Help! 2001 Beetle Starts and Cuts Off

What could be the problem when the car starts and runs for about 2 seconds and then cuts off. It does this consistantly every time you try it. The car was driven a lot today and ran fine. Car had been sitting about an hour since last driven. Please Help!

Mac Shingleton
'99 A3 Jetta TDI
'01 Beetle TDI (girlfriend's car)

Your Immobilizer could be intermittant

Is there a flashing light on the dash when this happens?

The Immob, if the icon that is a car with a key in it is flashing when it dies.

A stuck anti-shudder valve can act the same way. When the engine is off it lets enough air in to start, but quickly starves ones the engine starts...

109 relay.






power supply relay?

109 would probably not allow it to start at all. However, check to see if the gp light comes on when you turn on the key. If not, 109 is suspect. However, since you seem to get a true engine start, then look carefully for any light on your dash that is flashing.

What if you turn the key and nothing happens, no power no odometer, no nothing. Today I drove my '99 Beetle and all of a sudden the low ABS light came on and the Brake light started flashing. The car ran fine but when I got home and shut it down, the odometer went blank and I have no power to anything including the power outlets. Is the 109 suspect in this case also???

Jar - I believe the 109 is more localized. In your case I'd look at grounds or battery or other connections. Check the basics - cables, connections etc. In your case, probably the big ones. Or - the battery may have gone dead.

Very weird, I have no ignition power whatsoever. I guess I cant even run the Vag since I cant turn the ignition on. This sucks!

Have you looked under the hood at all? Does the battery have any juice in it?