Electrical gremlins

So this is happening to my sister's 03 Jetta, and the car might just be possessed.

It started with just the functions in the driver's door (that she told me about anyway) but has now progressed so that the following don't work:

All power windows, from any control. She doesn't know about the key trick, so I don't think she's tried that.

The horn and the steering wheel controls / light up buttons for the radio and cruise.
I think the power locks are out too.
The power mirror - this one confuses me b/c I thought that was directly wired
The radio will start switching stations randomly when these functions aren't working, but apparently it is somewhat intermittent b/c everything DID work again for several hours recently.

Other than these electrical issues, the AC seems to be functioning (or they haven't mentioned it) and the car runs and drives just fine.

Where do I start looking? I'm completely at a loss here, never heard of anything like this before.

grounds.

is it better after checking the grounds ?

3 grounds under the battery tray. Of course you'll have to remove the battery to get the tray out. How old is the battery? With a multi meter it should read 12.6 + when the car is shut off sitting in the driveway. 14.0+ when the car is running.

Old weak batteries have been known to cause some weird issues.

I haven't had a chance to check the car yet - it is in NY and I'm in Florida still, but the age of the battery was something that I thought about too. The radio is probably related to the steering column though, b/c the steering wheel has radio control buttons on it and my sister said that it was changing stations randomly which would track with an intermittent connection there.

Is there a common ground point for the door / window controls and the steering wheel buttons? Is there a separate ground for the body control computer or Convenience Module if that is responsible for these functions? None of the door controls work the windows, which I find strange unless they are all wired to a single point, such as a convenience module.

The better time to ask for help is when you are actually WITH the car.

1: scan the CCM for any DTCs, I bet there are plenty. But if you can get that far, you at least know the CCM is "alive".

2: check the grounds, especially #42 and #45 on the dash brace above the driver footwell area, #44 at the base of the driver's side A-pillar under the kick panel trim, and #49 on the steering column near the ignition lock cylinder.

3: check for signs of water intrusion from neglected/clogged sunroof drains allowing water to come down the A-pillar area (if car has a sunroof).

I've installed several driver's door and passenger's door controls with junk yard pulls. So far, the replacements solved the problem.....

But, you got to do as Oilhammer suggested...

So I am now with the car and have found the two grounds on the dash support and the one under the hood handle. The car obliged by working perfectly at first, then the windows all quit... And while I was poking around they briefly worked again and then went out again.

I still have to get to the ground on the steering column, are there any others to look for? It did seem that while I was messing around under the dash was when I moved something ever-so-slightly to enable or disable the windows, and it definitely does take out ALL the controls on every door. Since this is also right behind the main fuse panel, is there a single relay that maybe also controls those circuits?

Possibly a flakey CCM. Any DTCs?

Before I did the full scan, I did just the CCM, here is what that had to say:
00928 locking module for central locking: Front Driver's Side 27-00 implausible
00929 locking module for central locking: Front Passenger side 27-00 implausible
00931 locking module for central locking: Rear Right 27-00 implausible

Then the full scan, minus the sections that had no codes:

Address 16: Steering wheel Labels: 1J0-907-487-A.lbl
Part No: 1J0 907 487 A
Component: Lenkradelektronik 0005
Coding: 00118
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 2F631566ED11C23A09-515A

2 Faults Found:
01341 - Control Module in Instrument Panel On Comfort CAN (J285)
27-10 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
01341 - Control Module in Instrument Panel On Comfort CAN (J285)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments Labels: 1J0-920-xx5-17.lbl
Part No: 1J0 920 906 M
Component: KOMBI+WEGFAHRSP VDO V64
Coding: 07232
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 32651C12FE23EFD266-513C
3VWSP69M23M147304 VWZ7Z0B6209025

3 Faults Found:
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
37-10 - Faulty - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
80-10 - Single-Wire Operation - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 19: CAN Gateway Labels: 6N0-909-901-19.lbl
Part No: 6N0 909 901
Component: Gateway K<->CAN 0001
Coding: 00006
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 70E1D61A30AF9DC250-513C

3 Faults Found:
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
37-10 - Faulty - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
80-10 - Single-Wire Operation - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 46: Central Conv. Labels: 1C0-959-799.lbl
Part No: 1C0 959 799 C
Component: 1H Komfortger·t HLO 0003
Coding: 00258
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 37732D0615410AFA51-4B18

