2002 Golf TDI 4 dr. with 320,000 km on the clock, no major repairs, MAF
changed once about 200,000 km ago, fuel filter and air filter about
due.

Climbing a hill or accelerating up an on ramp at or near full throttle,
occasionally the power just dies. Climbing hills, it actually loses
speed with the pedal mashed. On the flat, it can barely gain speed.

To clear this, I just pull of to the side of the road, turn off the
engine for a few seconds, restart, and everything is fine. Happens
about once a month though the frequency is increasing of late.

MAF screwing up the fuel supply?

Turbo cutting out?

I'm baffled . . .

Peter

p_s_charles (AT) hotmail (DOT) com wrote:


I would start there. And check for water in the filter. It only takes
one tank of crap diesel to screw the whole thing up. My wife's new
Beetle TDi went through this twice. One time the filter was about
12,000 miles old... and plogged with water. Needless to say, she quit
going to that station for fuel.

Can you even hear the turbo when it kicks in? Because it really sounds
like fuel-starve. And a pause by the side of the road allows everything
to equalize and the water in the filter settle back to the bottom.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

Go here : http://forums.tdiclub.com/
and search for "limp mode".
Lots to read.......

Alec wrote:
Yup, it's limp mode alright, exactly the symptoms -- fuel starvation --
looks like I'm in for another MAF. Oh joy.

Thanks for the responses.

Peter

The MAF is often not the problem. Try to get the car on a VAGCOM and
diagnose the problem rather than throw parts at it.

Alec wrote:
You're right as I did some checking after my last post and there are a
variety of possible culprits. The LAST thing I want to do is chuck
parts at it. Been there, done that on my last vehicle (Ford).

<p_s_charles (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

I had a similar occurance after the fuel filter was changed. That "T"
fitting had a small crack in it and it was sucking air into the system.