Please Help! Weird Electronics Issue

Hello all, I have encountered some very unusual problems with my Jetta over the past week or so. So to begin, the other day the alternator wasn't charging the battery due to a bad fuse. Replaced that and my car worked fine EXCEPT, when I would start it, it would act as if it was dead (lights on dash dimmed) and then start up. Then a few days later I couldn't start it so someone tried to jump me and after a half an hour we couldn't get it to go. The next day someone tries to jump it and it instantly fired up like how it would in the summer even though it was sitting in - temps for over 2 days. Now today, I go to start it and when I turned the key nothing happened, everything just went blank. (After the last person jumped me I ordered a nice battery jumper from Amazon) So I popped the hood and flicked on the 800amp booster pack. This did not do anything at all. When trying to crank the dash lights would be on and then flick off for a second or two like something is arcing. Normally when the battery is dead the dash lights will just rapidly strobe. This seemed like a loss of connection. Then I noticed my radiator fans were pulse spinning (All interior electronics were off). I have absolutely no idea whats going on and if anyone can help me that'd be great. I was thinking maybe its the starter but I also think it could just be some electronics issue. At one point today, the dash lights when from full brightness to super dim and just stayed in that position and then came back full brightness.

On that old of a car my first thought is a battery cable with a bad/loose end. I have seen a couple that were tight, but still would act like you described.

Just to clarify - I'm talking about the cable end crimped onto the actual cable strands.

Jason

SilverGhost said:

On that old of a car my first thought is a battery cable with a bad/loose end. I have seen a couple that were tight, but still would act like you described.

Just to clarify - I'm talking about the cable end crimped onto the actual cable strands.

Jason

Click to expand...

Ill take a look, thanks!

Update: When I was looking at the connections I checked the fuse box on the battery and the fuse that the shop used to replace the blown one is not oem at all. I'm referring to the farthest left alternator fuse. Instead they have a giant weird looking brick fuse. I turned the key on and when the power partially cut out I went and wiggled that fuse and the interior dinging noise came back on when I wiggled it.

Sounds like you need a fuse panel and fuse to make a reliable repair. Home made work arounds are beyond what I will explain over the internet, though I have seen some pretty well thought out ones in person.

Jason

sounds like you need to find a fuse that will work.
fuse box connections could be bad. with some research and work you can try to use a blank fuse connection in panel. you can test the one side, that has power, the other side may not be as easy to test. get a fuse first, and test connections in panel.