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12K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  talltom 
#1 · (Edited)
Stick with me this is a long story.

Basic info: 2007 rabbit, 91,000miles, auto, no other options, reflex silver paint.

So, the other day I was driving along the freeway and got off at an exit. I was on the freeway for 10ish miles and had been doing 90mph for most of them. This is a normal thing for me to do. As I was on the off ramp, I felt a slight miss and then one more a few seconds later. First time something like that has happened in the life of the car. I started driving again and all was good with my car. Then, when I got stopped at a light (1/8 mile from freeway exit) the engine shut off. No spurts, no missing, no backfires. It shut off like I had turned the key off. I was flabbergasted, and could only think how much is this going to cost to get fixed? Well, I put the car in neutral and started it back up. It took twice as much cranking to get it to start and I had to give it some gas. After the restart the car was idling at 900rpm, it normally idles at about 550rpm. The EPC light and check engine light were also on. My buddy, works at an auto parts store a mile down the road from where I was. So, I did the stupid thing and drove my car there.

We pulled the codes and it had errors of P0106 and P0322, MAP/BARO sensor and CKP sensor, respectively. After, some swearing and smoking I went inside and got a vacuum gauge. It's been getting towards winter and it dropped into the low 20's last night. I was thinking a vacuum leak of some kind, due to colder weather. Maybe, a gasket had cracked. I hooked it up and started the car. It pulled 60in. of vacuum. The highest I've ever seen from a car. If your asking, it was still idling at 900rpm.

So, after so more swearing and head starching I found this website. In one of the posts, I found, it said that if your crank sensor goes bad your car will not rev past 3,000rpm. Because, the EPC knows a sensor is out of whack and running the car off other sensors. The car has both crank and cam sensors. So, with that I figured if one went bad it could still run off the other. I fired the car up and it would not rev past 3,000rpm. Well, we have an answer.

Now, of course, the store I was at could not even order a new crank sensor. I was going to drive the car home, because it seemed less critical now that I know, or so I think, what the problem is. Also, the store that could order me the part was on my way home. I get in and start it. It starts normally and idles down to 550rpm. The EPC light is also off. Just the check engine light remains on. I'm like WTF, Mate?!?! So, I go back in and grab the scanner and clear the codes so the check engine light turns off.

I fire the car up and everything is fine. No extra lights no high idle. I rev it up past 3k and it works fine. I do a few quick laps around the building and nothing is out of the ordinary. So I drive it home and hope for the best.

I go out to the car today and start it up. It was in the Low 20's and it fired up like it was a nice summer day. I've never had to have any additional crank time in the winter to get the car going. I drive it to school and back with no problems. So far, I've gone about 20 miles and not have had a misfire or any others lights come on. Any ideas to what may have happened to my car?
 
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#2 ·
I would pull the connections on the sensors and Spray them with wire dry, then clean the battery cables or Verify that they have continuity. Be sure that you have the codes for the Radio before you go cleaning them.
 
#3 ·
The crank sensors are commong. Replace it before it leaves you stuck. If you live on planet earth then the most vacuum you can get is 31" before there is no air and that is absolute zero pressure, or 0 Bar absolute pressure, -1 bar barometric pressure. 1 bar = 14.6ish psi. So two bar absolute = 29.2 which equals pressure at ground level. Take that away and you get 0 psi or about -30" vacuum.

Enough science.... Get that crank sensor replaced. Get OEM volkswagen parts or you will have problems. You have 91,000 miles on your car. A 50 dollar part is not going to break bank.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, I thought the vacuum reading was off. Thanks for the science. I was driving the car last night and it did the same thing. I got the new crank sensor and I'm waiting for a call back from my buddy, so I can go over to his place and install it.
 
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