No Start: Battery? Alternator?

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
Shortly after driving home yesterday, my wife wanted to get our dogs out. But the car (2001 Golf 5 speed) didn't start. Dash lights went on and there was a rapid, repeated clicking sound, but the engine didn't do anything at all. When I got home I attached jumpers from my car to hers and it started right up. Let it run a few minutes and removed cables. Started with no problem.

Started once more this afternoon but didn't about an hour later.


What's the problem? The Bosch battery is probably at least four years old but never had a hint of trouble before. If the solenoid, starter or alternator were bad, wouldn't the car just not start at all?


I'd be grateful for any help.
 

eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
This all depends. failing starters tend to be intermittent at first going to full fail eventually.

Alternators when bad drain batteries, and you can check using a multimeter, should be 14.5 V when running.

Batteries can be load tested to know their condition

Probably the starter with the clunk no start, just check everything else first.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Batteries can fail suddenly. With the rapid clicking, then starting with a jump start, to me points to a bad battery.
 

ffemtp

Veteran Member
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Dec 9, 2008
Location
SE WI
TDI
2001 Jetta GLS TDI Deceased 11/2012, 2004 Jetta GL TDI Sold, 2012 Jetta TDI (Retruned to VW), 2004 Jetta TDI GLS 5spd
X2 on the battery. If you end up getting a new one, be sure to get the proper rating for your car. You should be getting a Group 94R battery. Some parts stores will "guide" you to a different battery if they don't have your size in stock. It is worth the time and $ to get the right size / rating for your car.

Report back if you can, let us know the resolution.
 

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
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Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
Yes, I know. Interstate's website used to always select the wrong battery. Maybe it still does.

Can the battery be bad even if the radio, interior lights work?
 

ffemtp

Veteran Member
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Location
SE WI
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2001 Jetta GLS TDI Deceased 11/2012, 2004 Jetta GL TDI Sold, 2012 Jetta TDI (Retruned to VW), 2004 Jetta TDI GLS 5spd
The battery can still have enough to power the radio and a few accessories, for sure. Then when you hit the starter it just clicks, and the lights / radio will likely go off or very dim.
 

wonneber

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Location
Monroe, NY, USA
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2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Dash lights went on and there was a rapid, repeated clicking sound, but the engine didn't do anything at all.
I'd be grateful for any help.
I use to find dirty or loose battery terminals could cause rapid repeated clicking.
Turning the headlights on I could measure a couple volts from the battery post to the battery terminal end.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
If your battery is a standard size for the gas car 4 years is about it.
The problem is simple, not enough juice to turn the engine. The solution is a bit more complex, worn out battery, worn out alternator or starter and/or connections.
 

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
The red battery light doesn't come on while I was charging from my other car, so my mechanic believes the alternator's good. I put in this battery:

Battery - NAPA Legend 75 Month 12 Volts Group 94R 775 CCA Top Post


Correct group, posts. But it was slightly smaller than the Bosch. Are some 94R batteries smaller? Was the information on NAPA's site wrong?

I had to remove all the plastic battery compartment cover parts so the battery isn't covered. And one of the terminal connectors is slightly loose, but not moving. One of the small nuts that you screw to tighten it is missing. For something that was the "correct" replacement, it was a royal pain to install. Of course, I'm not on any NASCAR pit crew, either.


Car starts fine, though. Boy! Batteries ain't cheap.
 
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Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
THat would be nice. But I bought this one already based on specs from NAPA's website. Again, can different 94R batteries vary in size?
 

muzy

Veteran Member
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Aug 19, 2012
Location
Southern Alberta
TDI
02 jetta TDI
I just bought the same battery . Yes there is lots of spare room under the cover.
3 or 4 inches width wise. Height is correct.
Cheers
 

ffemtp

Veteran Member
Joined
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Location
SE WI
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2001 Jetta GLS TDI Deceased 11/2012, 2004 Jetta GL TDI Sold, 2012 Jetta TDI (Retruned to VW), 2004 Jetta TDI GLS 5spd
THat would be nice. But I bought this one already based on specs from NAPA's website. Again, can different 94R batteries vary in size?

What was the group/size of the battery you took out? Perhaps that was the wrong size.. 94R is the correct battery for your car. The sizes do not vary.
 

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
What was the group/size of the battery you took out? Perhaps that was the wrong size.. 94R is the correct battery for your car. The sizes do not vary.
Hmm. Ok. I replaced a black Bosch, which was huge. I would trust that the TDI mechanic I bought it from knew which size/type to install.

Napa lists my battery as being 10 3/4 inches long. The Duracell Ultra Gold on the BatteriesPlus site (also described as 94R) is 12.4375 inches long. Clearly there are size differences.

Muzy, you bought the NAPA Legend I cited earlier? I had to install it with the posts in front. Positive has to connect to positive, negative to negative, right? That's the only way I could make that happen.
 
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eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
Hmm. Ok. I replaced a black Bosch, which was huge. I would trust that the TDI mechanic I bought it from knew which size/type to install.

Napa lists my battery as being 10 3/4 inches long. The Duracell Ultra Gold on the BatteriesPlus site (also described as 94R) is 12.4375 inches long. Clearly there are size differences.

Muzy, you bought the NAPA Legend I cited earlier? I had to install it with the posts in front. Positive has to connect to positive, negative to negative, right? That's the only way I could make that happen.
CCA capacity tends to vary the length. Height and widths should remain the same.
I look for the highest CCA possible.
 

Mass. Wine Guy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2001
Location
Ipswich, Massachusetts
TDI
5-speed, 2015 Golf S 6-speed manual; 2015 Golf Sportwagen SEL 6-speed manual
Has about 780 cca.

My wife just reported that the battery light came on and the radio won't work.


You just got to love cars!
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
So it's alternator or appurtances (connection, belts, etc.). Check the wires and connections. Check the operation of the serpentine belt tensioner and the alternator pulley. These 2 often fail in tandem.
We often focus on pieces and codes when we should be troubleshooting systems.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
It should, if you have a trickle charger you might just hook it up overnight. Or a regular charger for a shorter time.
 

muzy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Location
Southern Alberta
TDI
02 jetta TDI
So looks like altanator eh? Napa bat. Number 48-9AGM.
Cheers
Posts in correct place
 
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ffemtp

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Location
SE WI
TDI
2001 Jetta GLS TDI Deceased 11/2012, 2004 Jetta GL TDI Sold, 2012 Jetta TDI (Retruned to VW), 2004 Jetta TDI GLS 5spd
Hmm. Ok. I replaced a black Bosch, which was huge. I would trust that the TDI mechanic I bought it from knew which size/type to install.

Napa lists my battery as being 10 3/4 inches long. The Duracell Ultra Gold on the BatteriesPlus site (also described as 94R) is 12.4375 inches long. Clearly there are size differences.

Muzy, you bought the NAPA Legend I cited earlier? I had to install it with the posts in front. Positive has to connect to positive, negative to negative, right? That's the only way I could make that happen.
Check this out:
http://www.batteryweb.com/bci.cfm
 
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