Relay 109

Juancho

Active member
Joined
Aug 14, 2000
Location
Arlingon,Texas,USA
"RELAY 109" Sounds like a good title for a song. In reading through the forum I have noticed (no kidding) many posts about relay 109. Is this something that every tdi owner should keep in their emergency kit as a spare? Are failures more common in the A3 models? Is my 2000 Jetta a likely candidate for this ailment? Thanks in advance for your input.

My UD did not have glowplugs. It used a preheater that warmed the air prior to entering the cylinders. I never had a problem starting its 427 cu. in. direct injected intercooled turbo in line 6 cylinder. I loved that He-man diesel.

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Y2K Jetta GL tdi,5sp,stock
Past Diesels:
1988 UD CMA (Nissan Diesel)
1987 F250
1970 MB 200D
 

Karl Roenick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 22, 1999
Location
Clifton Park, NY, US
The new 109's have a different part number and look different (grey vs black). They also SEEM to run cooler to me. I put the new one in and keep the old one as a spare. The relay isn't that expensive $20 or so, unlike some of the other relays.

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Yellow 2000 Beetle
 
M

mickey

Guest
Install a new style Relay 109 and keep the old one as a spare.

-mickey
 

TDi Guys

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2000
Location
Central Coast area, CA
Ok, now I'm paranoid. Where is this famed relay located?
I worry because the last two times I started my nb and drove off I have heard several strange "clicks" like a relay sound under the dash. The only click that is distinct is one just as the car is shifting into second gear the first few times. Hopefully its just a rattle or something harmless. Anyone ever notice this before??
 

HowardZ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 5, 1999
Location
m
In the NB you slide the driver's seat back and remove a panel above your feet. 3 screws in front and 2 clippies hold the other end of the panel at the firewall end.
You'll be laying down there and you'll see a large relay in the way. After you remove that relay you can get your hands on the relay 109. It's the relay with "109" written on it. Be sure to remember orientation of the relays you remove so that you can put them back properly.
Remember, there is no need to use force. If it isn't going in you don't have the relays' blades aligned properly.
 

valois

Banned
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
Relay 109 will provide power for damn near the entire engine control power bus, it can and has presented very different syptoms in the past, I believe this is due to failure of just one side of the contacts. The most common problem is the car will die, will not crank and may or may not crank an hour later(after said relay cools down). I will inspect and resolder and clean contacts on any relay 109 that anyone pulls at the GTG, if you buy the new and improved version and want me to rework the old one, send me an email and I will provide you with my address, you pay shipping both ways, I will rework the relay free. VW should take care of this. I suggest a petition at the Fest can be given to whomever choses to run with it. Other members can send that person emails and the whole package can be presented to VWOA. Given the recent Ford scandal perhaps they will listen.
 
M

mickey

Guest
If it's black, and looks like the other relays, it's the old style and a replacement would be a good idea. Keep the old one as a spare. If it's grey, and slightly skinnier than the others, it's the new style. In theory the new style shouldn't have overheating problems. I practice, though, I'd keep a spare around anyway. They're cheap.

-mickey
 

east texan

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2000
Location
Henderson, Tx, USA
Valois: I have a 2001 TDI beetle. Do you recommend I keep a spare 109? Is the relay under the dash near the steering wheel or where? Is the panel that has 3 screws and two clips under the dash or where?

Where do you all learn all this stuff by trial and error or by the Bentley manual? Btw, which is the best price you've seen for the Bentley Service Manual? The only edition I've seen is the 1998-1999 one and prices anywhere from $54.95 to $39.99 supposedly for the same exact type manual. J.C. Whitney has it for $39.99.
 

Tinker

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2000
Location
No fixed address (New England)
TDI
Jetta, 1997, White
And where would this relay be on a 97 Jetta TDi. Are there any pics out there to show me where it is?

Where can I find the Bently service manual?

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Long Live TDi
97 Jetta TDi
Soon to be Upsolutely Awesome
Formerly known as Duane (wanted a cool name like the rest of you)
 

valois

Banned
Joined
Jan 11, 2000
I do not know if VW has updated to the new relay on the 2001 model years, but a spare never hurts, perhaps the NHSC will be more proactive considering their debaucle with Ford, and would act if someone contacted them. The Bently manual can be had directly from RB at their website. I would recommend the CD if it is availibe for your model year. The relay is going to be located on the relay panel which is part of the fuse panel. I do not have the exact proceedure to remove it on all models and years, but it should be self explanatory after inspection. All this "stuff" is learned on this site, the Forum is the best resource TDI owners have, there is a lot of information on this site as close as a search away.

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Epsilonians have a wonderfull sense of humor, and great vehicular hygene.
 

Diesel Dude

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2000
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
Jetta, 1997, Dark Green
I also have a 97 Jetta and the relay is above the fuses in the kick panel above the drivers footwell. The best way to access it is by removing the 2 or 3 screws that hold the panel on. It has a big 109 stamped on it, hard to miss. Bently manuals are available from our VW dealers for about the same price as if we ordered them direct, less the shipping. I was in Norden Volkswagon in Edmonton about 2 or 3 weeks ago and they had them in the display case for the A3's.
 
M

mickey

Guest
For $18 plus shipping I don't know why anybody wouldn't want a spare relay in their tool kit.
www.vwparts.com Enter part # 1J0 906 381 A in the "search by part number" box.

-mickey
 

think diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2000
Location
Northern Virginia
Mickey, I tried a search on that page with dashes, without dashes, with spaces and without. I even tried changing the part number to what Steve had in another thread. Everytime I get this:

No parts fit your search criteria or no search criteria entered

Can some one post a link to Relay 109 on the vw parts site? I cannot find the damn thing anywhere!
 
M

mickey

Guest
think diesel: I just tried it, and it worked perfectly! Try a cut & paste on the part number I posted above, leaving out the "#" sign. And that's a zero, not a capital "o".

-mickey
 
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