Fix for when push to start button acts up

oldenburgd

New member
Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Location
Alabama
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagen
Over 5 years later, this post is still helping! I'm glad I found this post, the video was very clear and helpful.
 

bwill123

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2020
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2013 Sportwagen
This works!

Thank you for the video and for sharing your method! I disassembled the ignition button, used a small white eraser on a mechanical pencil to clean the gold contacts and the small blue, metal-flecked pads on the adjoined plastic part. I erased all four sets a couple of times and saw dark residue on the eraser, cleaning the eraser in between by rubbing it on my pant leg (clean paper works too). Reassembled, used several times and it works perfectly.



This was a quick, free fix with only a few tools (mini screwdrivers, mechanical pencil) and fixed a super annoying problem and saved $100+ on a replacement part.
 

seacritter

New member
Joined
Apr 12, 2020
Location
Kentucky
TDI
2014 Golf TDI and 2014 Jetta Sportwagen TDI
Another thank you...

Thanks for the post. I was having the same problem and this fixed it...
 

FXDL

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Location
Barrie Ontario Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta TDI with DSG
My 2015 Jetta TDI Comfort Line has the push start bottom on the center console.
Once in awhile it reads on the center dash NO IGNITION and have to hit start bottom again.
I assume the same problem.
Guess I will have to do your fix.
Removing from my center console looks to be a might bit harder for removal compared to steering column.
Thankyou for your fix
 

mikec944

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
2012 Golf w/Tech
My 2015 Jetta TDI Comfort Line has the push start bottom on the center console.
Once in awhile it reads on the center dash NO IGNITION and have to hit start bottom again.
I assume the same problem.
Guess I will have to do your fix.
Removing from my center console looks to be a might bit harder for removal compared to steering column.
Thankyou for your fix
Unfortunately, I have no experience with removing the center console button. My brother had a Passat with a center console button that I was intending on repairing and documenting when the time came. Sadly, the vehicle was totaled before that.

Please let us know how things go. Good luck and I hope you're able to repair it with ease.
 

epssax

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2001
Location
Louisville, KY
TDI
2014 JSW, SEL, 74K
6 years later, this youtube video helped me fix my 81K 2014 JSW. My pushbutton start has been 'balky' the last 8K miles. I thought I'd fix it before it left me stranded. I used the plastic eraser that you put on the end of a pencil to clean the gold only. Thanks again everyone!
 

mikec944

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
2012 Golf w/Tech
So the console buttons are more problematic than the steering column ones?
Just more involved in removing the button. More trim pieces must be removed. I’m sure it isn’t a terrible job, it’s just not as easy as the steering column mounted button.
 

mikec944

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
2012 Golf w/Tech
FINALLY! I found my original pictures and fixed the picture links on the original post. Keep those cars running well!
 

TDIintheSkys

Member
Joined
May 10, 2019
Location
PNW
TDI
2015 GSW SEL & 2014 JSW TDIs
TIP: Be mindful of the orientation of the items as you take them apart. I believe I replaced the translucent pad with the four blue dots incorrectly into the black housing. Put everything back together and car would not start. Went through this video again, replacing it exactly and viola! it worked perfectly. Just like new! Scared the hell out of me. I thought I might have broken it somehow... Great video & thank you!!
 

Beahner

New member
Joined
May 23, 2021
Location
Orlando
TDI
Jetta
Another satisfied driver happy that he finally strung together the right Google search string to find this. I have a new switch ordered multiple times now, keeps getting cancelled due to mfg back order. Now I think I can cancel the latest order myself.

I have a 2016 Jetta, not TDI, but same push button feature. Mine is center console right above the gear shifter.

Anyone else still monitoring this thread with the same set up....I’m struggling to get the bezel with the gear shifter back on right. Car starts now, but I can’t seem to get that whole bezel locked back in right. Any tips would be awesome!
 

TorchAK

New member
Joined
Dec 26, 2021
Location
Maine
TDI
2012 Jetta sportwagon
Great write up… my tdi now starts with a light push rather than me smashing and banging my Head on the steering wheel. Cheers and keep up the great posts.
 

mikec944

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
2012 Golf w/Tech
Great write up… my tdi now starts with a light push rather than me smashing and banging my Head on the steering wheel. Cheers and keep up the great posts.
Cheers to you!
Just like Marty McFly in Back to the Future when he bangs his head on the steering wheel and the DeLorean finally starts. If only he had this write up!
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
How is that button $150?!? If mine ever fails I'll just install a pushbutton. Outer 2 are the button, inner 2 are for the light.
 

oskirchb

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2022
Location
CH
TDI
2
Hello! Nice post

I have the same problem with my scirocco 2013 start stop button.
It's possible to buy the engine ?
I dont touch for the moment but every day is more difficult to start my car :)
 

Drclaw

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Location
ME
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen
my push button has never really acted correctly. after 3 years of dealing with it, I finally took it off and cleaned the contacts with a pencil eraser. Much better now!
 

flyboybob

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Location
sumwhere, oregon
TDI
'12 passat tdi se dsg, ‘15 passat tdi sel premium
Wanted to try this method to fix the start button on the 2015 i bought this past summer w 90k on the odometer. However, when i pulled up the center console and removed the switch i found someone had been there before me.

one of the metal tabs was gone and one of the plastic tabs that holds the switch together was broken. :/

so after some surfing i took a chance on this switch:


i figured for 14 bucks i could send it back if it didn’t work.

altho amazon sez it doesn’t fit my 2015 passat tdi sel AND it came without a vw part number label, the switch manufacturer’s part number on the side of the switch matched exactly the VW one i had removed from my car.

long story short….the amazon switch has been installed and working perfectly since august.

bob.
 

flyboybob

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Location
sumwhere, oregon
TDI
'12 passat tdi se dsg, ‘15 passat tdi sel premium
P2B,

curious that the Amazon link in my post above shows “Currently not available” for you…..still showed stock available to me when i clicked on it just now. might have something to do with our respective locations—Canada vs US.

at any rate, there seem to be a bunch of sellers on Amazon (and other web portals) selling this switch for quite a bit less than the VW part numbered item. a search using the switch mfr’s markings on the switch helped me find them.

having worked for a switch manufacturer in the past, i knew there hadda be a better price than the US$171.00 that a popular online VW parts house is asking for this item. heck, even US$14.00 is a lot for this switch when just looking at time and material costs (and ignore tooling and overhead costs).

i still think cleaning the contacts is the best fix for folks w an intact switch. but for folks like me with a broken switch to deal with there are options that won’t break the bank.

bob.
 
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