Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

bpeebles · April 2005

Sounds like the "oxygen sensor" (O2) is setting that code. That does not mean that the O2 sensor is the problem, but it may be.

The fuel filter has absolutely nothing to do with P0420.

First thing to check: spark plugs! Then ignition coils, then fuel injectors. The condition of the spark plugs may be a pointer to other problems. Also check the plug wires.

Did you do plug readings on the spark plugs you pulled out? That may have pointed you right to the problem.

Coil packs are a common problem of the VR6 cars. Spray some water on the coilpack while the engine is running in the dark, and watch the sparks fly! They commonly crack on the lower part of the housing.

It is possible that the coilpack is cracked. You could replace it for $200 or whatever they cost, or just pull it and mend the crack in the plastic housing with JBweld. $2 fix. Moisture gets inside through this crack and shorts out the ignition coils.

eklund · April 2005

CHANGED THE PLUGS ABOUT A MONTH AGO THEY ALL LOOKED GOOD ALL BURNING GOD WITH GOOD COLOR COULD THE OCTAIN RATING IN THE GAS SHE IS BURNING HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT???? I KNOW THE OCTAIN RATING IS 91 OR BETTER AND SHE DOSN`T RUN THAT ESPCIALLY AT 240 A GALLON FIGURED THE CAR HAS OVER 115000 THOUSAND ON IT AND THE FUEL FILTER LOOKS ORIGINAL IT SHOULD BE CHANGED I`LL LOOK INTO THE O2 SENSOR NEXT THANKS DAVE

max20 · April 2005

My 99 Jetta sometimes will race at idle when I start the engine. It also will race sometimes when I stop at a stop sign. Is there just something sticking or what? How do I fix this? Your help is appreciated.
max

jjm106 · April 2005

I have a 1996 Jetta. Yesterday I turned off the radio and it made a different noise. When I turned it back on it said "SAFE" on the readout and won't work. What's up with this? Can't find anything in owners manual. What can I do? Thanks

600kgolfgt · April 2005

This has happened to me before in my 1997 Jetta. Here's what you need to do:

There's a special security code that you need to activate the radio. There should be a pamplet specific to your radio in one of the sleeves of your owner's manual with the instructions on how to reactivate your radio.

For the radio code, you will need to go to the nearest VW dealer and they will look up the code based on the radio's serial number and your vehicle's VIN (they usually have to remove the radio for the serial number). Once you get the code, simply follow the instructions in the radio guide for the procedures to take the radio out of safe mode.

I know this may be a pain, but in the previous version of VWs (before 1993), the radios were very easy to steal (I wish they had this feature in my 1987 Golf - my radio got ripped off).

bayareavwtech · April 2005

Give me your VIN # so I can check the warranty history of repairs. Also, have they reprogrammed your ECM? There is a software update for cars with check engine lights related to the front oxygen sensor. I know this because I'm a VW technician. As far as the EPC/ASR light, your brake switch may cause that- there is an open recall for it, has it been replaced?

bayareavwtech · April 2005

You do not need a special tool to replace the fuel filter. Where did you hear that? All you need is a phillips or flathead screwdriver, and a strong fingernail. The clips that retain the filter lines are released by pressing them inward. They are horseshoe shaped clips- do not try to remove them. Just press them inward. As far as the cat efficiency fault- you probably need a catalytic converter. If you have less than 80000 miles, it's covered under the California emissions warranty. That is, if you live in CA.

lounav · April 2005

I recently purchase a 2000 Jetta - automatic transmission. I wanted to check the fluid levels; however I can't find the transmission dipstick. Can anyone fill me in on where it would be? The car didn't have the owner's manual, so the auto dealer has ordered one for me. Obviously, I haven't received it yet. :-)

Thanks!!

jeffyscott · April 2005

I think there may not be a dipstick. VWs have had sealed transmissions for a while.

pruzink · April 2005

You have to realise that most people come to these forums to look for solutions to problems. I have a 2004 PD TDI (diesel)GLS Jetta and my daughter has a 2001 2.0 Ltr (gas engine) GLS Jetta and we both love the cars and have had no problems at all. They are a great handling car. I'm not sure if you would be doing your maintenance and any repairs yourself, but if you aren't just try to find a reputable dealer (some service departments just aren't very good). I have worked on cars most of my life and there are problems with any make or model, VW is no differant. All things considered, so far my experience would be to rate them a notch above the other cars that I have owned (these were my 1st foreign car purchases). My suggestion is get it.

