What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Any Volkswagon Mechanics?

A

Artemis Entreri

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 3, 2008
Posts
424
Reaction score
0
Location
Staten Island, NY
My uncles got a 1999 pasat, 100k on it, runs great for the most part. but recently it started throwing all sorts of alarms and emergency lights at him.

All at once the ABS, Low engine oil lights went on and the tach died.

If he disconnects the battery it goes away, but soon comes back.

Any ideas?
Brakes are new, fluid is full, brakes work great.
Engine oil is full.

Thanks alot,
-Steve-
 
Sounds like a weird electrical problem. Try taking the cover over the spark plugs off and check all of the wiring to the injectors and coils to make sure the wire insulation hasn't cracked to pieces from the heat. I'm not a vw mechanic, but I've owned and worked on a lot of them. VW's electrical design isn't very reliable.

Might also check the alternator and its wiring and make sure it's not about to give up.
 
Sounds electrical to me as well. I have a friend how owns an 03 jetta which has headlights that work when they want to. An instrument cluster that sometimes works and sometimes doesnt.

Another person I know owns a Pasat which the dash lights short out and the taillights go with it. Then for no reason they start working.

VW's are known for electrical gremlins.
 
Sell /trade it ASAP. before it is too late.. He is in for a bunch of poop. Espically if he has not replaced the timing belt. Too bad the klunker program is over.
 
You might seriously consider another posters advice of selling it ASAP. A coworkers daughter recently bought a 01 GTI and it also has spent more time in shops/dealer than on the road for electrical problems,fan module,fuel pump,injector,coil failure,random stalling,codes, etc,etc. Seems an uncureable problem and the bills are over $1300 so far in parts and time.
 
Thanks all, sorry I didn't answer right away, don't have access to internet every day anymore. I passed on the opinions, and he is going to get rid of it if he can't figure it out soon, one of his friends is a VW mechanic, working on getting him to take a look at it soon.

Again, thanks everyone!

-Steve-
 
not a vw tech, but used to be a chevy tech specializing in electronics and driveability, souns like an ecm or pcm problem to me. or a shorted harness somewhere that all the related wiring comes together.

might not need to sell it, but those older vw's (mines a 2000) are known for their gremlins.
 
ECM is now what the dealer says is the issue with my freinds daughters GTI, Dealer says $2K for a ECM,time to shatcan the POS i say. Poor gal paid 10K for the car,$2K in repairs already and now this. You cant tell me the dealer that sold the turd had no clue as to its problems as they started days after they bought it...scumbags.
 
She paid 10k for a 99? That's an insane price unless it was back in 99. The car can't be worth more than 3k now even if was running good.

If she bought it from a dealer and the problems started days after, isn't there a lemon law type thing she can return it under? Or maybe it's just for new cars?
 
bp71k5 said:
She paid 10k for a 99? That's an insane price unless it was back in 99. The car can't be worth more than 3k now even if was running good.

If she bought it from a dealer and the problems started days after, isn't there a lemon law type thing she can return it under? Or maybe it's just for new cars?
Click to expand...


We paid 13k for our '02 jetta 3 years ago.. had 33k on the clock with the 1.8T.

Biggest waste of money Ive ever spent. to say they have electrical issues isnt accurate.

Its the vehicle that spawned the term "cluster f*ck".
 
Its an 01 if if recall and yes she was taken to the cleaners unfortunatly,she`s just 17 and didnt know was taken advantage of. Due to it never being the same failure everytime per lemon laws she was told there nothing she can do. I was trying to convince them to at least do a carfax and see if it was a past history or recovery from katrina or?? to try to make a case of not disclosing info. I could honestly write a book of actual horror story facts of how many of the local dealers screw people particulary females with unlawful and dishonest practices and im not talkin about high prices either..
 
moneypit_K5 said:
We paid 13k for our '02 jetta 3 years ago.. had 33k on the clock with the 1.8T.
Click to expand...

yikes, wasn't the msrp for it brand new close to 18k? The same car around here goes for ~$3500 right now.

I bought my 01 GTI new and it was $22k with leather and the turbo and has been a pretty good car. 165,000 miles on it.
 
good lord, bought my 2000 jetta TDI (which holds value better than a guzzoline model) earlier this year for $4700 bucks.
 
OK FIRST OFF DONT PANIC!!! now that i have your attention i would like to take this time to tell you a bit about VW Audi of germany (VAG).

First. anytime you remove the battery or discharge the battery you just reset the throttle body and require a dealer or self reflash of the ecu.

