More Volkswagen Electrical Problems ~VIDEO~
I sometimes feel like the world is against Volkswagen. People are always saying “I hear VW has tons of electrical problems”. Well, I don’t really agree with that, but I will save how I really feel for another post. This is about a REAL problem I found on a Jetta.
The customer comes in and says “Sometimes my door buttons do not work”. After a conversationwith the customer, I find out that her driver’s door is not working all the time. There are times when we have to extract the right information from a customer.
When I got in the car, I checked the door. Big surprise, everything worked just fine. I pressed every button on the door, they all worked like a charm. I pressed the auto-down button for the window, and opened the door. When the door got about half way open, the window stopped, all the lights went out on the door, and the instrument cluster started beeping funny. Well you can check it out in the video.
Strange isn’t it? It turns out that the ground wire in the boot between the body of the car and the door was broken. It would make contact with the door shut, but open when the door was open. I am really glad I was able to capture it on video. Usually the strange electrical problems are so sporadic, there is no chance of catching it.
So I did a little rapid fire Q&A session. I got some really good feed back. If you have a question or a topic, article that you would like me to talk about, just contact me or post it in the comments section. I kinda liked doing it, so post it up!
Real quick, I just want to take a second and thank each and every one of you that have read my blog, liked the FB page, chatted with me on twitter, posted and comment and so on. It really mean a lot to me. The success of this site is thanks to all of you! Our little community is growing every day, and I am really excited for the things to come. Also, that you to everyone that has shared this site, that is the best way for us to grow! You folks are truly awesome!
This is inside the boot between the door and the body of the car. The wire that is broken is the main ground(negative) wire. With out it, nothing will work.
Great video! Intermittent problems can be the hardest to track down. The car hits a bump and the break in the wire opens. The car hits another bump and the break closes. The owner checks fuses and tries to duplicate the problem in front of a technician but everything works flawlessly. Frustrated owner begins to believe the car must be possessed.
hello i have and intermittent issue myself on a 2010 vw jetta se 2.5l. vehicle is hard to start in the morning or when vehicle sits for a few hourr. cranks but no start looked into diagnosing but cant get it figured out but i know im not getting injector pulse. ecu turns on because i am getting reference voltage at my sensors. dealership diagnosed to be fuse box and g28 crank speed sensor both replaced and issue continues. PLEASE HELP!!!
No 1. Check the oil level on the diostick. No 2. Check the oil pressure at the oil pump. Using a separate dial gauge sold from any auto part store. After checking these 2 . You You find low pressure ( approx 14 pounds ) at the oil pump. You have a dying oil pump. Causing not enough oil pressure in oil system. Making the engine hard to start . Hope it helps.
That happens to me at least once a week. Customer says “You must think I am crazy” I (jokingly) say, “Yep, I think most of my customers are crazy”. Glad I caught this one!
I have jetta 2012 2.5 with inop left turn signals.I have good ground but no power on both turn signal conecctors left front or left rear.Let me know ASAP
Hey there,
have a 2012 vw jetta. My rear turn signals, brake lights and reverse lights aren’t working! Is it a switch or something???? Please help!
Yes I have a 2009 vw Jetta 2.5 5 cylinder se and when I start my car it starts fine then it revs high and sounds loud so I turn it off and then it keeps running for a few more seconds
You know..ive seen some pretty crazy electrical problems..mostly in the ford trucks ive worked with lol but on the vw side ive had a few quirks with my jetta..all from rubbing. My sister also had a tdi jetta that had some pretty deep electrical issues..which was honestly from suttin stupid. All in all i say the germans do a pretty good engineering job but they have there down side just like everyone else.
I’m thinking about getting a 2012 GTI. Do you recommend them or are they too much of a problem?
I usually get Nissans and have had great luck with them.
I’m trying to get something sporty and reliable.
Thanks!
@Carlos,
Did you ever get your GTI??
I ended up getting a Jetta TDI. So far okay and the only bad side is the driver door squeaks when I hit some bumps. Not sure but it’s a 2013 model. Bought it brand new. Hope it’s nothing serious.
I got that same problem. 06 jetta. do you know how I would get the gas lid open since there is no power to the whole door. How much would it cost to fix that electrical problem? Thanks
Hey Jim, thanks for asking. You can pull the trim in the trunk down and manually pull the rod that opens the gas door.
You can also VERY CAREFULLY use a small screw driver and ease the door open by prying it. I would try to pull the lever by hand first.
The best way to fix that issue is to replace the door wiring harness. The harness is ~$175 and the dealer will charge $200-$300 to install it.
You can repair it, but you will need to make the repair inside the door. That will require replacing the broken wires at the connector and making your splice inside the door. If you make the repair in that boot, the repair will fail. I have tried and they always fail.
You can make a temporary repair to get the fuel door working, but that will not be a permanent repair.
I’m having problems with the electrical in my 06 Jetta. I’ve noticed that the check engine light only comes on in hot weather. It stayed on almost all summer and then stayed off all winter. As soon as the weather started warming it started coming on Intermittently. Now, when the weather is hot (in the 80s) the key fob wont work and I have to unlock the door manually. The car cranks and I can drive it, but the open door light stays on and none of the buttons on the door work. For the last few years I’ve had to open the fuel tank with the door closed because the button doesn’t work when the door is open. Everything is similar to the problems described as the door wiring harness. Does the effect that the temperature has on the problem cause you to believe there is more to the problem than the wiring harness?
Temperature and really cause weird things to happen.
It does sound like the harness in the door is bad. I would start by checking the wires in the boot. Then make the repairs if needed.
You may have to start there.
Steering weel wont turn, and its not key locked, wont even work mechanically…got a jetta 2006 2.5…plz help. For the record: got locked after a really rainy day, all the area was flooded
The check engine light will be a totally seperate thing. You can swing by an Autozone or other parts store and get the code checked. Post the “P” code here in the comments and I can advise further. The code will look like this “P0420” that code is for the catalytic converter.
Hi I had the same thing .the enginelight came on put the code reader on it sad the there’s is a ground in the left door that not grounding right .Check it out one never knows what the ecu will read whats wrong .Goodluck Lionel
My 2012 Jetta had intermittent times where the A/C and headlights, and dashboard lights would cut out everything else would work fine. I tried to troubleshoot and replicate problem by checking all fuses for blown fuse or lose fuse none were bad or lose. I wiggled the wiring harness behind the fuse box with no replication of the issue. After driving for a week or so the issue replicated itself and took it to the dealership with no luck of them replicating the issue but they found some wires in the harness that were lose and not pinned out correctly. They fixed that supposedly. The car worked fine for 4 months now the issues are back again.
@ Lee,
Sorry your are having issues with your Jetta. Off the top of my head, that sounds like a failing ignition switch. When an ignition switch fails, it does some crazy stuff. When you take it back ask if they will test drive the car, and at least check the vehicle faults. Generally your car will set a fault when stuff like that happens. Not always, but most of the time.
Can you keep me posted on what they find?
Hey hows it goin. Currently i have a 2005 honda accord ex in good condition and lookin to maybe get a 2013 vw jetta. I love the jettas (sporty lookin and for the most part strong cars) I do like honda as well and in my experiences can’t beat their reliability. Although reliable, the new body styles im not crazy about. Do you recommend getting a 13 jetta ? may also consider leasing a fully loaded one.(not sure how much that would run me) thanks for any advice.
