degrees, I do not know the tooth count there but this is close enough for illustration.
And yes, the gap is a reference point.
Very robust as they have no electronics in them, but the wiring does eventually fail.
I get the feeling there should be more tutorials about testing automotive sensors or training available, even for dealer techs.
Swapping parts blindly till it works is miserable.
It's like that though.
I enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing.
Kind regards,
South Africa
Simplest fault diag / resolution ever 😁 if only all faults were as simple!
I know right!!!
@@HumbleMechanic hi from England I'm haveing same issue with my pd150 arl engine code says crankshaft position sensor I reset code then and a few month later it will come bk any advice wat I should b looking out for love your chanal tia
@@markrobinson3868 Like he said, likely the sensors or the wires right by them, and they are cheap enough to buy and put in.
Good day I have a question? Does the knock sensor affect the performance of the car? It’s a MK4 Vw golf gti vr6 24 valve?
@@christopherwitter9496 Yes it makes a big difference in fuel consumption, as the engine management will then run rich, so as not to have any chance of cylinder temperatures going too high and causing knock, and will also run on a very conservative advance map for the same reason, so your power will drop. IIRC your VR6 engine has 2 knock sensors, and they are not interchangeable, but aftermarket ones are cheap and easy to install.
That Cook-Out mention hurt my soul a little bit... Man i miss back home 😢
theres a burger joint in lincoln nebraska called "backyard burger." when you go through the drive thru, they say "thanks for driving through our backyard, what can i get for you today?" its pretty clever
I went to Popeye's to pick up some chicken for lunch today in my 2000 MK4 Jetta 2L. Parked and went in as I hate to idle in the drive-thru. Came out with my order, got in the car, cranked and no start. Instantly thought of this video. Cranked several more times and still no start. Said a Hail Mary and tried again (pushed down on the accelerator this time like in the old days) and she started! Got home and plugged in the code reader which returned a P0322 code. Rewatched your video and there was that code. I'll replace the sensor as soon as I can pick one up. Not going to check the other stuff as I'm sure this 21 year old sensor probably needs replacing regardless.
Thanks for posting this video.
Are you even a VW/Audi enthusiast if you don't have ATLEAST ONE scan tool in your glovebox??
I carry my OBDeleven in my glove box now all the time, just in case.
European cars in general. My BMW would have an intermittent check engine light in the winter. The same code tuned cars get. I just delete it and it never comes back until next winter.
When I saw the title I knew it as crank position sensor. My mk4 2.0 left me stranded twice thankfully it’s easy to get to and I fixed it in an autozone parking lot.
Love the needle sweep and the colour screen, just got my screen in my 25th Anniversary.
Keep up the good work dude.
I had a cam position sensor go bad in my mk6 2.5, took me forever to figure it out without it throwing any codes. Car would sputter and cut out at stops. Finally figured it out after replacing the crank sensor. Now runs no issues at all
Honestly my new favourite channel. Never get anything like this in the workshop, just vans and trucks mostly. Nice to see this kinda stuff. One more thing, the lower gearbox mount, is that aftermarket ?
Thanks! I just had my 2000 GTI VR6 with this issue. It would run great and die randomly with absolutely no codes/lights at all. Sometimes it would start back up and sometimes id have to wait a few minutes to 20 minutes for it to start. Replaced the crankshaft position sensor and all is good now. The old sensor was measureing open line when bent a certain way so it definitely had a broken connection inside. Thanks for the video!
Can you please start adding part numbers to the description?
Ya know I meant to put it in, and totally spaced. But the thing I worry about is changes in PNs. But that’s a great idea
I replaced a clutch and DMF on my E46 a few years ago, it was the first big job I ever did, was going great, replaced the rear main seal while I was there, put everything back, no crack signal, after some diagnosis and many nights, I didn't realise at the time but I has removed the crank pulse ring which sits between the RMS and DMF, so it all had to come back off, new ring as I had lost it - lesson learned
Actually a good idea Charles, VAG should implement OBD2 data in all their infotainment displays. ;-)
This would be a nice feature to have, I wonder what the dealers will think!
you are triying to stop VW on making money on scans? thats not how it works hahaha
How did he make it do this?? Is that a custom cluster or what?
