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Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The vibration could be a simple tire-out-of-balance situation.

    Where is the whining noise coming from, and does it happen on all kinds of road surfaces (could be tire noise)?
  • mattyp33mattyp33 Member Posts: 1
    i just got a 97 jetta and my speedo does the same thing. how do you fix this?
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    Well apparently there is no one in the area that will touch a vw transmission. Stupid transmission specialty shops wont even get one off a totaled car and hook it up for me. Just my luck, there is a dealer about 40 minutes away and a shop that will probably do it about 50 minutes away (family friend who changed the transmission on our civic). As for rebuilding it, there is no one in the area that can, so I would have to pay about 300 bucks just for shipping it off to a place to have it done. I have not even put 100 miles on the stupid car and I am already fed up with it. Mainly because of the service from the place that sold me the car is a little family owned POS and the employees (all family or friends) think they can do whatever they want because they can not be fired. I filled out a complaint with the BBB. Anyone in southern Pa. stay clear of Garry's Auto Sales Inc.

    I am wondering if they put something like engine honey in the transmission to muffle any problems. One of my friends recently got a car and this was done to it and the engine ran like crap until it warmed up and the 'engine honey' thinned out a little bit.

    Well anyway sorry about my SOB story just needed to get a little steam off my chest.

    just trying to figure out what comes next. I will probably drive the car how it is for a while. I will try and get the fluid and filter changed and that leak sealed to see if that helps at all. For now I just put the car in neutral when I am costing. I try not to let the car downshift a lot because that is there the problems seem to arise. Other than that it drives pretty well. I think I can keep the trans in good enough condition to save up for a beater car. Who knows we will see I will try and keep you updated.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Sorry for all your trouble. I bet the car was like that when you bought it. I'm a used car dealers biggest nightmare. I have no problem telling them their car is crap and has problems. It amazes me how they don't care. Parts missing, parts not installed, things not working. When I take the car out for a test drive, I run the hell out of it. Even if the sales dude comes along.

    Feel free to vent all you want.

    What's next? You will have to source a transmission. Plenty of them out there on the net. Check out prices and warranty. Like the one I posted for you, the shipping was reasonable. Then you will have to find a shop that will put it in for you. For something this big, make the road trip to a shop that you feel good about doing the job.

    What about taking your car to them to have the trans checked out? Road trip, I know but you could come away with a lot of good info.

    Tracy
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    JSS,

    Your car is new. Have you taken it back to VW? Can you reproduced the metallic rattling with the A/C off? How about when you turn right?

    Where do you think the whining noise is coming from? Under hood, IP, wheels.

    Backy is right, I would check out the balance, as well as, the tires and rims. Drive shaft and/or wheel bearing can give you vibration and noise as well. But your car is very new.

    Tracy
  • 01tdi01tdi Member Posts: 16
    Yeah that is what I plan on doing, The mechanic that my dad uses all the was in upstate NY specializes in audi and has quite a few vw. Right now he is rebuilding a New Beetle diesel for personal use. They seem to think it is the valve assembly in the transmission, I forget what it is called at the time. I have done a little bit of checking and this seems to be a reasonable fix. A read a few other posts where the same kind of grabbing and slipping when the engine is cold happens and was fixed like this. The final price on it from them was $1200 bucks. Does not seem too expensive, but if I can get the entire transmission rebuilt for not much more I will have them do that just to make sure there is nothing to worry about. I assume that the replacement of this valve includes new vw approved trans fluid. I will also ask them to replace the filter. They said they would look over the electronics too and help me out with a few small problems I am having. Stuff like no matter what CD I put in the cd player it reads cd err and spits it back out. I even bout a couple new cd's just to see if mine were too scratched up, no luck though. They also said they would turn off the alarm system so my neighbors cats wont keep setting it off in the middle of the night, and would check to see if the computer was throwing any codes.

