Hi Guys and gals,
New to the world of Passat TDIs...I have been a watercooled guy for awhile, but now in a new realm.
So we just recently purchased a used 2005 Passat TDI Wagon from a guy in New Mexico. THe vehicle has 112k on it approximately, and has ran great for us until this morning. My wife went out and tried to start the car, and nothing. Literally nothing. Dash lights came on, headlights turned on, then she turns to ignite the starter and nothing.
I came home to double check everything. And I confirm that ALL My lights on the dash turn on, glow plug light, security light, and I wait till ALL the dash lights turn off, then I turn the key. Nothing, not even a hiccup from the starter. I check with an ohm meter, VDC reads at 12.84 volts, then with the key in the 2nd position, it all drops to 11.5 volts, and then nothing. So I figure I will test the idea of a weak battery with a battery charger. I put it on the battery charger for a boost, give it a couple of seconds, and then turn the key, everything is still exactly the same, go to start the car and then nothing.
I am about to jack the car up and check the starter to see if all the connections are still good. But I am wondering if it could be a fuse...which I will check as well or if it could be the ignition switch. These are the ONLY things I could think of, so wondering if there is anything else that I need to be aware of so that we can get this up and running again.
Thanks for your help.
Update:
So here is an update on what I did tonight, and what I found...heard.
All dash lights still light up, ALL fuses on driver side of dashboard behind the panel are good, and I do have a clean wire connection from the battery to the alternator. Getting up to touch the terminal on the starter is a bit of a pain in the butt...anyone got any good ideas how to access such a tight spot?
I had my wife try to "start" the car while I was underneath the car/hood. And I heard different clicks here and there as the car was prepping to start...assuming that would be the glow plugs heatting up. Then when she switches the key into the off position and takes it out. The throttle control sensor has a couple of odd clicks come out of it, and then it has a high pitched humming noise coming from it as if it is "powering" down almost.
So wondering if that is normal or not. But as of this point, that is what I know. The car is up on one jack stand, and tomorrow I am hoping to get down to check the starter...wish it was an easy pull so I could go run down and have it tested...but of course I don't think that will be all that "easy." Any suggestions on this.
And here is what else I confirmed, reading in the vwvortex forums, I double checked the car alarm, locking system, audio system, and the windows...all work COMPLETELY fine. No issues there. I was hoping it was like my other car, if you locked the car with the remote, and then unlocked it would magically work...no luck.
So electrically, it all seems sound. So I am down to one of three guess now:
Starter/siloenoid (spelling?)
Alternator
Ignition Switch
New to the world of Passat TDIs...I have been a watercooled guy for awhile, but now in a new realm.
So we just recently purchased a used 2005 Passat TDI Wagon from a guy in New Mexico. THe vehicle has 112k on it approximately, and has ran great for us until this morning. My wife went out and tried to start the car, and nothing. Literally nothing. Dash lights came on, headlights turned on, then she turns to ignite the starter and nothing.
I came home to double check everything. And I confirm that ALL My lights on the dash turn on, glow plug light, security light, and I wait till ALL the dash lights turn off, then I turn the key. Nothing, not even a hiccup from the starter. I check with an ohm meter, VDC reads at 12.84 volts, then with the key in the 2nd position, it all drops to 11.5 volts, and then nothing. So I figure I will test the idea of a weak battery with a battery charger. I put it on the battery charger for a boost, give it a couple of seconds, and then turn the key, everything is still exactly the same, go to start the car and then nothing.
I am about to jack the car up and check the starter to see if all the connections are still good. But I am wondering if it could be a fuse...which I will check as well or if it could be the ignition switch. These are the ONLY things I could think of, so wondering if there is anything else that I need to be aware of so that we can get this up and running again.
Thanks for your help.
Update:
So here is an update on what I did tonight, and what I found...heard.
All dash lights still light up, ALL fuses on driver side of dashboard behind the panel are good, and I do have a clean wire connection from the battery to the alternator. Getting up to touch the terminal on the starter is a bit of a pain in the butt...anyone got any good ideas how to access such a tight spot?
I had my wife try to "start" the car while I was underneath the car/hood. And I heard different clicks here and there as the car was prepping to start...assuming that would be the glow plugs heatting up. Then when she switches the key into the off position and takes it out. The throttle control sensor has a couple of odd clicks come out of it, and then it has a high pitched humming noise coming from it as if it is "powering" down almost.
So wondering if that is normal or not. But as of this point, that is what I know. The car is up on one jack stand, and tomorrow I am hoping to get down to check the starter...wish it was an easy pull so I could go run down and have it tested...but of course I don't think that will be all that "easy." Any suggestions on this.
And here is what else I confirmed, reading in the vwvortex forums, I double checked the car alarm, locking system, audio system, and the windows...all work COMPLETELY fine. No issues there. I was hoping it was like my other car, if you locked the car with the remote, and then unlocked it would magically work...no luck.
So electrically, it all seems sound. So I am down to one of three guess now:
Starter/siloenoid (spelling?)
Alternator
Ignition Switch