Hello, My 2006 VW Golf started chugging 4 days ago and the engline light was blinking. I brought it straight to the mechanic and they said it was the ignition coil. They had fixed it and I’ve driven it with no issues for the past 3 days. Today I turned the car on and later down the road the engine was chugging again and the light was blinking again, so I pulled over and turned the car off. When I turned it back on it was back to normal. I took it out again and noticed it happened for a split second again and sometimes I can feel the engine really struggle up hills but no light. I am going to bring it back to the mechanic again but I am worries they won’t see anything because it is on and off. Any advice as to why this is happening after I had it fixed?
Could be another bad coil. I googled 'VW coil problems ’ and got lots of info.
How many miles? Turbo 4?
Recent plugs?
By the way, you did the right thing by shutting it off immediately. Flashing check engine lights mean if you don’t do that, engine damage will probably occur.
Assuming the codes were cleared, new codes should show up ti help troubleshoot the problem.
Yup.
Also, I recommend never changing just one coil. Coils are manufactured en-masse using very well controlled processes. Generally if one goes, the others aren’t far behind.
I’d recommend checking the codes, and if there are no surprises change the rest of the coils and see what happens. Post the results. And the additional codes.
Did they change the spark plug? How many miles on the car and have the plugs EVER been changed? If not, that may be the problem. If one plug is changed they should all be changed.
Coils usually die either to a faulty spark plug or moisture inside the plug boot; either of which can cause an ignition miss which then leads to coil failure.
When the check engine light turns on, the computer stores a code describing why it happened in the ecm memory. That code will usually stay there even when the check engine light goes off again. Best bet it to take it back to the shop and have them check the diagnostic codes again. I’m guessing another coil has failed. When one coil goes south, it’s not that unusual that there’s another one not far behind. The heat in the engine compartment is probably what contributes the most to the coils eventually failing.
I agree, and OK4450 also added a common cause of coil failure.
I totally missed the sparkplug angle, but emphatically agree with both ideas.