kccrd>
Here's a thread where "afterglow" is mentioned.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37781&hilit=afterglowI've owned at least 12 VW diesels I can think of right off, maybe more. The first was a new 1978 rabbit and the last were a 1996 Passat tdi wagon and a 1999.5 tdi Jetta. There were many 1985/6 golfs and jettas, a 91 EcoDiesel, a 91 normal diesel, a 1986 Volvo 740 GLE wagon powered by a VW 6 cylinder turbocharged light truck engine. Then there was a 1982 Datsun Kin Cab diesel that I kept foe less then a year. It was too much like a low reving semi truck engine for me.
I know for a fact the glow plugs on the TDI's continue to operate after the light goes off and it's for smooth running and emmissions.
By the way, the original glow plugs on the 78 rabbit could stay on for upwards to a minute before the light went off.
OK I just remembered two more. A 1984 Rabbit diesel that was my Daughter's first car and a 1984 Jetta diesel that was my son's first car.