@Vinny,
I would recommend driving a 13 Jetta. Try and take it on a longer drive. Get a good feel for the positioning of everything on the interior. Push all the buttons and see if the design fits you.
Do you have an engine preference? The TDI is great for the right customer. I think the 2.5L is the best choice for most people. We also have the hybrid coming out soon.
I don’t really know how much a fully decked out Jetta will run you either. Keep me posted on what you get. Also feel free to ask any questions about the car you have. 🙂
Charles
Thank you so much for this site! I am hoping this is my problem as well. About 2 weeks ago my 2005 VW Jetta car alarm went off and when I went to turn it off the car was dead. Next door neighbor is a mechanic so he came over with a voltimeter and said it was my battery, not my alternator. Jumped the car and went to have a new battery put in. This morning alarm went off again, same thing, car is dead. However when researching this I came across your site and saw your video. About 3 years ago I had the drivers side window motor replaced. Off and on since then I first noticed my back passenger door would not lock when I hit the lock button on my drivers side door. The car auto locks at 5 miles an hour and it still wouldn’t lock. However, it would do so after driving around for a while, all of a sudden I would hear the “click”. Other things I have noticed are my sun roof opens on its own and sometimes I have to turn the dial 2-3 times in order for it to close. Getting in the car in the morning (5am) sometimes my driver door panel lights are not illuminated and the lock button doesn’t work; my dash panel display is bright in the morning but dim in the evening. I initially thought this was happening because I had the light bulbs changed in my rear brake lights, thought that was draining my battery, but now I am wondering if this could be my problem. I just had the car at the mechanic last week for my EPS light and he took care of that, however no codes had come up regarding a grounding wire, would there have been one for that? I printed out this page for my mechanic and will drop my car off tomorrow. Thanks again for your site.
I know this is an old post. Just wondering if they ever fixed your problem? My 2007 Jetta is doing the horn/alarm thing just before the battery is completely drained.
2004 Passat TDI Wagon Too many Electrical Issues to list. My mechanic says that water gets to the wiring harness below the feet & the engine compartment firewall, he says it doesn’t drain properly therefore causing many issues. does this sound logical and would a drain being installed really help? he says get rid of it. Thx! Ray H.
Hi Ray,
That is a somewhat common issue with 1998-2005 Passats. I have seen cars totaled because of water leaks and wire damage.
Which side is the water leaking on?
The drains for the sunrood, the pollen filter housing, and the drains in the cowl are the most common causes for water getting in the cabin of a Passat.
It is a fixable issue. The extent of the damage will depend on how long the water has been in the floor.
If you have many issues, my guess is the water is on the driver side. That is where the convenience module is located. The CCM controls(or plays a role) with almost everything in the car.
Hi I have 2006 jetta with a some time starting problem .It will start write away and it would shutter and stall. I could start rite back up n b ok . Some time it would take 2/3 times to start .Also the high idle would not work all the time . Also I had the door wire problem I patch it for now .to cold outside for now n also the trunk will not lock at times but still working on that.I would like to know if anyone could help with the problem. The car is very good othe then the little problems Tks,.Lionel
Any resolution to the starting issue? What engine does your Jetta have?
07 Volkswagen GTI Turbo 6-speed. randomly I have to get out and open the hood and tap my battery post with something for interior lights and buzzer to have power car will not crank at this time either nor unlock doors gas cap anything.since I’ve had this car it had random electrical issues throughout the car. I’ve replaced the battery have no extra electrical upgrades on the vehicle everything is Factory. Sometimes the windows let down automatically after starting. inside lights have always cycled dim. the front rightparking light keeps giving random alert that need to be replaced. When I stop and go to change it.it doesn’t do it again for like 3 weeks. On New Year’s I slowed down to make a turn and it sounded like my entire bottom fell out of my car I honestly thought my exhaust pipe fell off turns out a hole blew out of the pipe just below the turbo and it sounded like a Mack truck coming down the road. my husband got it fixed remounted it. 3 years ago when I first bought it on my way home from the Volkswagen place from getting the oil changed the high pressure warning flashed
and beeped,went back there they checked it said nothing was wrong. Sporadic alert since, I check it and have plenty oil but not too much.. but I can smell that strong exhaust smell every time I crank so for the last month,within 90 seconds of cranking the car up nearly every single time it dies out momentarily, gauges bottom out and the high oil pressure light alarm sounds. I always stop and check after the alarm and it hasn’t been an issue until last night when the car cut off as I was pulling out. usually it happens on a straightaway or when I take my foot off the accelerator. so I thought it might have been to Subtripicle Force at first but now it seems like that doesn’t even make a valid Theory! Today as I backed into a parking spot the car died would not even unlock the doors or trunk so I can get my hammer to tap the battery . as my daughter opened the passenger door the interior lights came back on in the car crunk up. The fob has never unlocked or locked the driver’s door, I have to do it manually but the alarm is armed and disabled with the fob. I’m at a loss. Sorry it’s so long and I understand they may be unrelated issues but they seem electronic to me. please help I’m losing my mind and I love my GTI, Rick dont deserve the junkyard!!
Its 2.5 a 5 cylinder
Start with basic maintenance. Spark plugs, fuel filter.
Are there any faults stored in the engine computer? This could be an issue with the timing chains stretching.
HI I fix the staring problem with starting n stalling .Now the thing is it will not go to high idle all the time when it starts I think it should around 1200rpm as it will go about 10% of the time at other time its at 8.5 rpm but it runs very good
Hi, Nice video. Thank you so much for this site.
I thought you can help me in this regard.
I have volkswagon Jetta 2002 model, problem is interior lighting is gone but all fuses are fine. When i turn on the head lights, the keyboard blue lights are coming but they are not working. Like no interior light and gas lid opener, door lock, door windows, music system, remote key, boot space opener switch and all interior system is not working. Can you tell me what is going on with my car? thank you in advance.
@srinu
WOW you have some crazy things going on. In addition to checking all the fuses to be good, make sure they are all there. I would also check and make sure the grounds under the battery tray are good.
This sounds like a problem to leave to the pros. PLEASE keep me posted on what happens. This is strange issue for sure.
Thank you for the reply Mr. Charles.
Hahaha….. I know, some crazy things are going on, in my car. I contacted one mechanic, he checked all fuses. They are in place and in good condition. He suggested me car diagnostic test for 99$. And one more thing, I expected that the problem is due to car battery. So, I removed the battery and tested it at AutoZone, the battery passed the test, it is in good condition. There is no problem that I can notice at the bottom of the battery. I don’t know what happened to my car. Please suggest me what I need to do. Should I need to go for diagnostic test or any other options are there for me. Please suggest me….. Thanks
HI I just read your he problem with your car .If u have not got the the thing fix. try to look at the main plug under the dash way up in the front drivers side.there is a problem with water getting in n corrode the connector in side the plastic. Good luckLionel
I have a 2012 vw Passat sel premium 2.5l. I know this is an old post but I am having the same problems and my driver floor gets water in it. Where is the water coming from?How do I stop it the water from getting in? and where exactly is the plug I need to check? Thanks
Anyone with issues on the power locks? My husband’s 2008 Jetta has a problem with some of the doors intermittently not locking. The dealer says that the latch is faulty – that sometimes they just fail, and just replaced the back passenger one ($500! – ouch) a couple of days ago.
