VW Jetta TDI

xertes

Thanks for the Info. I was able to find a highly recommended private garage specializing in audis and VWs open today, and had him take a look... he replaced the MAF (for only $100) in 2 minutes, and my car is good as new!!! By the way, anybody in the Raleigh, North Carolina area who wants to know where a good private VW/Audi shop is, let me know. I found a guy, and he was terrific. Email me and i can send anyone who's interested his info, since i'm not sure if i can post it on here. Thanks again for the help!

jdb47

Question: I've had the same low power issues and took sebring95's advice and disconnected my MAF sensor. The car runs like new!!! Now my ignorant question is this: why do I need to put it back or replace? Is it a long-term issue...too much/too little air inflow damages the engine or alters efficiency? Thanks.

bpeebles

Short answer -- alters efficiency

Longer answer -- When the MAF sensor is not connected, the computer defaults to pre-programmed values for fuel-injection and turbo-boost. Also known as "limp mode" wheras it is designed to allow one to get it in for service. Your check engine light (CEL) may come on with MAF sensor disconnectd.

You think it is running good WITHOUT the MAF.... it will run even BETTER when the computer KNOWS how much air is coming into the engine and can tweak the engine for peak performance/efficiency.

sebring95

It's not likely your car runs like new with the MAF disconnected, but it probably feels that way because you've been slowly loosing power over time. The MAF's tend to slowly go out of spec and you don't notice performance changes when they're very slow. You'll likely see an even better increase in power with a new MAF. Should see better economy as well.

The MAF basically monitors and adjusts fuel quantities based on the readings of the sensor. With it disconnected, it's just reporting a default figure which may/may not be accurate at any given time.

sebring95

Also, forgot to mention that VW extended the warranty on the MAF sensors to 70k miles (i believe).

pruzink

I would recomend the Elf Excellium DID 5W-40 (It is VW sprc 505.01 compiant). Right now you can get it on sale from this website "http://www.elfusa.com/" for $5.95/liter (that is a good price for this oil). If you check out the threads at tdiclub.com on used oil analysis you will see that the Elf oil has performed really well. I was using Castrol 505.01 5W-40 that I was getting from the dealer but some of the recent used oil analysis were showing that it's viscosity was breaking down a bit. A case includes 18 liters and the shipping cost at this site is a flat $15. It is also available in 5 liter bottles. I think that right now worldimpex.com has Motul 505.01 oil on sale also.

pruzink

Sounds like your dealer is BSing you. I can understand that the gas mileage feature might not work on a TDI because a significant amount of fuel get recirculated through the injectors and back to the tank, but the outside temperature feature should certainly work. I would check out how to do a "ventectomy" on the tdiclub.com site (good instructions with pictures). The ventectomy will usually allow you to get another 2 gallons of fuel in on filling up. Even though the owners manual says that the tank capacity on these cars is 14.5 gallons, people at tdiclub are reporting being able to put in 16- 16.5 gallons when they run it right out of fuel (wouldn't recomend doing this). I assume that you are going by your fuel gauge; the calibration on it could be off too.

pruzink

Any turbo charged car (gas or diesel) requires a good quality synthetic oil. The PD (pump deuse) fuel injectors in the 04 & 05 Jetta develop about 29,000 psi of fuel pressure. The injectors are actuated by the camshaft and the wear forces required VW to specify an oil that could tolerate the high sheer forces. You purchase this oil for about $6/liter (oil change capacity is 4.5 liters), a filter goes for about $7. If you have a vacuum extraction oil changer, you will not fing an easier vehicle to change the oil on. The oil filter is a cartridge unit that is right in front on top (the easiest oil filter of any car I have ever owned). So for $35, I would highly reccomend changing it yourself. The timing belt on the 04 PD TDI Jettas is good for 100,000 miles, the 05 went to a timing chain. Even the older models that came with a 40K timing belt had upgrade kits that boosted the interval to 80K. After the 1st 2 oil changes (each initial done at 5K miles), the oil change interval goes to 10K miles reducing the ouch of the pricy synthetic oil. The really great things about these cars is the fuel economy you enjoy (I am getting 43 MPG with a 04 Jetta with the auto tranny, sticks get better, plus I truly love the car's power and handling also)

