[Sutt]

My wife and I car pool and having my car not start made me mad so I didn't think to check anything. I just searched and it looks like I need to check the clutch for some interrupt connections with the ECU. See if my brake lights come on....anything else I need to check?
The car just doesn't turn over, it just ticks off the alternator.
This SUCKS

I have a feeling I will be towing to car to the dealer and praying that I get it fixed my next weekend for my track day at Road Atlanta.

 

[abeR]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

battery?

 

[Sutt]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (abe1.8t)

Sure it could be possible but why and what drained it?

I was coming back to edit my post. I need to add checking fuses and especially the fule pump fuse. I do remember hearing the fuel pump start to prime itself when my wife opened the door.
About the battery: I just drove my car a good bit on sunday so I would think the battery would be charged up from the driving.

 

[Max Rebo]

It could be the fuel pump... there's an electrical connection right above the fuel tank, directly under the back seat.
Search for [email protected]'s posts... he had this problem. It is possible you may have the same problem... maybe not. For him, somehow the connection wiggled loose.

 

[justinfl]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

Quote, originally posted by Sutt »

About the battery: I just drove my car a good bit on sunday so I would think the battery would be charged up from the driving.

Not necessarily true if the battery is a piece of crap and was almost gone when you went on your drive. My ex lost hers a month or two ago, and it had worked/driven the night before... good luck fixing your problem.

 

[boomgarden]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

When going through any diagnostic ritual, do as doctors do: check for the most basic possible problem first. In this case, it's most likely the battery. FYI, I once encountered this problem and found that, while the battery was in good condition, my battery cable connection had loosened. So, I was getting only intermittent charging, resulting in a much lower state of charge. Also, sometimes batteries die a quick and unexpected death after years of operating perfectly. Start with the basics, then move on to the other items only after you confirm that your battery is okay.

 

[Sutt]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (boomgarden)

Thanks for the advise everyone. I will check the battery first and go from there. This is my daily driver and the weather here in atl has been nice so I have been leaving my Ipod in the car while at work. I wonder if my car has been trying to charge my Ipod? I do have one of the Ipods that needs the battery replaced under Apple's recall so it never gets fully charged anymore. The car is always charging the Ipod. I haven't left the Ipod in the car since wed and I didn't think the car could charge the Ipod when it was off. I didn't think those connections where always on...are they?
Just thinking if my problem is my battery this could be why?

 

[[email protected]]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

those connections are ALWAYS on. i charge my cell phone in my car when i'm working on movies. cell phones going off in the middle of a take isn't a good thing.

 

[arizman2]

happened to me too, turned out there was just enough corrosion between the post and the clamp that the starter would not turn over (but lights and other accessories would work). cleaned the post and clamp and started right up.

 

[FiftyPence]

my bet is the battery but there again it could be anything electrically related

 

[boomgarden]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

Quote, originally posted by Sutt »

Thanks for the advise everyone. I will check the battery first and go from there. This is my daily driver and the weather here in atl has been nice so I have been leaving my Ipod in the car while at work. I wonder if my car has been trying to charge my Ipod? I do have one of the Ipods that needs the battery replaced under Apple's recall so it never gets fully charged anymore. The car is always charging the Ipod. I haven't left the Ipod in the car since wed and I didn't think the car could charge the Ipod when it was off. I didn't think those connections where always on...are they? Just thinking if my problem is my battery this could be why?

That might be enough, particularly if your battery was already weak--I had a Valentine One radar detector that was wired to an "always on" circuit and it drained the battery a couple of times. I eventually figured it out.

 

[adg44]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

It's just ticking, not actually cranking? Mine was cranking, but wasn't getting any fuel because the pump had come apart. I'm getting the fuel pump replaced next tuesday.

 

[Sutt]

Re: Car didn't start this morning ([email protected])

UPDATE
Got home yesterday decided to try the car and this time it cranked but didn't start. I looked at the battery and sure enough the color indicator wasn't there. According to the manual no color at all means low water level. So I bought some distilled water and topped the battery off. Tried jumping my car with the wife's 1.8 jetta, that didn't work so I called AAA. Gotta love AAA. She started right up, so I drove the car around for awhile and checked to see that I could restart the car. Everything was fine and dandy till this morning. Car didn't start again

Same thing, tick tick tick, no cranky.
I am taking it in.

Edit: The fuel pump did make a noise again when I opend the driver's door. I am thinking it is my altenator. I drove my car at least 30 miles last night. That many miles has worked for me before on other cars.


Modified by Sutt at 1:17 PM 9-9-2005

 

[Sutt]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

Dead cell in battery according to VAG scan. Replaced battery under warranty

and then paid HIGH dollar for an oil change.

I now remember why I change my own oil.

 

[abeR]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

Quote, originally posted by Sutt »

Dead cell in battery according to VAG scan. Replaced battery under warranty :

excellent.

 

[KevinC]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (Sutt)

Quote, originally posted by Sutt »

Dead cell in battery according to VAG scan. Replaced battery under warranty and then paid HIGH dollar for an oil change. I now remember why I change my own oil.

Cool.. I ASSume then that my VAG-COM could also pull the same fault code?
My battery went t1ts-up on Friday after work - fine that morning, completely toast and unable to hold a charge by 5pm. 14 months in the desert can do that. Got it replaced under warranty on Saturday morning in about 20 minutes.. Chapman VW rocks!

 

[Sutt]

Re: Car didn't start this morning (KevinC)

Yes, I don't see why you couldn't pull the code with a vag-com