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VW Jetta TDI

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Comments

  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    To answer your other question about "is it reasonable to expect 50 ? "

    The automatic xmission really drags down the MPG due to losses in the xmission.

    My 2003 with manual xmission gets a measured 56 MPG on the highway while full of people and luggage with AC on full and 90F outside.

    The newer DSG xmission which has been described as an "automatic manual" has been shown to be able to match or beat MPG numbers of a manual xmission.

    Also, the 26,000 miles is not really enough to "losen up" a TDI engine. You will find that MPG continues to go up till about 40K miles. My TDI did not start getting 56MPG until about 50K miles.
  • smdtdismdtdi Member Posts: 31
    My keyless remote stopped working.

    The car is less than 3 years old.

    Any ideas on why this happened, and how to fix it?
  • driverberndriverbern Member Posts: 23
    I have a 2006 TDI that I bought new in July of '07. I now have 22K miles on it.
    I do quite a bit of highway driving for my job. I consistently get over 45 mpg and if I watch my speed (keep in under 70) I have gotten just over 50. When you're using the AC it is unlikely you'll do that. My car is a manual and all my trips are with just one occupant (me) although my wife and I just returned from a FL trip (2400 miles) and I got 46.6 mpg.
  • dieselfitter1dieselfitter1 Member Posts: 42
    Do these have a battery? I am not sure. all I know is this: I got 2 remotes with the car 4 years ago,used. Remote(s) are now 6 years old. One went through a complete wash cycle in the washing machine and it still works! :D

    There must be a source of power in order for them to work.Phone dealer and ask.
    I find that the owners manuals these days are useless when you are trying to find something out! eg. My radio quit working,and I had to phone the service department to find out which fuse# is for the radio. Customers should be a nuisance and then they might start writing decent owners manuals! ;)
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    yes dieselfitter the remotes have a battery and easy way to replace the dealer service dudes should do this as a courtesy if for the cost of the battery.

    as for mpg, driverbernie, i have the same car and similar mpg numbers but i advise you to consider immediately to cease tracking the wife-onboard vs driver-only mpg numbers. :|
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Have you replaced the battery.

    The procedure to replace the battery is available using a simple internet search.

    Here is a procedure with photos...
    http://pics.tdiclub.com/members/schnabba/a4remote_new_print.pdf

    The battery is available at Walllmart in BOTH the jewlery section and the battery aistle too.
  • bannbann Member Posts: 2
    The automatic transmission lock will not go off when I press on the brake. Therefore the car will not move out of park. We cannot change gears. The car is stuck in park.
    It worked with much frustration and time but now nothing....just won't move.
  • bannbann Member Posts: 2
    In reply to my own message....we found a switch up around the brake assembly under the dash. We pushed around on it and we were able to get the car out of gear. Looks like a new switch....is needed.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Glad you figured it out. Let us know how it goes with the new switch.
  • raymondl1166raymondl1166 Member Posts: 7
    You might try changeing the battery
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Hasent that switch been the subject of 2 seperate recalls???
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    I have an 05.5 Jetta TDI, not that the TDI really has anything to do with this question, but when ever it's cold ( approaching, or below freezing ) the trunk latch doesn't want to catch when I close the lid. Sometimes I have to slam it as many as 10 times before it finally catches. Sometimes it will kind of catch but the dash indicator will say that the trunk is still open. When it's warm outside, no problem. I've tried lubricating the latch, and I can manually open and close the latch fine with the key or emergency handle inside the lid, but when I try closing the lid, same problem. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so what was the fix? Thanks!
    :confuse:
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    I know this is blantently obvious but.... Have you tired ADJUSTING the latch mecanism? (loosen bolts, move the mechanism, retighten bolts)

    This has been the 'standard' way of correcting these kinds of issues on doors/trunks/hoods for over 30 years.

    Just so I am clear - when metal gets cold...it CONTRACTS. An adjustment that seemed just fine at 80F may not be quite right at -20F. Also, the rubber seal is stiffer (less flexable) at cold temps so the latch must work harder to hold the trunk/door closed.
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    That was something I had thought of, but it didn't appear to be adjustable, and the Bentley service manual I purchased doesn't talk about adjusting any of the latch components, only removal, and replacement.
    I do have an appointment to have it checked out under warranty, but thought I could save myself a 150 mile round trip if it was a problem someone else had actually experienced, and found an easy answer to.
    Thanks
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    You are correct that Bentley does not address this problem. However, Bentley does address the adjustment of the rear lid on the Jetta wagon. It looks like the latch is adjusted by adjusting the lid, just as you would have to adjust door alignment to fix a door latch misalignment. Best left to the pros.