pruzink

There are lots of people using biodiesel in their TDI's. With cold weather, you need to back off on your blend a bit but there are tons of info on this subject at tdiclub.com. There is also plenty of info on preventing fuel jelling in those bitter cold months. I get the impression that the TDI is a very popular vehicle in Canada because of some of the long commutes people have and the great fuel economy the TDI offers (in CT we have commutes that take a long time because of bad traffic). I have been using bio (virgin soy based bio) in my 04 PD TDI Jetta since I have bought it in varying ratios (there just aren't many places here in CT where you can get it) with no problems. If you are going to get it from someone processing Waste Vegtable Oils you just want to be sure that they are doing a really good job of making a high quality product (getting all of the water, glycerin, methanol, and particulates out).

pruzink

TDIparts.com has that thermostic fuel tee on sale right now for $20.

tom_jettatdi

I just purchased a 2000 VW Jetta TDI with 69200 miles (now it has a little over 70K miles and its too late to get the complimentary MAF sensor from the VW dealer). The car accelerates 0-60mph in about 28-30 seconds. The dealer that I bought the car from says that VW Jetta TDI cars normally accelerate this slow. I bought the car for good gas mileage, but not sure if I can live with the super slow acceleration. Going up mountains the car will hold 70-80mph as long as it gets up to speed before the hill. The car runs smooth and is in excellent shape - the only problem is the acceleration. I just ordered a MAF sensor in hope that this will fix the problem. The check engine light is not on. Will a bad MAF sensor always trigger a check engine light? If so, then I may have bought a sensor for no reason. I am hoping that the MAF is bad, but not certain why there is no engine light indicating that something is wrong. Any ideas why? Thanks...

sebring95

Actually, the MAF doesn't usually set the light unless it's really bad. And I've seen them really bad and still not trip the light. Have you tried just disconnecting it? If it's bad, you should have better performance with it disconnected.

You may have a clogged intake as well, but lets see what happens with the new MAF first.

And FWIW, your TDI when new likely turned 0-60 in the 11 second range.

xertes

That sounds exactly like what happened with my jetta. The new MAF should do wonders. Since I changed mine, my 0-60 acceleration is incredibly improved, and my car drives like new. Before I replaced the MAF, my car was not holding speed very well on the highway, and the cruise control was letting the speed drop 10+ mph when going up hills. All of this was fixed by the new MAF. All in all, I have never had so much improvement for only $100. Hope the new MAF helps!

tom_jettatdi

Thanks for the info! Wow, 0-60 in 11 seconds sounds much better. This evening I removed the MAF and looked at it up close. It appears to be a Bosch MAF (and not chrome like the factory MAF that I ordered online). I just disconnected the MAF sensor and now the car goes 0-60 in 15 seconds instead of 28 seconds! I hope the new sensor will get it back into the 11 second range. I will be installing the new sensor tomorrow when UPS delivers it. I am still considering having the intake cleaned as part of maintainence, but not sure how much labor my mechanic would charge. I called the VW dealership here in California this morning and they wanted $200 for the factory MAF sensor. I found a VW dealer selling the same factory sensor on eBay in Maryland for only $74.99!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7977706817&category=335- 57&sspagename=WDVW

Well, thanks again for the info.

sebring95

Good to hear. The replacement MAF is probably a Bosch as well, but might look a little different just from design changes. I'm not sure if they've actually updated these to last longer or not. I actually went with a different type of MAF (imported from Germany) but that was back when you couldn't get a VW OEM MAF for less than $300. I've had the replacement on for two years/50k miles and no problems whatsoever.

You can monitor the MAF performance if you have the VW program (vagcom http://www.ross-tech.com ) on your laptop. You can see the actual data flowing from the MAF to the car's brain and can guage how well it's working. This is how I discovered mine was out-of-spec. Caught it before it significantly chewed up my performance.

