Volkswagen TDI Models

mrjette

Background: 2002 Jetta TDI with 27.8K miles

Issue: I have been getting a low frequency grumble from the front left wheel (which is getting louder and more pronounced). When turning right, it seems to be worse, while turning left makes no noticeablely different sound from going straight. It also seems that the car slows more quickly in a coast (like there is some resistence or brake applied).

Solution?: The dealer is replacing the wheel bearing (under warranty with a loaner car provided). This strikes me as fairly soon for a wheel bearing to wear out. I tried a search of this forum and the other VW forums, but couldn't find anyone else with this problem. Any ideas of what might have caused this to go or if there may be another issue to consider?

jrct9454

Probably a leak. Our '94 Mercedes C220 was delivered with a slightly leaking left front wheel bearing, that had it been left to its own devices, would have failed over some relatively low mileage. Not common, but not unheard of....

mrjette

The wheel bearings were replaced under warranty, and I asked them to also do a 30K service while it was in the shop (which includes a tire rotation). The found that the OEM tires (Goodyear Eagle LS) need to be replaced. I find that 3 have some tread to go, while the right front (opposite the shot wheel bearing) is worn much worse.

Shouldn't I get more than 28K from this tire? Is the wear related to the bearing?

They also tell me the rear brake is dragging andd the caliper will need repair or replacement (again, warranty work). Could this be related to the tire issue?

jrct9454

...is probably independent of the other issues. Goodyears are notorious for fast wear - I generally avoid them at all costs. 28k is well within the envelope for these rags.

Whatever you replace them with, make sure to do a tire rotation at 5k intervals, if you want really even and long wear. And a full 4-wheel alignment after the tire replacement should be routine, especially at the miles you're talking about.

vzh9p7

I would also agree about that tire mileage; we had the same type on an icky American car; by 32K they were nearly bald. Bad tires! Bad tires!

OEM on my Jetta are Michelins; almost no discernable wear after 50K....guess what I'll be replacing them with, eventually?

sebring95

An H-rated tire with aggresive driving will burn off pretty quickly. I usually change my tires at 6/32's anyway, but about 30k miles is the most I've gotten from any H-rated tires. I had the same size tires on my Camry V6's and that was about the limit for them too. I've been real happy with Continentals in a 205/60 for my Jetta. With the suspension upgrade, they're a good compromise of handling/comfort/traction.

600kgolfgt

A rule of thumb about diagnosing noise coming from the tires - always check the tires first - especially for signs of "cupping" or other abnormal wear in the tread. Depending on your driving habits, the average wheel bearing should last at least 150,000 miles (the bare minimum).

Now as far as tire brands are concerned - the brands that have given me the best service over the years are Dunlop, Michelin and Pirelli. The brand that has given me the worst service - GoodYear (I've had several GoodYear tires virtually disintigrate on me after 30,000 miles - even though the treadwear looked normal).

sebring95

I have heard of a premature wheel bearing failures on these vehicles as well. Seem to be in the 30k-50k mile range so likley a manufacturing defect.

scott34

I recently purchased a 1998 Jetta
and I am now getting DTC 16989, Internal Control
module random access memory (RAM) error.
The car is performing great and I was wondering if
anyone has input on the corrective action short of spending
major money for a new ECM ...

caseyr1

Need a little help here?

Does anyone know of a good TDI mechanic in the Salt Lake City UT. area if so please let me know.

I have an 01 with about 46,000K and my check engine light just came on. My turbo seems to be working fine and I haven't noticed any loss of power or mileage, however I have only been averaging about 36 mpg since I bought it earlier this year. (it is an auto).

I know it is hard to diagnose a problem with this kind of information however any suggestions would be appreciated.

jrct9454

A very common problem is the Mass Airflow Sensor. These fail at truly prodigious rates, and 46k is about right if it hasn't already been replaced. Beyond that, it could be a dozen other things...

sebring95

Casey, send me an email (click my user name, it's in my profile) and I'll send you a link of how to get help in your area.