Second. The car isint a lemon. this is a normal 100k mile VW. check out the passat world forums and see for yourself. thos are easily fixed problems

Third and most important. go to ross-tech. com The VAG-com is the end all be all of VW tools. more important than any wrench. this tool lets you tune. test and debug the entire electrical system turning it into you friend rather than your enemy.
 
Oh and before i forget. Unless the mechanic ONLY works on German or the Porsche VW Audi Mercedes Bugatti BMW type cars then they will more than likely ham fist and break the car. Its the equivalent of taking a metric car to a mechanic that only has SAE tools. There are to many overly complex electrical systems that require the hardware to do diagnostics and to reset the ecu. you cant throw parts at a VW and unfortunately a vacume leak can throw your whole car into a headache. Think of it as a very very fine razor blade that requires a special honing stone rather than a 4'' angel grinder
 
Last edited:
I agree to some extent.

pulling the battery does not require anything to be dealer reset. done it many times(Our car likes to eat batteries).

secondly, although its a good idea to take it to a vw guy, they cant polish a turd.

Ours has been to the dealer so many times its ridiculous. this is after it went to this areas renowned dub shop.

Neither one could diagnose the faulty coil packs, even though it turns out is a common issue with these cars.

a friends wife is taking automotive courses at the local college, she took the car to school with her and they figured it out.
 
would also like to point out that nearly all the VWs for sale have exactly 100k miles as thats when the warranty runs out and the expensive bits are comming out of the owners pocket rather than the company. i had a 99 passat turbo gls wagon. it was nothing but a headache. im so glad i sold that thing
 
Finally! I feel useful for something here besides annoying questions! I can provide help for a change! I use to work on them for a living at the dealer before I went to BMW. I have owned nothing but for my dailies, great cars. My wifes 06 Jetta has been to the dealer once in the four years we've owned it for peeling radio buttons. My 06 GLI has been more fun, it has the DSG gear box with twin clutches, direct injection and a turbo, but I monkey with it but it has been a good car too. The exception would be the 99.5-04.5 MK4 Jetta/Golf. They are still good cars, but have their issues. They love their check engine lights and airbag lights they can be a little more maintenance intensive, but they are a stop gap between a civic and a BMW, great fit and finish, great performance and safety. If you have a 1.8T T-Belt AND water pump MUST be done every 60K. Not 61K, or 60,500. They snap and you are in for a cylinder head.

I would have to pull the faults out of it to be more accurate then an internet diagnosis. If you can get the faults read that would help. Check the VW boards like VWvortex.com guys there can read it out. I would since I have the VAGCOM but wrong side of the country. One thing to check is pull the connector on the coolant bottle for the level sensor. The bottles can go pad, leak coolant INTO the wiring harness and it will seep to the ECU and instrument cluster. This was common on the Jetta/Beetle/Golf. ECU/Fuel pump relays also give a lot of problems.

Feel free to PM me if you need some pointers or help. Any of you. You guys have helped me with my K5 and first domestic, its the least I can do! :o
 
xCaliK5x said:
Finally! I feel useful for something here besides annoying questions! I can provide help for a change! I use to work on them for a living at the dealer before I went to BMW. I have owned nothing but for my dailies, great cars. My wifes 06 Jetta has been to the dealer once in the four years we've owned it for peeling radio buttons. My 06 GLI has been more fun, it has the DSG gear box with twin clutches, direct injection and a turbo, but I monkey with it but it has been a good car too. The exception would be the 99.5-04.5 MK4 Jetta/Golf. They are still good cars, but have their issues. They love their check engine lights and airbag lights they can be a little more maintenance intensive, but they are a stop gap between a civic and a BMW, great fit and finish, great performance and safety. If you have a 1.8T T-Belt AND water pump MUST be done every 60K. Not 61K, or 60,500. They snap and you are in for a cylinder head.

I would have to pull the faults out of it to be more accurate then an internet diagnosis. If you can get the faults read that would help. Check the VW boards like VWvortex.com guys there can read it out. I would since I have the VAGCOM but wrong side of the country. One thing to check is pull the connector on the coolant bottle for the level sensor. The bottles can go pad, leak coolant INTO the wiring harness and it will seep to the ECU and instrument cluster. This was common on the Jetta/Beetle/Golf. ECU/Fuel pump relays also give a lot of problems.

Feel free to PM me if you need some pointers or help. Any of you. You guys have helped me with my K5 and first domestic, its the least I can do! :o
Click to expand...

right on, thanks for the info! I'll be pm'ing you shortly!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom