VW Caddy – 2 Issues (limp mode and overheating)
Imagine hitting the open road in your VW Caddy, and the dreaded “limp mode” suddenly kicks in.
What a nightmare.
The issue leaves you unable to drive beyond 30-50mph. And with no other option but to limp to your nearest garage.
Ignoring the problem only worsens it and can leave you with a rather expensive repair bill.
When Mr O brought his VW Caddy to Fitch Autos, his van was overheating and had placed itself in limp mode. Fortunately, our VW specialists had seen this issue before and knew how to solve his vehicle’s problems.
What We Found
During the initial assessment, our VW experts could see Mr O’s VW Caddy had several warning lights on his dashboard.
It’s no wonder his vehicle had put itself into limp mode.
Limp mode is usually activated when your vehicle detects an issue which could cause further damage. By restricting the speed of the VW Caddy, it prevents additional damage, potentially saving Mr O thousands of £££.
The warning lights on his dashboard were:
- Engine Management Light
- Glow Light
Our VW specialists drove the vehicle to confirm that limp mode was activated and discovered the engine was overheating.
While our VW specialists are experienced with these issues, one thing surprised them.
Mr O’s Caddy had done over 125k miles in 2 years, which is a heck of a lot of miles in such a short timeframe. Bearing in mind the average UK vehicle does 7500 miles a year.
To ensure the Caddy’s issues were solved, our specialists needed a more in-depth look at the vehicle.
The Diagnosis
At Fitch Autos, we use a 15-step diagnostic process to resolve all problems during the first visit. You save time, stress, and money on repeat repairs.
Before performing any other tests, our VW experts performed a diagnostic check to see if any fault codes were present.
Six fault codes were found:
- P023B00 – Charge Air Coolant Control Circuit Low
- P200200 – Particulate Trap (Bank 1) Efficiency Below Threshold
- U041600 – Invalid Data Received From Vehicle Dynamics Control Module
- P023A00 – Charge Air Cooler Coolant Pump Control Circuit/Open
- P20FD00 – Reductant Pump ‘B’ Control Circuit High
- P208B00 – Reduction Pump A Control Range/Performance
Talk about a lot of issues.
Mr O is lucky he brought his Caddy to Fitch Autos, our VW specialists have decades of experience and can solve any faults.
These fault codes might not mean much to you, but to our experts, it points them in the right direction.
Our VW specialists also ran live data checks, something that a lot of other garages wouldn’t do.
Using the fault codes and the live data, a testing plan was used to help diagnose the issues.
The testing procedures led our specialists to two conclusions:
- The water pump had failed, causing a coolant flow issue and overheating.
- Low pressure in the EGR valve and cooler due to a blockage, resulting in a DPF problem.
Now our VW experts had narrowed down the issues; our team could resolve the Caddy’s problems.
How We Fixed The VW Caddy
Before fixing the VW Caddy, our specialists called Mr O to discuss their findings and recommended fixes.
At Fitch Autos, you’re always kept informed and remain in complete control. We only begin working on your VW when you give us the go-ahead.
Mr O was pleased we’d found the cause of his vehicle’s issues and gave us the green light to fix his VW.
To fix the faulty EGR valve, the blockage was removed, allowing the correct pressure to flow through. Thankfully, our expert technicians have the delicate touch and skills to complete the task without causing damage to the valve.
Once cleaned, the EGR valve pressure was tested, and it functioned as it should. Now the DPF issue was solved, our technicians moved on to the coolant problem.
The Caddy’s water pump had failed, so a replacement was needed. Our experts sourced a VW-branded water pump and installed it.
As your local independent VW specialist, we only use genuine VW or high-quality parts for all repairs, maintenance and servicing.
Do you know what happened? The Caddy’s coolant issue was solved, and it no longer overheated.
Best of all, we managed to fix the VW Caddy in less time than the main dealership while saving Mr O ££s on repeat repairs.
It’s no wonder he was overjoyed to have his vehicle back in complete working condition. He drove away with full engine power and a smile on his face.
Summary
Mr O brought his VW Caddy to Fitch Autos as his vehicle had gone into “Limp mode”. And was regularly overheating.
After a comprehensive inspection using our 15-step diagnostic process, our VW specialists discovered two issues:
- A damaged water pump
- A DPF blockage
Luckily, our experts have dealt with these issues before and got to work fixing them.
The blocked DPF was cleaned, removing all soot from the EGR valve. And a new VW-branded water pump replacement was installed.
Mr O was pleased to have his VW Caddy back in working condition in more than half the time the local VW dealership could. Plus, he got better-than dealership value.
Is your VW in limp mode or have a worrying engine management light on the dashboard? Call our VW specialists at Fitch Autos for a quality first-time fix.
Call us on 01543 401257 and book your VW check-up.