This could be a lot of things, particularly since you have very low miles on an '01. The light will come on for hundreds of possible issues, but there are some likely culprits based on your driving. 36mpg probably isn't too bad for an auto if you drive around town often.

pruzink

I have a 92 Grand Marquis with 230,000 miles, a Taurus with 180,000 miles and a Mystique with 100,000 that have also had EGR passage pluggage problems. As cars get older the exhaust valve seals tend to leak and you get carbon in your exhaust. It tends to plug the areas where the exhaust gas gets introduced into the intake air. I would guess that almost all cars experience this same problem. Depending on how difficult it is to take apart the plugged passage, it can be quite easy to fix (no parts need to be replaced, just a quick scrape and vacuum). One thing I am curious about biasing the EGR valve closed on the TDI engine is does it have a significant impact on NOX. I'm not really sure how bad a TDI engine needs an EGR valve. They say that the exhaust temp on diesel engines is much lower than a gas engine. I really question if the thing is just put there on a diesel as an EPA throwback as an emission control device that should be on any engine. I would thing that mixing 10% exhaust gas in with the intake air on a gas engine in order to reduce the combustion temperature (lower combustion temperature means less NOX formation)would be very differant than the same affect in a diesel engine. Has anyone looked at whether or not biasing the EGR valve closed on a diesel might prevent a TDI from passing an emissions NOX test?

cingreen1

Enjoy the messagges enormously. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. ANYONE PLAN ON ATTENDING TDI CLUB 2004 FEST IN BOSTON? LIVE IN CINCINNATI AND INTERESTED IN A RIDE IF POSSIBLE.

pruzink

Been reading up on the posts on the various bulletin boards to become familiiar with TDI problems as I plan on purchasing one soon. From what I have read, it looked like the 4 most probable solutions to your problem in level of ease to correct are as folllows:
1) Clean your air intake snorkel snowscreen. There was a video on one site showing how to do this step by step. It looks like the air filter had 2 sources of intake air. Cooler outside air that must pass through a fine mesh screen and about a foot long plastic tube; or engine compartment warmer air that won't be as dense as the cooler air. After the air filter has been removed there are a couple of nuts that can be removed to pull this piece out for cleaning.
2)Check MAF for air flow gm/second reading. It looks like the Jettas have a very high failure rate on mass air flow sensors. If someone in your area has a laptop PC, they can check your reading very easily. From what I read 8.5 g/s was good, as you dipped down into the 6.5 g/s area, engine performance would suffer, 5.5 is time to limp into the dealer. Might be an item to keep track of over engine life to avoid tow jobs.
3) Clean the intercooler. Saw a procedure on a website for doing this, it didn't look very complicated. The connections to it were disconnected and plugged, it was filled with kerosene which soaked for a bit and was then drained, then a soapy water solution was put in to complete cleaning.
4) Anything you can do to keep your intake manifold clean. If Bio-Diesel fuel is available, you might try switching to it for a while (don't tell anyone at the dealer, VW does not sanction its use, everyone says it works fine and helps clean the intake manifold from getting plugged up with carbon). Occasional full throttle acceleration was listed as a means to keep carbon from accumulating in the intake manifold. Biasing the EGR valve to stay closed with the Vag-com software seemed like a common fix to prevent intake manifold pluggage.
Anything that limits the engines ability to breathe will hurt performance. If you have not done so already, you might want to go to a K&N high performance air filter, but that won't override plugged air passages.
Its great that you noticed a small decline in performance, good to catch problems when they are small.

liguor60

Hi folks. Quick question for ya. I was told that the VW Jetta TDI is not available in New York this year, most likely due to an issue with the emissions. Does anyone have an idea when the TDI's will be available in NY again? Is there a website I can check? Or someone or some company I can contact? I have been trying to locate some info; I even contacted VW, but it was to no avail.
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

liguor60

sebring95

Passat/Jetta/Golf/Beetle TDI's are not available in CARB states indefinetely at this point. I wouldn't expect to see them until 2006 at the earliest because of fuel requirements.

