Light on dash - car won't catch - car outlined with key underneath

I was told this was a better forum for this concern:
We got home from softball tournament to find my daughter's 2003 Jetta TDI not turning over. My initial thought was gas was ran out all the way. Put 1.5 gallons in it. Still wouldn't turn over and catch. Then tried jumping it. Same sound - no catching. We let it sit for a while and I went to try again and noticed that there was a light above the battery light that stayed on after the car failed to fully catch. Looks like the outline of the car with a key underneath it. Researching here shows that maybe the alarm has disabled the car somehow? We tried opening all doors/trunk/hood. Also tried locking all doors, key in door, turn left until all windows go down, right until all windows go up, left once to unlock. Nothing has worked. We just disconnected the battery, thought we'd let it sit for a little bit, reconnect and try again. Any other ideas or suggestions? I will say I'm scared of touching the battery cables together.
Update - nothing changed when reconnected battery. We tried connecting to my car again and having the Jetta at the on position for 10 minutes, turn off and start. Nothing. However, at the 5 minute check in the the pre-glow plug light was flashing also. No idea what to do now.

Question answered on other thread about sound, etc.:
As for the question above, it would sound like it was going to start and just not fully catch. I just went a bought a new battery (it had tested low before - but previous owner put an after market sound system in it that connected directly to battery so we decided that was what made low battery test and left it alone). It started right up and drove stronger than it has in the the almost year we've had it when changed battery. However, this morning - same thing. No catching and car outline with key underneath light flashing again.
Betty (the Jetta) has had an appointment with the mechanic for today to get the AC repaired and we come home to her not wanting to start. We are just now at the task of getting this "disabled" issue overcome so that we can get her to the mechanic.
We did have a replacement key made by a 3rd party several months ago when my son borrowed the car and lost the key. We have since found the original key, but she uses the replacement more often. I have a call in to them to see what they'd charge me to reprogram the key.

If you have a spare key try it. And see if it does the same thing.

If the immobilizer disables starting you usually get a 'second' of starting and then the ecu shuts the engine down, you're saying it does not 'catch', but if you elaborate a bit more it may help.

To clarify, the car is turning over correct? Just not starting?

We tried the original key also. Neither key will work. There is a second where it sounds like it's started, then it just shuts off. Just long enough for you to get your hopes up that the issue is resolved. Then the car dies. I googled a bunch of videos about the immobilizer issue and they show you what it it sounds like when the car has been disabled is exactly what hers sounds like. The pre-glow plug light was flashing yesterday for a bit also. After replacing the battery no lights were on (well except for the engine light that has been on - not flashing). However, this morning when it wouldn't start, it was only the car/key light - not the pre-glow light flashing.

Yes, please be more specific, but "turning over" and cranking does not mean "running".
Correct in that the immobilizer doesn't prevent a start, it typically allows the engine to start/run, but then shuts it down after a second or so.
Unless the "new" replacement key was programmed along with the original key only one should allow a start/run. Which key are you using now after the battery change?

I'm sorry I'm not really sure how else to explain it. It sounds like it's started, then within a second or two it shuts off. The new key was not programmed along with the original key. We didn't find the lost original key until almost a month later. The original key has left in a drawer as a back up and gone unused. We tried to use it yesterday after running in to this issue wondering if the replacement key had anything to do with the issue.

When the car would start and stay running after battery change, it was with the new key. This morning it was still the new key, however the issue of not staying running and the light had returned. We did not try the original key this morning.

That does sound like the immobilizer - it will kill the engine within 2 seconds of startup if it's not happy.

Do you know of any ways around it? I really just need to get it started to get to mechanic to save the towing costs.

You can search, but iirc you just leave they key in the ignition for hours and it re-learns. Use the original.

Thank you. We will try that!

If it worked after putting a new battery in it, it may still be a battery charge issue. If the original key doesn't work, I doubt it's the immobilizer. Does the engine crank strongly trying to start or weak?