pruzink · April 2005

No dipstick for the tranny fluid, if you do it yourself (change fluid) make sure that you follow the procedure closely (need to monitor tranny fluid temp with vagcom and let fluid overflow out of a plug to get propper amount). Also, make sure that you use a VW approved tranny fluid.

lounav · April 2005

Wheew, I thought I was loosing my mind. :-)

Thanks for clearing that up for me. This is the first time that I've had a car with no dipstick. One thing that I still dont understand is how do you check the fluid level? Thanks for helping me clear this up. This is my first VW, as I am sure you can tell. :-)

Thanks again!!

jens99jetta · May 2005

:sick:

My 99 Jetta is having trouble with the climate control. I believe it is wiring related.

Does anyone know where I can get an A/C heater control wiring harness for a 99 1/2 Jetta IV ? ? ?

BTW - my car has the mysterious spring under the driver's seat as well. Anyone know what it is? :confuse:

Also, I have been told the ooze leaking from the doors of our Jettas is stuff they injected into the doors for shipping purposes. I was told no harm there - just messy. :P

98vwjetta · May 2005

I'm the original owner of a '98 Jetta GT with about 80k miles on it. The car has been relatively reliable with only normal maintenance and a few minor repairs. Over the last 20K miles or so the automatic transmission has really been acting up- Racing to 3.5-4k RPMs in normal driving before switching gears. Also, downshifting at inappropriate times. For example, during highway speeds of 55-60mph in fourth gear, if I depress the gas to accelerate the transmission will occasionally shift down to third, revving the engine to over 4k rpms. Any ideas on what the problem could be?

bpeebles · May 2005

It sounds to me as if the transmission is the problem. I assume that the fluid level has been checked and is correct.

Perhaps it is time to have the xmission serviced. 80K miles is a long way for an automatic xmission to go on the same fluid.

teedub · May 2005

:lemon: Just wanted to let forum members know about my 2004 Jetta TDI wagon that I purchased on 4/21/04. Took to dealer on 6/17 to have two cracked plastic interior panels replaced. Took to dealer on 7/06 for front end vibration, was told it was a tire problem, had tires checked at Michelin dealer and rebalanced, vibration persists. Car quits running on 7/23 , will not start, dealer found nothing wrong. 8/16 take to dealer cause engine quit 3 more times, front end vibration continues, pick up car after being at the dealer for two weeks, vacuum fuel pump replaced, left innner CV joint replaced, because of no grease in the boot. 9/17 Take car to dealer because engine quit 3 more times while driving, dealer replaces fuel filter, and fuel pump,this took 4 days at the dealer. 10/7, Take car to dealer for pesky wind howling noise, cowl panel installed incorrectly, dealer fixes. 4/04/05, take car for front end vibration again, that same CV joint that they replaced last August has thrown all the grease out all over the bottom of the car, dealer replaces both front axels and all four CV joints, has car for 15 days. Today, May 4th the good ole Jetta decides to quit running two times while I'm driving down the road, just like it did right after I bought it, it will restart each time after much grinding of the starter motor. Have owned the car for 54 weeks, the dealer has had it a total of 6 of the weeks. I have retained an attorney as of this afternoon to start lemmon law procedings against VOA. If anyone is considering buying a Jetta TDI, they better think twice.

foxmart · May 2005

My case was not as bad as yours Teedub, I had a 2000 Jetta gsl, which I already sold. However my car was just a headache waiting to happen. By 2004 VW should've had corrected most of the problems in the Jetta (it looks that they did not) and now they have a new Jetta replacing the old style. I read that VW invested millions of dollars upgrading its plant in Puebla, Mexico installing new robotics to upgrade quality, VW is gambling big time on the new Jetta, lets see what happens. Anyways good luck with your lawsuit.

captjoy · May 2005

Our Jetta was entered by our small grandchildren and the battery was drained of power to start the vehicle(they had left the lights on). We jumped the Jetta and now the radio will not work. It states, "SAFE". Then it changes to the number 1000. Will not turn on. The cassette and CD buttons do not work also.
Anyone have any ideas what to do to fix this?