You can buy a used one as long as it has 7500 miles. Plan to spend close to new prices on one though.

santiscbr

As a rule of thumb, you should always rotate your tires every 5000 miles. For convenience, I always have it done when i get my oil changed. Like everyone else said, stay away from Goodyear. If you want a good set of performance touring tires, look for OEM Michelins, or consider Dunlop, Pirelli, Continental, and even Bridgestone is producing some real quality treads. Also, sometimes the seals for the wheel bearings get displaced during shipping, (VERY RARE) and it takes about 25k-35k for it to develop into a problem. I wouldn't worry too much, since it is under warranty. Also, VW keeps track of all of its warranty fixes, so if this is a substantial problem, they will rectify it.

madijo

If you are looking for a 2004 GLS 5 speed E-Mail me @ ljmarnold@knology.net I can give you more info on it. Last tank it got 42mpg in mixed driving.

mrjette

I recently found the following did not operate in my '02 Jetta GLS-TDi (28K miles):

1. Power windows and locks
2. Trunk latch motor (including when the the key was inserted)
3. Interior lights

Immediately, I assumed a fuse had blown and went to the manual. I was very surprised to find that there was no list of fuse function nor amperage ratings. The small 'fusecard' inside the fuse compartment door is fairly worthless as the pictures really don't seem to make much sense and again amp ratings are not there. I also noticed that the tweezers were missing as if someone had been in the box messing around (I know they were there when I was checking out my new car, and to my knowledge have never had an issue for someone to open it).

Internet searches did not reveal any fuse information for the A4 Jetta (there was a link to an A3 scheme). I did find an article posted on a repair website that descibed my symptoms. So, based on that article, I checked fuse #14 and sure enough it was blown. I replaced it which allowed me to roll up the windows and make it back to the dealer (where the fuse blew again). They found a faulty "Comfort Control Module" and replaced it under warranty.

While at the dealer, I asked for and received a fuse information sheet (Edition 9/03, USA.5102.15.21) for this car. Worried that someone had been in the box, I checked it against the fues in place and found a few inconsistenies:

1. Fuse #6 is missing, altough it is listed as controlling "cental locking system" (one of the major problems listed above)
2. Both headlights (fuse #s18 & 19) should have a 10A fuse. Right one does, but left has a 15A in place.
3. Fuse # 32 is for the Engine Control Module (ECM) on the diesel engine (injectors on the gasser). It is listed as a 15A fuse, but I have a 30A in place.

Can anyone tell me if the manufacturer sometimes uses other fuses or changes the specs for the fuse ratings? I always thought this had to be kept very consistent to avoid electrical problems. Should I go back to the dealer (the only people to ever work on or drive or otherwise be alone with my car) and point out these inconsistencies? Or am i worried about nothing?????

Thanks in advance for any help.

eaglewings

Very impressive. Too bad the Passat TDi ia not going to be available in Calif. until, at the earliest, 2007, due to high sulphur content in diesel gas.

rapidrick

Weird. Not a lot you can do now. I'd do some research FIRST and make sure the fuse info sheet is correct--if it's not, you might be getting spun up for nothing. Owner's manual doesn't list fuses? More weird. I'd put the right ones in and just drive it, dude.
RR

"Should I go back to the dealer (the only people to ever work on or drive or otherwise be alone with my car) and point out these inconsistencies? Or am i worried about nothing?????"

robertdhall

What did they replace ? Brake booster? Im not under warranty and I have had my Jetta in for brake light switch recall twice and I told them about brakes dragging and extra brake dust and the say its normal and they find nothing wrong.
Robert.d.hall@mail.sprint.com

dpl

Does anybody know if there are any 2004 TDI service manuals out there for the DIY'er?

nelle

Hello
  Does anyone know what the story is on the Jetta TDI wagons for 2005? I can't find any info about them on websites. I don't live in one of the states where they are not available.
thanks

nelle

Hello
  Does anyone know what the story is on the Jetta TDI wagons for 2005? I can't find any info about them on websites. I don't live in one of the states where they are not available.
thanks

jch

From what we've been able to gather, the only changes to the 2005 Jetta TDI wagon are software updates. We were told by a couple of dealers that we could order now, & it would be a month or two before it came in. We just located what we wanted, however, (a car someone had ordered but backed out of)about 5 hours from here, and it is a 2005. It sounds like the pre-ordered ones come in before the ones ordered to put on the lot. The prices have gone up (I think $270?) from the 2004s. That is the extent of what I've been able to find out.

bpeebles

There is no such thing as "ordering" a volkswagen. What you do is submit a "request" for a specific mix of options/color and wait until one like that comes off the assembly line.

