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Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • caroltcarolt Member Posts: 2
    I have managed to ruin my jetta tdi 2003 engine because I did not replace my timing belt at the proper time. My mechanic is having a hard time locating a rebuilt engine. Can anyone help me?
  • sphinx1983sphinx1983 Member Posts: 12
    You could try ECS Tuning. They have a web site that you can shop from. They have everything VW and german cars. I have been buying my parts to fix my car from them and they are great. They even send follow up e-mails to see how everything is going with your car repair and to see if you need anything else. That to me is great customer service. We should have more people like them. They genuinely care. Hope this help and good luck with your car.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    Yes there is a 40k service interval on the DSG.
    iirc it cost about $200, maybe $300 for the 40k transmission service on 06 DSG new-beetle.
  • infamooseinfamoose Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if any one could tell me where my fuel pressure regulator is located on my 1987 VW jetta. It is a 1.8 liter non 16 valve.
  • fws4fws4 Member Posts: 5
    My 98 S10 2.2 2WD lost its drive belt with resultant loss of power steering. My son was driving and was only 3 miles or so from home, so drove it home. In the driveway, it was overheating but not horribly. I did not hear it running. Got new belt and it cranks but it will not start even with stsrter fluid. Have fuel pressure of 44-45 psi on the fuel rail. Compression is only 30-40 in front 3 cylinders, 90 in rear cylinder. Comp. improves to about 60 in front 3 after I add a few squirts of oilin the spark plug holes, rear cylinder stays 90-100. All valves & lifters working when I took off the valve cover. Can my timing be thrown by the belt loss, resulting in valve bend/damage? Ran well prior to this, no speedster but dependable. Just rebuilt my wifes jetta after bad timing belt caused valve damage and don't want to do it again on this one. I'm not great at evaluating compression readings, how do you tell if it's valves or rings leaking? Thanks for your help, this site is incredible!

    FWS4
  • bob_vonbob_von Member Posts: 1
    1995 Jetta III GLS 2.0 - Oil Pressure Light keeps coming off and on. It may flicker or stay on for several minutes. Or not come on at all. Can someone tell me what the problem is and how to stop it. I'll take any help I can get.
  • 351clevland351clevland Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1995 volkswagen jetta, that starts when it wants to. I have narrowed the problem down to the fuel pump isn't getting power, can someone tell me what controlls the power for the fuel pump/where should i look next. ( not a ground issue already checked that)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If the light seems "irrational" and not related to engine temperature or revs, it's probably the oil temp. sensor or sensor wire.
  • bob_rooniebob_roonie Member Posts: 2
    I Have a 2002 VW Jetta that is Overheating. I have changed the thermostat already but did not bother to check the water pump while I was already there (duh) but what i have noticed is that the fans do not come on when the temp reaches upwards of 190 degrees. But the fans do work when the AC compressor is on also when the car temp reaches its limit then the fans seem to kick in and work extra hard bringing the temps back down. I have a couple of ideas but would like anyone feed back. Thank you
  • sportnutonesportnutone Member Posts: 2
    The heater and the air doesn't work. There is no air of any kind coming thru the vents. I have checked the fuses All ok. I don't even hear the unit turn on.
    Any suggestions.