Joy

bpeebles · May 2005

The SAFE on the radio is just the anti-theft feature. (The radio thinks that it has been stolen)

To fix it, just open the owners manual and find the radio section. There should be a special tag with the code # you need to key into the radio to make it work again.

BTW: That radio tag may have been removed and placed in a safe place away from the car. (It is not very secure to keep the code inside the car.)

If you cannot find the tag -- then you need to get the serial number off of the radio and take that number to a VW dealer so they can cross-reference it to the code you need to key in.

mramex · May 2005

ANY HELP AND SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED!
1997 VW Jetta, GL
The car died 2 months ago in a puddle. It started within 30 minutes. The engine light came on and stayed on, within a few hours and a few starts later it shut off. I was told to replace the ignition coil.(by VW) So i did and since no problems, until today. I went through the car wash and needed some help getting out. My money pit decided to die in the carwash. AAA came and took me home. It hasnt started since, Its been 8 hours. what now?

dflanagan · May 2005

did you ever get an answer ....I have the same problem?

chrisnh · May 2005

Get it to a dry place and slowly bake it, don't set it on fire. What did the check engine light tell your mechanic?

Interesting and ditto experience with a 1996 Jetta. "must be spark plug wires, we will replace distributor cap and the sparkplug wires". Seemed logical. Next puddle, Check Engine light, car died. 5 minutes later, started again. "Must be the coil". Sounded logical. Slushy snow on interstate and 10 minutes down the highway car died. After sitting in mechanic's yard overnight, started right up.

"Do you know the WD-40 and water bottle trick? WD 40 displaces water so start spraying on your wet wires. Wires not wet, run the engine & use a spray bottle and selectively get those wires wet," from an old bug hippy. "Engine starts to go rough, there is the problem wire, wire harness or what ever." Why don't those dumb mechanics figure that one out? Well 10 quarts of water later, sprayed at every wire, engine never stuttered.

"What does your check engine light say?" Evident the going rate is $35 to read it with an ODBII reader and to turn it off. It goes on before the engine dies. Mine stays on. 3 times it said "Miss fire $1cylinder". Decided to leave it on, then last week I bought an ODBII reader on Ebay for an Audi/VW/Jetta for under $40 delivered. Easy to use, got rid of the Check Engine light and learned myself that "Miss fire #1 cylinder" was the only event in its little memory.

I did notice that when I accidently nailed the "new" #1 spark plug wire with an errant stream, it started visably shorting along the rubber near the end.. Don't know if that is normal and just might be a problem.

I have started slowly renewing the wire harness coverings (not the hard plastic type) with liquid electrical tape. I am making sure where the wires emerge from the harness are sort of resealed with the goop. Trying to be neat.

My next moves? Pray for no rain of course but carry WD 40. Carefully clean up the grounds (first find that special radio code). Start looking at places where the water might be driven into the body where the wires disappear. Carry my ODBII unit and see what happens the next time my check engine light comes on. Replace the #1 sparkplug wire again. Hope someone else in the forum can come up with something for me to try.

Electrical problems are always horrible, especially the intermittent kind.

chrisnh · May 2005

I am still looking for a solution. Apparently when the engine gets hot, say after 25 miles of travel at 50 MPH or faster, oil starts leaking. I think it is comming from the oil sensor, or the oil filter flange where it attaches to the engine block, or perhaps the black thing to the left of it (which seems to send a tube to the carb air supply). Suggestions appreciated. Here is the longer story.

My daughter discovered a big puddle under her car (she paid for it) about a month ago having driven 40 miles.. Local college town garage said must be the rear seal and you need to replace your clutch - $1500. Decided if we were going to bend over, I would rather do it closer to home. Dye in the engine revealed a rocker cover seap, nothing from the rear seal, in fact no leak at all. I was feeling pissed at one place and happy with the other. Daughter lost all faith in Jetta, so now I am driving it and she has my Honda.