    However, if you push down the black plastic flap that covers the gap on both sides of the latch catch at the base of the trunk opening of the Jetta sedan, you will find two star bolts. You may try loosening those to see if that gives you any wiggle room for adjustment. If so, raise the catch just a wee bit and tighten the bolts.

    Also, check to make sure the weather stripping is seated correctly.

    Good luck.
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    I took it to the pros yesterday, and despite my asking if this was a problem they were seeing frequently when I made the appointment, and being told no. When I got there yesterday, the first thing out of the service managers mouth was " if this problem ends up being your latch, I can tell you right now we have 40 of them on back order, and won't be able to fix it today", I told him I wished they had told me that when I made the appointment, and I would have waited until they had their stock replenished to make the trip. " Sorry" was the only response.

    So any way, apparently this problem is not so isolated, and affects both the Jetta, and the Passat, which uses the same latch. They said it wasn't something they could adjust. It also seems to be more of a problem in the cold weather states however.
    Hope my experience helps someone else.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    It is is the latch... I have in the past removed and lubricated the latch. This "fix" has worked for many years since then with no problems.

    Just because you "took it to the pros" does not mean much to me. The very definition of "professional" means that somone gets paid to do somthing.... it has no relavance to having any skill in performing a particular task.

    The main "skill" that you will find at many VW dealerships is the ability to replace parts and charge you for it. ;)
  • chuckycheesechuckycheese Member Posts: 13
    I have a '06 Jetta TDI (not that the TDI makes a difference is this case) & I had the same problem. Dealer replaced the latch assembly (warranty). Problem started winter of '07 but became much worse into summer & fall of '07. I live in south central PA (Camp Hill).
    cncheez@yahoo .com
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    In this instance I must respectfully disagree.
    If the cost of fixing the problem was coming out of the customers pocket, I can see where "remove & replace" could be a lucrative policy. But when it comes to warranty work, I think if remove, and lubricate were a viable fix, the manufacturer would certainly be money ahead authorizing only that, or at least that as a first attempt at a fix, instead of replacement. In this case I don't think lubrication was the answer... VW isn't noted for it's excessive spending for customer satisfaction. ;)
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    You did not mention that they were doing this R&R under warantee.... by all means let them charge VW for it.

    I thought you were suggesting that the dealership was doing this work at your expense.

    BTW: I still think that a lot of dealerships tend to throw parts at a problem instead of troubleshooting to isolate. They make a LOT more $$ selling parts than they do fixing problems.
  • rremer1rremer1 Member Posts: 7
    Does anyone know of a Jetta GLS TDI wagon for sale in the mid-Atlantic area? I'm looking for automatic. Thanks for any advice!
  • icaticat Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2006 TDI with 45,000 miles on it. I am losing power on some hills. I spoke with a dealer who said it sounded like I had to have carbon deposits removed from the turbo. Can I do this with an additive or is this a dismantle engine and hand scrub issue. Dealer estimated $600 for the procedure.

    Ideas?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    While that might be one symptom, a few more details about your driving habits might yield a better swag, short of doing a VAG.com computer hook up and/or dealer trip.

    So for example, I assume a steady diet of ULSD?

    Have you been lugging the engine or not rev ing it correctly?
  • icaticat Member Posts: 12
    Only ULSD and I am pretty gentle with the car. We live in NE Ohio so it is relatively flat other than about 2000 miles in trips across Pennsylvania which is pretty hilly. I tend NOT to let the car idle very long before starting in the AM but I am guessing the worst thing this could do is to contribute to the carbon build up. That is about it. The car is used primarily for commuting to an from work.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Let's start with the easy stuff. 1. water in fuel 2. fuel filter needs changing. Corrective action: 1. use an additive 2. change fuel filter

    Another MIGHT be: you do not operate in the zone, the engine needs to operate properly for the diesel engine AND turbo. Corrective action: go to www.tdiclub.com and do a search for TDI break in instructions. You might wish to pay particular attention to what drivbiwire has written on the subject. So another short answer (and inexpensive) is you might need an "italian tune" within the proper RPM parameters for the TDI. AKA drive the car the way it was designed to be driven.