    This seems like a pretty good price to me, and they will help me out a little more since they know my dad. However the place is like a 6 hour drive from here so I will have to drive the car as is for a little while until I get time to take it up there for however long it is going to take them to do all this work.
  • stumped12stumped12 Member Posts: 1
    can anyone tell me how to remove the intake manifold on this motor. Have a diagram maybe?
  • tdrewketdrewke Member Posts: 1
    Just had my water pump replaced under VW warranty (I had the VW Certified Used warranty) and they did the timing belt while they had it apart. A few days later I was driving at night (about 45 minutes worth of NYC-area traffic, plenty hot, 86 degrees outside) and suddenly the lighting on the HVAC panel fades, then the main instrument cluster dims, then the ABS and the air bag lights come on, then all panel lighting and headlights dim to black. Engine is running fine, not even rough. What an odd feeling. I would have thought if the electrical system went bad, the engine would also fail. I stopped at a traffic light and a minute later, all lights came back on by themselves.
    Bizarre.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Stright6 in a VW?? Are you certain you are not dealing with the VR6 engine?
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Have you had the battery checked?
    Free at Autozone.
    Loose or corroded connections on battery.
    Loose belt on alternator.
    Bad alternator.
    Bad diodes in alternator.
    Bad dashboard dimmer switch.

    These are the things I would look at.

    Might be other things that other people might come up with that is more specific to VW.
  • mudpup33mudpup33 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks so much for the advice Tracy,

    We took the car to a different mechanic and he replaced the plugs and wires. The car ran great for about 100 miles and then went totally haywire. The mechanic says that there are about 10 different codes in it now. If we can't get it running, I guess I'll have to have towed back home (yuck).

    The P0606 code said a PCM processor fault. I'll have to try and narrow down the clicking.

    It sounds like the ECU may be a good place to start.

    Thanks again...
    Mud
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Sounds like a bad ground somewhere... a 2002 may be old enough to require having the ground-connections cleaned up. (especially check the power/ground connections to the ECU)
  • vwnikvwnik Member Posts: 1
    i changed my belts and it seemed to run great after driving it for a while i noticed it slow to start. a while after that it started bucking when i let the gas off and will continue to buck until the pedal is let out all the way or if i start to give it gas again. i also added a fuel injector cleaner that day. what is going on?
  • doctordcdoctordc Member Posts: 2
    I'm a new Jetta TDI owner -- love the car -- but encountering a couple of issues and wonder if someone has experience or knowledge of them.

    First, my automatic transmission makes a slight but percteptible thud as it downshhifts into first gear when I stop. I took it to VW service, and they told me that all the electronics on the transmission check out fine. They will not say if this "thud" is typical or not, or if it should be happening at all.

    Anyone have experience with this '09 six speed automatic? What should I expect?

    Second, on two occasions I have turned off the engine only to have the fan continue to run at high speed. In each casse, after waiting about three minutes, with fan still whirring, I re-started and shut down the engine and the fan stopped.

    Is it normal for the fan to do this?
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Second, on two occasions I have turned off the engine only to have the fan continue to run at high speed. In each casse, after waiting about three minutes, with fan still whirring, I re-started and shut down the engine and the fan stopped.

    We had that happen a few times on our gas Jetta 2.5. Then we had CEL on with the code 2181 and there was some pretty extensive and expensive ($600-800, IIRC) repairing done (under warranty) to some cooling system sensor(s) and associated wiring harness(es). I figured the fan staying on was related to the failing parts that eventually set off the CEL. The fan has not done this again in the 6 months since the repair.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    Mud,

    Grounds would definitely be a thing to check. You wouldn't think it would cause so much trouble, but they do. I'm not sure if the ECU is self grounding or not. If it is, you will have to clean up the contact points. It's probably the mounting bolts. Over the years they can corrode. If not, then it is grounded through a wire coming into the unit.

    Check around for a shop (to include VW) that can check the ECU. The check would rule out or confirm the ECU is bad.

    Tracy
  • mudpup33mudpup33 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks again - I'll definitely pass this along. Right now they are thinking that I need a new computer, but I'll certainly ask them to check the grounds. I did hit a deer about a month or so before this starting happening. I wonder if it could have knocked something loose?

    Well, I'm off to try and figure out where the heck an ECU is on this car? This sounds silly (sorry), but can you take the ECU out of the car and take it somewhere to get checked? I would surely rather do that before I buy a new one.

    Thanks again! :)
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    The second "issue" that you have can be quite normal actually. Depending on how you were driving, the fans may run in order to cool the turbo down after shutting off the car to prevent damage to it. The fans may run for about five minutes or so, then shut off automatically. I believe there may be a section in the manual regarding this.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    completely normal for fan to run until the thermal sensor is satisfied that things are cooled off.