@@Re_Kitty I guess it's an "ColorMFD" display
I had the crank position sensor on my Mk4 2.0 AEG engine cause the no start one day. Luckily I was parked right by a service shop and they scanned it and found the issue right away, but they didn't have the part. After the car cooled a bit I was able to start it and drove home! I ordered part and got it replaced it with much less effort than your VR6 that's for sure.Still have my 1999.5 Jetta with 265Kmi and still running great but it is gutless but no complaints original clutch too!
Had this problem on my vr6 minutes before I was going on holiday in it. Called AA and the man said it sometimes gets magnetised. He said take the plug off and short it out and then it started and is run ever since.
Well, I read the title and I said to myself, "it's either the crank position sensor, or the cam position sensor." That's the only thing I could think of that would absolutely stop a car dead like that, without even limp-home mode.
And how do you get your instrument cluster to pull fault codes?!! I want to do this!!
I love your channel, but you have made me so afraid of owning a Golf R32 that I've put it out of my mind. Keep up the great work.
I feel like it should be the opposite. You’re now empowered to fixture car if it breaks!
Don't be afraid. VW makes good cars and engines. I had an Golf II GTD. It also have some breakdowns becuase of age, but mostly because the last owner had given it a rough time. Some R32 have been beated by the early owners but many have also treated the car with love and respect and those will run nicely.
Hey Charles - I believe we just had a conversation about the G28 for an Audi TT Mk2! Glad it turned out okay. There are worse places to wait for a tow truck! Just an FYI, it may be a good time to check the Secondary Air Pump Filter element as they tend to get a bit cruddy depending on where you live and the roads you drive. As always, excellent video. - Cheers from Switzerland! :-)
Thank you for sharing the continuous advice. 🙂
Just did a 1.8t swap for In my 01 a4 and have crank no start and pretty sure this I’m my issue. Pretty funny how you released this video. Car starts with starter fluid issue is the injectors won’t fire even tho there is fuel pressure and the injectors work perfectly. If anything it teaches me how to replace the sensor properly when I attempt it in the morning
This just happened to my brother’s MK4 1.8T this weekend as we were driving from Fontana Village to the Tail of the Dragon! Luckily the WITW Facebook group confirmed the issue based on the code and the fact that the car shut off as it gets warm and you slow to a stop! We were able to get the part which was about 1.5hrs away and fix it at our cabin in Fontana.
Thanks for the tip about the rev counter. Good video.
U r great. I literally learn from your videos
I am still in training to become a mechanic here in The Netherlands.
There are here alot of VW audi cars with lots of problems. So I learnt and still learning from your experience.
BIG THANKS AND KEEP MAKING MORE VIDEOS
Tip of the day, don't use a ball end hex driver unless you need to, when they are usually difficult to remove (impossible) and you have to replace the pin.
Agreed
Wow, Charles, that was very detailed diagnosis! I enjoyed watching how you find the issue and check the old sensor! Kinda extreme! But well worth it!! Many thumbs up!
So many people complaining about not trusting VWs over parts like this failing. It’s a sensor in the engine block, which gets really hot and cools over and over again. It’s not a VW design failure, it’s just not cost effective for any company to engineer sensors that outlive the average car.
I thought that I was the only one that was stranded at a drive thru Lol for the same issue, just did mine about 4 month ago and I was freezing putting the new sensor, we got to love our vr6, food luck Charls!
This this might be the issue with my mk3 VR6. Thanks for the insight and pointer in the right direction! :D
My Mk4 R32 crank sensor (VSS) has failed twice in the 5 years I've owned it. Won't start without it, that's for sure.
Mine was easier as the secondary air has been deleted.
Why does it fail so often? :)
Did you have a check engine light? I have the "crank no start ", but no check engine light
great video. been there, done that! my 97 MK3 VR6 turns itself off if it goes over 5000-5500 RPM and was reporting faulty crank AND cam position sensor. Luckily just throwing this crank sensor at it seems to have fixed that error but still dying over 5k RPM and saying cam position sensor is out of range. I was going to just throw another sensor at it but given what you're saying here I suspect there's going to be something else going on. I've just dealt with it for years now as local mechanics haven't been helpful and I don't know where to look.
Charles, I'm shocked at how dirty your engine is!
