specialidiot

Yes I STFA.... even just the vag code got me no results... wtf, is search broke again?

It was -15 in the morning when by wife drove in to work, and -4 when she started for home last night. On the way home, the car sputtered and died. She was in a tough area off of St Paul and had a Holiday gas station in sight so she ran to it and called me. Nice to know she needs me, huh?

She reported a couple of "dash lights" flashed on and went away. She described one as a circle with a triangle in it, the other was a three letter light with an E in it - CEL? When I picked her up, the car started right off and I drove it no problem. No CEL either. I put in some injector cleaner and a full/fresh tank of gas, thinking maybe condensation with the cold weather? It was parked outside all day yesterday while it's nights are in a heated garage.

Here are the applicable codes I pulled:

Address 01: Engine
Part No: 8E0 909 518 AF
Component: 1.8L R4/5VT G 0001
Coding: 0016751
Shop #: WSC 63351

3 Faults Found:
16684 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0300 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
16687 - Cylinder 3: Misfire Detected
P0303 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
17953 - Throttle Valve Controller: Malfunction
P1545 - 001 - Upper Limit Exceeded - Intermittent
Readiness: 0000 0000

So any thoughts? Yeah the misfires were expected, but the Throttle Valve Controller :Malfunction could be telling.

Maybe I'll do a throttle body alignment tonight....

btw she drove in to work this morning (temp -2) without a problem.

thanks guys.

FoKai

what CP version are you using?

specialidiot

VAG-COM Version: Release 512.4-D

yeah I know it was old, I hadn't used it in a while

Jimax

The CEL does not have any text, it is a picture of an engine. The other one the triangle, that's the ESP light.

Jimax

with the misfires, it sounds like your coil pack (ignition coil) is bad.

specialidiot

like locks and radio.

Car runs fine now though. I've not heard about intermittent coil pack problems.

Every time I've had or read about coil pack problems, they blow, and the car runs like crap. (I had a TT for a couple of years)

I asked her if she smelled anything (the coil pack smell) and she said no.

Not saying its not coil packs, but just sayin'.

I cleared the codes last night and will pull them again tonight.

specialidiot

OK, that's what I thought about the CEL.... thanks

PracTTical

bad MAF. see my post in the TT forum

diagnosticator1

First, transitioning from a warm garage to sub-zero temps and back again, over time will cause more moisture than usual to aspirate into the gas tank. Consider using a can of fuel deicer/antifreeze a couple of times a month while the cold weather exists.
Second, regarding the stall-out, the only thing that I can think of that may have been involved, is the possibility that the throttle body/throttle valve got stuck, from ice forming around the throttle plate. This can happen when the relative humidity is within a narrow range, at the - Deg F temps existing, and the specific throttle valve angle, (resulting in a certain pressure drop at the throttle plate,) and air flow rate and other factors coincidentally existing to create the conditions for ice to form at the throttle plate. While your Wife was calling you, and during the time the car sat parked, engine heat melted the ice at the throttle plate, thus no further problem. The DTC recorded the loss of throttle valve control. By the time you started the car, the cause no longer existed.
The unique set of conditions that conspired to cause throttle icing, did not occur the next day. (As a practical matter, has never happened before, and may not happen again.)
That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

Umm, what was the question again? :>\ If I need to clarify anything, please advise. (Some things are hard to explain in brief.)

specialidiot

excellent take, I'll buy it!