99.5 ALH won't start, won't crank...?

So I started my car this morning and pulled it out of the garage for the first time in a while. It had been on an automatic 2amp trickle charge for a few days. Ran fine while it idled in the driveway. I changed the interior dome light to an LED bulb, and attempted to change the visor, drivers door, and trunk light to LED as well. Trunk light wasn't working for me, so I shut the trunk, tried to reopen it with the drivers door release and, nothing. So I shut the car off, went to restart it, and nothing. No clicking, no noise, just dash lights come on and then just the battery light stays on.

Both key remotes won't unlock the doors or trunk, window controls don't work, headlights do, radio does. All the fuses I can see are fine (drivers dash, and on top of battery). Battery connections are clean. Car wouldn't start with a jump, and I know the battery is good anyway. No immobilizer as its a 99.

Any ideas? Clutch switch? Help is appreciated as I have no idea, ran fine up until now.

Theres a couple fuses close to the CCM, up around the brake pedal, you probably blew a couple.

I didn't think those fuses would stop from cranking but maybe there's some lingo issue here. If its cranking, but not starting you should get a glow plug light when you turn the key on, if not there could be a relay 109 issue or a power related issue for that.

"seeing" fuses is pretty useless, gotta test them with a test light to be sure.

Bad ground maybe or dodgy connection between the battery cable clamps and the thick wires.
Another thing to check is the ground wire connection to the trans mounting bolt.

Google or Youtube "voltage drop testing" ....assuming that you have a multimeter.

You got a trunk light?
Car doesn't start w/jump. Does it crank when jumped?
Always check the big wires and their connects.
Are LED bulbs a close match for current draw(amps)?

No interior lights now work, and window controls/remote unlocks also do not work. I can lock the doors manually, but the alarm doesn't arm. Car doesn't crank, or act any differently when jumped vs attempt to start by key. LED bulbs don't have resistors, so unlikely that they draw comparable amps.

I will check the fuses close to the CCM, and relay 109. Unfortunately I won't be in the same city as the car until Saturday morning.

Anytime you are working on electrical issues you always check the source voltage first, never assume it is "good". After that check at the terminals and check voltage drop on both sides (control & load) of the starter circuit.

Why was the battery on a trickle charger?

My mother-in-law's Infinity had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago, she pulled into Sonic to buy a bag of ice and when she tried restarting the car it just started flashing random dash warnings. I got there with my voltmeter and jumper battery and the battery showed 5.6v. I had to disconnect her battery for my jump pack to even turn the engine over. Shorted cells in the battery. New battery and all is fine.

Car doesn't crank, or act any differently when jumped vs attempt to start by key

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By "jumping", do you mean that you used another car to jump your car, or do you mean that you jumped the terminals on the start solenoid?

*Disclaimer - I'm a noob when it comes to electrical.

By jumping, I mean from a running car to the TDI.
Battery was on a trickle charge as it was dead before from having the trunk and hood open for a few weeks while I worked on the car - hasn't been driven much since I bought it in March, been doing bodywork.

Before I left town yesterday, I disconnected the battery ground in attempt to reset when I reconnect Saturday. Am I able to check the battery power before doing so - I have a voltmeter?

You can check battery voltage at anytime as long as the engine isn't running, running will give you charging voltage. Check voltage at each post and also at each battery terminal - ideally both readings should be 12.6 volts @80F for a fully charged battery. If you have a difference greater than .2v the posts / terminals need a good cleaning.
Each time a battery is drawn down to a "completely" discharged state the plates inside will sulfate. Some of this becomes so hard it will not be removed during the charging process. Over time, multiple deep discharges will "sulfate" a battery to the point of death. Sulfation will slowly reduce the cranking capacity of the battery. In English - a new battery is bad ass and will start the world, sulfation turns your BA battery into a little garden tractor Walmart battery that can barely light one bulb. But both read 12v when charged.