Considering the condition of the insulation & seeing how close that harness comes to the engine I am surprised you didn't recommend some heat wrap on it. Perhaps the tight fit may prevent that from being used in this case. Good job on the diagnosis. Did you tell the wife you used her toothbrush? LoL 😂.
Any updates on the balck R32?
that happened to my buddy before at a Tim Hortons drive thru with a 2003 1.8t Jetta Wagon. hahahaha everyone behind him was honking and he was just waving his hand out the window showing that it wasn't his fault. He ended up having to ask the drive thru attendant through the speaker for some help pushing his car. what a time lol
Oh yes. Totally aware of that sensor in my A3 8L. In my case, the good thing was it only went into reduced power mode with a check engine light AND ESP light on. I was able to reset it by stopping, turning car off and on again. I assume it did not leave me stranded, because my car also has the G40 at the camshaft (which also failed quite recently AND that thing is behind the camshaft wheel (AVU)).
VAGs and their sensors are quite annoying.
I recently scored a cheap non running VW Golf GTI 2.0 with code 16706, quick diagnostics and £11.50 for a crank sensor she was up and running.
Take care of her!
@@Swordie100 oh she's now garaged, dry weather use only
Oh man... my 89 Accord had an engine coolant temp sensor *SLOWLY* die...or as Honda called it, a thermo water sensor. Never threw a CEL, just acted weird and made me look at SO many other things.
Tore the distributor down to clean and re-lube it, cleaned and applied new heat sink paste on the igniter, replaced the ignition coil (res *was* out of spec), plugs with a tighter gap... also new fpr, new injectors, almost went with a new pump, re-soldered my main relay (did need it...)
Everything was pointing towards ignition and fuel issues... until the sensor FINALLY failed and caused the engine to flood on start up. $15 later, and it ran like a dream after that.
**btw, the car had 3 separate coolant temp sensors: the TW sensor (to the computer), the temp switch (fans), and the sender (signal to dash). None of them communicate with each other, and they all did different shit.
So why do Audis, BMWs, and VWs wiring insulation just completely disintegrate like this? I know it is partly from heat over several years but it seems like those brands by far have this problem.
I wish I had a great answer. But I’m not sure. I do know they are soy based a lot of times. Maybe that’s why
As a fellow Passat B7 owner with 246k miles on the car, nothing bring more peace to my mind than driving around with a BlueDriver cheap diagnostic tool in my glovebox 😂😂😂
A guy had a car that had a bad wheel speed sensor...that caused the power steering (electric) not to work, along with the traction control, ABS, cruise control systems. Scotty from Star Trek once said, the more you complicate the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain.
Had the exact same issue (one of the only 2 -and there are people that speak bad about Alfa... - in 285000km - 177k miles, the other being a little known problem to the under-seats connectors of the safety belt tensioners that triggered the airbag warning light) in my Alfa Romeo 156.
The car had 1 month of life and I was coming back from a work dinner in Milan (Italy), I was 27 miles from home, it was 1AM, smartphones and relative GPS were not yet a thing, and I was in an area I wouldn't know how to describe to any friend to ask for rescue. The car was driving fine for like 4/5 mins, then when the oil started to heat up, the tachometer was going to 0 and the car was stopping. Wait 20 minutes to let it cool down and it restarted for other 5 minutes... Driving home would have taken the whole night or more... I managed to find an Alfa Romeo official car service (not a dealer) and I slept in my car in front of it that night.
The morning after I got the guys there going for an espresso in a bar next the workshop, I intercepted them and explained I slept in my car and the situation, they looked at me like 😳😳😳 and then in 30 mins fixed the problem (in guarantee) and I was able, after 3 shots of coffee, to finally drive home :D
I learned my lesson looooong ago, I carry an OBD11 in my Audi at all times and let it dangle off the rear view mirror when not in use.
Have you considered buying an Acura? :)
@@TassieLorenzo Already have an 03 Accord as a back-up don't you worry about that.
Seems like VW’s have a lot of “common” issues.
Did you just figure that one out lol
@@boostedeuros2116 Why don't VW bother to design and make them better? :)
Name a car without a common issue.
That's what I love. The issues are consistent and if its not on already on a recall list, I'd rather run into a problem that been solved online a thousand times. Easier for the DIY'rs.