    thanks
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Might be the blower motor?
    Try giving it a power source and see if it works .
    If it does work then it might be the selector switch on the dash.
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Could it be the coolant temp. sensor being faulty?
    It may be reading the temp incorrectly turning on the fans after the temp has reached a higher temp than the sensor registers it as?
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Have you checked the oil level?
    If low then the oil pressure may be comprised.
    An oil pump that is intermittent may cause this alert.
    That is, one that is starting to fail.
    Check the oil pressure to see if it is up to spec.
    A clogged oil filter may cause this as well. (Really clogged.)
    Oil that is too thin in viscosity?
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Intermittent fuel realy?
    Intermittent ignition switch?
    Wire lose to fuel pump?
    Wiring at fuel pump corroded or frayed internally?
  • bob_rooniebob_roonie Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know at what temp the fans should turn on.
  • nesxnesx Member Posts: 1
    Hi, have a 2002 Jetta GLS and I'm on my way home from out of town when my battery light comes on...I get home and check my battery and everything checks out fine. Next morning I'm on my way to work and it gets possessed. I immediately notice that I'm losing power as its in drive and it turns off on me twice. get it back on by turning down lights which starts to provide a little more power until suddenly the gas pedal is no longer working and my lights begin to flutter in the car..also the power locks begin to lock and unlock on their own. My car has never had anything like this happen and now its just dead. Any ideas out there of what could cause this before I spend a small fortune at a mechanic would be appreciated Thnx :)
  • rob_jettarob_jetta Member Posts: 1
    Help. The other day while driving the emergency brake and EPS lights came on and the climate control shut down. I found fuse #5 was blown and replaced. When the fuse was replaced the engine disable activated and shut the car down. Now with the fuse out the car works and the climate control works, but the display to the climate control stays on. The fuel and engine temp gauges shut down also. A mechanic replaced the ignition switch and the gauges started working, but the car wouldn't shut down when the key was pulled. Plus, the symptoms will change slightly from one start to another. Does anybody have any thoughts. I have a feeling the dealer bill will be more that the car is worth.
  • thegipperthegipper Member Posts: 4
    I just got my 80K maintenance done on my 2003 2.0L Jetta in Dallas, TX and was told it was about time to get the timing belt replaced. They said there were some visible cracks from the outside (smooth side) but that they didn't know how bad the grooved/toothed side was.

    My questions are:
    How does one know when to replace a timing belt?

    Is $905 a lot to pay to replace:
    timing belt
    timing belt tensioner (arm?)
    water pump
    (I was told that if you are replacing the timing belt, you might as well replace all three b/c they are right there, and easy to get to once the TB is off).

    I'm new to this board, so if I need to repost elsewhere, please just let me know.

    Thank you in advance!
    David
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    sounds like battery or alternator/voltage-regulator has failed - an easy diagnosis for any mechanic to confirm.
    (if the car has the original battery there is no doubt that battery needs replacement.)
  • mudpup33mudpup33 Member Posts: 3
    Hi,

    I have had this car for about a year. Two or 3 months ago the check engine light came on with a "catalyst below efficiency bank 1" code. I drove it for a few weeks like that (the dealer said it was okay). Then the car started to miss pretty badly. It was upredictable, except that it seemed to happen mostly when you were accelerating. It gave the code P0606 - PCM Processor Fault.

    The volkswagen dealer is about an hour away from us and has NEVER managed to fix a problem (I previously had a Jetta 4 cyl) for us, so we took it to a local mechanic. They said they changed the MAF (why, I don't know) and it did nothing. They changed the coil pack and it did nothing. They decided I had water in my fuel (don't think so).

    I got the car back and drove it a few days. The problem was worse and I noticed this suspicious "clicking" sound in my dash when I would start the car. Then I noticed that when the car missed, I would hear the clicking sound. I took it back and the replaced the fuel pump relay. The car started and seemed to run okay until the numbnut sat there revving up the motor over and over and the car shut itself down and wouldn't start.

    So, then (being a moron, apparently), I let them replace the fuel pump. It didn't work. The car starts and has a clicking sound. It runs, but clicks and cuts out when you accelerate.

    Does anyone, anywhere have any idea what could be causing this problem?

    Better yet, does anyone want to buy a cute silver Jetta wagon with leather interior and only 85k for REAL CHEAP (maybe 4500)??

    Thanks,
    Mud
  • lostlost Member Posts: 64
    Does anybody know the maintainence schedule for the 2009 or 2010 Jetta DSG transmission? The vw website does not have anything newer then 2007.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    David,

    It is past time to replace the timing belt. I replace mine at 50K or when there are ANY cracks. Yours has cracks. If the timing belt breaks while the engine is running, serious eng damage can/will result. Not worth it. Replace the belt often.

    Is the $905 for everything or just the timing belt? If the shop is using list prices, it can get crazy quick. Not to mention labor. It still seems high. Changing the timing belt is something you can do. Buy a good maint. manual and read up on the replacement. It's not that hard. No special tools needed.