Last night the front passenger one failed. One more thing – since we bought the car in 2009 (new), it will randomly sound the alarm while parked in our carport – no bumps, no breakins, just the car beeping 5-10 times then stopping. I suspect the two problems might be related.
The problem is that we can’t lock the car unless we fix the latches each time they fail, and the repair is expensive. I read on another website about one person who had done six of these repairs in a few years time, so apparently the “fix” doesn’t stick. Help!!!
Hey Laurie,
Sadly this is a common thing. I have not seen many fail multiple times, but it’s totally possible.
Odds are the 2 issues you are having are related. A dealer can look to see what door is triggering the alarm.
How handy are you? If I did a how to video would that help you DIY?
Also, $500 see kind of high. I will check our parts price tomorrow. I don’t recall the price off the top of my head.
I just checked a site called German Auto Parts. They are AWESOME! I buy stuff from them alot. They have the parts for ~$140.
http://www.germanautoparts.com/Volkswagen/Jetta/Body/77/7
I’m having problems with the electrical in my 06 Jetta. I’ve noticed that the check engine light only comes on in hot weather. It stayed on almost all summer and then stayed off all winter. As soon as the weather started warming it started coming on Intermittently. Now, when the weather is hot (in the 80s) the key fob wont work and I have to unlock the door manually. The car cranks and I can drive it, but the open door light stays on and none of the buttons on the door work. For the last few years I’ve had to open the fuel tank with the door closed because the button doesn’t work when the door is open. Everything is similar to the problems described as the door wiring harness. Does the effect that the temperature has on the problem cause you to believe there is more to the problem than the wiring harness?
We also have a 06 VW Jetta 2.5 with some strange electrical issues. Most of it seems to be related to the steering column. Cruise control works sometimes. You will have it set and it will work for an hour straight, other times it won’t even turn on. Wipers and turn signals do not operate at the same continuous speed. Radio will restart/reboot randomly. When the windows are half down and you try to roll them up, sometimes they decide to go down instead. Do you think this could be related to this door wiring/harness?
Justin,
That’s is some weird stuff man. I would start by looking for a loose ground wire. It doesn’t sound like a door issue.
I also forgot about the gear indicator on the dash. It will light up the box surrounding each gear at the same time, reading as if you are in every gear at once. This last time I noticed the gear number on the far right stayed at 1 on every gear shift. I replaced the battery earlier this year and the problems disappeared for about 3 months. They have slowly gotten worse now. I will look into the grounding cables’ connections.
I have a door on my 2007 jetta that will not lock. The other 3 do but not that one. Before I go on a expensive spending spree do you know where I might start looking? I cannot hear no activity in the door when I am trying to work the lock.
Sounds more like a latch issue than a wiring harness issue.
I am so glad I found this! Now I’m going to have to test my 2010 Jetta TDI wagon (that I otherwise LOVE). Recently, the driver’s side door won’t unlock with the remote…not always, just often enough to drive me nuts. Once or twice, the back door on the driver’s side won’t unlock either with remote or with the button on the door – I have to pull on the handle from the inside. Any other thoughts on what that might be caused by?
Hey Erin,
The doors not locking is something that can drive you insane.
It sounds like you have a bad door latch switch for the drivers door. That is a pretty common thing.
As far as the drivers rear door. There could be a few things wrong. 1) The latch on the drivers rear door may be bad. I have replaced all the door modules on cars. The other issue may actually be the latch in the drivers front door. The modules work in conjunction with each other. The false signal from the drivers front door may be messing with the signal from/to the rear door.
The best thing to do is replace the drivers front door latch, then evaluate the operation of the rear door.
This job does require a few less common tools, but is VERY easy. I can walk you through it if you are up to the challenge.
Long time coming…I did finally take it to the dealer to have it looked at and they confirmed that it was the door latch assembly. To replace (THREE DOORS – both rear doors plus driver’s side front!) it would cost approximately $600/door. Since then, the hatchback has also started to not latch when I close it. I am beginning to hate this car. I would love instructions on how to fix, though I am probably not up to it. I might take it to my regular (non-dealer) mechanic to do the driver’s side door and see if that fixes the problem with the other doors.
I have a 09 Jetta, the driver’s side rear door will not lock. I have seen multiple post and solutions for this problem so that is not what I am going to ask. Shortly after the door stopped locking I noticed that the switch on each door that indicates if the door is locked or not on all doors except the passenger’s side rear no longer light up. Is this related to my door locking problem or an indication that my other doors are going to stop locking?
Dale,
I have seen this 1 other time. The car was doing exactly what yours is.
I recommended the customer have the drivers door latch replaced first, then we can reevaluate. They declined the repairs so I don’t know if that would have fixed all the door issues.
Since you know the drivers door is not functioning properly, I would start by replacing that.
Hope that helps
Hi there I have an 09 Jetta and my alarm has just randomly been going off throughout the day if it’s locked and my trunk likes to lock up to where I have to crawl into the trunk to open it. Also when I drive down the road my trunk light comes on likes it’s been opened but it isn’t open at all. Not sure what to do.
Hi Megan,
I have seen this happen when the connector on the trunk latch gets water in it.
If you take the trim off the trunk lid, take a very close look at the connector for the latch. Odds are it has some green fuzzies on it.
If so, you can clean it. At the shop, I replace the pins. For a DIY cleaning may be good enough. Also look at the latch and make sure the connection there is not fuzzy too.
Hello! Awesome website btw. My issue is my trunk opening. I own a 07 Jetta and the past 3 years, my trunk opens when I use the fob key to unlock my doors. Lately, I have found the trunk opened first thing in the morning before I go to work.
I have changed the boot latch, but it doesn’t fix the issue. I have taken one of the boot struts off because it has opened while I have been driving! Have you heard of this on vw’s?
Thanks
@Patrick,
I have heard of this a few times. When I read your comment, I thought of something that I had never considered before.
Try and lock the trunk in valet mode. Just to see if that does anything.
I would start by checking the wires in the door like I talk about in the video.
From there, take a good look at the connector on the trunk latch. I have seen them get corroded and act weird.
If those are good, I am thinking that the drivers door module is failing. This is the module built into the window motor.
Charles, I will check those this weekend. I have read on a popular VW forum, somebody replaced their driver’s door module and the trunk hasn’t opened in 2 months! Hopefully, it’s a simple as that!
Thanks again for the ideas!
Just a little update as of today the dealer called and informed me that they installed the regulator or power window motor and was unable to sink it with the passenger side power window motor and another module so now I need all three. It appears that VW changed manufactures of these modules and you need the three units from the same manufacture or you can’t sink them. They do not sell the unit that’s in my car anymore so its 900.00 more dollars to buy all three plus paying labor on removing the outer door skin 3 times .
HELP!!!
WOW! I have never heard of that.
What type of VW is this again?
There are some weird production splits in the late 2000s. I have even seen ECMs with the same part number not be compatible.
Hi Patrick
I have had the exact issue with my trunk latch. VW says they have never heard of it. So far we have replaced drivers door harness,trunk latch,broken ground wire between the computer module behind the glove box to the trunk harness and battery. Today the dealer ordered the drivers window regulator that has a module attached. This will bring the total of repairs to I estimate around 1800.00 dollars so hope this works. Hope this helps.
