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Thanks for a quick response
I wonder how difficult it would be to find a used seat from a junk yard and install it and how that would compare to the cost of fixing, if it is fixable?
For fixing or having it replaced, I'd check with a body shop. They generally have much lower labor rates than dealer or independant mechanics and I would think that they would be able to do this sort of work and might even locate a used seat for you, if you want them to.
Vito
The idea is to make everything squeeky-clean so the rubber of the belt has good "traction" on the pullies.
It is simple to remove/replace the serp. belt and the 20 minutes is well spent. (I may do this about once a year... around the same time I clean my snow-screen)
I have also seen times when the oilfilter itself was causing the leaking.... but I assume you have tried replacing the oilfilter already and you are now looking for more ideas.
I took off the bellhousing dust cover, 20 oil pan bolts, and the powersteering pump and bracket. But the pan and gasket hang an 1/8"-1/4" off the block, so I can't get my fingers behind it to feel around. It feels like it's caught on something inside the pan, not on the edges or outside. I can rotate and tilt it a little bit but Chilton's said not to pry it apart. There are a couple small flat dents not more than a 1/4" deep from scraping the road, which didn't seem bad enought to distort the pan's shape. Is the oil pump, pick-up tube, or dipstick, or internal screen catching?
What should I do and what could this problem be?
Thanks in advance for responses.
can someone tell me what the coolant level should be in my jetta?, My coolant level is at half right now (right between min and max.) i have a friend who has the same model as me and his is the same thing.... is this the level it is suppose to be kept at or should it be right at max? if it has to be topped off can i just put the coolant in or do i have to worry bout putting in distilled water too...?
if someone can let me know that would be great, thanks
Incase you have misplaced your owners manual, I will answer both questions below;
The coolant level will fluxuate depending on the temparture of the antifreeze. When hot, it expands and rises. As it cools, the level will go down. That is why the airspace in the resivour exists... to allow for this expansion. (If you recall from 7th grade science.... a gas can be compressed but a liquid cannot be compressed.)
The level (with stone-cold engine) should be between "min" and "max". When I have to add fluid, I always put it closer to the "max" while I am at it.
If you do need to add some fluid it MUST be distilled water. If you need to add more than a cup of liquid, it MUST be a 50/50 mix of G12 antifreeze and distilled water.
IMPORTANT: Use only G12 antifreeze!! Introducing even a small amount of any other antifreeze can cause gelling and eventuall plugging of the cooling system.
The good news is that G12 antifreeze has been proven to be VERY good at doing its job for a long time. There is rairly any need to "change" the G12 antifreeze because it resists breaking down or depleating its protective qualities.
i've got another quick question for ya, i noticed a few posts back that you mentioned how to check for brake drag, i took your advice and checked it out, but wasnt too sure if what i found was normal or not
i put the car in neutral and had the e brake off, i popped the car up on the jack at each wheel, i spun the front wheel using both my hands and as soon as i let go, the wheel stopped immediately, same went for the other front wheel, i checked the rear wheels they each spun maybe about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn before coming to a stop, as i spun the rear wheels i could hear a slight "tsst" noise and when i tried to spin the fronts i could hear a slight grind. not sure if thats because its front wheel drive
if you can give me some advice on this that would be greatly appreciated
thanks as always
so is there anyway to disable my alarm. i dont really care if it every works again i just want my car to run. thanxs?
and no i do not have a users manual and the neariest dealer is most likely a couple hundred miles away seeing as how i live in the country.
I was planning on getting my 40k service done and this problem prompted me to go get my 40k service done at the dealership. Took it to Russel VW in Baltimore, Maryland today(the cheapest quote I got in the DC metro area - $500). Got a call a bit earlier that the "clutch kit" needs to be replaced for $1300. It seems the kit is mostly the cable leading to the clutch. Was told that the clutch itself is in good shape, but that any delay in replacing the "kit" would damage the clutch which would cost about $3000. Gave me such a shock that I didn't ask much, but just told them to hold off on any repairs. I will call tomorrow and ask about the exact problem, but in the meantime I want to check on this "clutch kit" problem. Never heard of this before. I had braced myself for problems with the clutch, but this is really ridiculous.
I am not going to get any work done at the dealership. Any suggestions for a good VW repair place in the Columbia/Baltimore area? How much should I expect to pay for replacing a clutch or the "clutch kit" if that is a legitimate problem?
I have been driving a stick for the past ten years. Previous car was a 98 Jetta that I drove for 75k.
Thanks in advance.
One reason that the front wheels behave differently from the rears is because your car is a front wheel drive. The REAR wheels are essentually "along for the ride" and just spin on bearings. The FRONT wheels not only have bearings, they are also connected to the transmission thru constantVelocity joints and driveshafts. These components add some more rotational resistance to the front wheels when you spin them by hand.
This webpage shows step-by-step procedure to replace it.
When you get a cabin filter, most places will ask you if you want the one with the CHARCOAL or not. Although more expensive, the charcoal filter does a superiour job at removing outside odors. (exhaust fumes, skunk.... etc)
can anyone help me please??
Thank you for any help
Appreciated
http://www.gendan.co.uk/article_6.html#vw
There is no need to just replace everything. You may want to educate yourself about the glowplugs 1st. Start by reading this. (dont forget to read ALL the pages)
After you have read thru that, I would be glad to answer any specific questions you have about the TDI glowplugs.
Any parts you would need (glowplugs, harness, relay) are available here.