Subsystem 1 - Part No: 1C1959801A
Component: 1H Tırsteuer.FS KLO 0009

Subsystem 2 - Part No: 1C1959802A
Component: 1H Tırsteuer.BF KLO 0009

Subsystem 3 - Part No: 1C0959811A
Component: 1H Tırsteuer.HL KLO 0009

Subsystem 4 - Part No: 1C0959812A
Component: 1H Tırsteuer.HR KLO 0202

No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio Labels: 3B7-035-1xx-56.lbl
Part No: 3B7 035 180 E
Component: Radio ZSW 0010
Coding: 04031
Shop #: WSC 00066
VCID: 2245EC52AEC37F5296-513C

5 Faults Found:
00849 - S-contact at Ignition/Starter Switch (D)
78-10 - Missing Messages - Intermittent
01326 - Control Module for Multi-Function Steering Wheel (J453)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01064 - Terminal 58d; Interior Dimming
78-10 - Missing Messages - Intermittent
00625 - Vehicle Speed Signal
78-10 - Missing Messages - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
37-10 - Faulty - Intermittent

End-------------------------(Elapsed Time: 04:37)--------------------------

I found and loosened / tightened the steering wheel ground, it looked undisturbed too and the windows were functioning again. Battery is over 12.7 volts so I'm at a loss again.
I know the driver's door lock module is toast, it doesn't power lock anymore and I was already planning to replace that, but is that related to this at all?

Geordi said:

So this is happening to my sister's 03 Jetta, and the car might just be possessed.

Click to expand...

Does this mean that if you do an incomplete fix, so that the problem goes away for a while and then comes back, that the car would be repossessed?

Yes indeed, ladies and gents - he's here all week!


Whether we want him or not.

Still banging away on this, the 01336 code has now changed to single wire data bus FAILURE instead of just intermittent (although it is still intermittent)

The door lock mechanism from FixMyVW seems to have been faulty, as the puddle lights / door open indicator had failed again after only a couple months. Another cute trick was that sometimes when you pulled on the inside handle to open the door, it wouldn't UNLOCK and allow the door to open at all, unless (and thankfully it always worked) the power unlock button was pushed, THEN you could get the door open!
Swapped that out and the door functions work again.

But the power windows only function by using the key outside the car in the door. None of the interior window switches work now. Sunroof does not respond, steering wheel radio controls are also dead, but the radio works. Power mirrors also are dead.

So... What to look at next, other than gasoline and a match?

Have you checked the wiring in the door's flex boot? Any harness going from the body to a movable part is subject to cracked insulation, and once the insulation starts cracking then you start getting shorts and intermittent operation.

Yep... I pulled the driver's door harness completely apart, pulled off all of that joyfully-sticky crap (really, WHY does everything in a VW have to be sticky?) and found... Not one wire unhappy at all. Checked all of them carefully and wiggled everything and no problems discovered anywhere, and while I was doing this, nothing functioned. Then all of a sudden without moving the car, it functioned again. So the driver's harness was wrapped up again in E-tape and put back where it is supposed to be.

I did discover what I thought was a connection issue with the power window motor / computer module... Another W T F was VW thinking, putting a computer module in the power window motor? And so I grabbed a replacement from the junkyard today and put that in... Everything worked perfectly, for about 5 minutes. Then I reassembled the driver's door...

And none of the window switches respond again. ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

That was when I discovered that the sunroof is also disabled now. This is really starting to piss me off. Is it possible that it is somehow being caused by the passenger door lock motor OR the rear door lock? B/c the rear door lock had been non-functional, and now it is working again with the power locks - But the front passenger lock motor just makes a whirring sound (was a new replacement from FixMyVW at the same time as the driver's door) and everything DID work... And then it didn't. And then it did.

Effing computer controls! Every other car in the universe puts the computer in a central location, not puts one in every single door or window or what?

For something to do when you're bored , disconnect the connector to the door switches. Then, see if other things, like the sunroof, operate any differently.

I have very limited experience with the electrics on these cars (thank goodness!). Wondering whether there are any relays: marginal relays tend to bounce things around. I'd look in the Bentley wiring schematics but I don't have access (and, my doctor warns me against doing this).

