Car Wont crank....help!!!!!

ausTDIn

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2000
Location
Temple TX
TDI
golf 2000 black
Hey Guys I appreciate any help I get.

After it got cold in texas, my 2000 Golf TDI wouldnt start, After jumping it, it started and I let it run for about 20 minutes everything was fine.

Today, i tried to start it and it cranked a little and started dying. Then it wouldnt crank at all. I tried a Jump start and everything concerning the battery. But still it wont crank at all.

The lights all come on on the dash, Headlamps work fine.

I think it might be the starter, If it is, Does it need replacing? or can it be fixed?

One other thing. The Glow plug light flashes on and off after about 2 minutes.

Thanks in advance again.
 

fricker3

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Location
Cocoa Beach, FL
TDI
2000 and 2001 Jetta, 2002 New Beetle
Could this be the original battery?
If you have a voltmeter check the battery with no load applied. If it is 12 volts, try to start (apply load) then check the battery again it will probably be low and creep slowly up towards 12 volts. That would be a sign of a weak battery. If you get it started check the battery again and it should be about 14 volts. If it is less the alternator is in question.
If it is not the battery then it could be the connections, loose or corroded? With lights on try to wiggle the terminals. Do the lights dim? Connection is bad.
If none of these things are the problem, that leaves the starter as the culprit.

The glow plug flashing is probably a brake light or the brake light switch.

Eric
 

dec942

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2005
Location
Innerkip,Ontario, Canada
TDI
Golf, 2002, blue
Vag com

Try and find someone with a vag con to read the ecu. It could be a burnt fuse or a burnt fusable link.
If all it does is make a click noise when you turn the key, it may be the starter. You could try hitting the starter with a hammer gently and see if it starts, if so its the starter.
But try to get the ecu read if possible.

Hope that helps.
 

ausTDIn

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2000
Location
Temple TX
TDI
golf 2000 black
The Car does nothing when I turn the key.

A few years back, I had a bad injection puno( that was replaced under warranty), but after that every time i started the car, my starter would make a noise.( i cant explain the noise, it was kind of like something winding up).

Could it be that the starter isnt working??

The car started up fine yesterday, and even if the battery is low or connections are bad, i would still get something from the motor when i turn the key.

I get nothing except for the car going into contact( the headlights come on and the dash lights come on).
 

Dodoma

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
TDI
2002 Jetta White
Car not statating.

If connections are not properly secured, the car will not respond to ignition key. No lite will come. I suspect your problem is with the battery connections or cables. I recently had similar problem with my Ford Aerostar. All of a sudden, battery appeared to go dead. Turned the ignition, no response, no other lights. Used jumper and the car started. After driving 10 minutes, switched the van off. Tried to start again but no luck. In fact no reaction, nothing, no lights. Removed the battery and had it tested at Autozone free. Battery was confirmed good. Used sand paper to clean battery post and cable connections and tightens those tightly. Boom ignition worked, all lights came. Since then I have no problem again.

I suggest you remove the battery, have it load tested at Autozone Pepboys, or Kragen (it is free). Clean terminals and connections and check ground connection on the negative cable and positive cable to starter and then turn ignition to crank. Let us know what happened.
 

vegegolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
I used to have a similar noise when turning over the car. Eventually the starter did die. The noise as it turns out is from carbon buildup on the rod end of the starter. It causes friction, excess heat, and eventually wears out the motor of the starter.

Luckily, they are not that expensive at the local auto parts store, and not too hard to install-just be careful around your A/C line.

If you have some other problem that causes your car to start hard or not at all and you turn it over 15 seconds or more, repeatedly, it will kill your starter real quick. You can even smell the armature melting (been there, done that...) Never turn over for more than 10 seconds at a time and wait a minute or two in between starts.

You can take your battery out and have it tested at the local auto parts store, but they usually say your battery is bad (even when it's fine).

Good luck!
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
ausTDIn said:
Do you know if there is a how to on fixing the starter?
What do you mean "fix"? There is a How To on how to clean the gears, but when I took my starter into the shop to have the front bushing replaced, Dusty said that it was a very odd starter to disassemble as far as the nose bushing goes.

It cost me $150, but I have seen people here pay $110 to get theirs rebuilt.
 

ausTDIn

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2000
Location
Temple TX
TDI
golf 2000 black
still not cranking.....

Hey guys I appreciate the help.

After replacing the battery, still nothing.....


It doesnt do anything when I turn the key. NO cranking, not turning over, NOTHING.

What is the problem??
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
Is this a manual? clutch switch.

Are the interior lights dimming when you turn the key to <Start>? No? clutch switch.

The other possibility I think has to do with the alarm system...
 

ausTDIn

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2000
Location
Temple TX
TDI
golf 2000 black
This is a Manual.

The lights dont dim when I turn the key. nothing hapopens, it does feel like trying to turn the key without pressing down the clutch.

what do you recomend to fix this?
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
ausTDIn said:
This is a Manual.

The lights dont dim when I turn the key. nothing hapopens, it does feel like trying to turn the key without pressing down the clutch.

what do you recomend to fix this?
Don't know how to fix it until it's known what is wrong with it, so lets figure out what's wrong with it before we start throwing parts at it.

We can jump around the clutch switch to eliminate that potential problem and we can throw other guesse out, but lets start at the starter, shall we? You need to find out if you are getting voltage to the starter from the keyswitch. If you are, we can eliminate lots of things in the start circuit.

If you are not getting voltage to the starter, you need to start tracing back the power and checking to be sure you get it where you are supposed to.
 
Top