    The use of ULSD has greatly decreased (97%, 500 ppm/15 ppm =) the likely hood of getting intake deposits due to higher sulfur variables. As you know VW TDI's have been designed for a long time to run on ULSD. (15 ppm or less)

    Of course you can contact a local VW guru (preferable) or bring it to dealers (only if you have to or know the dealer you bring it to, specializes in TDI's) and do a VAG.com diagnosis. Dealers have a tendency if they are not specialists to through expensive parts at the problem. Let us know how it turns out.
  • icaticat Member Posts: 12
    Thank you

    Italian tune...lol
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    You are welcome. The phrase is code for "drive your TDI ENGINE" slightly to more aggressively. This is NOT code to drive unsafely :)

    This might be WAY too much information for you, or as it might serve as a point of reference for your concerns..., BUT I have been present for a number of TB/WP changes at 100,000 miles intervals (60,000 for some of the older models). What these illustrated was the on/ two effects of 1. LSD (CA vs 49 state) 2. mitigations inherent in PROPER OPERATION on the ill effects of the "wrong" fuel. 3. use of ULSD has a startling effect on EGR build up (lack there of) combined with proper operation.

    Indeed my 2003 ran the majority (app 80,000 miles) of its first 100,000 mile interval on NON ULSD #2 diesel, (CA USD @ 140 ppm, to 49 state USD @ up to 500 ppm.) , as the implementation date of ULSD was in (as I recall? slipped from July 2006) Oct,'06.

    Since early on in the TDI's life, I had read and followed those referenced break in instructions. Not too many miiles later, have had the pleasure of meeting Drivebiwire, and asked in person any questions I had at the time.

    Miles later, intake inspection revealed NO build up. However due to normal operation, it WAS slightly black. It was pronounced good to go for another 100,000 miles.

    Another thing is since you are in all likely hood still under warranty, this is a good time to let the dealer run (VAG.com) diagnosis for any issues it might bring up, such as N75, sensors, etc. etc.
  • chuckycheesechuckycheese Member Posts: 13
    I had a 2000 Jetta TDI & experienced the loss of power, usually on hard acceleration, e.g. a hwy on ramp. Only way I could drive car after that was to pull to the shoulder, shut off & restart engine. 2 dealers could not replicate problem (so they said). Finally I took it to an independent garage (VW & Porsche). Tech listened to my complaint & told me I had severe carbon build up. I took car home & pulled intake hose. Intake was almost totally blocked w/carbon. I cleaned it as best I could & took it back to independent VW & Porsche garage for more extensive cleaning. Don't remember exact $$ but I think it was less than $300. Never ran as good as early on in my onwership, but I didn't have the power loss again. Traded car in '05 (125K) on an '06 TDI. "06 is a much more refined car.
  • dieselfitter1dieselfitter1 Member Posts: 42
    I had the same problem,but not as bad. Quite a bit of carbon buildup in the inake manifold. Did'nt like that so I just disconnected the vac line on the EGR valve. Way less smoke now! And better mileage and acceleration! EGR valves are just EPA gimmick!
  • icaticat Member Posts: 12
    2006 Jetta TDI. Can I replace the fuel filter without too much trouble? I am not a mechanic by any means but I have changed oil and fuel filters and handled routine tasks in other vehicles.

    Is there a schematic online that shows the location and/or proceedure?

    Thanks
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    The procedure is (WAY) easy enough. The real question is are you able to problem solve it IF you run into a glitch/s?

    You might want to do a search on www.tdiclub.com. They might still have the videos showing how it is done.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    The TDI how-to videos are here
  • hopeful99hopeful99 Member Posts: 20
    can #2 home heating oil be used in place of diesel. in an 06 jetta?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Yes, but for a lot of reasons not a good idea. Outside of legal and IRS considerations, HHO can be 5000 ppm sulfur whereas your 06 Jetta is designed to run on ULSD @ 15 ppm and or less.
  • dieselfitter1dieselfitter1 Member Posts: 42
    Why would they allow heating oil to be 5000ppm sulphur,which is 10times higher that pre-ULSD diesel fuel.

    I am just wondering if the heating oil is just ULSD,and that it comes out of the same pipe? Get a sample and take it to get tested for sulphur content!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    During the season (and the season can be VERY LONG) HHO can burn 24/7, literally for months at a time with 5000 ppm and NO mitigation.

