VW T6 CXGB P13D600 P13E200 cylinder 3 sensor fix

The Problem

A VW T6 with a CXGB engine was throwing intermittent fault codes P13D600 and P13E200, pointing to a faulty internal pressure sensor signal on cylinder 3, along with an intermittent engine warning light and occasional juddering. The owner had not yet determined whether the root cause was mechanical or electrical.

Solution

1. Run a diagnostic scan to confirm that fault codes P13D600 and/or P13E200 are stored against the cylinder 3 glow plug pressure sensor circuit.

2. Perform a compression test to rule out mechanical causes such as low compression or worn rings.

   • If compression is good, the fault is electrical and you can move on to the wiring inspection.

3. Inspect the wiring harness and connector between the cylinder 3 glow plug and the ECU, paying close attention to the connector plug at the glow plug end.

   • Look for corrosion, chafing, heat damage, or a loose or broken pin, as this is the most commonly damaged point.

4. Replace the damaged connector or wiring section between the glow plug and the ECU.

   • Replacing the connector alone resolved the fault in the confirmed case and matches step 2 of the official VW troubleshooting chart for this code.

5. If replacing the connector does not resolve the fault, inspect and reseat the glow plug control module, located beneath the battery in the same compartment as the ECU.

   • At least one user found bad solder joints on the internal circuit board of this module, which can produce the same codes and is a cheaper fix than a full harness replacement.

6. Replace the glow plug in cylinder 3 if the fault persists after checking the connector and control module.

   • Multiple users reported repeat failures of the original glow plug; a Beru-brand unit was used as an alternative when original parts were on back-order.

7. Replace the full engine wiring harness only if all previous steps have been exhausted and the fault still persists.

   • This is an expensive last resort and should not be attempted before the connector, individual wires, glow plug, and control module have all been eliminated as causes.