If you really want to increase performance (and not change economy much/at all) there are some very easy mods for these vehicles. Even just adding a tuning box (VanAaken Smart Box is/was a good one last time I checked) or swapping fuel nozzles will gain you 10-15hp. I've actually replaced the chip in mine with an Upsolute, replaced the fuel nozzles with larger units, and some other mods that help keep everything in check. I turn 0-60 closer to the 8-9 second range and haven't noticed a change in fuel economy (had most of these mods for coming up on 80k miles now...). It'll take out your clutch in a hurry though. So I've spent some money on this, but I'm still ahead because normally I would be driving a V6/performance type of vehicle. In the past I only averaged about 24mpg with my commuters, but have consistently been above 40mpg with this one. The biggest changes though aren't in the 0-60 test (which isn't usually a good test of a diesels performance) but in the open-road power. I've driven a lot of cars, some very high performance, and my TDI just flat-out feels terrific once you're moving. 0-60 in 8.5 seconds is tepid, but once rolling it runs like a freight train. Never have to down-shift for great acceleration and cruises at 80mph like nothing. And still gets 40-45mpg even driving like an idiot. I drive about 7 miles of twisty/hilly roads from home to town and the TDI can stay in 5th and have oodles of power. My daughters Celica GTS will wear you out by the time you get to town. Can't slow-down more than a few mph before needing a gear or two downshift, and forget about climbing a hill in anything but 3rd. That's the most annoying car to drive, and she's yet to top 30mpg even on the highway with the premium fuel it requires.

pruzink

The white plastic valve at the bottom of the fuel filter is kind of hard to get to. Most people that have done it and checked to see if they actually removed any water have never found any. I replaced my stock fuel filter with a Cat 2 micron filter (it doesn't have a water drain); I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been confident that it really wasn't necesary (the water drain).

cmteodor

Hi, I might be a bit perturbed as I write this, however, just got a call back from the mechanic on the diagnosis of my 2000 Jetta TDI (105,000 miles). All of a sudden it has lost power when accelerating. I can hardly make it to 60mph in any gear! New turbo will apparently cost 1800$-
Has this happened to anyone else? It doesn't seem normal for the turbo to go out- is this covered by anything other than my thin lined pockets? I'll do some research when I get home...either that or seek a second job.
I recall something similar happening 2.5 years ago, so I'll have to sift through my papers and see what happened and how it was resolved, but it was as a result of the dealer working on a relay or so. Anyway, would appreciate any experiences.

sebring95

I would definetely do some research and get a second opinion. The Turbo is the scape-goat for most mechanics that have zippity diagnosis skills on a TDI. There are posts here and other places of piles of replaced turbos that had the same problem after the new turbo was put on. It's usually followed by, "oh-yeah, when the turbo blew it also took out this $10 relay that we fixed afterward....".

Turbos are very reliable items unless you've abused them (non-synthetic extended oil changes, lots of hot shut-downs, etc.). And usually if a Turbo does actually go, it grenades and takes stuff with it and is very obvious. Look around, there are lots of problems that could account for your symptoms.

bpeebles

I agree with the last poster... a turbocharger does not just quit working.

If the turbocharger is REALLY not creating boost, suspect that the VNT vanes within it are just cruddy and not moving.

If your driving habits do not include regular FULL THROTTLE ACCELLERATION, I can say for certantly that your problem is the VNT vanes. They are known to get sticky if not exercized by regular full-throttle accelleration.

nullifier

Several days ago I test drove two "new" Jettas, one an automatic and the other a five speed. Both had an interesting digital gauge that gave read-outs of the actual MPG that engine was getting. On the five speed the gauge seemed to work OK but the automatic's MPG gauge never got above 21 no matter the speed or gear I was running in. When I pointed this out to the salesman he replied that "you can't go by the gauge because the car is new and has only been driven on the lot." Was this guy BSing me??

nullifier

Thanks for the info. I feel better about the VW diesel now. I have another post if you're interested!!!!! ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Nullifier

cmteodor

Thanks a lot all- I've failed to mention that the car was sitting in the parking lot for 2 weeks before I got to it. I'll def. shop for a second or third opinion. Best Regards!

ianril

In February I had to have my glow plugs replaced. Fine and dandy, been running good ever since. Recently, I've been having more problems. I can kill my car, walk away for about 5 minutes and when I come back, it will not crank. The glow plug indicator light does not come on. If I wait a couple of minutes, the indicator light will come on and the car will crank right up. I've also had a few instances where the car will just go dead completely while driving down the road. I pull over, and turn the key on. No glow plug indicator light. I wait a few and they light comes on and the car cranks right up. Any thoughts? I'm putting it in the shop next week, but any help would be appreciated so I could maybe clearly indicate my problem.