This is why a dealer cannot tell you when an 'orderd' Volkswagen will be arriving. They do not have access to the assembly plant build sheets for cars that are not being assembled yet.

HOWEVER, they *DO* have access to what is currently 'in tranzit' and sitting at other dealerships. An attentive dealer will be able to 'reroute' a vehicle of your choice to their lot for NO EXTRA COST to you.

The only vehicle I ever really ORDERD was my Dodge Dakota. I was able to specify everything from engine/color/tranny/foglights/4WD system/Tires/wheels/...etc. When it arrived at the dealership 3 weeks later, the window sticker said "this vehicle built specifically for Bruce A. Peebles". I thought that was pretty cool!!

...plus, Ordering a vehicle costs LESS than purchasing off the lot. The ones on the lot cost them $$ just to have sitting around while an 'orderd' vehicle allready has a purchaser with $$ waiting for it to arrive. (guaranteed sale)

jch

I guess I should have said "we could get on the list for the one we wanted". Sorry. That was what I meant when I said "order".

mrjette

I posted above (Fuses #1293) about fuse #14 blowing in my '02 Jette GLS TDI. It controls the locks, interior lights, power windows, trunk motor, and supposedly the heated seats and mirrors and wiper nozzles (I don't really need those items in August). First, the dealer replaced the Comfort Control Module. It worked OK for 24 hours, then blew again. Next, they applied a wiring harness overlay under the driver's seat. This time, I got 3 days out of it and it has all blown again.

Any ideas on the best way to solve the problem? I am discouraged that I will be back for a third trip (actually the 5th warranty issue since August 3rd - 1 wheel bearing replaced; 1 set of rear brakes overhauled, 3rd trip on the electrical gremlin).

qqss

I just picked up my 2005 Jetta TDI GLS this past Tuesday 31 August 2004...I had orderd it back in June...

dpargento

great news that someone finally got an 05...can you fill the rest of us in on what the differences are between yours and the 04...thanks

deaner14

It's almost time for me to have my oil changed and 60k inspection on the '02 GLS Jetta. Last time I was in for an oil change the "tech" decided to leave the dipstick on the wheel well. I caught it after a 30 minute ride home.

Any recommendations as to what I should request from the dealer on this visit -- other than a different tech?

lewshel

It has rained most of the past 14 hours.I went to use my 2003 GLS TDI Golf and found more than an inch of water on the driver's side and the headliner wet on the driver's side for about 1 inch behind the driver's side visor. I have an appointment next week to get it fixed. If the rugs get soaked will they mildew? Will VW replace them? There was too much water for even my monster mats.

hondanvw

Can't help you with a mechanic in SLC, but I had the check engine light come on recently in my Beetle (2000 - 61K miles). Coincidentally, about a week or two earlier I had just had the timing belt changed and my mechanic (not a VW dealer) indicated that I had a fair amount of oil in the intercooler (which I believe is the lower chamber of the turbocharger). My mechanic recommended that I take the car into VW and see if they'll replace the turbocharger as part of the 100K powertrain warranty. Anyway, since then, about 5000 miles have gone by and I haven't noticed any measurable oil consumption, so I'm assuming the oil accumulated in the intercooler over a very long time. When I called the dealer about it they said to bring it in, but they'd have to validate that the check engine light is really a problem on their own computer. Additionally, I'd have to provide evidence of oil changes at least every 5K miles for them to consider doing the work under warranty. Fortunately, I have the records, so I'm hoping I don't have a problem getting the warranty work done in the near future. In the meantime, though, I haven't been in a hurry to put the car in the shop, as the engine light has not come on again and its not consuming any oil.

Good luck!

caseyr1

I actually found a very cool guy in town that has a VAG-COM and he has been helping me out. It was just a intermittent glow plug that tripped my MIL.

caseyr1

I have an 01 that is due for a timing belt change where is the best place to get the new timing belt and tensioner? If you can't respond on the forum please e-mail it to me
Thank You.

sebring95

Sometimes some oxidation on the contacts of the glow-plugs and wiring harness will trip that light. A little sandpaper or stee wool on all the contacts will clean them right up.

sebring95

You're mechanic is probably confused, because what he's seeing in the intake is most likely NOT coming from your engine oil. It's soot that builds up from the EGR system in these motors. Basically an oily substance caused by our wonderful high quality diesel fuel (sarcasm!!). They may or may not cover it, no way of knowing. Once you get it cleaned out (assuming it needs cleaned out) there are ways to prevent this from occuring again. If it's just a thin layer of oil or soot build-up, it likely doesn't need anything at this point. When it's 30% blocked......you lose performance.