Cheers
Yikes, that is a lot of repairs. 🙁
Hi Charles
I’m not very computer savvy so if this pops up in the wrong spot sorry ! The car is a 2006 Jetta TDI 4 door. I have the module number at work with an ID number also. We have a local salvage yard that junk VW’s only here in Sou-Western Nova Scotia and they are looking for the same number module for me. I should know more tomorrow. I really get the feeling that the dealership doesn’t know if this will fix it or not . Thanks for the come back
Adelbert
My 09 Jetta,s boot keeps opening it seems to be when we take key out of ignition . The windows have also gone down at the same time , but on rarer occasions ..
sounds like a latch or a coding issue.
Hi Charles, I love your blog!!
Ok, my 2008 Passat VR6 is having issues.
My check engine light came on and the mechanic said I would need a fuel pressure test. Nothing is happening with the guage or in the car. So he said that it was possible that the sensor is faulty.
After that issue, all of a sudden the driver’s side rear door won’t lock with the key fob. And the alarm won’t sound at all when I lock all of the doors. Also, my sunroof randomly vents open and then closes on it’s own. And I hear an intermittent ticking on the dash at times. I initially thought it was the cd changer doing it’s thing. But then I realized it’s not.
Everything else works fine for now (knock on wood). I was reading that it could possibly be my CCM or a faulty electronic ignition switch. Please help
Hi Mina,
Great questions. You have a few things going on. From what I have seen, these are most likely the car’s issues.
Sunroof~ This issue is common when the switch in the roof starts to fail.
Ticking noise~ This is usually the motor that controls the recirculation door for your heat/AC. It generally happens when you start the car, or put it in reverse. When it starts clicking, press the “recirc” button. The noise typically changes.
Alarm/Door One of your door latches is failing. It sounds like it is the drivers door. You can try and lock the car, then check to see which doors are not locked. You might have more than one.
It may be a CCM, that has a HUGE part in all the things happening. But from what I have seen, the things I listed are much more common.
What happen with the check engine light?
Thanks for the video. My 06 jetta did the same thing exactly. Wires split in the door boot. I got out the soldering iron and shrink tubing and spliced in a 1″ length of wire for the brown (ground) and a red wire (?). Smaller gauge wires had some stress cracks in the outer insulation and one purple wire was broken also. So all together 3 splices and it works again! Very tight working conditions, and took a couple of hours. Kind of like bypass surgery but better than $300+(?) for replacement of wiring harness. We will see how long it lasts. Hey, if it the problem returns, I know exactly where to look. Thanks for your helpful information.
Glad you got it fixed Steve. I hope that repair lasts. Would you mind updating all of us about it?
i have a 2006 passat 2lt tdi,when i turn off the engine and remove the fob the gauges ie temp and fuel wont reset to zero,turn on again they will reset and go straight back to normal,also the time clock will reset to zero when i remove the fob, all works fine when i drive.Liam.
@Liam,
That is a strange issue. It could be a shorting capacitor in the cluster. It may also be an ignition switch failing. When you find out the problem, can you let us all know?
Thanks Charles for your reply,i did send you the reason for my problem via e-mail hope you received it.Liam.
Hi charles,
I have a 2007 jetta, a big issue started from buying a cheap china made mobile charger. Plugging it in caused a short circuit with a spark, and both the ligthers plugs stopped working. This is the easy part. I changed the fuses and yhe lighters start working again. The problem now is when i switch off the engine, the RPM, fuel gauge and the temperature guage gets stuck. When i switch on the ignition it resets every thing again and reads the correct reading. Even the time resets everytime i switch on the ignition. I am guessing its a problem with the whole speedometer dash. Plz advice. Thx
Did you get the Jetta fixed?
I would recommend turning off the ignition, disconnecting both cables from the battery, then hold them together for a few minutes. This is like a hard system reboot. That fixes lots of dumb things.
I had a problem like this with my 2006 passat,it turned out that one fuse in the fuse box in the engine compartment was in the wrong place so simple but cost £40-00 to find fault at the garage.Liam Cooke.
I have a 2010 Jetta and my passenger head light and my drivers side break light went out. I tried to change the head light and it still doesn’t work. One day while driving the lights out indicator on the dash went out and my lights were working again. Then out of nowhere they went out again and this keeps happening. What could be the problem?
I have a 2007 vw passat. Door ajar lights stay on, drivers side door lock does not work and lights on that lock do not work, device to change driver and pass mirrors does not work., and key fob does not lock driver side door but works for the other three. Does not beep either when locking anymore…any ideas??
I’m having crazy problems with my 2003 Jetta TDI. The key fob doesn’t work (lock,unlock, trunk). When I push the lock button on the driver door, the doors lock for one second then they all unlock. Trunk doesn’t open, even using the key. Electric windows do not work, except sometimes after driving a while or hitting a bump all the doors will lock as if I had just started driving and then the windows will work flawlessly until I turn off the car. The trunk release still doesn’t work when this happens. The gas door release works fine. The battery completely dies overnight, if I boost it then drive it around I can turn it off and it’ll start again. Interior lights don’t work and the car doesn’t “know” when any of the doors are open.
Great site!!
I have a 06 Jetta TDI with a strange starting issue. When turning on the key – all light in the dash show as normal but will not crank or even click when trying to start. Checked all fuses, battery and even put in a new starter assembly but still the same.
Some strange things that started just before this happened: The alarm is no longer making any chirping noise. The exterior lights do show the alarm activating and even flashes when hitting the panic button but no sound. Also I got out of the car and left the keys in the ignition while I got gas and the doors locked.
Is there something in the alarm system what would disable the ability to start the car?
@Mike,
I think you have 2 separate issues.
The alarm issue, is most likely a failure of one or more of the door latches. The way you can diagnose with one is to lock the doors. Then go around and see which ones did not lock. I would not be surprised if you find more than 1 bad.
The no start issue is most likely not related to the alarm. The immobilizer failure will let the car start but it shuts off after a few seconds.
If you have a test light, you can disconnect the connector at the starter, have someone turn the key and see if you have power. Also feel free to email me Charles(at) Humblemechanic (dot) com and we can skype or something.
Hi I just though I would let u know thet the trunk lock as a manufacturing problem with the spring in the lock .its about a mm. to big .What happens is that spring jumps the neck of the shalf that make the lock open n close in the latch .So u must take the lock all apart I really mean apart take the spring out theres 2 thing u can do 1st put a small washer or squeeze the end of the spring so it does not jump over the shaft neck When u put it back together u can hear the spring pushing n pulling the shaft in the lock as open n close. PS Mine work intermidate I also bent my trunk lid trying to close it.ok Just incase any one has the same problem Goodlock Lionel
I experienced this electrical issue and found that length isn’t the only issue, the ground(orange) wire and red wire are too thick to bend so tight.
My fix: Slit the boot open and added a yellow butt splice to the ground wire, giving it plenty of length and strength. I also reinforced the red wire’s weak point with electric tape, hopefully keeping it from splitting completely.
Took me 15 min. It would take a pro 5.