Also, these forums rock. Never would have found out about the MAF replacement without them. Boy, power is nice.

pludlow

Thanks for your insight to a problem I was expecting to have its roots in the turbo. During a 200mi trip this week performance went from intermittent to none. There is no audible turbo whine so I now suspect it is the MAF sensor. The Bentley Service manual mentions the MAF but doesn't seem to locate it. Can you give me some pointers?

Pete

sebring95

What year is your car?

sebring95

The MAF is located on the air filter housing, in the pipe leading from the filter to the intake. It sits right up on top and has a connector hooked to it. Just unplug the connector and see if power resumes.

pludlow

Thanks for the pointers. I located the MAF and disconnected it. Big improvement in performance. So given that all seems to work OK without it why reconnect it? Obviously it should serve some purpose, when working correctly. As I understood gas engine air mass sensors, they influence the fuel injection level based on the air flow in the intake which is governed by the throttle plate, but with a diesel since there is no throttle plate - it draws air volume in direct proportion to the engine rpm. The engine rpm is governed by load and fuel volume from the injection pump.
Perhaps you can shed some light on how the MAF influences the engine.

Thanks.

pludlow

I have owned several diesel autos: a 69 Peugeot which "lost its head" when the injector pump leaked enough to bring the oil sump high enough to get sucked into the intake manifold and rpm took off. I replaced the head & valves and ran it for another 100K+ miles beforehe body disintegrated. I then replaced it with a great product from Ford an 84 Tempo diesel. Real workhourse, naturally aspirated very simple 2L 4cylinder from Japan. The Tempo gave me 40mpg winter or summer, 30mph or 80mph and ran for over 300Kmi when the body rusted away (thank you NYS for all the salt). Sold the engine for 400$, then bought a used 2000 Jetta TDI. Nice car but i'm not happy about the early fail of the MAF sensor, fragile plastic parts in the cabin, and inaccessability of the water drain on the fuel filter, which is also a pain to change and bleed. The tempo diesel had a nice screw-on filter with an easily accessable water drain and a manual primer. (Peugeot was similar).
I love the diesel for its simplicity and hate the EPA for forcing manufacturers to layer on the complexity.

sebring95

I don't know the intricate details of the MAF sensor, however I've monitored the readings with my VAGCOM and I'm sure the performance/economy will be better with a properly functioning MAF. It comes down to matching actual air-flow with the needed air-flow based upon the computers calculation. For example, under load, a bad MAF might be providing only 400mg of air/stroke. The computer will be calling for about 850mg/stroke. With the MAF disconnected, you're likely just getting a generic amount of airflow which won't be matched to the performance requested.

They can be picked up for $100 and swapped out easily. No idea what the long-term effects of operating without one.

Also, in response to your above post. I've never met anyone that actually got any water out of the filter. It's fairly common amoungst us TDI'ers to ignore that unless you have reason to believe there is a water problem. I just swap the filter every 20k miles.

ianril

1999. 140,000 miles.

sebring95

Do you know if your "relay 109" has ever been changed? This was a very common problem on the 99-01 cars and will cause the problem you're having.

On older models, it is located on the fuse panel, which is behind a cover on the bottom left corner of the instrument panel. The cover can be removed without tools and the relay can be pulled out of the fuse panel (note the location on the panel and the orientation of the pins on the relay for reference during installation of the new relay). On later models, it is located on the relay panel, which is behind a cover left of the steering column behind the instrument panel, which will require a Torx screwdriver to remove. Once the panel is removed, the replacement procedure is the same as for the older models. I don't know if your '99 is a new or old bodystyle, so you'll have to snoop around accordingly. The relay will say "109" on it, unless the letters are upside down like some, which would make it a "601"

Once you find the Relay 109, if it's Black, it's the old design and I'm amazed you made it this far. Most were replaced within the first year or so. Get a new one and swap them out. Dealers seem to sell them for about $25 (have the old one so they know what you're talking about, they probably don't call it "relay 109" because that would be way too simple). They can be purchased online for $10-$15.