If it's the immobalizer the engine will start and run normally for 5 seconds or so and then stop, with the IMMOB light flashing.

Doesn't sound like your symptoms, OP??

An ALH engine car doesn't need hardly any battery voltage to stay running. If it has enough juice to crank it over it should have more than enough to keep it running.
Charge the battery. Leave the original key in ignition for extended time (can't hurt). Keep all other keys out of the car (eliminate confusion with immobilizer). See if any of that helps. Probably not but can't hurt, but if "new" key wasn't programmed as an additional to the original the immobilizer won't allow two different signals to operate the car.

Maybe the cluster itself is having issues?

The cluster on mine Jetta failed many years back - when that occurred, the engine would start, run 2 seconds, then die. no immobilizer light, the only warning light I got was the battery one, and the odo display was blank. Ended up having to have the cluster replaced to get the car to run again.

Does the OP have access to a VCDS to scan the car and see if there's any codes being thrown under "instruments"?

Rob Mayercik said:

Does the OP have access to a VCDS to scan the car and see if there's any codes being thrown under "instruments"?

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Or "immobalizer", for that matter.

I had a call in to the guy that made the replacement key to come reprogram the key on Monday. We left the key in the car for him. To date, he still hasn't shown up - cool.

However, when we got home on Monday, the car started right up. My daughter drove it for some errands, no problems starting up. We took the key inside overnight and the car wouldn't start in the morning.

Left the key in the car again during the day yesterday hoping the key guy would show up - still hasn't. But car started right up when we got home from work. Left it in the car overnight, started this morning. There is certainly a connection between taking the key away from the car and it not starting v. leaving key in the car (not in the ignition, just in the console) and the car starting right up.

OK, but when it doesn't start... does it not run at all, or does it run normally for 5 seconds and then die?

You'll save yourself a lot of troubleshooting dead ends if you are able to make this one distinction.

It will run normally for about 5 seconds and then die. Then the car outline with a key underneath it will flash.

There ya go... there's some key programming in your future, and then you'll have 'er beat.

Vince Waldon said:

There ya go... there's some key programming in your future, and then you'll have 'er beat.

Click to expand...

That's what we are hoping!! The guy that made the key swears that can't be the problem, especially since simply leaving the key in the car makes it start. I'm no mechanic but it sure makes sense to me that way! Now to just get him to show up!!

Thank you for your help!

The guy that made the replacement key just came by to reprogram the keys. He said that it is purely coincidental that the car will only start if the key has been sitting in the car for a prolonged period of time and won't start if the key has been away from the car for more than 15-20 minutes.

He then hooked up his machine and said he couldn't connect to the cars 'computer' at all, therefore the issue has to be with the car's onboard computer system and not the key at all.

I guess we're back to square one. For the time being, the only answer I see is just leave the car in, doors unlocked it everywhere she goes. Yeesh.

Try this-
Disconnect battery, put a charger on it, when it's done, reconnect battery, turn ignition to on for an hour or 2.

We'll give it a shot!

Also keep in mind Relay 109 provides power to the ECU, so it's possible that is bad or a fuse has blown.
I just noticed you have 2 different threads for this, that does not help us help you.

BobnOH said:

Also keep in mind Relay 109 provides power to the ECU, so it's possible that is bad or a fuse has blown.
I just noticed you have 2 different threads for this, that does not help us help you.

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I will check fuses. We were hoping the programming would be the solution. Yes, I posted in the other one first and was told to move it to this one. I don't know how to delete the other one.

Yea, I saw the notes. They're in the same place now.

I think the "key guy" is perhaps mistaken and would search out other options for programming.

jettawreck said:

I think the "key guy" is perhaps mistaken and would search out other options for programming.

Click to expand...

I agree! It just seems so strange that as long as the key has been sitting in the seat or anywhere inside the car for more than an hour or so, the car starts right up. But if the key is away from the car for more than 20-30 minutes, the immobilizer takes over and the car won't stay running.

Check dash fuses #10 & 11? Had a similar issue, ended up being a dead fuse.