    HOWEVER: I would not expect this to happen very often except in extremely hot weather or you did not allow the proper cooldown of the turbocharger.

    REMINDER: With a turbocharged engine, it is ESSENTUAL that you allow engine to idle for awhile to circulate cooled oil thru the turbocharger before shutting off. This is especially true when you pull off highway traveling 65+ MPH into a "rest area". turbocharger can be RED HOT at that point!! If you do not allow idle-time for turbocharger to cool off, the bearings can 'cook' without flow of fresh oil for several minutes.

    Personally, I always watch the clock and allow 2 full minutes of idle-time when I pull into rest-area before shutting down.

    Do not forget... unlike some other turbocharged engines (Subaru).... the TDI turbocharger is OIL OOLED ONLY.. (not watercooled)
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    The fans alone CANNOT cool the turbocharger because the turbocharger is oil-cooled. Engine must be running to circulate the cooled oil thru the turbo bearings.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Most (all) of the ECU diags can and should be done with ECU in the vehicle. There is a data-access-port on all vehicles. (federal law)

    Do not forget that the ECU is covered by the Federal Emmissions Warantee which may be 100,000 miles on your 2002.

    I cannot stress enough that yours is most likely a ground problem. A ground is perhaps the ONLY thing that can cause multiple - simoutainious errors. All the sensors that feed the ECU and all the outputs from the ECU rely on GROUND being solid and well-connected everywhere.

    Personally, I remove and solder EVERY ground connection in my cars. I also file-clean to shiney metal every ground holddown point. Why do I do this? I am trained in electronics and know what a bad ground can do to a computer system in a car.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Thanks, that's good to know. I think one time when it was very hot out, the engine was still running after I shut the car off, along with the fans. Wasn't sure what to think about that, this clears things up for me.
  • doctordcdoctordc Member Posts: 2
    Thanks to bpeebles and others who provided useful information about cooling the turbocharger.
  • cgar23cgar23 Member Posts: 4
    2003 1.8T

    The other day all the coolant leaked out, I noticed this hose seems to be broken (see pics) where there was a connector or plastic piece of some kind between two clamps. Can someone please help me identify the part and let me know if I just replace it and fill er back up with coolant will everything be good to go? Thanks so much!

    Images here: http://yfrog.com/11dsc03408vkejx
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    man - your engine-bay is dirty. I use soap and a brush to clean engine-bay annually every spring.

    As for your problem - I am not familear enough with the 1.8T engine. I am sure any VW dealership would have diagrams of the components. (or a car on the lot you could look at)

    To answer your question if everything will be OK.... I would say YES - provided that you did not drive without coolant in the engine.

    IMPORTANT: You *must* use only G12 coolant in that engine. In fact, your last photo shows this fact on the resivour. (The icons mean READ THE MANUAL ans USE G12)
  • cgar23cgar23 Member Posts: 4
    Yeah, I know it. I gotta wait for it to cool down a bit before I take on that job (in AZ).

    I'm pretty far away from the dealer so I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction and am hoping to order the piece. It just looks like a connector of some sort, perhaps so the whole hose doesn't have to be replaced? The connections on either end (one in the back of the engine, one up under the front) look like they might be a bit harder to replace...

    Thanks for the tip on the G12. I was aware of that and won't use anything else. Thanks for the response!
  • revmarketrevmarket Member Posts: 48
    Go to your local auto parts store. I prefer Autozone. I work there so I get a discount.

    Just ask for a hose connector for the right inside diameter of your hose.

    Open the clamps pull out old plastic parts and then put in a new plastic part.

    Should be real easy since you can get to it right off.

    Looks as if someone before you had a hose that they cut and put in the connector.

    They might have done this to flush the system.

