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I bought my wife a used 2002 jetta wagon VR6 and have started to have all the same symptoms as you listed. massive electronic failure while sitting at a stoplight, dash resetting, radio and lights flickering, etc. At first we thought it was a battery or alternator problem, but have now eliminated both of those. I wanted to know if you ever solved your problem or figured out what was causing it? Thanks
It is easy to check for and easy to prevent... but if antifreeze allowed to wick (migrate) into the entire electrical system, it is VERY expensive to repair.
I would simply plug a voltage monitor into the cigerette lighter and see what the voltage is doing when the problem occours. (Walmart carries this voltage-monitor in the auto section for less than $20)
I would also clean and tighten all the connections for the +12 distribution. This is located ON TOP of the battery.
Steering wheel replaced
all lights in car on airbag, check engine, steering wheel light, cars a/c shutting off, the wiring harness has to be replaced, battery draws a charge from some where, radio faulty electrical, dash lights faulty electrical, ignition coils replaced, EPC light comes on and the car shuts off doesn't matter if your going 65mph or 20mph still the car shuts off pretty nice when all electrical shuts off in rush hour traffic including engine. I've done all regulary scheduled maitenance and have paid the car off, but am at still a loss. As, a firefighter medic I have to give great customer service in which i enjoy doing no matter if people are cussing or spitting on me i still keep my composure. But VW as a whole is really ticking me off. Bad customer service from VW and not correcting the problem even after 20 times in the shop and thousands of dollars spent and time lost from work. With all the problems I have read on here I would have to say that VW is a piece of crap and I will for warn everyone I know to not buy from VW.
:confuse:
One person tells me it is the wiring in the door and the dealer thinks it may be the door lock control module? Appreciate any feedback!!
Your car thinks the key is NOT the original (correct) one for that car. You should try the other 2 keys which come with your VW (All VWs come with 2 normal keys and one 'valet' key)
If you find any one key which works... then that key can be used to "reprogram" the 'bad' key so it is again recognized by the car.
You could also try disconnecting the battery for a few minutes and then retrying.
I guess it is possible that the accident and towtrucks somehow did something... but I have never heard of the immobilizer to be affected in this way.
A brief description of the issue:
Very frequently (almost every time) when the headlights are turned on, I hear a clicking coming from behind the instrument panel. From here the problem spreads:
Power windows stop working
Power sunroof stops working
Hazard lights randomly blink
Car alarm goes off (allthough it makes no noise now as the alarm horn is worn out from this issue)
Interior lights flicker when turned on.
Trunk opens.
Auto lock from key button does not work
Manually locking the doors unlocks all doors
I have checked all fuses and none are blown. I have noticed the smaller fuses have some brown corrosion on them, I have since cleaned with wire brush but had no affect.
Once the headlights are off, the problems persist for a random time length. Sometimes the next time I get in my car and turn it on everything works. Other times I have to disconnect the battery.
This past weekend the issue came up again, only this time disconnecting the battery does not reset the functionality listed above.
I spoke to my regular mechanic who wants to just replace the entire wiring harness at $800 + any unknown issues they might uncover. The car has 130k miles on it, and to be honest would think a better solution would be to replace the car before dumping this kind of coin into it.
I am pretty handy when it comes to car mechanics, but I am no expert. I have done quite a bit of brakes, plugs, starters, cooling system repairs, tires, tie rods but never too much electrical.
I talked to an automotive investigator, who stated it sounds like the body control module. I have done research on this and the only thing I can think to do is buy this unit and put it in, but don't want to spend unnecessary coin.
Anyone see this behavior before?
Any tips on what to test or look for to see if I can diagnose and repair myself?
Any suggestions on how to resolve this outside of what was asked above?
Are there any other sites or forums you could point me to that could be of further assistance?
Thanks in advance!
I should just get it fixed... but i'm delaying the 150-ish in charges...
If any one of the 3 switches goes bad, then the computer can get confused. Sometimes, the alarm-system starts to act up...Other times, the auto-locking system gets wonky.
In any case, it is not unheard of for this to happen. There are several websites which have step-by-step instructions to pull the door apart. Or you can take your car to a shop for repair.
It is pretty simple with a voltmeter and some basic electronics knowledge.
The voltage-regulator is built-in to the alternator. It is supposed to regulate the voltage at about 14.8 volts while the engine is running.
Your 12.3 volts sure sounds as if the alternator is not even in the circuit. Are you *certain* that the fuseable-link between the alternator and the battery is not burned out?
hint: measure voltage-drop between alternator output and battery+. There should never be more than 500mV across this wire.
Also verify ALL of the ground connections under the hood. Make certain that all measurements from battery- to all other grounds is never more than 300mV.
I had originally figured the Alternator could be at fault, but the dealership says the alternator was "fine". The battery is brand new and cranks hard. But I keep thinking and mentioning to the dealership the flickering light issues. I'm worried I have an electrical issue, obviously, but don't know what to do or to ask the dealer to do for me. They seem to want to give the car back to me, but I'm worried about taking the car back without getting answers to why the car wouldn't start for an hour yesterday. All I'm hearing from them is "we can't recreate the problem".
