Self driving Jetta

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
My son's 2000 Jetta (5 speed) had been parked and locked for a couple of hours on Thursday evening when it started and drove down the driveway about 10 feet then shut off. A few seconds later it did the same thing again - we assume the immobiliser was shutting it off but it would restart almost immediately.

By the time he got the key and a wrench to disconnect the battery the car was across the street up against a hydro pole and smoke was coming from under the hood. There were flames by the time he got the battery disconnected. Luckily a neighbor had an extinguisher handy.

It looks like the fire must have started under the dash in or near the relay panel. Although the damage is confined to that area, the wiring harnesses are destroyed so I don't think the car is repairable :mad:

So unfortunately we are in the market for a good ALH, preferably already modded, any leads?

Simon
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
My guess is water leak that got into the harness with the starter lead.

Freightliner had an issue with a firewall junction box where the same thing would happen on heavy tractors - very rare, but same symptom - truck would crank all on its own with no warning - if the unit was left in gear, it would start moving.

left long enough, current would eventually melt the insulation around the heavy gauge starter wire and lead to a fire.
 

craig01b

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Location
Guelph, Ontario.
TDI
None
On my cars I store....(only 1now). I have a battery quick disconnect on them. Prevents battery drain during storage, and once I had a starter solenoid stick, welded one screwdriver to the post when I disconnected it. Pretty good spark show!
 

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
Did it have any aftermarket electronic parts installed inside the car?
 

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
Holy cow! I always wondered what happened to my old car. :(
Hope all is well with everyone.
We took it to the cottage after the fire, and it still serves us well as a source of spare parts for the other four ALH daily drivers in the family.
 

P2B

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Toronto & Muskoka, Canada
TDI
2002 Jetta, 2003 Jetta, 2003 Jetta Wagon
Did it have any aftermarket electronic parts installed inside the car?
It had a pretty serious sound system, but that was powered through a heavy cable directly connected to the battery and fused under the hood. As far as I know there were no electrical modifications under the dash where the fire started.
 
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