Wont turn over

mcasey329

New member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Location
Wyoming
TDI
98 Jetta
98 jetta.

Sunday was in the 70's here in Wyoming and I changed the oil and filter. Car started fine all day. Since Sunday the temps have been cold. Day time highs low 20's night Time lows in single digits ot below.

Car has not been driven since SUnday. Today when I went to start it nothing happened.

It wouldnt trun over at all. The electrical seemed ok but I checked the battery anyway by hooking it up to a charger and it showed fully charged.

I have looked around the forums and have not found anythign that seems to apply to the 98. Such as the stuck shutter valve. I am also not sure if other memebers problems related to starting included the car not turning over or just not starting while turning over.

The car is new to us three weeks ago. We have driven it about 1200 miles since we got it and this is the first issue.

Any ideas?
 

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 believe that the car just does nothing when you turn the key - right? Checking the battery with the charger isn't the best test. Did you check the volts when trying to turn it over? Did the dash lights drop when you turned the key? Do the lights turn on?
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
If the power is really there, and the headlights are bright and fine, then follow the big wire to the starter motor and make sure it's clean and tight. Could also be the ignition switch, but check the easy things first.
 

mcasey329

New member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Location
Wyoming
TDI
98 Jetta
I tried again. It finally started. THe glow plug light stayed on for 20 seconds or so each time but it did turn over. it took a while a while but it finally started.

Thanks for the reply
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
Clean your grounds. Odd things happen when the grounds are not clean and tight. Not just the "big" wires either, but the small ones. I believe you have some under your battery - or very close to that. Basically, you look for several wires connected to a stud on the body or engine. take them off, clean them, and put them back on.
 

chromeBuddha

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Location
Arlington, TX - DFW metroplex
TDI
2002 Golf TDI manual
Your glow plug light staying on is a good thing. If it is on and you are still having trouble, you may want to check your timing. If it is on or below the low end of the graph, this could be a contributing factor.

None of the above will make the car not turn over. If that was the original symptom the advice on grounds is good. If your battery is of unknown age or over 4 years, consider replacing.
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
Back to the top - the battery was "checked with the battery charger" -

Get a good load testing. I still think the battery is very likely - but do check the various connections (grounds, hot wires, etc)
 

andys123

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Location
Denver, CO
TDI
'84 Scirocco conversion w/'98 1.9 TDI
I also have a '98 Jetta TDI that won't turn over. If you are not getting voltage at terminal 50 on the starter solenoid with the ignition switch in 'start' possition, we have something in common. I Have a Bently manual for '98 Jetta/Passat. I've also done light reading on 1.9 TDI ignition/starter problems and am planning on getting a few new parts for quick troubleshooting including a clutch interlock lockout relay (relay 21) and possibly an alarm system control module (voltage supplied to starter solenoid diretly from alarm system module if car equiped w/ module). I'm in downtown Denver if you want to exchange some time troubleshooting both cars.
 

andys123

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Location
Denver, CO
TDI
'84 Scirocco conversion w/'98 1.9 TDI
Check out this forum post. http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=31905&page=3 You will find a lot of information in the last page of this post concerning troubleshooting the electrical connection between the ignition switch and the starter motor solenoid. The post is right on the money in terms of testing the positive voltage connections that lead from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid. According to the post, "Power at pin 4 of the 10 pin plug of the alarm control module when the key in the start position shows that the ignition switch is good.". If you do not get power to pin 4, either your clutch interlock switch(also called starter lockout switch) is bad, the clutch interlock solenoid(starter lockout relay) is bad, or there is an open circuit in the wire connections that connect the ignition switch, clutch interlock switch, interlock relay, and alarm control module. Personally, I'd start by disconnecting the clutch interlock switch at the clutch pedal and test voltage between the hot lead of the connector plug and frame ground as you turn the key to 'start' position. By doing this, you are testing the fuse panel internal circuit 50 that gets fed 12 volts when the ignition key is in the start position. That would also help to determine if your ignition switch is to blame. I hope this helps.
 
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