I have a PDF version of the service manual for the ALH, you don't really want me to give that to you… It would be like a nice cold beer to someone who really should not be drinking.

Unfortunately, I've been digging through the wiring on that and it has not really been very illuminating, because I'm trying to follow circuitry that apparently some genius decided every Device in the car should be computer controlled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Trying other things on the car, I swapped out the control module on the window motor and the controls all came back to life immediately. And then without closing a door or moving the car, five minutes later the sunroof and everything else stopped working again.

I think I am getting closer to a solution though, I think it might be the passenger front lock mechanism. Because driving along it is randomly lighting up the interior lights like someone has open the door, and every once in a while the lock motor cycles by itself. But only in that door. I am going to disconnect that one and see what changes. But considering that both of the front lock motors were replaced, and they both failed at almost the same time, it suggests that this is probably the root cause.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SOLVED (I think)!

It would seem that BOTH the front door locks that were installed back in September failed at the same time (exceedingly random) but in different ways. The driver's side seems to have suffered the typical microswitch failure, but the passenger side seems to have just lost its mind entirely and was sending all manner of scrambled garbage into the CCM bus. The instant that I unplugged the passenger window motor, the rest of the controls started working again.

Replaced the passenger lock mechanism (again) and everything is functioning. On the upside, this is getting faster to do, and I also took the opportunity to un-tint the car since the window tint looked like crap anyway.

Yea!

Nope. Still not solved. With both door lock modules replaced everything was working... Until it AGAIN wasn't.

)(*@^$)(*@^$(*&^!@@!#$!!!!!!!!!

No warning or reason at all, I DO NOT think it has anything to do with a broken wire. ALL FUNCTIONS die at the same time. No windows, no sunroof, no steering wheel controls, radio security light is flashing (even with the engine running) and just NOTHING WORKS other than the door lock buttons.

W.T.F????

Have tracked thru the wiring diagram to see if those devices share common components?

Yes. They are all installed in the same car.

The wiring diagrams are not illuminating in this instance, and I have chased the grounds and also found nothing.

I suspect the comfort module itself, but I have no way to prove it right this second, b/c every time I change something, everything starts working again... Until it randomly decides to stop. VERY frustrating.

If it's not blowing fuses, it must be a loose connection, bad wire or a faulty module of some sort.

No bad fuses. No loose connections that I have been able to find, and I've been grabbing / flexing / fiddling with every loom I can lay eyes on, and no results.

I don't really want to, but I'm going to pull the module from my wagon and try putting that in - I'm absolutely CERTAIN that it will work perfectly and instantly...
Until it decides to stop working again and jam a middle finger in my eye again.

For sale $4300 - 2003 Jetta, 263k miles. Platinum grey metallic TDI sedan with a new performance Auto transmission. External trans cooler, performance torque converter, new valve body, performance injectors, Malone tune, and an electrical system designed by Satan himself.

Ok, I swapped the CCM from my wagon - and no change.

I ran Vag-com and got a bunch of the same 1336 codes as before. Data bus for CCM failure, data bus for CCM single wire mode, and the door module that I had unplugged.

Cleared the codes, and the only one that refused to clear was in the instruments and the Can Gateway - 1336 Data Bus for CCM Failure. Went into adaptation and read the address 0 information, and the codes were then gone... But still nothing on the windows or sunroof or mirrors or the door controls other than the driver's door. But NO power windows function.

Unplugging either the passenger door or the rear passenger door (both doors that I have messed with and replaced door lock mechanism after having definite failure issues) has shown NO change. Driver door panel refuses to do anything other than (thankfully) the fuel door, trunk release, and power locks. No mirrors, no windows.

edit: I forgot about this: I noticed that the courtesy light in the middle, normally all three bulbs were lit with the door open (normal) or sometimes it would just come on while driving (not normal) when the electrical system started being stupid. Then today, the passenger side map light / courtesy light went out. I figured it was just the bulb (yay, more things to fix) and didn't really think anything about it. Then I happened to bump the button tonight while screwing around with it... And the light came on.

But with the door open, it was still off while the other two in the front were lit unless I pushed the button. Then it decided to come back on by itself. Is this car possessed?

Short of setting it on fire (and I'm starting to think this is the best option) what do I do next?