    Replacing the tensioner and WP. I didn't replace my tensioner until 90K or so. Water pump I will do now that I am at 150K. So your tensioner is in the range where I would replace it. Have you flushed and changed your coolant every two years? If the cooling system has been kept in order, you might be able to push it off until the next belt change. The coolant ever look dark/cloudy/rusty? If so, might want to change the WP. You can always pull the pump off and take a look. It will only cost you a WP gasket.

    Check out AutohausAZ. I get a lot of parts from them. Their VW part prices are some of the best. You can even get a tech manual from them. Even if you don't end up doing the work yourself, the manual is nice to have. But if you are thinking about doing it yourself, let us know. I have done a bunch of these. I'm sure others out there have as well. So you will get a lot of help and save a bunch of money.

    Tracy
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Most switches are 95/102 C.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Hi Mud,

    Sounds like you are having a lot of fun! LOL. Looks like a lot of parts were just replaced without really testing them to see if they were faulty. I'm surprised that they didn't replace the 02 sensors as well. Have you been able to isolate where the clicking sound is coming from? Under the dash is a large area. Any chance it is coming from the engine compartment? Have you had the ECU checked? The clicking sound may be the problem or a result of another problem. If a relay is clicking, you should be able to feel it. That will give you the system it is for.

    I'm guessing that the check engine light is still on. What are the codes now? The P0606 I'm guessing is part of the ECU. The closest codes I have in my manual are 0604 and 0605. Both part of the ECU. May be a VW code. I would start with the ECU. Once you know it is good, you can move from it to other systems. Have you searched the net for the P0606 code?

    Sorry I can't be more help. This is a new one. Keep us up to date.

    Tracy
  • thegipperthegipper Member Posts: 4
    Tracy-
    Thanks so much for your insight!
    Yes $905 was for the belt, tensioner, and WP. I called one place who will do it for $850, and I have others on my list to call as well.

    Thanks also for the reco on AutohausAZ. I'll check it out. I don't know if I am up for changing the belt myself, but I'm definitely going to look into getting a tech manual.

    Thanks again!
    David
  • belaircarguybelaircarguy Member Posts: 107
    David - My trusted mechanic who has worked on many of my cars over the years, has always recommended the water pump be changed at the same time as the timing belt. The reason is that by 60,000 miles (the normal recommended time to replace the timing belt on most cars), the water pump is starting to wear. Most cars require the removal of the timing belt to get to the water pump, and so this is more a preventative measure to replace the water pump. Basically, as long as you have it apart, replace the pump. His experience showed that when the new timing belt is installed, the extra tension many times will create problems with the old water pump.

    I have followed his advice on several cars and replaced the pump and timing belt at the same time. I have had zero problems (various car brands), so it is probably worth the extra money, just to avoid a leaking water pump later (especially if you are on some lonely road late at night when it begins to leak).

    Bel Air Car Guy.
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I just purchased a 2001 Jetta TDI and so far it is a good used car. However when I put the car in reverse it shakes so bad I think the mirrors might fall off. Also when in gear (its and automatic) Without pressing the pedal at all it coasts unevenly, Like someone is depressing the pedal slightly for a few seconds then letting off of it. It is frustrating because I have to parallel park on a daily basis and I don't know when the car is just going to take off on its own.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    David,

    I understand that you may not want to tackle the timing belt. I know over the years I have saved myself hundreds of dollars on repairs. Less I spend on labor, the more I can spend on parts. You should be able to get a Haynes repair manual at a local parts store. It's a basic manual. R.Bentley repair manual is probably the best. Autohaus carries this manual.

    When you are asking for quotes, ask for the parts and labor cost separate. I priced the three parts you are looking to replace at Autohaus, $125. So your cheapest quote so far is $850, that puts labor at $725, wow. Having them separate the two, you know how much each it is costing you. The stories I could tell you about the over priced parts game. Also, ask where the shop gets their parts. You want good quality parts at a good price. Last thing on this, ask if they are willing to put your parts on for you. You supply the parts, they install. Labor may go up a bit, but you can compare the cost between the two.