Cost, one pack of butt splices~$2.00
The driver door control buttons do not work on my 06 Jetta (this one is probably due to broken wires or faulty harness). Left turn signals do not work, the cruiser control light stays on and do not turn off. Are the last two issues related to the faulty harness too? because I ran into a You tube video that mentions one of the problems behind a faulty driver door harness is that the left turn signals do not work. Thanks for your website and your comments.
I have a 2002 Golf. Just replaced the computer, and had it programmed abt 6 wks ago. New battery. The ck eng lt is on, the door open lt is on, it dies soon after starting. Drove it to a Pep Boys and codes pulled were these: P0261, P0267, P0270, P0264, P0445, P0037, P0418, P2401. Will all of this repair be worth the cost? Just under 100k miles on the car. Body is excellent, but electrical is failing big time. Pls advise. Thx!
Hi. I have the same problem whit my jetta, how can I fix?
It’s a Jetta 2006.
Hi Charles,
I have a 2002 VW Jetta. My doors are all closed & the doors automatically lock when car reaches 10 miles per hour, my trunk is closed and locked, however; my door/rear lid open light on my dash doesn’t go out and my interior lights will not go out without me turning them off manually. I checked the fuses & I don’t see a fuse for that particular indicator light. What could be the problem.
Does this cause your car not to hold charge?
It could Adam, but I have not seen that happen with this problem. Usually this results in things not working. But it sure is possible.
2005 2.5L Jetta – All of the controls on driver door failing – lock/unlock buttons, window controls, side mirror controls, fuel flap latch, trunk latch, driver door will not lock when using key FOB wirelessly, door ajar signal not displaying when driver door is opened.
Help!
Wiring issue? Or door module issue? Thanks!
With all that is going on, I am leaning on the harness being broken. IF you pull back the boot a little, you will most likely find a few broken wires.
Let me know what you find. If you want me to walk you through checking, let me know….
2007 jetta 2.0 sport… Started off with door not locking on drivers side front and back… Then everything failed on driver side,windows ,wing mirror etc … Now all doors won’t lock and telling me airbag fault and driver door open!
Hi Charles,
My fuel tank door is currently misbehaving in my 2008 VW passat, the door keeps on opening on its own intermittently. Also, the red lights that illuminate the indoor fuel and trunk release buttons just suddenly stopped coming on. Any ideas what might be going on?
Thanks
Sounds like it may be a button problem.
Unfortunately that circuit is not so simple. There are a few modules involved in opening that fuel door.
You can take the door panel off and inspect it the switch. You can also check the wiring in the boot between 4 door and the car body.
If nothing is obvious I might start by fiddling with the button and see if the light comes on.
This might be a tough diagnosis with out a proper scan tool.
Hey I have a problem with my battery being drained every night , my central locking won’t work for all my doors when I lock the driver door so I use the lock button on the driver door then lick the driver door with the key .its the only way to lock all doors. Also when all my doors are locked it still says on my dash I have a door open??
Wondering if I took out a fuse at night would it save the battery ?? Really annoying I have to jump start my car all the time !!!
Hope you can shed some light in this !!!
Ollie
Ollie,
I have the same issues with my 07 Jetta. I disconnect my batter every night so I can go to work the next morning. Although, I did find my radio was pulling a lot of amps while my car was turned off. I used a multimeter to find this out so the fuse is now out, but this means a new radio. I thought this solved my issue and then rechecked and found something else is draining my battery. Long story short- my sunroof started to leak (hose disconnected itself and starting having water come in through the driver sides A-pillar causing standing water in my fuse box) so now my car thinks my door is always open. Very frustrating to hear that chime for two minutes! I think this is draining my battery so currently, I disconnect every night and manually lock the drivers door.
Help – I have a Jetta 2001 which seems to stall or stuttter when there is still a quarter tank of petrol. Is this an electrical issue as I know there is sufficient petrol in the car and I do not have any other problems. Car has a new fuel pump so not sure what else it can be.
Thanks in advance.
Is there any damage to the tank? It may also be an issue with the evap system. Is the check engine light on ?
Cabin blower fan ceased functioning; nary a problem prior to turning the knob yesterday and none of the positions actuate the fan. 2005 golf tdi has been quite satisfactory with the exception of two weeks ago the idiot light on the dash notified of a door ajar when none were after too many open/closing sessions of all doors. Self corrected the door ajar light after a few days; all other electrical things work without exception except the cabin switch and all fuses are a-okay. The light comes on when the AC and cabin filter buttons are depressed but alas no fan.
Any ideas? p.s. what a wonderful site this is. Thanks in advance
Daniel, it sounds like you have 2 issues.
The door thing is probably a failed door latch. Lock your car and see if you can still open any doors for the outside.
If you have a test light, testing for power and ground at the fan is pretty easy.
Hi, I have just yesterday purchased a 2006 Jetta (which I am completley in love with) the only issue is that none of the interior lights work except the ones at the drivers and passengers feet. Do you think all the bulbs could be out or an electrical problem? Thanks 🙂
That is strange Sarah,
I doubt it is all the bulbs. But you never know when you buy a car used. I would pick up a test light (they are like $20 at Sears) and check all the fuses. That car has a fuse box under the hood, and one in the car.
If you open your drivers door, you will see a panel on the side of the dash. That panel comes off, and there is a fuse panel behind it. Good luck, and keep us posted.
Hi,
I have a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta LE (2.5L, 5 cyl) and have started having a really frustrating radio issue for about a month now 🙁
When the radio is powered on (pushing the power button), the radio randomly turns itself on and off randomly. More recently, I’ve noticed that RIGHT before the radio turns back on by itself, I hear what sounds like a ‘clicking’ noise coming from around under the steering wheel area.
I’ve tried leaving it alone for the duration of my ride to see if it auto-corrects itself with time, but at some point, it just gets so annoying having the music cut in and out at random times that I usually just end up pushing the power button again and turning the radio off completely :/
I would REALLY appreciate it if you could help me figure this out or give me some insight on what you think the cause of this may be.
Thank-you so very much!
P.S. I took my car in for it’s 30,000 mile service about a week ago but the dealership told me it’s something I’d have to make a later appointment for (no doubt to charge me to even diagnose the issue >.<), but money is just so tight right now I was really hoping to find a solution outside of that first. As another side note, they had also replaced the under hood fuse free of charge since it was known to be faulty but even after the supposed replacement, nothing has changed (if not gotten worse), so I'll take any advice I can get -_-; Thanks again!! =D
WOW that would drive me bonkers. The fuse recall is for a lighting circuit. The first thing I would want to look at is the connection on the back of the radio. The dealer can also talk to the radio with their scan tool and see if there is anything showing there. They can also look to see if any other system are having issues.
I have ran into a million radio issues, but not one cutting off like that.
Is this the factory radio?
Yes, it is a stock radio and believe me…I’m pretty sure it’s driven me bonkers already; Especially when I’m just trying to enjoy my jams XD haha
Is there a way that I’d be able to check the connection myself or is this something that I’ll HAVE to take in >.< Or is there a particular device that I'd be able to get that would let me know what is going on with it as well?
Thank-you SO much for responding! I've found I've specifically NOT wanted to go out driving because it's such a shame driving with no noise at all; it's like putting myself into a mobile isolation booth O_o lol
Having an issue with a 2004 Gold TDI 1.9L. Just replaced the brake light on the passenger side and now the power locks, windows, and moon window are not working as well as the key fob. Fuses appear to be OK. Where should I check next?