Then my wife drove it and I discovered about a quart of oil dump after she idled the car while talking to me. So my trusty american car mechanic said "head gasket, rear near #4 cylinder. And yes the oil sensor was leaking a little oil but I could not find one in town." But if it is a head gasket, why no oil in my antifreeze, why no antifreeze in my oil? I got the impression that the oil sensor could not throw out that much oil in so short a time.

I continue to drive the car to and from work 15 minutes, 12 miles each way. No oil leaks on the cardboard under the car at home for last 3 weeks.

Two cans of Gunk and my trusty spray bottle (see my posts on electrical problems) cleaned up all the new and old oil from the engine. Took my time, over 3 days hour or so each day. Not super show car clean, but wiped down with newspapers, scrapped nooks and crannies with a wooded stick. Engine block, head and pan has no oil on the surface and a paper towel comes away pretty clean..

Drove it 25 miles 50 to 65 MPH up and down hills. That is when I saw the sheen of oil. Nothing from the back side, comes from the front. Oil Filter does not have a drop of oil on it. Rubber boot on oil sensor has oil inside of it (a little).

Removed what I think is just a shield attached to the manual transmission, maybe clutch, because it continued to drip stuff. It had oil pooled in it along with water and Gunk. My paper towel said there was no fresh oil higher up in the cavity, just the normal black "road film". This would be where the rear seal is and I agree with the dye guy, it does not need to be replaced yet. I am looking along the head gasket and not seeing oil.

My next moves? Got to go to the big city in my Honda to an event. Will stop by the VW dealership and pick up a new oil sensor. I will have my american mechanic replace it. Then I will drive the car up the Mt Washington Auto Road and see if it leaks oil.

Sometimes this forum gets a little heavy. I will keep you posted.

chrisnh · May 2005

Can you expand a bit about coolant in wireing harness. Does it breakdown the rubber or just find places to short and not evaporate until the engine burns up ?

Thks

chrisnh · May 2005

you got any solutions. Have similar problem in NH' similar climate. People in the forum are probably sick of reading my life history about my daughter's Jetta.

mramex · May 2005

Next day- still not running, checked all wires, found a hose with a hole in it (got out the duck tape), air filter cover not completely on and wet. (love that Jiffy lube) battery dead from tring to start it, even ran it down a hill tring to pop start it. Called another tow truck. did notice * when i turned the key all lights came on as normal, but when i tried to start it all the lights went out and the oil light was flashing?

bigtim3727 · May 2005

i have a 1989 jetta and it has some electrical problems. Sometimes the reverse lights work and sometimes they dont, the hazard lights dont work, and the rear lights work sometimes. Also when you turn on the lights and hold on the high beams on all the accessories in the car work without the key in the ignition What could be the problem?

adam_mo · May 2005

I've got a 1980 Jetta that has a horrible trouble with 1rst/2nd gear but otherwise has been working fine. I parked it and suddenly the next morning it will not start. Not only is it not starting, it's not even turning over or clicking, and it was starting quite normally the day before. Any ideas on what I should do to fix it? I attempted a push start with miserable results (Engine turned over but wouldn't fire).

chrisnh · May 2005

Sounds like it got real wet. Hose had coolant in it? So now things are also soaked with antifreeze? Now your engine got a nose full of water and parts of its electrical system are soggy. Way beyond me but you have my sympathy.

For sure you got to replace that hose and dry things out, again. However if you are 50 miles from civilization and that hose has pressure, then your ducktape needs some help. Sometimes creative hose clamp work (2 or more of the screw type), with some sort of pad over the hole/split can act as a stronger finger in the [non-permissible content removed] than ducktape. The engine has to get dry and it would be a shame to get there (forever the optimist) and then have the temp repair get it wet all over again.

Sorry I could not be of more help

gwhawes · May 2005

Hi,
My Jetta GL 2.0 starts normal but after 15 minutes it stops running. I let it sit for about 3hrs and it starts right up, let it run for 15 minutes and it stops running.