    If cost isn't really a factor, change the WP. I have used mine for 150K and three timing belt changes and no problems. No leaks, no overheating. Lucky, maybe, but I will not push it any further. $60 from AZ. Not much to pay for peace of mind. Make sure you use G-12.

    Other things to think about while that part of the engine is apart. Cam position sensor. It's behind all that stuff. There is no replacement schedule that I know of. If it fails, you get a check engine light and a poor running engine. Must tear it all down to get to it. I replaced mine around 90K when I was doing the belt. Noticed that some of the plastic around the pickup was cracked/missing. Check out the engine mount. They do wear out. With your mileage it's probably good, but...........it will have to be removed to do the timing belt and you should use NEW bolts when remounting the engine mount. What condition is your drivebelt in? Replace if it is worn, cracked, glazed, ect.

    Yes, it can get crazy quick. My son is going on vacation for two weeks. I get to do the struts, all suspension bushings, brakes, motor mounts, and the stuff you are doing. We're over $500 and counting. Most of the parts coming from AZ.

    Tracy
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like you may have motor mount problems
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    You have three "engine" mounts. Right and left side and one under the car. Quick way of checking the mounts is to have someone you TRUST get in the car with the parking brake applied and foot on the brakes engine running. Stand to the side of the car, never in front. Safety first. Go from Neutral to drive and back to N and then into Reverse and back into N. If the engine is trying to come out after you, your mounts are worn out. Also check to see if the bolts are tight. To be shaking and jerking that much, they are probably worn out and you will see it right away.

    Also check the strut mounting hardware and your control arm bushings. If these are worn out, it can make your Jetta do funky things. But I agree with Mr. Shiftright, check out the mounts first. If you don't notice anything, time to take it to a shop. We all hope it isn't the trans.

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I will defiantly check all the motor mounts and bushings, I am going to pull it all apart to clean it out tomorrow anyway and make sure there is nothing sneaky hiding in there.

    But if it was the motor mounts wouldn't the car shake whenever the engine is on? When it is at idle or in gear (besides reverse) It is no different than my friends Honda Civic, but when I put it in reverse it starts to go nuts. I would think if the mounts were bad that it would do this all the time the engine is running, not just in reverse.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well if you think about it, the stresses on the driveline are different in forward and reverse gear, especially if your idle speed is a bit high. If you had mentioned this shaking and not the 'bucking' kind of symptom as well, I might agree with you, but the two together does point to at least a suspicion of motor/trans mounts.
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I also noticed today that when I put it in reverse and push the brake in as far as it will go, so the car just sits there, The speedometer jumps from zero to 10mph and then goes back to zero. It doesn't do this in any other gear. The place I got the car from said they had to send the car to a vw dealership to get the speed sensor replaced. Is it bad again?
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    I'll state the obvious, it's not normal for the speedo to jump up to ten miles an hour when it is sitting still, in reverse. Great observation. Bad speed sensor? It could be. I have a "00 Jetta and mine is working fine. Then you hear of some that don't last 50K. Just doesn't seem that it would fail this soon. If it fails, it fails. Your speedo wont work right or at all. There is a way of checking it, but you will have to have jack stands and a multimeter with backprobes. It's a $60 part.

    Did you check out the mounts? If the motor has an abnormal amount of movement(bad mounts/something broken) it could be throwing off the sensor. The drivetrain is still but the engine/trans is moving. In reverse, the engine moves making it think you are moving forward. The system doesn't know the difference. Once you can rule out the mounts and the suspension, with the symptoms you are writing, your looking at the transmission/transaxle.

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I was out there all day yesterday and pulled apart the car piece by piece. That rear motor mount is a pain to be able to get to see. The side two mounts are properly installed and are tight. However when I put it in reverse you can see the engine pop up a little bit ( like changing its position from level in the car to some angle, I would guess about 20 to 25 degrees off.). From what I have read and what others have posted this leads me to believe that the rear motor mount in failing in which case would mess up the entire system (trans, sensors... everything). I am having a hard time in getting a good enough look at that back mount though.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Yes, taking a look at the rear mount is a pain. You have to have a drive on lift or pit so you can look at it. If there is that much movement, good chance it is worn out or broken. The place online where I get most of my parts doesn't have the lower mount for your TDI. Check with VW and see if that mount fits other engine types. Maybe you will get lucky and it is the same p/n for 2.0L, 1.8T. The lower mount for a 2.0L was around $55. VW price will be a whole lot more. Checked one local auto parts store. You have to order it, no price given.

