Lots of Electrical problems all of a sudden

Starting last friday (Nov. 9th, 2oo2) my wonderful 2ooo TDI Jet w/only 51,ooo miles
seems to have gotten seriously ill. Below are my notes I am compileing to take to the dealer this comming Friday.

I am seriusly dissappointed to say the least. And to top it off, not long ago at 45,ooo miles my MAS went.

Any one have any ideas? I am actaully thinking it is a lemon n I should trade it in. But my dealer will only give me $10,5oo
for my once loved TDI, that's about 12 bucks a day.........

After reading the below, love to have lots of comments n suggestions on this one.

Glenn

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List of ever increasing electrical problems in my 2ooo TDI Jet

1. Hot water temp. gage is erratic (up n down). The heat/water temperature seems to B ok.
However now with all the other problems I can not be 100% sure it is not a temp. sensor
either than a faulty thermostat.
2. Heat n A/C control panel n knobs lights now out............
3. Warning chime n buzzer stays on for much longer time now and at odd times.
4. Remote lock feature does not work (BOTH keys) the un lock function seems to operate ok.
5. Red light on lower corner of drivers door is on all the time now.......
6. Dam plastic knob on cabin light (up near the rear view mirror) fell off in my hand.
7. The auto off feature of the interior lights no longer works.
8. No brake lights.
9. Latest glitch was last night, 2 seconds after turning off n removing the key from the ignition
switch, I notice the 4 way flashers blinking twice (with out touching the 4 way flasher
button).
10. Today I noticed the yellow glow plug light blinking.
11. Criuse controle does not work.

Recent conditions that should not have caused this problem
but nonetheless should be mentioned.

1. For the past 2 weeks I noticed my radiator temp gage is vary erratic but there seems to be
normal heat in system when I turn on the defrosters or floor heat. But at one time I thought it was
a radiator thermostat stuck open problem. Now with all the other electrical problems I am not
sure.

2. Last week I jumped my sister's dead battery w/my Jet.

3. This past Saturday I changes the oil n filter.

4. I hook up a new trailer light system just after I changed the oil this past Saturday.
However, this is not the first time I connected this trailer to this car's trailer wiring harness.

I have checked the following:

A. I have checked all the fuses in the left of the dash board n battery.

B. Fuse number 17's contacts seems to have pushed loose of the panel and may be a future
problem or may now be the problem. I am not sure if I did this when replacing the fuse of it was
already loose from the factory.

I hook up a new trailer light system just after I changed the oil this past Saturday.
However, this is not the first time I connected this trailer to this car's trailer wiring harness.

Click to expand...

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And I'm sure you used the correct power converter and did not just tap directly into the brake and other lights?!?

Ok. Assuming you used the proper converter:

a bulb is burned out over the A/C vent controls. about 50 cents maybe?

your glow plug light is blinking because either your brake lights are burnt out or the brake light switch is dirty and needs adjusting/replacement.

Temperature gauge may be the sender. Fairly easy to check and/or replace.

The other problems sound like confort module problems.

Now, if you didn't use the proper converter, then most likely all these problems came as a result of tapping into the electrical system with the trailer lights.

WeedBeater,

Thank you for your reply WeedBeater, you picked an interesting name for your self..........

No, I must confess, this is the first time I have heard of the converter for the tail light trailer hook up.......... Will you/can you please point me in the proper direction for obtaining one of these (is it a VW part of after market part) and by chance, do U know about how expensive they are?

I am self employed and need to own a pick up truck but have no desire to own a pick up truck. So I have a flat bed trailer I use for chores. Just recently I purchased a new kit trailer and made a water buffalo out of it. Anyway, being self employed with vary little free time, like that bull in a china shop, I just got out my multi meter n soldering iron and made a set of plugs just like I always do when I get a new car...... I never thought to ask anyone if this is a No No. I am obviously learning that there is lots more to this car than I ever dreamed........

Again, thanks for taking the time to educate me......

Glennnnnnnnnn

Have you checked for codes?

You listed jump starting your sister's car, if not done properly, you can fry things...

GO by UHaul or any trailer place and get a adapter for the trailer reig they will know what you need. Yes you can go to Walmart but you then need to know which 1 you need.

When I got the hitch for my other car (a wagon), the parts guy clued me in about this converter. Since then, I've read about them in trailering magazines. Basically, they are used to convert the separate turnsignal/brake circuit into a single circuit for the trailer. But they also serve to buffer the electronics since cars today have their computers tied directly to the lights.

Since then, I've seen these things at Rv and trailer places like Uhaul and such. They're not expensive at all but I can't remember what I paid for it.

Now, you should go check the brake lights. If one is burned out, the glow plug light will blink and the cruise will stop working. Else it's the brake switch which is notorious for getting dirty and needing 'adjustment' if not replacement ($15?).

#2 The lights out problem is a 1 small bulb. Easy DIY replacement. Use the search function. This comes up often.

#3, 4, 5 and 9 are all probably related to a defective switch in the door latch. This too comes up often.

#8, 10, and 11 are all related to a defective brake light switch. Also a DIY job. Comes up often.

#1 probably a defective coolant temp sensor. Also a DIY job. This too comes up often.

Avail yourself of the search function and you can find out how to repair all of these yourself. The door latch is the most complicated to replace.

#7 - is the overhead switch in the correct position? Can also be affected by the defective switch in the door latch.

Also, check your ground strap from the battery.

The old wisdom with the old watercooled VWs was that the ground strap connection to the chassis would get old and corroded, and then weird electrical gremlins would start popping up.

Jud.

I am the person that first posted this topic:

First, I want to thank you all for taking the time to help me w/this problem.

Second, Concerning the trailer light converter:

I was wondering, I have only had 3 utility trailers in my 53 years of life. With all 3 trailers I
needed to add the light system to the trailer my self. This combined with the fact that for the most part I have always owned a European car and never needed the stop/brake light converter because I designed the trailer light system to have a break light circuit and lights, a parking light circuit along with separate left n right turn signal circuits and lights as all my previous European cars have had (I had 2 bugs in high school, a 64 n 68, the 1968 I purchased new in my senior year for $1,815, can U believe this price).........

So this being the case, since I don't need to split the break n turn signal circuit, but I do need the buffer in the circuit when connecting the Jet's computer to the trailer's lights, what do I do??????

Thanks, Glennnnnnnnnnnnnnnn