I replaced 02 sensor, spark plugs and wires (had one bad wire) and several people told me it sounded like a bad ignition coil so I replaced that and it still shuts down after exactly 15 minutes. Also after the car shuts down I checked to see if there is power going to the coil and there is. Thanks for any help you can give me!

fgonzales · May 2005

My 2001 Jetta 1.8T has been driving me up a wall, I was driving yesterday and my EPC light came on and the vehicle lost power, so i went to autozone and did a diagnostic on there and it said it had a bad thermal switch, then i went to a smog test only place and they told me that i had a secondary air pump ploblem, has this ever happened to anybody else?

bpeebles · May 2005

What is the ACTUAL CODE that is stored in the memory?

sk5124rcg · May 2005

My 2002 Jetta GL has just under 25,000 miles on it. This morning I parked my car and headed to work. When I got back to my car this evening, my tail lights were on. I was able to start the car, and as I headed to the nearest service station, I noted that the EPC light was on. The mechanic told me that the only way to keep this from happening again (at risk of draining my battery) was to disconnect the battery itself. I need my car for the next couple of days - does anyone know whether or not it will be ok for the next few days until I can get it to the nearest VW dealership? I'm not so sure that the lights would just turn on again after I leave the car and have verified that they are off.

valleyg · May 2005

I have a 2003 Jetta, and whenever I accelerate past 10 mph the doors lock. This is starting to become annoying, esp in stop and go traffic. Anyone else had this problem? And by any chance was it covered under the manufacturer's warranty?

wai · May 2005

I feel sorry for you for a car so new to have this electricla problem.
How long have you parked the car before started up last time? If it is within 8 hours, I think there is no problem. The only way you want to enlong the battery life is not to lock the car (set the anti-theft alarm on) after you park the car meanwhile before you fix the car at dealership.

wai · May 2005

This is a safety feature on most cars, not just Jetta, in case, people will not force into your car while it is in the stop & go traffic. There is nothing you can do even though you are annoyed by this safety feature.

fish8 · May 2005

That's not entirely true. I had a 2002 Jetta before my '04 Passat. I had the dealer reprogram my locks so they didn't lock automatically. My rear locks buzzed at speed so I requested them to reprogram the locking system.

valleyg · May 2005

I think it's great that they lock at 10 mph when I first start driving, but the doors are already locked when I stop at a stop light. So when I accelerate and they lock again. (?) Once they lock once, shouldn't they stay locked until I unlock them?

bpeebles · May 2005

The door-locking feature can be disabled by ANYONE with a VAG-COM.

There are a number of features that can be enabled/disabled like:
"to beep or not to beep" when locking/unlocking.
Flash lights or not when locking/unlocking.
automatic door-locking once underway
automatic UNLOCK when key removed
remote unlock ONE or ALL doors with specific pushes of the button
...etc many others.

dancerman · May 2005

Yes. They should only lock once. Take it to the dealer for warranty fix.

colaba · May 2005

I have a 2001 VW Jetta VR6 with appx. 48K miles on it. I've had it for 8 months, but owning it for the last 2 months hasn't been fun. Here's why -

1. The 'Check Engine Light' keeps coming on, and it stays on for 1 or 2 days and goes off.

2. Upon starting the car, it moves in a jerky motion for some time before returning to normalcy.

3. The EPC and the ASR lights have come on a couple of times, and the car has lost power. Upon re-starting the car the EPC and ASR lights did NOT come back on and the car seemed to work OK except for the jerky motion.

I've taken it to a shop which I found on the AutoZone website. The mechanic performed the Scan and then ran the Diagnostic ($75). The error code he came up with is P1142F (I think) and is related to 'Load Distribution / Disbursement?' and 'Air Flow / Mixture?'

He thinks its the "coil" that needs to be replaced ($450) and/or the "wires" ($200). Does this sound reasonable or am I not going to get these problems resolved even after spending all this money? Please advise.

Thanks!

bpeebles · May 2005

One simple check of the coil and wires is to use a spray-bottle with water in it.