    I would be real tempted to change all three mounts at the same time. If the rear mount has failed, it is putting a lot of stress on the other mounts. Wearing them out before their time.

    Do you feel you could do the work, or will you take it to a repair shop?

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I wish I had the right tools and space to undertake this process myself, But I do not, nor do I have a garage or any type of shelter from the elements. So I am taking it to a local place about 3 miles away from my house that specializes in WV. I asked the first mechanic I called if it was necessary since it was just a motor mount but when I called the vw specialty place I also set up a general check fo the vehicle. Guess it will all work out.

    As for the other two mounts, I figured that they would have excess wear and tear on them because of the third one being beat up, but when I checked them yesterday they seemed to be tight and did not appear to have any play in them. That is one thing I am going to ask the shop to take a look at for me.

    At the local Advanced Auto mounts range from 80 to 150 for the rear and 50 to 100 for the side mounts. These priced do not seem to be reasonable. I figure the shop will take about an hour to do the actual labor and they probably get their parts from advanced auto since its like a mile away.

    Thanks a lot for everyone helping me out with this inconvenience, special thanks to underthevwhood. You seem to be very knowledgeable about vw. I know where to go if I have any future problems :)
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    I've owned six VW's and have two now. Looking to get my daughter a Bug. No rush, I will get one at my price. Also, went to school for this. I own most tools needed. Have a place to work.

    Check all the local auto parts stores for the prices. There can be quite a difference. Make sure the price is for the dogbone with bushings, not just the bushings. The price you wrote looks like it is for the dogbone with bushings.

    If cost is an issue, you could hold off on the side mounts. You are aware of them. Have the shop check them out before and after the rear mount is replaced. On a lift, it shouldn't take that long. Jack stands a little longer.

    Please let us know how it all turns out.

    Tracy
  • nitekimnitekim Member Posts: 5
    My dashboard has been lighting up like a christmas tree lately.

    Currently I have the car throwing the following codes I was able to get from a generic code scanner. Check engine light is currently on

    17581
    Throttle Actuation Potentiometer Sign.2 Signal too High
    17950
    Throttle Actuation Potentiometer Range/Performance
    17952
    Throttle Actuation Potentiometer Signal too High

    On occassion and it happened several times today for some reason the EPC light will go on and I will lose power. Usually just a simple restart will make that light go away and I'll have power again, but the triangle/circle light usually stays on until I restart it again.

    I've cleared the codes several times and have them stay off for a week at at time sometimes, but they always come back

    I've had no work done on the car recently so it couldn't of been cause by anything else that was done to it.

    I've checked all the fuses and they all appear to be good. I've also checked all the hoses for cracks and any loose connections and everything appears to be ok.

    It's a 2000 Jetta VR6 with the 2.8L engine

    I don't want to go to the dealership or anywhere else for that matter and have them throw on a new throttle body and have it not solve the problem cause that's how most places operate.

    So what should I check first?
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I just got back from the shop. They say there is no problem with the engine mounts and that they are all installed and properly in place. It also said that the exhaust hanger support and mount are missing and that they would need to replace the entire exhaust system for around $900. It also said the transmission is leaking fluid and they suspect it is starting to fail. Other than that the rotors are rusty (due to sitting on a car lot for about a year) and the under pan is missing. I planed to replace it with a metal one anyway.

    So basically it needs a transmission and exhaust system but somehow it still passed inspection? Any suggestions underthevwhood? haha happen to live close to West Virginia?

    I looked up transmission options and found out rebuilding the one you have is useless. A new automatic transmission and installation sits somewhere around $5000. Anyone know how much it is to convert an automatic trans to manual? The new manual 5 speed transmission is only 2 to 3 thousand plus installation and conversion costs.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Sorry about the bad news. Like I wrote earlier, if it wasn't the mounts, your looking at the transmission/transaxle. Just our luck, it's never the simple/cheap fix.

