Jetta TDI defrost.

My TDI is not starting and there was a freeze recently. At first I figured it was just too cold but it has since warmed up and I still haven't been able to start it. It cranks real slow and the -ometers go al clingon. There are occasional electrical problems every now and again. How warm does it have to be for my TDI to defrost if it did just freeze? Should I tow it in to be looked at?

Check to make sure the radiator if full. Do you get heat from the heater? Are there any indicator lamps indicating cold engine?

There are occasional electrical problems every now and again.

Like what?

ardethbey said:

My TDI is not starting and there was a freeze recently. At first I figured it was just too cold but it has since warmed up and I still haven't been able to start it. It cranks real slow and the -ometers go al clingon. There are occasional electrical problems every now and again. How warm does it have to be for my TDI to defrost if it did just freeze? Should I tow it in to be looked at?

Click to expand...

Ever think maybe your battery is dead? Old batteries dont like the cold.

Sounds like the battery to me... Try jumping the car or take the battery out and down to a local parts store to be tested...

@Joe Meehan. Radiator has fluid, will top it off though, and there aren't any indicators showing a cold motor. Someone had told me that if it were too cold for the glow plugs that that "coil" light would come on. It did not. As for the electrical issues, every once in a while the dash abs and brake light beep loudly at my and it sends kind of a surge through the car. Making headlights brighter, killing the radio for a split second like a short or something. It also makes all the -ometers go clingon. When this happens and I kill the engine, it won't start until it wants to start. After I let it sit for a while, it eventually goes back to normal like nothing happened. This was happening a few days before the freeze. Had the alternator (I believe) replaced and the problem stopped for a while but then came back. I've taken it in to be looked at for electrical problems but it always conveniently stops just before I take it in like nothing's wrong.

I have had people look at the battery a couple times and the readings were weird. At first it said it wasn't working right then it said full charge. It could use a new battery anyway. I have decided to wait till monday to tow it in to be looked at, just in case it thaws out or something.

Did anyone check it both under load and with no load?

ardethbey said:

Someone had told me that if it were too cold for the glow plugs that that "coil" light would come on. It did not....... When this happens and I kill the engine, it won't start until it wants to start. After I let it sit for a while, it eventually goes back to normal like nothing happened.

Click to expand...

I don't fully understand this. Your saying they said if it's too cold the glow plugs wont come on? But that's what the glow plugs are for, a cold start aid. And then your saying the glow plug light, "coil" light as you said, didn't come on? That light is to come on at every start up regardless of temperature. The colder it is the longer it stays on.

Your problem sounds like bad/loose grounds. When you have electrical problems like your explaining it is always a ground usually. I guess you could try changing out relay 109?, but that's what everyone says to do as a fix for everything and I am not sure if it will solve your problem.

It can't be THAT cold in NM. These cars will start well into the -40C's. Your problem is either the battery, starter, or glowplugs.

If the battery's dead, it's pretty obvious. You'll get a solenoid click, but it won't turn over and your dash lights will dim. These cars need a good battery to start as they use quite a few amps to turn over. A worn battery will be mostly water and will freeze solid at sub-zero temperatures, making it pretty much useless.

If the starter's dead you have good voltage and amperage everywhere, but the starter won't engage or it won't spin fast enough to start the engine. Check and clean the connections. The ones at the battery and the ones at the ground are very important. A little cold might create enough resistance to cause the starter not to turn over fast enough.

Bad glowplugs will give you a check engine light.

Also, when the car is cold the timing gets retarded which makes the engine noise a little nasty sometimes. Totally normal.

It's not the cold, there's something wrong with your car.

Also note that you need a quality battery with high enough CCA (Cold Cranking Amps)

I am a bit confused, but if the engine is turning over, but not firing, and you are not getting the glow plug light to come on when the key is turned to ON, then you need a 109 relay.

The glow plugs should come on for a few seconds each time you start the car. It is just telling you the light still works.

"Someone had told me that if it were too cold for the glow plugs that that "coil" light would come on."

At 27 below it is not too cold for glow plugs. Are you that cold?

"every once in a while the dash abs and brake light beep loudly at my and it sends kind of a surge through the car. Making headlights brighter, killing the radio for a split second like a short or something. It also makes all the -ometers go clingon"

I would be looking for an intermediate bad ground.