That is Golf not Gold.
I have a Jetta 5, 1.9 Tdi. The trunk do not open with the remote. Remote opens all the other doors. NO sound from the trunk lock when I use the FOB when a try to open the trunk. View days before the alarm went off a couple of times every time I shut the door of the trunk. Suggestions?
I have a Jetta 2005 I had friend who install a aux cable, it worked fine for the first week then after that when ill go to CD and click it again it wouldn’t switch to aux cable. What’s wrong with it ? Why doesn’t it go to aux anymore ?
Maybe an issue with the cable? I use a converter box that is wired in to the back of my radio(we should have the same radio)
I would first start by checking all the connections and being sure a wire didn’t come loose
My friend checked it and everything but it still wouldn’t work
2012 VW Jetta TDI, passenger window switch is dead, driver’s side controls will lower and raise the passenger window with no issues. None of the light switches light up at night anymore. Also, the lights surrounding the factory radio don’t seem to light up anymore either, what gives??
could this be a BCM issue? I can easily find a used one for $150 and it appears to be an easy swap.
2007 jetta Headlights and interior lights always on. DRL’s don’t go off when using e brake. Headlight switch no effect on operation of headlights.
My ’02 GTI just started having these issues.
Sometimes it won’t lock. Sometimes the alarm
Won’t beep. Sometimes the alarm beeps while driving.
Sometimes the alarm goes off when I open the door to get out.
Sometimes the windows roll down just a little when you
Push the buttons and it takes multiple pushes to get them down.
Sometimes I here a relay clicking under the dash.
Sometimes the fuel door won’t open.
I read most of the posts on here.
Door module, CCM, door latch, broken wires.
But it rained all day so I couldn’t really look into it.
Might try the recirculate button in the am if I hear the clicking.
Wish me luck.
Hello I have something I can not figure out I know its a wiring problem… My check engine light comes on then brake and abs dash board go’s dim and mileage and clock resets then my headlight on passenger side keeps going on and off dim only bright works great. My engine light comes on and my turbo go’s off and does not work I loose all power then I turn off my car and it resets sometimes for months sometimes I half to do this 10 times on the way home to keep resetting it.. I put my windshield wipers on the other day and my radio turned off when I hit my brakes my lights dim down same thing when I roll up and down my windows do you have an idea where to even start is there a main wiring harness somewhere I cant figure it out thank you please let me know any help would be great thanks again Rodney………………rslandreth@gmail.com
Hello I have something I can not figure out I know its a wiring problem. My check engine light comes on then brake and abs dash board go’s dim and mileage and clock resets then my headlight on passenger side keeps going on and off dim only bright works great. My engine light comes on and my turbo go’s off and does not work I loose all power then I turn off my car and it resets sometimes for months sometimes I half to do this 10 times on the way home to keep resetting it.. I put my windshield wipers on the other day and my radio turned off when I hit my brakes my lights dim down same thing when I roll up and down my windows do you have an idea where to even start is there a main wiring harness somewhere I cant figure it out thank you please let me know any help would be great thanks again Rodney………………rslandreth@gmail.com
Please, I have a problem with my VW passat 98,when I lock the doors with the key,all the doors will lock,within some time,the whole doors will unlock itself and the whole four windows will go down with it immediately,I feel very sad,please help me I dont know what to do or where the problem is from.
Sounds like an issue with the tumbler in the door. Is this only happening when you lock it with the key?
yes it only happens when I lock it with the keys,but I want to know what is the tumbler of the door.
yes it only happens when I lock it with the keys,but I want to know what is the tumbler of the door.
Hello Charles,
Been reading some of your posts and thought that you were very well versed in VW problems. I have only had one with my 2013 VW Passat. The other day the drivers door exterior handle just stopped working, it was also 16 degrees outside. So I climbed in throught the passenger door and opened the drivers door. No problem, but when I went to get out of the car after driving it, i pulled on the interior handle and heard a “pop” sound and the door stopped working all together. Would not close and latch at all. I took the interior door panel off because the car is out of warranty because of milage and started looking at what was going on. The door latch would work if I un hooked it from the interior handle and pushed the cable back in the sleeve. but the exterior door handle would not work. I pulled the plastic cover to get to the interior of the door and the door latch. I felt around for the cable and it felt like a cable was out of place so I moved it back into what I felt was the correct position and the exterior door handle works fine now and well as the interior door handle. So I was satisfied with it and put everything bacl together. Now, after all this, when I close the door it latches shut, handles work fine but it is not locking the door. I can lock the door with the key fob and still open the drivers door. I am very frustrated at this and cannot figure this one out. Have you had any experience with something like this? I would greatly appreciate any advice you would be willing to pass on. I look forward to your answer.
Hello
Just discovered this site this morning. Great work all. Sorry to hear about troubles. I own two 06 Jetta TDI’s and love them dearly. One is an early model and one is a late model….I guess there were three that year. Any how, the early one I bought new and had no end of problems initially and under warranty VW brought in a technician who roves across Canada for these problems. It turned out to be a kinked wire that was arcing under the battery. Worked fine until the driver’s side door window and locks didn’t work. Sound familiar? Yup the wires inside the boot were broken and it needed a new wiring harness. I had an extra warranty that covered it (why it would have been $600 I don’t know). Not long after that, I received a letter stating that VW was being sued over this wiring harness and that it was a country wide class action suite. I thought that this was settled and that there was a recall. Anyone know?
My problem today is my fuel pump circuit. The pump is not running and this happened earlier in the summer. I added an auxiliary ground to the circuit and I have a fault code stating that the ECM is not grounded. Do I just add an auxiliary ground to the ECM to get rid of this? Anyone had this misfortune?
Hi Barry.
That tech that travels for weird repairs is called a QTM, Quality Technical Manager. I have not seen anything about the door harness suite. There is not a recall in the USA at this time. I have been hunting for a solution to repair the wires, but I have found nothing.
I have replaced a few fuel pumps on your generation TDI. What is the fault you are getting. It should read p0405 or something. That “P” is just a made up number. I can’t recall off hand having ground issues on that ECM
Hi there,
I have been having a fuel gauge issue with my 2007 GTI Golf. The fuel gauge works sporadically and at times doesn’t work at all if the fuel level is below 1/3 full. From what I have read on here it might be a grounding issue. Is this correct and how can I fix this?
And only recently the computer resets every time I start the car. Meaning I have no average usages or speeds. It’s a bit annoying because I can’t tell what my fuel consumption or kms per hour is over a long period of time.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi I gt a 07 passat the key remote keeps playing on me I changed tge battery but not helped it locks doors boot opens somtimes but it doesnt unlock the doors please can you help me silve the problem wat can I do? I have leave my car unlocked were ever I go
Hello,
I have an 06 2.5 gas Jetta that seems to be having some intermittent electrical issues. It does the same thing detailed above with the driver’s door…but that’s not worrying me, I assume it’s the broken wire in the boot.
Lately, at startup, all the lights on the instrument panel flicker in unison, and then will come on steady after a second. Sometimes, when it’s cold out, the tachometer will read very low (like iding at 100 rpm, 1500 at full throttle). Car runs fine, despite the gage reading.
Today, however, the car won’t start at all. Dash lights are on, everything electrical seems to work.
I must have a loose ground somewhere. But where? That is my question.