Can't guarantee this is your problem, but it's the most logical start.

ianril

Many thanks. From what I have gathered on other websites, a relay problem was likely, but noone actually spelled it out that much. I really appreciate your help and will look into the Relay 109 or 601, whichever one I see first. ;P Thanks again.

ianril

Is it easy to change, or is there a threat of getting unwanted air in the line? Would it be a safer bet to have my mechanic change it out so they can purge the line? I had to change a gasket on the fuel filter when I first got the car and everything went fine, but when I had my plugs replaced, they said they had to purge the line of some air. Oops. Thanks guys.

sebring95

I've changed the filter without purging the lines. You can fill the filter before installing and the motor will crank for a short period and then fire right up. Here's a link to a video on the right way to do it.

fuel filter change

jploring

Hi, I have an '01 TDI automatic with 83k mi. The AC stopprd working abruptly. I have power at fuse f5 but no power at the compressor. Is there another fuse or relay between the fuse box and the AC Compressor?
Thanks

revelyn99

I paid 22,640.00 before tax and license. I was told it was one of the last manual wagons left in the US, which perhaps was a sales ploy, but it worked. I love the car, but am going through a bit of a "buyers remorse".

Did I get a decent deal?

ianril

Woot! Many thanks. And referring to the 109 relay, my car has only went dead once in the past 4 days after I simply 'fiddled' with the relay. I still have one ordered, but I'm thinking that maybe it was just loose or something. My new one should be in today or tomorrow, but I think that fixed my problem. Thanks again!

carolt

This happened to my son while driving my car. I thought it was just the way he drove my car. Now I know maybe it wasn't. My mechanic said the pressure plate was probably cracked, but that the clutch was not slipping and to let it go for now.

lar87

We purchased a 2004 Jetta Wagon TDI a little over a year ago. We had it through the first winter here in MN and noticed that it took a long time to warm up and get heat out of the heater. Most of the time it was just getting warm when we got to work (~18 miles & 30 minutes). Is this normal for the TDI? I have a diesel Suburban that does not take any longer to warm up than any other vehicle I have owned.

bpeebles

Yes. It is normal. TDI Diesel engine is VERY efficent. This means less heat lost and more energy going to move the vehicle forward. Use electric seats in the winter. Also install TDI-HEATER ( http://www.frostheater.com/ )

Next winter, suggest you cover the grille with sections of pipe-insulation (the foam kind that is split down the side) . Also, NEVER EVER use the fan on "high" setting, even after driving for HOURS, if I put the fan on 'high' I can watch the engine temp drop.

Also, DO NOT LET TDI IDLE to warm up... you will just plug things up and it will NEVER warm up.

Your diesel suburban is about 3 generations behind the VW TDI engine. I bet it even smokes. (My TDI has never made any black smoke)

byers

I have an 04 jetta TDI and had the same problem. Coolant light came on, filled the coolant on two occassions. Took it to the dealer (still under warranty) and they say it's the intercooler...I told them I was seeing some white smoke and they said the white smoke was the water burning, there's actually not a leak. They have it and are replacing the intercooler under the warranty.

bamundson

Hi all.

I'm selling a 2005 Jetta Wagon GLS TDI with 3,000 miles and was wondering what I should ask for it. It's got an automatic transmission, leather heated seats, sliding sunroof, cassette/CD stereo and is a beauty. I'm selling it for my sister in law who bought it and thought she was going ship it to Hawaii - but found out she needs a 4WD in the area where she will be living, and leather doesn't really stand a chance in Hawaii anyway (due to humidity).

I have the paperwork here and the total price with leather options is $24,720, although I know she paid less..

I understand these Diesel cars are not being sold by the dealerships here in CA due to regulatory issues with diesel, but it's not a problem for a me to sell it privately. Plus it can run on biodiesel, which is kind of a plus around here in Berkeley CA.

What can I reasonably ask for it here in California? I can't find a quote on a 2005 GLS TDI Wagon through Kelly Blue Book as it's too new..