    I don't think a trans service will help. So the options are new, used, or rebuild. With the $5000 you were quoted, new is out. You can buy a different Jetta for that. What did you learn about rebuilding the trans? Useless, please explain. Used may be an option. Most likely from a salvage yard. Most of the time they can tell you if it was working when they received the car. How bad is the leak?

    The quote for the exhaust seems a little high. I don't understand why they would want to replace the exhaust system if the hangers and/or mounts are missing. This is something they should be able to fabricate. Are the mufflers shot as well? For $900, you should be able to get top of the line stainless. Check with your local muff. shops.

    Convert to a 5-speed manual trans.....you don't want to go there. LOL. Way to much work, especially if you don't do the work yourself. More Work=More Money.

    Sorry I live in South Texas. Little far to help. You will have to be persistent and "ferret" out the good prices. I got tired of paying a lot just because I had a VW. After a quick search, I found a rebuilt 5-speed auto for around $2100 w/ one year warranty. Not cheap but better that $5000.

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    I have read many forums online including a few at tdiclub and everywhere seems to say that when you rebuild the transmission it will last 100k at most then fall out again. However there have been a few cases when the transmission fell out sooner than that, and some when the rebuilt transmission fell out under 20,000 miles. These could be isolated incidents though.

    The garage I took it too was kind of vague. They said it was leaking but only suggested fixing it and said it shouldn't be much of a problem. To me that seems like it is not leaking too much but who knows until I get a chance to look at it myself. They seemed to think it was more important to fix the exhaust before the transmission. The receipt says center exhaust hanger support and mount missing, and front exhaust poor. It passed inspection and the engine is not very loud so I don't really care about the exhaust. It seems fine to me, I might just weld it or make my own brackets once I get my welder.

    The car shifts fine in all gears except for first. Off the line it kicks, and very occasionally it stalls itself out but will start right up again. Also when the transmission fluid warms up there is less of a problem with it. It stalls more often when cold in reverse.

    I have to look in the area to see if there are any used transmissions. from what I have read it looks like their life span is from 100k to 150k and they start to fail.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Try resetting / zeroing the throttle potentiometer.

    The procedure can be found on the internet. Essentually it entails turning the key "on" (dont start engine) and then slowly push throttle pedal to floor and slowly release. Then shut off key. This is supposed to resycronize the pedal to the throttlebody.

    (My recolection of the procedure may be somwhat simplified.... please review the correct procedure.)

    If a resync. does not "stick", then consider using VagCom to isolate the problem.
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Mechanic says the ignition switch is bad b/c you have to Push the key in and jiggle it to function to get the starter to operate.

    How does one go about changing the lock cylinder.
    How about changing the ignition switch?

    If I can not get it to start I can not check the ignition coil which might have been giving the daughter trouble.

    Would love to get it started and then sell the high maintenance item. The car not the daughter. Ha Ha. She just got engaged and will need the money from the sale to help pay off bill to my sister and then some left over to pay for the wedding.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Hi Rev,

    Good news- the lock cylinder and the ignition switch are two different parts. Replacing the ignition switch isn't that big a deal. Since you don't plan on keeping the Jetta, buy a Haynes repair manual at your local auto parts store. This manual is good enough for this job and does explain how to do the replacement.

    I had to replace one on my '97 Golf. It was so bad that the headlights would not stay on. I think there was a recall on this years ago. I didn't bother checking it out, just replaced it. Not one of VW's greatest designs. I have had no problems since the replacement and that has been some years ago.

    The only special tool you will need is a puller. I used a three leg puller, and it worked fine. The puller is used to pull off the splined collar for the steering wheel. Also, you may need a special shear-bolt. Anti-theft thing you know. I used a vise grips to get mine loose and reused the old "bolt". I have the new shear-bolt sitting in my tool box, lol.

    Once you get the engine turning over, then we can tackle the coil.