@@phox0999 toyota?
I carry a vd700 VAG scanner in my tool bag. 2001 GLX 4motion Wagon. It's like driving an aging bomb, but I love that car.
dude I wish some of these other channels that do car stuff showed as in depth as this video. Bummer of an issue but it made for a good video for us!
Thanks so much!
I'm pretty sure the resistance rise you saw with heating is completely normal. There's a pretty long coil of wire in there and with heat there is bound to be resistance rise. This will of course reduce the signal amplitude a bit but I'm sure the cable insulation falling apart is a bigger problem.
Strange that the motor crapped out when the G28 died - the ECU is supposed to fall back on the G40 (or G300/G301) camshaft position sensor until you shut the ignition off. Then you're screwed until the sensor cools down, usually 😛 I have gotten to the point of just replacing the G28 on all my cars every 5 years or so, when the cable just starts to get stiff. A $25 sensor every 5 years is just $5 a year - beats paying for a tow!
1:40 OBDEleven in my glove box at all times :D
I believe that's pronounced OBD two (II)
@@chrisstoddard1144 nope. It’s a brand name for a VW/Audi scan tool
Same. I actually have the old and new gen in case I need a quick scan on iOS or live data via Android.
I live in Russia and we have a cold winter now, the temperature reaches -24. I have a Passat B5 with a 1.8 turbo engine. Recently, a disaster happened, the oil radiator gasket burst and all the oil leaked out. I didn't notice it and drove a few miles.
As a result, my engine started pounding. The gasket costs $3, engine repair will cost $1400
VAG!
First ever time i see metal underbelly on a US car. It's common in Russia because of (no) roads, but this is something new
glad to see some info on the R32 but sorry it had to come at your expense. I always have a cheap Amazon OBDII sensor in every Audi/VW I drive.
I replaced that sensor and it was a pain to disconnect the connector.
Nice instrument cluster, think i missed this video.
My 2002 passat started to run like crap at first start. If you tried to Rev it up it would bog out and stall. No check engine light, then it didn't want to start for 3 or 4 turns and when it did it would bog and stall. Ended up being the engine coolant temp sensor, pretty crazy that sensor could cause those problems.
Whaaaaaa ...... Charles you don’t carry your scan tool with you wherever you go!? 🤣 Good tip about rocking the sensor out of its spot. I wonder how many technicians have snapped / broken the sensor just by removing it.
How do I get my 2010 Passat to have VAGCOM in the friggan cluster like that?!
facebook.com/aRdTechnik
VW life. I'm more concerned when the check engine light isn't on. It might indicate a catastrophic ECM failure.
I wonder if wrapping it in some sort of heat shielding would help it survive in that location longer.
You missed the most important part of this video. Did you get the food?
a friends Mk6 TDI had the post turbo O2 sensor go and they kept driving 600 miles, prior to the phase 2 fix, Dealer refused due to check engine light , and they would be putting a new filter on anyways,, But wanted $5K to fix before the fix. The regen wouldnt work and the DPF plugged past the 50% so cant be done, took a sensor from hell change, to a clean of dpf to a forced regen to get it cleared, So fix stuff like o2's FAST ,
Had the same issue luckily mine was dying slowly and intermittently so I drove it home then changed the sensor. It’s so cheap it’s easier just to buy a new one instead of wasting time to troubleshoot.
High engine heat can make some sensors go haywire. The VR6 engines 12/24valve has high operating temperature, even hotter with forced induction.
remember to ALWAYS LUBE THE HOLES BEFORE YOU SCREW STUFF INTO IT
Never a truer word spoken 😮
Never-Sieze is my favorite.
So much respect for mecanique guys
When you mentioned not needing to do an engine rebuild Cleaning on the sensor....does that mean my stage 3 brake clean is overkill????
The more I watch this guys videos the more I learn how much I should not be working on my mk5.
Ngl. In my experience this is the most common no start problem for VRs. Atleast the 3 that I own😂
Awesome video as always. Thanks for the heads up. Also congrats on Team S.
