Intermittent Power Loss--my "Hauntings"

Hello! I have a 2002 Jetta TDI that has intermittent power surges AFTER I drive. Once the key is removed, or turned off, the power in the car (electrical supply that is) flickers. At times, locks try to engage and re-engage but do not fully. The key fob will not work. This continues until I jiggle my negative battery connection. Some times this takes 1 times, sometimes 20. When driving, sometimes before this happens, by brake light and ABS will flash and beep at inconsistent rates. I then know I am going to have my "hauntings", if you will. This is not a guarantee. There are no noted changes in electrical power as I drive. After the surges stop, i can touch the brake or turn the ignition and lose partial electrical power and cannot start my car---I then go and jiggle the negative connection. I have cleaned this connection and it helped for about 4 weeks. this has been on going for years and getting worse. The more it happens the longer it takes for "jiggles" to make it better.
At baseline, no abnormal voltmeter reads. Any thoughts?

Have you checked and cleaned the grounds under the battery tray?

Both battery connections should be clean and tight enough that no amount of 'jiggling' should affect anything.

flee said:

Both battery connections should be clean and tight enough that no amount of 'jiggling' should affect anything.

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It shouldn’t.... but they are clean and right and no wiggle room....i just replaced my ignition switch... that was suggested by several people i guess I’ll know sometimes between now and in a few weeks!

casey823 said:

Have you checked and cleaned the grounds under the battery tray?

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I haven’t. I just replaced the ignition switch and if that doesn’t work after the grounds i go!