Any help on pricing this would be much appreciated.

thanks

barry

bpeebles

Are you SURE they are talking about the intercooler?? The intercooler has absolutely NOTHING to do with the antifreeze. (it only has air blowing thru it from the turbocharger.)

Good thing they are are not charging you for replacing the intercooler.

sebring95

You'll need to have 7500 miles on the car before it can be registered in california. She probably paid around $23,500-$24,000 for it. You might get that for it in Cali once you hit the mileage requirement. Auto tranny is a turn-off, but probably won't hurt you too bad out there.

Search autotrader.com and see what dealers/others are asking for similar cars in your area. And take a road trip to stick some miles on that baby. I've got a friend in Berkley that wanted me to buy a Passat wagon here in the midwest (I can get one close to invoice) and run up some miles on it for him and then sell it for what I paid. I ended up helping him find one with about 5,000 miles on it so he flew out and drove it home.

pat

Hop over to our Real-World Trade-In Values discussion and ask Terry (rroyce10) who is a dealer and a very helpful Forums member. Be sure to include all the necessary information that is listed above the post box.

pruzink

The long period that you have to wait for heat out of a TDI is due to the efficiency of the engine (you just don't waste much energy). I have a Jetta, and it takes about 15 miles on those cold winter mornings to get the engine coolant up to 190 degF. I installed a coolant heater from tdiheater.com which will get you heat right away. I plug in during the winter when ever I am at work. My car is garaged at home so the warmup isn't as long. I know that a lot of people set the coolant heaters up on a pool filter timer so it cuts in 2-3 hours before they leave in the morning. I believe that right now the heaters are on sale for $75 (normally they are $100). The electric heated seats help on those bitter cold winter mornings also.

pruzink

I assume by "intercooler" that you are refering to the EGR Cooler? The intercooler is an air to air heat exchanger for cooling the intake air after it has been compressed by the turbocharger. It is located behind the small black grille on the passenger side front bumper. The EGR coolers on these vehicles seem to be having a high failure rate (have been reading a lot of posts about people having them replaced).

pruzink

If I was your sister, I would seriously reconsider taking the car to Hawaii with her. With the right tires, front wheel drive will get you through or up almost anything. I put snow tires on my Jetta in the winter and have driven it through some pretty nasty snow storms with no problems at all. The humidity in Hawaii isn't that different from a lot of other places here stateside (like Louisianna or Mississsippi), with the right leather conditioners I think they would hold up just fine. I have read several posts that Biodiesel is readily available in Hawaii because of all of the cooking oils that get generated from the restaurants there and I know that gas there is pricier than here stateside. If it is the low clearance that is a problem I know that there are lift kits available to get the car up higher, and there are some very good skid plates available (I put one on my Jetta from evolutionimports.com) if its a steep rocky road that she needs to get up.

townline

i need the exact positions of each relay in the relay panel on my 2001 jetta tdi

jmarchioni

I bought a 03 jetta tdi about a month ago. I like the car a lot, especially since I commute about 140 miles a day to work. I bought it with 54K miles and have almost 60K now. The only problems I have is the shifting out of part every once in a while but I have read in other discussions that is a common problem and how to fix it. The other problem I have is the auto trans. shifting @ around 35 mph. While slowing down it seems a bit rough when I get to this speed and it down shifts and while I accelerate past that speed it just does not feel right or that it shifts at the right times. It seems to drag it out a bit longer. Overall its fairly smooth and still drives great and the trans. does not slip but just does not feel exactly right. I'm getting about 40 mpg and mostly dirve on the highway back and forth to work, I thought it would have been better. I have not taken it in to the dealer yet since I'm always working and thank God I bought an extended warranty when I purchased the car. Anyone have any suggestions as to what it may be before I bring it to he dealership. Also, how often should I change the oil with a diesel? This is the first diesel I have owned. I changed it one time after I got it and I used Mobile 1 synthetic oil for diesel motors and used a Mann filter. I have also read that the timing belt needs to be replaced religiously....but I did not read at what mileage it needed to be done.....anyone know when I should have it done? Thanks for your time and any answers you may have.