I watched the first couple seconds and i already guessed it was the CPS same thing happened to me a while back 24v vr
That is exactly what happened to my car (2004 VW Jetta GLI VR6 2.8L 24v) this week. After 10 minutes or so, the car shuts off (regardless of it is idle or driving). No engine oil pressure light showing. I scanned it and it returned a P0322 "Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit No Signal". The funny thing is if you let it cool off for a while, the car starts back on for the next 10 minutes or so. I wonder which part no. and brand I need for the crankshaft position sensor? I have seen ones that have the cable heat shield on it and without it as well.
Because of this sensor, 3 different mechanics told me that my Golf mk4 1.6 needed a new throttle body.
Every vdub I have owned has had a basic scan tool or vcds in the glove box 😂
FIRST time?! 😂🤣
Come on Charles, we're all VW owners here, you don't need to pretend. 😅
We know the pain, the torment, the horror of the check engine lights warm amber glow...
Hahah other than breaking at the autocross. Hahah
@@HumbleMechanic If it makes you feel better, my R is in the shop right now too. 😅
I love how we VW owners poke fun at ourselves. No other car community is so easy going. :)
I remember my crank position sensor going out on my 2.8 and shortly after my clutch master cylinder . Took me a whole two lunches at work to replace the parts and bleed the clutch line out . Good times !!! 😂 Cheers! #wookieforlife
Volkswagen should have given scan tools to customers with the car purchase since the 90s 🤣🤣
Had an 02 Jetta with the Vr6 and had the same issue.
Electrical resistance goes up with heat anyways. Good vid.
My 2001 Audi TT has had its share of repairs needed but it has never left me stranded on the side of the road.
Quote of the day never want to go into the hole without some lubricant, this says it all LOL
Damn happened to me last winter in the evening.But at this time I worked at the dealership.Towed the car in with my father.Repaired it the day after.Ordered the parts in the morning and got them in the afternoon.I also saw that the "people" who repaired it before cut the wire of the old sensor and left it in the bracket and also destroyed the plug holder tongue in the plug coming from the loom.Took me another lunch break to repair the plug.
Best old VAG mod: Carputer with VCDS/cable permanently connected.
Don't buy an aftermarket crank sensor either...... mine would randomly stop working for a few seconds then totally died after a few months. The bosch/VW one is the one to have. Expensive but you know it will work.
after 6 years with my 3.6 it finally let me down. replaced sensor and she's back. had to hammer a torx bit onto the 5mm Allen cause rust and 300,000km +
Another day, another broken VW tying up the drive thru. Always in the most conspicuous places...helps with the brand reputation...
@humblemechanic, did you have a MIL/ check engine light and/or stores codes related to the crankshaft position sensor? Thank you in advance.
Humble Mechanic,
R32 was probably the last good R Type VW Golf in the times before all the plastic inlet manifolds, sumps etc.
Maybe now you appreciate that some of us prefer less complicated cars with less electronics.
I used to buy BMWs, Mercs and Audi/VW but for the last 10 years have been buying Toyota and Lexus because they don't go wrong and I have put it down to the lack of complicated unnecessary electronics and simplicity. I was also wasting one hour taking off all those plastic beauty covers before even getting to the engine on those German cars.
I would rather drive a normally aspirated Mazda 3 than a VW Golf with its small engine and twin turbo chargers.
@John The Accountant
Bingo....cars of any make have become way to complex, over engineered, and prone to having failures that will leave you stranded.
I'd gladly pay to be able to buy a brand new MKI Golf (Rabbit) GTI from the 1980s! They were inexpensive to buy, much more fun to drive, and cheap to repair.
no SAI delete?
“A little of lube goes a long way”. Hehe
😯😯😝
Those G28 sensors ....
My B5 S4 won't start after shopping some groceries, after disengaging and reconnecting the batterie the fault was gone for roughly a week. Then it died again on the Autobahn (car was getting slower with full throttle and after pressing the clutch it shut down), this time I needed a tow truck.
Ordered a new Bosch sensor online, swaped it and the car wasn't starting. Long story short, after 3 weeks I checked the crank sensor once more and it was broken from factory (no rpm readings with VCDS) ... with the old sensor the enging started right now.
Accurate diagnosis is key! :)
Another way to check the sensor is with a power drill, hold up close to the sensor and you should get a reading
Thank you for sharing your wonderful videos I am from South Africa