With engine idling, spritz water on the various ignition components. A cracked coil or leaky wire will immediately "show itself" by making the idle get rough. Theroretically, you should be able to HOSE DOWN the engine with a garden hose while it is idling and it will never miss a beat. (dont try it, you can crack the block whith cold water on a hot engine)

If the problem is the coil, you may wish to try removing it and sealing any cracks with hi-temp silicone RTV. It is worth a try.Just yesterday, I pulled the ignition coil from my daughters Golf and bathed it in hot-soapy water. After a good scrubbing, rinsing and drying, she is happly driving her car again. (She too, was experiencing a cylinder not firing due to ignition system leaking high-voltage)

It it is the wires, I often have been able to "revitilize" them by removing and thoroughly cleaning them. (grit on the wires/connectors can cause leaking of the hi-voltage when they are damp.)

I found that coil for your 2001 VR6 for $265 and the wires for $93.45 at
http://www.germanautoparts.com

fblack · May 2005

I have a 2000 Jetta GLS and the Windows, Sunroof, and Keyless Entry all don't work. I think it may be a fuse or fuses, however I am a girl and can't quite figure out how to do it.

The fuse box has symbols and numbers but I can only make out a few of them and I have no idea which ones need replacing.

Need Help!

cschmieg · May 2005

I'm experiencing a similar problem. Wife's 2000 Jetta stops running after about 15 mins--the yellow engine light comes on and engine dies. (It'll turn over, but not start.) It usually takes about an hour before we can start it again. Wife also states that the engine light has come on once while she was driving on the highway, sputtered for a sec, but did not cut out. The engine has stopped running 4x in the last week (including my drives today to and from the garage).

Garage was able to get a diagnostic code, but it proved too generic to identify the exact problem (something re. engine rpms, if I remember correctly).

Our mechanic suspects the problem could be the coil pack, but is not certain. Before blowing money on what could be a needless repair, would welcome any advice!

Thanks.

bpeebles · May 2005

A repair is never "needless", It is only misdiagnosed-UNNECESSARRY repairs that are needless.

I have always wonderd how automible repair shops would change their ways and show more competency if THEY had to pay for all replaced parts that turned out to not fix a problem.

You could always get a coil-pack from a salvage-yard, the parts from there are cheeper and often much more reliable than new ones. In the world of industry, a fully-tested replacement component costs MORE than a new one that has never proven itself yet.

chrislag · May 2005

The same thing happened to me regarding losing power and the EPC lights for my 2001 Jetta. First, the coils were the problem and have since been recalled by VW. If you bring it to a VW dealership I would think they would replace them for free. Second, the EPC light required a new valve or something which cost $140. Even though dealerships tend to traditionally be more expensive, I would check out your issues with them before you plunk down the $$ with someone else.

chrisnh · May 2005

Well days of looking, cleaning and etc. Tied a rag around the "oil sending" or oil sensor unit. Ran it up 7 mile hill to look at the ex Old Man of the Mountain. Rag soaked with oil. Replaed it. No more oil leaks. That little thing can leak some serious oil when it gets hot and evidently be pretty tight when it is not.

One for the humans. Thanks for the good thoughts and advice on similar problems on this forum.

chrisnh · May 2005

Got a new coil, new distributor & rotor and sparkplug wires in last 1000 miles. But car does not like water.

Rainy day so took the Jetta for a spin. Feel it miss, check engine light started blinking, then came on full. Pulled under a bridge, popped the hood, sprayed WD-40 on distributor cap, where I saw some water splashes. Ran it through more puddles, started to miss again. Looked, really hit the distributor cap. Hit the sparkplug wires where they went under the hood seemed to run better. OBD code said #1 cyl missing.

Then a visitor from NJ came out and we started talking about what was going on. He has a 1995 Jeep which he maintains. Any I told him abour the sparkplug wire, he said probably not normal. I got out the spray bottle, adjusted it to a very fine mist. 1/4 spray and it started sparking . We could see where it was comming out of thewire, just above the shield.

New theory, steam from the engine creates conditions where it starts to spark. Why it started sparking there is a mystery. Guess I better replace just that wire, if possible.

A little closer to man over machine on this one item.

gwhawes · May 2005

I went to the salvage yard and bought a coil for $60. I put it in, ran the car for 15 minutes and it died again. I think I'm going to have to bring it in and get it looked at. If I find something out I will post it here.

600kgolfgt · May 2005

Don't use WD-40. I would use a product called STP Wire Dryer - which is designed to eliminate moisture from your electrical components.

Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

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