[ACormier]

We've had our 2004 VW Jetta GL TDI for 2 years. It's an automatic and we haven't been thrilled with the mileage we get. We live in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Recently we've been having an electrical (?) problem. The car gets jerky and stutters a little while all the lights on the dash and the radio flash off and on. It seems to mostly happen after the car has been sitting overnight - possibly after rain - mostly when it's cold. Sometimes you can drive through it and it goes away. Sometimes you have to to start the car again and that will take care of it. It is also starting to have trouble starting. It takes up to 5 turns of the ignition. It turns over each time, but won't sustain. The last shop to look into it changed the glo plugs and did an early oil change. Neither helped. Anyone have any thoughts?

We'd really like to find someone locally to help maintain it whose not too far of a drive. South Hadley, Granby, Chicopee, Belchertown, Amherst area.

Thanks,
Anne

 

[chittychittybangbang]

It should start right away. Some possible causes of hard starting:
low battery = not enough rpm
lack of fuel or lack of air. Fuel filter should be changed every 20k miles, air filter 40k, also check the snow screen on the intake snorkel for blockage. Excessive air in the fuel line could also cause this problem.
If you're having a start problem in the summer it's not the glow plugs.
What is the overall mileage? If the timing belt was done incorrectly the camshaft timing could be off. The only way to accurately measure is with a VCDS tool. A quick visual inspection can be done with the engine at TDC by inserting a pin into the camshaft slot, see the BEW engine timing belt in the FAQ section to see this.

Any error codes? Autozone does free scans.

 

[Keithuk]

Welcome to the forum Anne. welcometomyturbodies

Its a pity I live so far away else I would pop around to have a look. Oh and I would propably take a look at the car while I was there. :laugh:

Your electrical problem sound like bad connections in the circuit somewhere. You could check the security and cleanliness of the battery terminals first?

 

[YMZ]

Is Westhampton close enough?? I'll PM you contact info...

Yuri