    Wonder no longer. The answer is no. If you doubt that, call up a (local) HHO vendor. (Goggle also) Let us know what you find out to be true.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    You are just sensing the tip of the iceburg on this one. The heating fuel, locomotive fuel and even the SHIPS that bring the fuel are all allowed to run on high-sulpher diesel.

    More sulfer is put into the atmosphere by shipping the oil to the NorthAmerica than it does by BURNING it in our TDIs.

    The envronmentalests tend to turn the other cheek when it comes to emmissions from the ships which "fill up" at the lowest price for fuel. (which is WELL OVER 5000 ppm)

    And yes, the home-heating oil is high sulfer... every time my furnace is running, I can smell the sulfer outside whilst I am shoveling snow.
  • drrandall1drrandall1 Member Posts: 1
    My 2003 TDI is starting to drive me crazy. The headlights, turn signals, windshield wipers and heater go off all the time. I had it in the shop for 2 days and they have no clue. I am off to the dealer Monday to pay the big bucks and hope they find the problem.
  • paragod39503paragod39503 Member Posts: 1
    Hi guys, I have a 1999 TDI that is having a problem starting in the extreme cold weather of central wisconsin. I've replaced the battery with not much help. Any ideas would be great. Thanks, Kevin
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Have you cheked the glowplugs? TDIs driven in cold temps. tend to burn out glowplugs every 4-5 years.

    Also, the timingbelt adjustment tends to drift as miles accumulate. Have you verified that the injection timing is set accurately? (Setting it ABOVE nominal really helps with starting cold engine... and also improves MPG.)
  • michael1964michael1964 Member Posts: 2
    I test drove a 2005 jetta tdi standard yesterday. First time ever driving a vw. Man was I impressed. I have always owned Honda and was set on an 08 civic but am seriously considering buying the tdi. The wife works about 100km from work (round trip) + all the running around with the kids activitys, I figure 120-130 km a day. The forums that I have been reading are always mentioning the fuel efficiency. Works for me. I did notice a post earlier were it was mentioned to rev to between 3&5 thousand rpm before shifting and that diesels like to be run a little hard and hot.
    Any comments or suggestions about buying a VW would be helpful.
    P.S. the dealer was great. They let me take the car for 24 hours to drive it and experience the car, knowing that I might not even buy the thing. It's sitting in my garage right now. lol. I think they know I want it.
    Thanks in advance.
    First time poster.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    My advice I offer all potential TDI owners is this...If you're going to rely on a VW dealer for service/repair, you may not be a happy camper. If you can maintain the vehicle yourself or have a good independent TDI specialist nearby and are very meticulously with the maintenance....you'll never want another vehicle. I find many Honda owners to be the type that are only interested in ubber-reliability which may or may not happen with a TDI. And a preowned one is a scary situation because if the previous owner was not meticulous with maintenance it may cause major problems down the road.

    That being said....I also own a Honda Odyssey and for a few months last year owned an '07 Civic EX. My '00 Jetta TDI was totaled after over 160k miles of nearly flawless service and was my favorite vehicle ever. It never visited a dealer and all maintenance/repairs were made by yours truly. The Civic is a very different animal and personally was just not right for me. My Odyssey has been pretty reliable and the Honda dealer is very good near me (360° from my Toyota dealer). I would buy a used TDI in a heart-beat IF I personally knew the history/owner/etc. Knowing what I know about TDI's I could never just walk onto a lot and buy a used one. They're a finicky vehicle and many pre-owned ones were test subjects of Toyota/Honda owners. They have the dealers perform the service and after a couple small problems that the dealers screwed up the repairs (or charged them a ridiculous amount) they dump them and run back to Honda/Toyota. Read back through these threads (and other TDI sites) and you'll find tons of stories of dealerships that just have no clue how to service TDI's and you'll understand where I'm coming from.
  • jettajanejettajane Member Posts: 3
    My radio wouldn't turn on this morning. The first thing I wanted to check was the fuse. I looked at the "fuse card" and can't tell which fuse is for the radio. Any idea where I might be able to get that information? Thanks.
  • michael1964michael1964 Member Posts: 2
    test drove the civic again today and the ride quality of the vw is still my preference.
    The previous owner of the jetta was an older couple who had the vehicle serviced at a local vw dealer. There is only 37000 km on it. There are so many positives about the civic,new,full warranty,0km, however the fuel economy in the jetta might out way the positives in the civic.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Two things I'd be scared of...make that three. Low mileage tdi, driven by old people, and serviced by dealer. That's a bunged up trifecta there. I'd prefer one with 100k miles driven by Mario Andretti if it was serviced by someone that had a clue what they were doing.