    Tracy
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Yes,VW auto trans don't hold up so well. 100K is normal. Sucks when you are the one who has to pay for the rebuild. I may have to take back looking at getting the trans serviced. Almost sounds like it is all gummed up inside. Not until it warms up and the fluid is a bit thinner does it work. If the trans has been leaking, the level may be low as well. Worth looking at. The engine stalling is interesting. Has it always done that? Do you plan on keeping the Jetta for a while?

    If the hangers/brackets are missing and the mufflers are fine, you fabricate new ones. It's not that hard for a shop to do. Take a look at new parts on the net and then look at yours. You can see what is missing right away.

    Consider taking you TDI to another shop to get a second opinion. See what someone else thinks. Don't tell them what the first shop said, just tell them what you have told us here. See what they find out. My son saved a bunch of money doing this very thing.

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    Yes I plan on keeping my Jetta for a long long time, That is the main reason I went for the TDI option. $2100 is not too bad for a re-manufactured? transmission that is a 5 speed automatic. Where did you find that? At least it will be brand new and the car will be basically new then. How much for installation, my understanding is that it is pretty much just bolt on and go. That and resetting the computer and hooking up the sensors. Is that all there is to it? And do I need a vag-com or special computer to reset the computer in the car?

    Today the check engine light came on, next time I get close to an advanced auto I will have them check it for me, just to make sure it is the transmission and not some other error. So I start the car and let it idle for like 2 to 5 minutes and then it is fine, rarely stalls. However when I am coasting or it has to downshift into first it grinds the clutch horribly. Like someone learning to shift for the first time. After it warms up it does not shake as much when I put it into reverse either. I have to call this transmission specialty place tomorrow to get an estimate on rebuilding the trans, and depending on how much it costs I might have them change the fluid and see if that helps at all. I would like to change the filter to but I believe that it is a sealed unit and the filter is not changeable? Any one know this for sure? (Those sealed transmissions are a crock, just a way for the manufacturers to get more money) :P
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Since you plan on keeping your Jetta, rebuilding your transmission is probably the best bet. Cheaper than new and a lot less risk than a used one. I just did a quick search for "VW automatic transmission". Don't remember the exact website. There are plenty of manual transmissions out there. You will have to look on your transmission to find out what model you have. Yours should be a 4-speed. I just saw the 5-speed in my quick look. The price seemed reasonable. It's the TIN-transaxle identification number. Just did another quick search and found at AutoShoppingCenter 4-speed transmissions for $1695, $190 shipping. They were out of TDI trans, but the price is getting better. Check with at least two transmission shops for how much it will cost you to rebuild it.

    As for replacing it, it's a JOB. A lot of crap to get out of the way. Then its bolt on. Doing the clutch on mine is hell. Glad I don't have to do that every 15K, lol.

    Your transmission is not a sealed unit. VW however does consider it to be a "sealed" unit. Too even check the fluid level is a major pain in the butt. Autohaus AZ has a filter kit for $22.35. I can not recommend doing this yourself. Specially with the problems you are having. Also, you have to use trans fluid for a VW. Part of their "sealed" unit, lol.

    Before you write off the transmission, have it looked at. It does sound like the transmission, but make sure. Grinding is never good if coming from the trans. Let them know about the speedo jumping to 10 MPH when put in reverse sitting still. To me, that is an important clue.

    Tracy
  • jss1974jss1974 Member Posts: 1
    2009 Jetta S A/T @200 miles

    I hear the following:
    1. if i hold steady at 50mph, there is a slight whining noise. not there beyond that speed

    2. start car in drive way. turn A/c on and fan speed is set to its lowest level. reverse car from drive way. put in drive and slowly start driving. hear more like a metallic rattling as though a/c motor is kicking in or something and continues on while i turn left and step on gas and then the noise is gone.

    3. On certain road, the steering wheel vibrates a lot and vibration is felt by driver and passenger..and once it felt like the wheels were about to fall off..this happened at 55mph and at 70mph
  • stevepitts2stevepitts2 Member Posts: 3
    We have noticed brown stains on our 2009 Jetta Sportwagen, Candy White, just below the fuel door. These can only be removed by wet-sanding - which, obviously, is not a long term solution. has anyone else experienced this issue?
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