Appreciate any help.
I have 04 getta TDI the engine light is on, when you get out on highway seems ok until you ask for power, accelerates to 105 kph hits limp mode goes back to 90k. Is there any method of checking or isolating a problem sensor without an electronic reader.
Hello. I have a 2006 passage which recently had a water ingress issue. The front doors lock,power windows work on all doors,but the rear doors lock intermittently. I noticed a groaning sound coming from the rear drivers side door before it completely stopped working. Also, my airbags light is on and a hag scan revealed a defective control module. Are these related? If I wiggle the boot between the b pillar and rear door it sometimes locks. Are the defective airbag control module and locking problems related? This all began with the water ingress. Thanks!
I was driving my 2012 Jetta TDI this morning and got pulled over by a Sheriff who informed me that my trunk was open.
There was no light display on my instrument cluster letting me know that my trunk is open.
This has happened several times already.
Does anybody know if that trunk warning light even exists?
I was driving my 2012 Jetta TDI this morning and got pulled over by a Sheriff who informed me that my trunk was open.
There was no light display on my instrument cluster letting me know that my trunk is open.
This has happened several times already.
Does anybody know if that trunk warning light even exists?
Hello to everyone here I don’t know if this is a good place to get answers but if anyone could give me some advice on my 95vw golf gti vr6 I recently bought . I am having trouble with the headlights it has aftermarket headlights that are really nice but they won’t turn off at all even when the car is off and the key is out and it drains my battery so what I have to do now is disconnect the battery every time I get out and it gets really old quick pulse I would like to fix it hoping its a wiring problem I just don’t know very much about this car at all. So if anyone could please take the time to help that would be so amazing . I am going to leave my email on here because I do not know if this site will notify me if someone responds .. Email – jameslarsen93@gmail.com .
Could be something as simple as an ignition switch. Are the lights plugg3d in with the factory connection?
Hello,
Thanks for all the help here! I have a 2010 GTI which I love. The only issue is that I find that headlights too dark and night and have trouble seeing at nighttime. I had the lights adjusted upwards which helped a bit.
So I bought name brand aftermarket bulbs that are supposedly brighter, figuring this would help.
I was surprised when my VW shop refused to install them, and strongly advised not using. He said such aftermarket bulbs could lead to electrical problems or even a fire. I tried to research this online but have found nothing.
Just wondering if you think they are correct or could they just be covering themselves from a liability perspective? Have you heard of issues from installing aftermarket bulbs in a Volkswagon?
I now have non-returnable $80 bulbs, so I’m hoping to put them to use! thank you.
Hey for some reason the alarm keeps going off on my 2000 golf gti whenever I turn on the switch in the car, open the hood or open the passenger door from inside. Th dealer said I could have a faulty door but they did not really specify what was wrong with it. I saw videos on youtube and they said it could be the door module. What do you think I should do?
Hey I have a 2000 golf gti and for some reason the factory alarm goes off whenever i turn the switch on in the car, pop the hood or open the passenger door from inside. The vw dealer said I have a faulty door but they did not specify the exact problem. I was also looking up videos and they said it could be the door module from the drivers side. Any advice?
That sounds like a drivers door latch. The dealer(or someone with a proper scan tool) can look at the alarm triggers. We can see what set the alarm.
I kind of had a feeling it was the door latch. Where are yall located?
Hello there! Congratulations on the most useful blog I came across.
So here’s my Jetta problem:
* Jetta TDI 2009 – first year CA legal
* 180,000 miles, all mechanical stuff going strong
* Nasty intermittent (actually, about permanent now) electrical; note that outside of the displayed information, all goes well (two exceptions, below).
** Check Engine light does not go out. This started ~20,000 miles ago, dealers consulted don’t see anything wrong – resetting all works for a short while, and back to the light steadily on.
** Maybe connected to that, car went into “limp mode” on the Interstate some time ago; replacing the turbo-boost sensor restored normal behavior; but I have some doubts it was the real cause.
** Had all other sensors checked since, they all read normal.
** About every other day, panel states that the left turn indicator is U/S – when I use it, it goes into rapid-blinking for a few seconds, then works normally (verified outside: it doesn’t work when rapid-blink, works otherwise…
** Left front parking light U/S, new bulb or not
** About once a week, brake/antilock indicator goes on while driving; brakes still work normally (no, did not try the anti-lock then…); stopping, turning engine off and back on, and I’m back in business for that one (all other problems endure).
Maybe it’s CA, but the dealers I went to are apparently more interested selling parts than fixing the problems… From other descriptions on your blog, I think a harness with a broken wire is a possibility – esp. since many symptoms are on the Left side. But where to look?
Any suggestion?
Again, thanks for an amazingly good blog!
Great info but still in need of help. 2005 Jetta 2.0, my e-brake light comes on when I press the recirculation A/C button, Cruise control is not working and the A/C blows warm. All of this happened when the EPC light came on. EPC situation is now fixed but the others are still lingering. Help?
my vw golf5 interior lights stays on while i’m driving what could be the problem please help a sister…
Most vw have a switch that let’s the inside lights do one of three things. 1 is normal operation where it comes on when you open the door and off when you close it.2 the light stays off even when the door is open. 3 is on all the time. The switch is usually either part of the light assembly or very near it. That’s the best I have to offer.
Mike
Hi,
I have a 2007 Jetta Wolfsburg with 2.5 and auto trans. Recently the alternator failed, I had this verified with an off the car test. I replaced the alternator, assembled everything and made sure to charge the battery while this was going on. With the new alternator on I fired it up and, crap, no charge. I had already checked all fuses on the car, the buss bar on the underhood fuse block and all the fusible links. No output at the alternator at all, I had the new one tested off the car “joy joy” and it’s a champ, 100% good. I am assuming no signal from the car to the alternator but not sure how to continue. I was a pretty good mechanic in my day but I haven’t done this for a living since 97. Any words of wisdom or advice.
Mike
You need to see what the voltage is above 2k RPM. That is when the ECM stops regulating the generator.
Im having an issue with my 2001 Passat Volkswagen it has the battery light on but so far I can start it up and turns on every time the problem is when I start to drive it then loses power and all gauges and electrical shut off and then I get a stop brake faulty light come on with all the lights such as abs, an exclamation light and so on start to flash for a second and when it does that I’ll rev my engine and the power kicks back on and when I start to slow down or at a stop it’ll do it again. Any suggestions? Also my front headlights do not work but my parking lights do? Could that be related? Could it be an electrical issue?
I just bought a 2002 passat and was getting the title from the owner and doing the paperwork while the car sat in my driveway for a week. It had run perfect before this and after it sat for a week i tried to start it and it would not start. Also the door locks, key fob, power windows, sunroof,trunk and fuel release would not work either. When i turn the key the lights on the instrument cluster come on the starter does not engage but there is a weird click from under the hood(not the starter solenoid which I’ve tested) and nothing happens. I have tried examining the CCM and found it clean and wires corrosion free, also another thing that was that I was in the middle of replacing the drivers side window reg. before the car sat for a week and had taken the drivers side door panel off. Have you ever seen anything like this and can a bad comfort control module do this? If so could the bad module have shorted my engine ecu?