    You could use a t connector to allow access for a flush at a future time.
  • vtvwvtvw Member Posts: 1
    The exact part broke on my 04 Jetta last week. The part number is 1J0-122-063-A. It is a length of hose with the connector on it. The hose will connect in the front of the engine. It took me less than a half hour to do the job. The cost of the hose with connector was $25 with tax at the dealer. I got the coolant off the internet for $12.75 a bottle. I received it yesterday. For some reason the coolant/distilled water mixture is taking a little while for it to get back into the system.
  • cgar23cgar23 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks a lot!
  • cgar23cgar23 Member Posts: 4
    OK, got the part and filled it back up...easy. Same thing seems to be happening with me as far as getting the coolant back into the system. It sounds like there's some air in the lines as well and it makes some gurgling sounds after the engine runs. Did yours just work itself out? Is there a bleeder valve for the air somewhere? Do I need to run it with the cap off the tank? Thanks again for the part number, that made things simple.
  • bmrichbmrich Member Posts: 10
    I am thinking of getting a 2007 2.5 automatic Jetta. I have not liked the reviews I have read so far with brake and electrical issues. Are these issues really that numerous? Is there any atypical maintenance that this car needs? Thanks!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The manual indicates a brake system flush every 2 years. That is atypical for most cars but not for German cars. Not sure why the frequent flushes are prescribed.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Brake fluid is hydroscopic (attracts water like a sponge). It is like this ON PURPOSE in an effort to 'suspend' the moisture away from critical hydrolic components. HOWEVER: once it is saturated, the water starts to form droplets inside the hydrolic system.

    ALL automobiles should have the brake fluid changed every 2-3 years (milage does not matter at all).... lest corrosion will eat the hydrolic system from the inside-out. No vehicle is immune to this. The corrosion starts in the LOWEST parts of the system (calipers) and works up into ABS components and master-cylinder.

    Dont be fooled by carmakers who do not recommend this change to happen. This has been discussed several times over in the "brakes" forums and the best conclustion I have seen is that some carmakers hope you will trade it in before all the brake-problems start to occour due to not channging the fluid regularly.
  • bmrichbmrich Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for the brake info. When inspecting used Jettas then, how can I tell if the brakes have been properly cared for? I have learned not to take the previous owners word.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Although not a precise predictor of fluid-changes.... brake fluid should be almost water-clear. Brake-fluid which is dark or black has not been changed for many years.

    (Some specialized brake fluid may be colored blue to help with changing ...by looking for color-change when bleeding the brake-fluid.)
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    If you are looking at 2007's, it's only going to be 2-3 years old, anyway. So if there is no proof that it has been changed, just get it done after you buy.
  • bmrichbmrich Member Posts: 10
    Good Point. But what about the electrical problems I have been reading about with the Jettas? Most were in the 2006 reviews but some crept into the 2007.
  • muratarummuratarum Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2007 Jetta. The only problem I had was because some electrician short circuited the system and burnt the alternator when he was installing a video system. The average mechanic and repair shop usually do not know much about these cars. They do not understand the problems and they even dont have the equpment to repair. If you get it serviced and repaired at an authorized dealer you will be fine. My previous VW served me 10 years and I only had to change oil. But I was the first owner of that car and I did not let anybody touch the car except my authorized dealer. My advice is just make sure you know about the cars past. Car dealers are usually good in hiding the problems. And if the car had been at some point auctioned, do not buy it. After an auction many things about the cars history are lost.(my experience)
  • sisko7628sisko7628 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 jetta tdi-i absolutely loved this car in the beginning, but it now has 97000 miles, we hae the extended warranty until 100000 miles....my question is my car has been at a volkswagen dealership getting repaired at least 5 times in the past 3 months....the latest started 3 weeks ago, flywheel broken which caused damage to my clutch plate which the warranty would not cover. So, my cost for repairs was around $500.00. My husband went to pick it up and they said there were more problems. When they washed it prior to us picking it up, they couldn't get it re-started. They gave us a loaner for 5 days and then claimed that the car was fixed and ready to be picked up. That was last Friday. I picked it up in the morning but the car was back at the shop because it would just die on me for no apparent reason. I am extremely leary because they have had it since last Friday and have had to call Volkswagen of America because they cannot find out what is wrong with it. I am afriad that my car that was running a little rough when I brought it in (due to the broken flywheel) will never be the same and I am going to be stuck with it