Even if you replace ALL 4 GPs and the harness, it would cost less than $200 (but you should not need to do all that)
Thank you again!
Engine starts ok, however, it will not pull itself. Engine will not rev up at all - when I step on the accel. the engine cuts out. Runs rough until the engine warms up - some smoke until it gets hot. Even then, little or no power, and the engine sputters upon putting into gear. It will only get up to around 40mph. Have had two separate diagnostics on it, one indicated the engine was misfiring. Changed the plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter. Had the second diagnostic performed by a VW dealer and it indicated the ignition coil was the problem. Have changed this out and the problem remains. I run premium fuel, maintainence is regular - any thoughts on the cat. converter? Other possible problems? Solutions? Many thanks to anyone who responds.
Turn the ignition on (warning lights come on) wait about 10-15 sec until most or the lights are off (still pressing odometer reset button)
Turn ignition off (button still pressed) and remove the key
Release reset button
Interval should now be reset. If this is not the case, repeat the above procedure
i've been getting really bad gas mileage on my 1999 Jetta, automatic, when i say bad i mean really bad! i can never seem to break 350-375 km before the gas light comes on, i am not a very aggressive driver, i maybe do 10kmh over the speed limit and i dont do any jack rabbit starts,i do mostly city driving with the odd hwy drive
i have tried numerous things to try and improve this but none of them seem to work i have a K&N drop in air filter (which is only 5 months old), i changed my fuel filter, i recently had my Catalyst replaced (under VW warranty), my tires are at the recommended pressure, i've used numerous STP oil, gas and fuel injector treatments, i have literally nothing in my trunk or anything "extra" in the car, and i do my oil changes every 5k or 3 months,i was running Castrol High mileage 10w-30 but was told to run the reccommended 5w-30, i did that but no change in mileage, i was going to check and clean my MAF sensor but i've been to every auto parts and hardware store in my area and none of them carry the 5 point Security T20 torx driver that i need to remove it, i have tried to find one off ebay or something but no luck so far, i also checked for brake drag and there seems to none. i have owned the car for about a year now and haven't really noticed the mileage till early this spring ( i thought the cold weather had something to do with it but apparently not) and i have been trying to figure it out ever since, i purchased the car used
i just recently changed the plugs and wires, both OEM, i'm just waiting to see if that does anything but if it doesnt i think i have to take it to the dealership and have them check it out. if thats the case, what should i ask them to check out, or what should i be prepared to replace on the car? what else could possibly be affected my mileage so much?
i know some people might say that 350 aint bad in the city but i think thats garbage for 2.0L 4 kicker engine, i know people that drive jeeps in the city that get the same if not Better MPG then me!
any ideas are greatly appreciated
thanks guys
:lemon: <--------My car?????
CR does a much more severe city test. Back in 1994 they got 16 mpg city with a Jetta III.
Quick synopsys of the facts:
Most of the hype you hear about oiled-guaze airfilters is a bunch of cr@p. The oiled-guaze airfilters have been proven to filter the air WORSE than the factory-specified filter and the oil from oiled-guaze airfilters has been shown to get sucked into the intake-tract where it can damage MAF sensor.
The basis for most of the hype is to claim that your engine needs more "airflow" into it and the airfliter is somhow restricting the flow. The reality is that unless you drive with the throttle-pedal on the floor all the time, the limiting factor in the intake-tract is the throttle-plate... not the airfilter.
------------
Now - on to your perceived low MPG problem...
Have you considerd the engine temperature sensor?
Some people have reported that this sensor can fail in a way that fools the engine-computer into thinking the engine is always cold. Thus, it injects extra fuel all the time based on this.
This type of problem can be isolated using VAGCOM which is able to show you the raw-data coming into the engine-computer from all of the sensors.
If that is not the problem, the VAGCOM is also able to graph the output of the MAF so you are able to tell how it is operating.
BOTTOM LINE:
1)REPLACE AIRFILTER WITH QUALITY PAPER ONE.
2)USE LAPTOP COMPUTER TO DIAGNOSE MPG PROBLEM.
thanks again
Perhaps you should consider one of the available commercial MAF spray cleaners. Even Carb Cleaner or Brake cleaner should work. (as long as it is not too caustic to the delicate components)
If you do a simple web-search for "MAF cleaner", you will find all kinds of information.
HOWEVER: If your MAF sensor has been contaminated with oil, the high-temp self-cleaning cycle may have just burned it up. Cleaning the MAF sensor will not fix this kind of problem. This is why using one of those "oiled guaze" airfilter is not a good idea.
specific to VWs, there is always the MAF 101
I assume you know about the extended MAF warantee?
In the end.... I STRONGLY suggest you simple use VAGCOM to plot a graph of your MAF while driving. That is the only accurate way to diagnose a bad MAF sensor.
i checked out that warranty letter, thanks, but unfortunatly i dont qualify for it (i have 185,000km on my car)
i did find some rubbing alcohol which is 99%, i did as you said (put it in the ziploc bag and fill with the alcohol etc.) and i am actually just waiting for it to dry, i am going to leave it overnight and then check it in the morning then if its dry i am going to reinstall it and then go from there, also i am putting in a new VW filter, so hopefully it works and save me from having to buy a new MAF
i figure might as well try that first, i mean for 4 bucks (for the bottle) and a lil patience its better then running out and buying a new MAF right away
i'll let you know how it works out
thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If that's what's happening, I think you have a bad clutch.