So when you get a meter, check the battery voltage as it sits with out charging.
State of Charge:
100% = 12.6v
75% = 12.4v
50% = 12.2v
25% = 12.0v

Will start with that on Saturday. Previous owner claimed the battery was replaced a few months before I purchased it, and it "looks" new/posts are clean... but worth checking.

Checked the battery tonight. Crappy harbor freight multimeter reads 12.76. Ground wires from battery seem good, will check again in daylight. Battery posts are clean. Gave the starter a good smack. No change. Will check fuses near brake pedal tomorrow, leaning toward relay 109? Weird things like window controls and trunk release don't work, but gas door release and radio does...

In doing some reading... going to follow these steps best I can, very helpful thread:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=1972354&postcount=5

Check your voltage at the battery as you try to crank the engine.

Stays at 12.68.

Started checking fuses with my multimeter, from obvious to non-obvious. Fuse #14, interior lights, was visibly blown. Replaced it, car runs like a top now.

If it's staying at 12.68, then nothing is happening. I would expect it to drop a volt or so. It's not engaging the starter solenoid at all. With all of the other things dead, you have lost power a main power or ground. Your best friend will be a wiring diagram. If you don't have a Bentley, you might be able to find something through your local library.

Cleaned grounds 1, 12, 65, & 2 for now. They were pretty corroded. Will be getting to the others shortly. Thanks for the help.

Well everything was going well, until I was driving down the highway and lost all power. Shuttering noise and the battery light stayed on. All I have is brakes/headlights/radio etc, won't crank. Now I'm thinking Relay 109? I have ordered 2 anyways.

No crank

JettaTDlie said:

Well everything was going well, until I was driving down the highway and lost all power. Shuttering noise and the battery light stayed on. All I have is brakes/headlights/radio etc, won't crank. Now I'm thinking Relay 109? I have ordered 2 anyways.

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Does the glow plug light come on when you turn the key on?? (briefly)
That might be the 1st clue.

I'd check the fuses in the left side of the dash and the ones above the battery.

The manual should tell you which ones do what.

Rich W.

Unfortunately on the side of the road I only checked the fuse I knew had previously blown, it was fine. I will go over all the fuses this week when I'm off work. If I remember correctly, I did have all the dash lights come on briefly (similar to a normal start up), and then no crank no start.

The glow plug light does come on when I try to start the engine, like normal. I also checked my relay 109 while I'm in town and it's grey, which suggests its newer, but I'll replace it anyway since I have a new one.

All the fuses seem good, and all electronics work properly this time. When I try to start the car, I get a mechanical "clunk" from underneath the car, and then nothing. My battery light is also constantly on now. Having a friend come by tonight with vagcom and a second set of eyes to hopefully find the clunk.

So I cannot turn the crankshaft more than 1/4 turn manually. Seems like mechanical interference. Thinking the timing belt skipped a tooth, will be pulling the head.

JettaTDlie said:

So I cannot turn the crankshaft more than 1/4 turn manually. Seems like mechanical interference. Thinking the timing belt skipped a tooth, will be pulling the head.

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thats the balls, pull the valve cover see if any lifters look messed

Whale crap. If it's trying to turn but won't, I really expected the voltage to drop. Well, so much for THAT theory.

Did you check if the timing marks are close to TDC?

That once happened on a car that was brought in and it was the alternator that was jammed up... Believe it or not, it was enough to prevent the starter from cranking!
Might want to remove the serp belt first ....just in case.

Can't check the timing marks, can't get the engine to turn far enough either direction. At this point I had the car towed to a local TDI mechanic who is going to diagnose it after hours. I know I am able to get a used engine with 200,000km for $600 and install costs about the same - if it comes to that.

Have you tried turning it over by hand w/o the serp belt on?

I didn't, no. I figured since I could get about 90 degrees turn on the crankshaft either direction before it binds, that it wouldn't be the alternator. Also couldn't get it to go by rolling it and then going in 5th. Took it to a local mechanic (Automotive House) and he confirmed it is seized. Thinking it will be a mild part out, or sell it as it sits for $500. Will likely be in the market for an 02-03 ALH.