    Anything I can do?
  • nigel9nigel9 Member Posts: 2
    The larger of the two fans doesn't work. When the car is off and I spin the fan blade a few rotations it then gets hard to spin like its rusty. I heard that it might be a fan relay, or a fan switch but I just hope that it isn't that fan motor itself. It still blows cold air, but once in a while it gets a little warm, and the temp gauge went up to 190 but that was just once.I just would like a few opinions before I start replacing switches and relays and what not. Thanks.
  • nigel9nigel9 Member Posts: 2
    The larger of the two fans doesn't work. When the car is off and I spin the fan blade a few rotations it then gets hard to spin like its rusty. I heard that it might be a fan relay, or a fan switch but I just hope that it isn't that fan motor itself. It still blows cold air, but once in a while it gets a little warm, and the temp gauge went up to 260 but that was just once.I just would like a few opinions before I start replacing switches and relays and what not. Thanks.
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    I'm guessing that this is a VW Jetta/Golf. What year? The easiest way to check the fan motor is to supply battery voltage to jump it. This way you bypass all the switches and relays involved. Get or borrow a repair manual if you don't know how to do this. It does explain how to do it.

    Sounds more like the fan motor or bearings have went bad. Unplug the wire harness from the fan motor. If you spin the fan and it gets hard after a few turns, it's probably not the switch or relay.

    Warning.....The fans are always "live". Don't mess around with them when the fans are connected or if the battery isn't disconnected. The fans can come on without warning.

    Tracy
  • cairo_mancairo_man Member Posts: 2
    Dear all need your help, about a couple of weeks now i have been noticing an un ususal shaking in the car while driving. i had the engine checked in the dealership and they have recomended to change the catalyzer(lambda sensor) and it costs a fortune. also i have changed the tyres with new continental tyres and checked the alignment and still this problem persists. i feel when am driving that there is something pushing the car slightly and you look at your arms or legs and you feel they are vibrating. its not sever but still alarming. the car have only 28K KM on the milage only.
    I need your recomendations to what might be the problem and what do i need to check.
    I feel it might be the spark plugs but the the symptoms are not visible when the car is still.
    awaiting your feedback, thx
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    "the dealership and they have recomended to change the catalyzer(lambda sensor) and it costs a fortune"

    It's still under the full 4 year 50K mi warranty, isn't it? Wouldn't this repair (whatever it is) be covered by the warranty?
  • cairo_mancairo_man Member Posts: 2
    unfortunatelly the warranty for Egypt covers only two years and it ran out last May.
  • driverberndriverbern Member Posts: 23
    I am taking my 06 Jetta TDI to the dealer in two weeks for the 100,000 mile service. I've read in posts that while changing the timing belt it is wise to also do other items. Can someone tell me exactly what parts I should replace?
    Thanks.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    There is a "kit" available that contains ALL the necessarry parts. To get a sense for what is in a "kit", you can go to TDI parts and click on "Timing belt Kits".... then click on the "kit" for your specific 3-letter engine code. There is a complete list of the kit contents.

    Essentually, there are 'must be replaced' bolts, pullies, tensionors, waterpump and even the seals for the crankshaft and camshaft. (many quality kits come with BRASS IMPELLER waterpump!)
  • oemac411oemac411 Member Posts: 2
    So my car finally died.... It shut down at a stop light and the EPC light came on. It started up again after sitting for 20 minutes and I drove the 2 miles necessary to get it home. There was nothing left, even the remote locks wouldn't work. I got a jump start and it drove 40ft before it died again.
    I caved and had it towed to the dealership. They said my two year old battery was bad and needed to be replaced. They also needed to reset it once installed. Well, that was two weeks and $400 ago. So far it seems fine but I can't help but drive with some trepidation. I think it is too soon to tell as the problem was always intermittent. I will keep you posted if the problem returns. Keep your fingers crossed that this was it. Thanks for posting.
  • ndmike88ndmike88 Member Posts: 155
    Stop worrying. Jetta died. Battery replaced and reset. Jetta is fine. What's the problem? What am I missing?
  • underthevwhoodunderthevwhood Member Posts: 23
    I'm still trying to figure out the reset. I've replaced two batteries in my '00 Jetta and didn't need a reset. Also had the battery disconnected for about a week when I did some head work. Didn't need a reset then either. Maybe it's an '02 thing.

    I do agree, stop worrying. Batteries don't last forever. Just smile and enjoy your Jetta.

    Tracy
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