2005 turbo vert dies randomly - no codes

[SpyderMike]

It is an automatic with 50,000 miles.

It is my wife's car and she just had it happen again. It is random with over a period of months between episodes. She was driving - cruising on a straight boulevard not accelerating, and the car died. She says the battery light came on - no engine light. After coasting to the side of the road, she waits less than a minute and the car cranks just a little longer than usual (maybe two to three seconds longer) and starts.

She got home and I got my code reader to find no stored or pending codes.

Once while I was driving it (I rarely do), I thought that I was getting no throttle response for a split second when taking and turn and then accelerating. That is the only thing I can say that I have experienced in teh car within the last 6 months that made me think something might be amiss.

It has been driving fine all the rest of the time. No recent maintenance done.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Mike

[Stlbug]

I hate intermitent problems like this. It will never acted up for a technician,one of the unwritten laws of the universe. IF it is a fuel delivery problem I would look at the Throtle Control Module and see if it has the right voltage. I would think that would throw a code if it was fallty. I would check the Mass Air Flow sensor, now I have been told by cert. vw tech that the MAF can slowly go bad for awhile before it throws a code. IT may be just dirty and needs cleaning. You could check all of the electrical connections to the battery andthe fuse box on top of the battery as well as the altenator. If the coil pack was acting up, I think you would have codes for cylinder miss fires. Then thers the fuel pressure regulater and the fuel pump itself.------Good Luck

[Smileybug]

Get your alternator checked.

[heeeheee]

I have done all of the above, and more. I have decided to try the oil dipstick extension tube replacement. If that does not work, I give up and will trade it when I can.

[lil.smartie]

RPM (Crank position) sensor...

Kate

[beetlejuice]

This is the exact same symptom that our 2001 GLX had when the fuel pump was going out. The battery light comes on because the engine is not running. You may find that the problem only happens when the fuel tank is low - gasoline is not covering the pump so it heats up and then trips the relay. After it sits for a few minutes and cools down it works. Eventually the time between episodes will shorten until the pump fails completely. Ours never threw any codes. Replacing the pump (which includes the fuel gauge sending unit) is not that difficult - access is under the back seat. Be sure and replace the relay at the same time as the higher current draw of a failing pump can damage it. If you are in the habit of driving with a low fuel level in the tank, it can hasten the fuel pump failure. Some people recommend never letting the tank get below 1/4 full.
I bought our replacement from a parts place near us that has OEM parts for a lot cheaper than the dealer called ETY Parts. Here is their website with the pumps for your car (unless it is a Turbo S):
Electric Fuel Pump parts for 2005 Volkswagen - Ety Parts
Good Luck,
b