Couple of engine error codes on VCDS (car drives fine..)

[insanekiwi]

Hi guys,

Not sure what the best approach is here, so posting it here.
I don't drive my car much, probably about once in every fortnight - and I have only driven 2000km for last 16 months! Only in weekends...

Basically, started it up with no problem - but noticed that it made weird 'clicking noise' behind the driver's vent for about 5 seconds on start up - wasn't sure what this was (HVAC?). Recirculation works fine and fan blows well. I wonder if some flap is dying slowly...

So plugged in VCDS after my little trip - and showed following engine errors which I was not expecting. My Polo has been bullet proof for last 66000km. As I haven't driven manual for a while, I stalled the car once in the car park today. How embarrassing.

16395 - Bank 1: Camshaft A (Intake)
P0011 - 35-00 - Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
18335 - Relay for Aux Coolant Pump (J496)
P1927 - 35-10 - Open Circuit - Intermittent
Readiness: 0000 0000

So I googled, and seems like something about

Possible Solutions
Check Camshaft Adjustment Valve 1 (N205)
Check Fuel Pump Relay (J17)
Check Mechanical Timing

I know the car is now 8 years old, but haven't changed the timing belt yet. The engine oil has not been replaced as it was replaced 2000km ago - but that is now 15 months ago. Last time I scanned the car was only 400km ago and had no errors.

Has anyone had this problem before? Engine oil is at 1/3 bottom end of the dipstick. The car seems to drive okay and haven't noticed anything abnormal. No CEL.

Some suggestions I have read
1) top up oil and clear the code and recheck
2) timing belt check
3) oil pick up pipe clean

I am not sure what the second error with aux coolant pipe error is about. The coolant circulation after turning the engine off seems to work fine.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[The One]

Since it's been 15 months I would change the oil and filter, clear code and recheck.

Your belt is due by time but not distance, either check your timing or replace the belt? Best to check condition of belt regardless to ensure it's all ok.

[insanekiwi]

The One: I agree with the comments completely - but there are lots of people saying that replacing belt to chase the problem will not fix this. The car is garaged at all times and never sits outside. New Zealand weather is also much cooler and that the condition of the belt / rubber should be much better than the same aged cars in Australia. The engine oil is full synthetic, and had oil changes every 5000km for its life so hoping that's not the case.

The sound behind the driver's vent or behind the headlight switch - Check Fuel Pump Relay (J17) <-- would it be anything to do with it? i.e. poor contacts etc and causing the buzz for first few seconds when the ignition is switched on to stage 2 - which will be operating the fuel pump? Near the vent noise never happen again after the car is moving - whether re-circulation on or off. Fans all work fine. No problems.

[insanekiwi]

Further search shows this link:
Fuel Pump Relay location?

My feeling is that the fuel pump relay is dying slowly - and with intermittent function the cause for buzzing at the start up near the vent / near the driver's right knee. This disappears quickly. This is at Stage 2 of ignition before cranking.

Which potentially explains the P0011 (16395), but sure about J496. Or could this all be from a low battery cuz it hasn't been driven around for so long!

[h100vw]

Change the cam belt mate, I don't care what anyone says. They are a timebomb. It's so much cheaper to just do it. Than have it strip or break.
The hyd tensioner and pulley are special to the Polo so don't be buying a generic 1.8t kit of ebay. Get the part numbers and go off that. The other thing is the water pump, that could fail just as easily.

I would clear those codes and drive the car a bit more often for a month or so.

The camshaft is moved by the VVT solenoid. I am guessing from under use that possibly the oil has leaked back into the sump so that when you start it, the chain slops about a bit at first. The ECU looks at the crank and inlet cam positions and if it sees a difference between them that shouldn't be there, it flags it.

My Polo did it when I first got it. There was a lot of wear in the cam bearings, which I think contributed to the code coming back regularly.

I'd just make a point of putting a few hundred km on it in a short space of time and checking again.

Gavin

[insanekiwi]

Thanks Gavin, I agree. I have driven about 40km today so I will recheck for codes now. Didn't have that weird start up noise this morning.

[insanekiwi]

Hi guys, did more KMs.

Still has this error remaining.

18335 - Relay for Aux Coolant Pump (J496)
P1927 - 35-10 - Open Circuit - Intermittent
Readiness: 0000 0000

Other fault has disappeared and hasn't been back. That buzzing noise on start up as hasn't happened yet (where the relays are). I have checked all the fuses in the box (driver's side pop out panel) and they are all intact. There are relays just behind the fuses, so I popped all of them out and replugged. I do not have multimeter etc to check for individual ones.

What do you suggest from here? If it's open circuit - does that mean the J496 is dead?

[insanekiwi]

I had difficulty getting which relay is the one that's controlling the Aux coolant pump. Does anybody know? What's the chance of relay being faulty vs actual pump? Thanks.
Coolant level is fine.

By the way the code has changed slightly.

1 Fault Found:
18335 - Relay for Aux Coolant Pump (J496)
P1927 - 35-00 - Open Circuit
Readiness: 0000 0000

(from intermittent to open circuit)

[insanekiwi]

Came back from a crawling traffic ride this morning about 25km return trip. The aux coolant fan definitely worked this morning - for about 5-10 mins, usual quiet humming noise after you switch your car off.

I haven't cleared the codes after I did all the relays (unplug and plug) and fuses checked - there was ECM and Relay for coolant pump 'intermittent errors' as well as fuse error for the horn, which I cleared today. So this journey will continue. Cleared them all - and they disappear without being persistent. Rechecked after switching the car off completely and restarted.

I do have a 12V hardwire for my radar detector (connection off from the fuse box) - I wonder if the wiring or earthing is interfering with anything. It's just funny how that buzzing I had behind the dash (where the relays are) - have a feeling there is a direct correlation here. My money is that I have a dud relay.

My mechanic will check the car a month later as he told me to test more - and also he is fully booked till then. I said it could be anything from the pump / wiring / connection / and relay itself. Pump seems to work (or at least did this morning....

Saga continues...

[Cooltots17]

Came back from a crawling traffic ride this morning about 25km return trip. The aux coolant fan definitely worked this morning - for about 5-10 mins, usual quiet humming noise after you switch your car off.

I haven't cleared the codes after I did all the relays (unplug and plug) and fuses checked - there was ECM and Relay for coolant pump 'intermittent errors' as well as fuse error for the horn, which I cleared today. So this journey will continue. Cleared them all - and they disappear without being persistent. Rechecked after switching the car off completely and restarted.

I do have a 12V hardwire for my radar detector (connection off from the fuse box) - I wonder if the wiring or earthing is interfering with anything. It's just funny how that buzzing I had behind the dash (where the relays are) - have a feeling there is a direct correlation here. My money is that I have a dud relay.

My mechanic will check the car a month later as he told me to test more - and also he is fully booked till then. I said it could be anything from the pump / wiring / connection / and relay itself. Pump seems to work (or at least did this morning....

Saga continues...

Did you ever figure out which fuse controls the aux pump? I have the exact same code with open circuit and can't figure it out.