    Easy driving will gunk up the intake on a TDI and it's an elaborate process to clean it out. I've heard of dealers charging $500-$600 to do this but I helped a guy (car bought used.....) do it in a few hours. Either way, it can easily be prevented by just driving the thing and not babying it. Not using the correct oil is a big no-no and there's many documented cases where dealers aren't using the correct oil and/or the LOF guy just doesn't know/care. And 37,000km in three years???

    I had several major complaints with my short-term '07 Civic. One, the seats just killed me no matter what I did with them. That's a subjective issue and I'm sure most folks don't have that problem or everyone would be ditching them. It was the main reason I bailed on it. Second, the car has zero torque which wore thin on my nerves after awhile. I drive in the mountains a lot and hills that I could accelerate up in 5th gear with the tdi required holy-crap rpms just to try and maintain speed. Got old quick. And finally, driving my typical 75-80mph resulted in a mere 28-30mpg. The good news is the Civic suspension/steering/feel doesn't urge you to drive that fast so you'll likely find yourself putt-putting along at a more leisure speed. I was averaging 35mpg overall keeping it in the 70mph range on the highway. My TDI would average 45mpg with highway speeds in the 75-80mph range and overall far more aggressive driving.

    I'm actually looking (more proactive than active) for a used '05.5 or '06 TDI that was owned by a diesel geek. Very hard to find because the types that actually take care of these cars don't usually get out of them unless they're forced. I actually bought my '00 used from a guy that lost his job and just had to sell it.

    There are other small fuel efficient choices out there that aren't quite as dull as a Civic. I went the Civic route only because I knew I'd only need it short-term (although I was thinking a year or so...) and had the chance to buy an '07 for under invoice. They typically get close to MSRP for them which worked to my favor a couple months later. Also keep in mind how many miles you drive will calculate into your decision. If you only drive 12k miles a year, the difference between 35mpg and 45mpg is only $200.
  • jettaguy1jettaguy1 Member Posts: 1
    Hey,

    I have a 2004 Jetta TDI that had the same issue. They changed the same cooler and the leak stopped so far. It's been over a month. The Thermostat was stuck part way open which was just ducky, too. The issue started about 120 000km.... just as the warranty ran out. Cool stuff eh?
  • vwinvavwinva Member Posts: 71
    Get the TDI. I bought one used from a small dealer (not VW) in 2003. 46K on it. Did a complete service on it right after I bought it to bring everything up to standard. Still driving it, now has 183K on the odometer. I expect to get 300K out of it. The fluids and filters you can do yourself. Read through the FAQ at TDIclub.com to get an idea of how to do it. TDIparts.com is a good source for what you'll need. Timing belt is the one item you will need done by a mechanic who knows what he is doing.
  • vwinvavwinva Member Posts: 71
    One other item I should mention. Fuel additive. I use Powerservice Diesel Kleen + Cetane Boost. 4oz in every tank. Available at Wal-Mart. Not expensive and well worth the cost. If you are in an area where the temperature goes below 20F you'll want to use Diesel Supplement. Diesel will gel below 20F, DS has an anti-gel in the blend. If Powerservice not available, check auto parts stores. They should have something comparable.
  • inlarryinlarry Member Posts: 13
    I've noticed that over the last few month my '05 TDI (old body) has been very sluggish at RPM's above 2000. I have almost 0 passing power. I tried using fuel additives, which helps but only short term. I've also experimented with fuel from different sources, also with no help. I've got an appt. with the dealership for next week, but just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar and what possible causes there could be.

    The car has just over 30,000mi on it, and I've kept up on oil changes (with 505.01 approved oil) and even changed the air filter 2 times in the last 20k miles.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    leisure suit inlarry, fuel filter? Seems like the 20k fuel filter interval is a bit optimistic - one half-crappy batch of fuel my 06 has no power on the highway, and maybe stumbles too. (is yours stumbling or very smoothly having no power?)
    some TDIs were prone to MAF issues that would give the symptom you describe. a test for that is to unplug the MAF - if performance improves than a new MAF is necessary.
    also, sounds like your car is under warranty - why not let the dealer have an actual mechanic try diagnosing? :shades:
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