What's up with the 5k mile oiil changes?? The manuals say 10k miles if using synthetic!

caseyr1

I took the harness off and put some di-electric goop stuff on them and it is working well. I shouldn't have to replace glow plugs at 46K huh?

sebring95

No, glow-plugs rarely fail although they get misdiagnosed a lot I believe. If anything, the harness might need replaced if it continues but that's cheap and easy. Typically it's just a connection issue. The sensor to trip the check engine light is extremely sensitive for the glow-plugs.

hondanvw

As fate would have it, the check engine light came on this morning. I'm hoping to drop off the car at the dealer tomorrow so they can check it out.

The mechanic was concerned at the amount of oil in the intercooler. Further, VW's don't have a drain hole for such oil as some other cars do - Saabs. Anyway, I'm hoping they honor the warranty. When I asked at the dealer, they mentioned that there are no seals for replacing - it'll have to be the entire turbo unit.

You mentioned that I can keep this from happening again - what are you referring to?

Thanks.

sebring95

If the dealer is going to have everything apart, you might have them clean the intake while they're in there. If this is a soot build-up issue, the intake will likely be stuffed. I'm curious exactly what you're mechanic saw that made him think there was a problem, but I suppose the dealer will be looking at it anyway. There are several pipes off the intake that lead to the intercooler, and they will get an oily substance on them, but even worse will goop up with soot. Driving condtions and fuel quality effect this greatly. You'll have to email me for more on eliminating this in the future. Can't post the links here. Check my profile for email.

ttc

could someone let me know how much you paid for a 2004 Jetta TDI? I'm in the marketing search for my new vehicle and would like to know what rebate or incentives are there for the year-end clearing sale....

cwalton

The current incentives are 3.9% or $500 cash back, good luck!

mrjette

Did anyone recently get the $1000.00 customer loyalty rebate on a new VW? The build a VW website lists it when building a passat, but my dealer has all sorts of limitations on it's use.

Basically, an '05 Passat GLS TDI for $26,000. They will give me $13,800 on an '02 Jetta GLS TDI with 29K miles. The rebate is the stumbler as of today.

Any thoughts? Thank you.

mrjette

Chad, I live in New England, so we are a bit far away from each other. I do appreciate your response. My question is really about VWoA. Why do they list a rebate on the "build a VW" section of their website, but not list all of the sticky details? The web shows a $1000 loyalty rebate for trading in a VW on a VW. It does not say it is only for financing through VWCI (at a higher rate than my local credit union) nor does it specify model years (2004 vs. 2005). It just shows that the customer is entitled to a $1000 rebate. Period.

If you visit the incentives and rebates section of Edmunds website, there are no stipulations or limitations listed there either. That tells me that the information released from VWoA is not specific enough. Look at any other rebate listed and the manufacturer is very clear about limits and stipulations. Why would VW put information out there, and get people thinking they have some money coming to them, only to lead to disappointment in the salesroom?

I think this is deceptive and an aweful business practice. Hardly a good idea when the product is fairly good.

jennfer_lee

I have a 02 beetle TDI that has been having the same kind of starting problems...the dealership has replaced the glow plugs, a sensor, and an injector. I took it to a private guy and he said that the glow plugs are getting no power...did you ever figure out what was causing your issue?

majordisaster

bought an 03 Jetta TDI 5-speed. had an aggrevating cold starting problem as soon as it got cold. wouldn't even crank when it got cold enough. After 4 visits to dealer, finally found defective ignition switch (broke elecrical contact when cold), Have this checked out.

bovines

Does anyone know where to buy one of these VAG-COM scan tools for a good price? We want to do a minor calibration change to the EGR to reduce carbon build up in the intake. Has anyone done this before or knows about it?