Can any electrical experts on this page give me some suggestions as to what you'd do in my situation? Car at dealer, running but with symptoms, and they are not giving me a clear picture of what the next step should be.
Thanks for any assistance.
With that said, I am not sure what you mean by the term "flickering" -- are you suggesting that all the lights are TOTALLY going out and back on... or are they simply getting dimmer/brighter ?
Does it happen with the engine OFF -or- ON?
Sittiing still -or- idling?
When reving engine?
when going over bumps?
When accellerating?
When braking?
....etc, I could ask 10 more questions to help isolate your issue.
If your dealership did not ask these questions, they have no clue what they are dealing with in the first place.
Also, VWs have voltage monitors all over the system built right in. One could hookup a computer to your car and DRIVE it while logging various key voltages in realtime.
Again, if your dealership has not done any of this - they are poorly-trained and not worth paying.
Additionally, the connections to the voltage-regulator should be removed/cleaned.
Also, I am formally trained in electronics. When someone says they measured xxx Volts, this is NOT a satisfactory statement. First of all... what are you using as your ground-reference point? (it may make a HUGE difference)
Here is a typical example of what I have found on several automotive electrical systems...
SYMPTOM: Voltage measured across battery terminals is less that 14 volts.
HOWEVER: The voltage regulator *thinks* it is properly regulating at 14.8 volts.
REAL PROBLEM: The negative wire between battery - and voltage-regulator has over 2 volts of 'drop' across it - hence, the 'reference point' for the regulator is off by 2 volts.... this is the reason the voltage at the battery is off by 2 volts.
BOTTOM LINE: if the alternator is putting out ANY voltage, a 'low voltage across battery' problem is likely NOT an issue with the alternator itself. Instead, consider troubleshooting the VOLTAGE REGULATOR. (which happens to be screwed into the rear of the alternator.)
Why is this? Because the voltage-regulator is really controlling the alternator and telling the alternator what voltage to put out. If the voltage is wrong, it is the REGULATOR which is likely the problem. (or connections to it!)
In rare cases, one of the rectifier diodes inside the alternator may fail... I believe these too are replaceable without having to pay for a new alternator.
With this device, you can leave it plugged in while driving around. Your PASSENGER can monitor it to see what your electrical system is doing while you drive.
Voltage should be over 14 at all times the engine is running. If not, locate where the voltage-drop is and fix it. (easier than baking a pie...which I could not do with 2 chefs at my side)
Thanks for addressing my question. It seems the dealership service center isolated it to a corroded battery terminal that wasn't getting proper voltage. They cleaned the terminals and things seem to be going ok since they did that. They also replaced the fuel filter to help with the hesitation, and things seem stable. Thanks again for your help.
I do not understand how corroded battery terminal caused 'stalling'... but I have seen stranger things than that. (Like bearings wearing out because engine was not electrically grounded - All the electric current was passing thru the bearings!!)
I believe it is likely some kind of electrical wiring issue or something. My headlights and overhead lights will occasionally get dim and then light back up to the original brightness. Also, for no explainable reason, once I turn the car OFF and have taken the key out, I can still click the power button on the factory radio unit and it turns on and plays just like the key were in.. Ideas?? I'm in desperate need of some help here!
Thanks in advance!
Have your favorite mechanic do a thorough electrical system check on the car.
As for the radio, VW's used to wire the radios so they would be operational even when the car is off. I would either check you owner's manual on the radio operation, or the "accessory" setting function when you have the key in the ignition, but only turned one "click" so accessories will operate. It may tell you under what conditions the radio will operate. If you can't find any information, check with a service department at a VW dealer.
Hope you enjoy your Jetta. Our family has 2 Jettas, and we thoroughly enjoy each one!
Bel Air Car Guy
If it were my vehicle, I would clean-up EVERY ground connection I could find.
By "clean up" I mean
1) Remove screw holding down the wire-terminator
2) use Dremel-tool to bare the metal where the connection is made
3) Also use Dremel to clean up the termination itself
4) Solder the wire to the termination.
5) Reassemble
Since I have the shop manual for the 2003 Jetta, I have the advantage of knowing where all the ground-connections are as well as all the electrical schematics. With some studying, I could isolate the problem to the specific connector which is the issue.
good luck!
cody
For your convenience, I will summarize here:
The microSwitches inside the doors tend to wear out and start sending false signals to the computer. (ie... The door is OPEN and CLOSED at the same time, -or- the door is LOCKED and UNLOCKED at the same time... etc) The computer can respond in unexpected ways.
The proper "fix" is to tear into the door and replace either the individual switch or the entire circuit-board contaqining all the switches.
Personally, when my wife took her Jetta in to the dealer and found out it would be several hundred dollars to "fix", she decided to use the key in the door instead of the remote from now on. Hence far, using the key in the door has been able to lock-n-arm the alarm for her.
If you wish to tackle the problem yourself, there are several websites with step-by-step photos showing how to tear door apart and replace the $7 switches.
BTW: I know for a fact that the problems with my wife's Jetta started the day after the window was left open during a downpour. Apparently, water got into the 'wrong' place and has been a problem ever since.