Car starts but it won't move

James256

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Location
New York
TDI
99.5 Jetta
I have a 99.5 Jetta and the car starts but it won't go any where when you put the car in any gear(it also doesn't stall if you put it in gear and just let go of the clutch). The clutch pedal is also very easy to push down to the floor now then when the car worked.

Any ideas whats going on?
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
James256 said:
I have a 99.5 Jetta and the car starts but it won't go any where when you put the car in any gear(it also doesn't stall if you put it in gear and just let go of the clutch). The clutch pedal is also very easy to push down to the floor now then when the car worked.

Any ideas whats going on?
__. That's pretty much what MzLauraLee's waggin was like when the clutch on is fragged entirely. But there are a number of things that could cause this. It's just my WAIG, of course, but I'm guessing you're in for a complete clutch rebuild/replacement.

__. The clutch system on these cars is a sloppy, fragile disgrace (similar to a lot of other systems on VW's.)
 

James256

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Location
New York
TDI
99.5 Jetta
It's that serious? My neighbor said he had the same problem with an older vw and all he had to do was change the clutch cable and he was fine. I just don't wanna mess around with stuff I don't know.
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
You don't have a clutch cable in your TDI. I have one in my 67 bug, but not in the Passat. Somewhat old technology. You have a hydraulic clutch controller, with the brake fluid doing double-duty.
 

James256

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Location
New York
TDI
99.5 Jetta
haha thats what I figured.. try telling old people that.

So basiclly how much around does something like this cost
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
[fingers crossed]Could be something simple like the clutch slave.[/fingers crossed]

When did you last bleed the brakes and clutch? Do you know how many miles are on this old timer?

Welcome aboard, Jimmy!
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
I tend to agree that you've got a clutch assembly to fix. The clutch hydraulic system, if bad, won't allow you to disengage the clutch. Sounds to me like that isn't your problem. I have no idea of the cost, haven't had to fix this myself (yet).

DD - wouldn't the slave cause the clutch to be always engaged? I thought air and crud in the system would just eliminate your control of the system and not allow the disengagement of the trust.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Location
Lousa Portugal
TDI
2000 Bora TDI
I had the same problem with a bmw and hydraulic clutch master cylinder had failed. Did you notice any abnormal clutch operation leading up to this? The first thing to check would be the level of the fluid in reservoir. Did you notice a warning Icon on the speedo display?
 

James256

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Location
New York
TDI
99.5 Jetta
but it seems like the clutch is always engaged.. it doesn't stall or move anywhere and i'm pretty sure I didn't need to step on the clutch to start it
 

James256

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Location
New York
TDI
99.5 Jetta
northcentralportugal said:
I had the same problem with a bmw and hydraulic clutch master cylinder had failed. Did you notice any abnormal clutch operation leading up to this? The first thing to check would be the level of the fluid in reservoir. Did you notice a warning Icon on the speedo display?
The clutch was fine everything was good and then nothing. Where would I check this out? and what would I do afterwards?
 

jcrews

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Location
Round Rock, TX - VCDS
TDI
All gone
Did you check your shifter and cables? It's a long shot because of the way the gear cable hooks up, but it might have mysteriously disconnected.

Or, the shift tower mysteriously killed itself.

Either way it would just stay in N if that's where it was. Can you feel the gears engage when you move the shift lever, preferably with the engine off?

Does anything happen (noises etc) when you move the clutch pedal?
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
IF there was a problem in the clutch master cylinder that caused the pressure to stay in the slave cylinder, I can see this being the problem.

Two bolts will remove the clutch slave cylinder.
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
whitedog said:
IF there was a problem in the clutch master cylinder that caused the pressure to stay in the slave cylinder, I can see this being the problem.

Two bolts will remove the clutch slave cylinder.
__. It's very hard to say from a few symptom descriptions over the Internet, but I'm still guessing a blown clutch. VR6/V60 here he come!
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
mrGutWrench said:
__. It's very hard to say from a few symptom descriptions over the Internet, but I'm still guessing a blown clutch. VR6/V60 here he come!
Agreed.
 
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