Hello Charles,
I have a 2012 VW Jetta and recently the door locks seem to want to try and keep locking while I accelerate a decelerate around 10 MPH. It first started with the key remote not unlocking the door. Then, finally the key remote started working again and that’s when the door locks seem to go haywire while everyday driving, Any advice? Thanks!
Did you have any luck with that? I have the same car and same issue…
Thanks!
Hey this same thing has been bugging me for years!! I refuse to go to the dealer. I have a 2009 Jetta 2.5. Any help here? thanks.
Hi,
I have a 2014 Jetta. This morning we jumpstarted the battery. I drove it for an hour, it didn’t charge. Jumpstarted it again. My friend who is an auto engineer checked the battery said it was good. The alternator gauge indicator light never shows up. But I saw your video and thought could it be related to a paintless dent repair to my door from a week ago or is it some other thing? I left the engine running for two hours in the garage. Still the battery didn’t charge but shows up good.
hey Charles I have some problems with my 2002 jetta I change the radio now when the passenger door is open the radio sound goes out I check the radio harness it fine any clue? or tip
Great website! I hope this is an easy diagnosis for you. I couldn’t really find one exactly the same as mine but close. I have a 2006 Jetta TDI. Just bought it for my daughter to discover that nothing works in the trunk lid. Running Lights, license plate marker lights, Trunk release etc. My husband is an electrician and has checked all fuses and has ripped the whole truck apart. There is power to everything…but no ground (?) We removed the boot between the driver door and body and everything looked fine. Any suggestions to what we can check or replace? Door locks, fuel door, sunroof, windows etc all work fine (knock on wood!) Thanks for any help you can provide.
Hi Charles – really informative website, cheers.
I’ve got a 1998 VW Golf GTI. Suddenly, when I turned ignition on alarm sounded/hazard lights flashed… carried on for a minute before turning off. Tried it again same thing happened so I disconnected battery and alarm/lights stopped. Left it 1 hour and tried again – same problem. Key fob battery flat but hasn’t posed problem for 5 years! …there is a parasitic drain on battery that needs attention …unsure what this is. Previously when key turned in door to lock: windows could open, only back door would lock etc etc.
I’d appreciate any help you can give as I’m going mad. Cheers! ~ Paul
Hi
i just bought a polo 1.4 when i locked the car with the mobilizer then after somne few minutes the hazards start flashing.what is the problem
Just swapped a Lt rear door out on my 2001 Jetta with a 2003 donor car door. Went on fine, harness and connector look good. Here’s the problem, window goes up and down with control on door but it will not work with drivers door controls. The door won’t lock with either the fob or drivers controls. Also, the new door window works with the key off when no other window does as they shouldn’t. Anyone have any ideas. Please email me with any input. Thanks
Hello,
thanks for all the information you share.
I have a problem with my 2007 Passat trunk lid not opening. It does sometimes and doesn’t other times. I usually help it up or back down and the motor takes over. Could it be the motors or relay?
Mechanic says probably new motor needed but he doesn’t know which one until he is pulls both motors out. Sound right? Also, have a ECM J271 relay code.
Thanks so much!!!!
Hello charles. My boyfriend has a 2000 jetta mk4 vr 6. We cant seem to get it started. Tried jumping it. Nothing. All interior lights are working though. If we push the car and pop the clitch it starts but shuts off when slowing down or stopping. Just now when we tried jumping it there was sparks coming from the starter area. Any ideas? Please help!
I’m having an electrical issue with my VW Passat 1999. The Windows won’t wind down, interior lights don’t work, mirror control doesn’t work. I have checked the appropriate fuse and this is fine, do you have any idea what the problem could be? Central locking still works from the main drivers control and with key. Help?Please ?!?
On my 2006 Jetta I found out that the wiring harness to the drivers side door was too short. The wires would start to wear and break , causing a lot of intermittent problems. VW didn’t give a damn about it. Cost me over $300 to get it fixed.
Have VW A4 that starts fine but does not hold charge. I dont own a multimeter/voltmeter. Without physically bringing my alternator in for a bench test, is there some electrical troubleshooting anyone has any advice on? Battery light stays lit up while running; already have a brand new battery. I changed the regulator on my alternator and seen my old brushes had to much wear, however i still have the same problem after replacing the regulator. I’m convinced theres a bad ground somewhere but I dont know exactly what to check to determine if it’s simply a bad ground. I know theres grounds underneath the battery plate and underneath the windshield wiper cowling. Where else can I look for bad connections?
I have a 2002 vw gti that i’m getting a p0010 code…… camshaft position sensor …… have replaced it, checked all wiring, fuses – cant figure it out….. possible relay ??
My 99 beetle power widows work fine one minute,nothing the next ,passenger door window works when no key in ignition and door open?cannot get passenger window eve4 to go down from drivers side, thanks in advance ?
i drive a 2000 jetta mk4 and keep and keep blowing the (10) amp fuse that manages the windows, sunroof and the alarm…have checked the ground in the driver side door and nothing. should I check the other doors? I also replaced the comfort control module and I am still blowing fuses…..please help…I’m at my wits end.
hi, I need to repair an airbag wiring harness on my Jetta but I’m not sure how to connect it. The air bag wiring harness that connects to the front impact sensor was rippled. I was able to buy a replacement for the harness but I’m not sure with of the two wires from the harness is positive. Do you know which cable it could be buy and chance?
Got my wife’s 04 Jetta gli 6speed manual sometimes car has no start no crank but of course only when she has the car never when I’m trying to fix the prob also if I try n roll up both front windows at the same time all the power in the car goes out motor stays running but dash n radio goes black I already replaced the the ignition switch hasn’t done a no crank no start since but would a short in the door cause a no start no crank?
I have a 2004 Jetta TDI that I just purchased. The issue I am having is intermittent which makes it difficult to diagnose. The wipers will move about 6 inches each time I use the remote to lock/unlock the car. Also, the daytime running lights will go off and then turn back on. The wipers will not work at all using the switch and the turn signal indicators both illuminate dimly at the same time. If I press on the horn button, the horn does NOT blow but the wipers move each time I depress the airbag. I thought it could have something to do with the clock spring but it still does everything as always with the clock spring removed. Any help as to a starting point would be appreciated!
Follow-up post….Strangest thing, the check engine light has gone out but I now have an airbag light! The wipers are sporadic and will only cycle if you press the airbag on the lower right quarter.. The turn signal lights both illuminate dimly if you use a turn signal which also causes the daylight driving lights to flicker in conjunction with the turn signal flash.
Ok i have 2 main problems
1st. The buttons that conrol my radio on my stearing wheel doesn’t work. Everything else on my steering wheel works except them. Why?
2nd. How do i set the clock thats on the dash? I only have a 0.0 button up there. Its a 2019 VW Jetta S.
Hello,
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I have an issue with a 2011 Jetta 2.5 SE with the 30 amp fuse within the interior passenger apartment fuse panel it is melting… The black and brown wire that leads to the switch in the center column that turns the levels of the fan speed for the AC blower from low to high begins to get severely hot what could this be and why is it doing this please help
Well I have a Jetta wolf burg s 2.5 and it would run some times low on transmission fluid at least that what I thought it might not been losing any but I started putting fluid in the that bolt in the front pan I don’t know if I put a enuff transmission fluid in it after I changed the speed sensor but I have reverse and it seems like it wants to go into drive but it just bare trys to move as I hit the gas u have any pointers