How screwed Am I on scale of 1-10

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
Wanted to clean the fuse box on top of the battery, and I removed by mistakenly starting with with + terminal first, and undoing the 10mm bolts inside. Putting it back after cleaning weird stuff started happening
1. One of the fog lights had such a dim low power.
2. the reverse light on the RR comes on and stays on when you put the lights on park light, even if the car is not in reverse
3. fuse 9 10 11 have such a faint faint light on the test light.

I did a Vagcom scan and this is what came up




Chassis Type: 1J - VW Golf/Bora IV (1998 > 2006)
Scan: 01 02 03 08 15 16 17 19 22 29 35 36 37 39 46 47 55 56 57 75
76

Mileage: 212020km-131743miles
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: Redir Fail!
Part No: 038 906 012 L
Component: 1,9l R4 EDC 0000SG 2812
Coding: 00002
Shop #: WSC 31414
VCID: 193978638399BB4EEC-4B18

No fault code found.
Readiness: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 1C0-907-37x-ABS.lbl
Part No: 1C0 907 379 J
Component: ABS FRONT MK60 0103
Coding: 0001025
Shop #: WSC 03833 552 00000
VCID: 3169A0C3AB29530EB4-515A

2 Faults Found:
00668 - Supply Voltage Terminal 30
008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
01314 - Engine Control Module
004 - No Signal/Communication

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 15: Airbags Labels: 6Q0-909-605-VW5.lbl
Part No: 6Q0 909 601
Component: 1N AIRBAG VW5 0006
Coding: 12622
Shop #: WSC 31414
VCID: 70EF65C730A31A06FB-4B18

1 Fault Found:
00532 - Supply Voltage B+
07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments Labels: 1J0-920-xx5-17.lbl
Part No: 1J0 920 825 B
Component: KOMBI+WEGFAHRS. BOO V12
Coding: 05102
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 275D4E9BC5ED1DBE6A-5178

Subsystem 1 - Part No: Ident
Component: Nr. WEGFAHRS.:VWZ6Z0A3402276
Ident.-Nr. WEGFAHRS.:VWZ6Z0A3402276

5 Faults Found:
01128 - Immobilizer Pickup Coil (D2)
35-10 - - - Intermittent
01176 - Key
07-10 - Signal too Low - Intermittent
01314 - Engine Control Module
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01316 - ABS Control Module
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01321 - Control Module for Airbags (J234)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 19: CAN Gateway Labels: 6N0-909-901-19.lbl
Part No: 6N0 909 901
Component: Gateway K<->CAN 0001
Coding: 00006
Shop #: WSC 31414
VCID: 70EF65C730A31A06FB-5178

3 Faults Found:
01314 - Engine Control Module
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01316 - ABS Control Module
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01321 - Control Module for Airbags (J234)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent




The car now WONT start and run, everytime you put the key in and put it on ON position the immobilizer MIL light comes on and it just cranks and cranks and sometimes will start for 1 second and off again. This only started happening after I removed one of the fuses to check if it is damaged, after putting it back in the Immobilizer issue started
 

Sting

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Geez... that doesn't sound good. I try to mess with the electrical stuff as little as possible. I'm still running the same OEM battery I had 4 years ago when I got the car, soo..... Did you undo stuff from the fusebox or from the battery terminals first? Did you maybe touch something by accident?

My understanding is that anytime you're doing anything major to the electrical system, you undo the battery terminals, at very least, negative first, as it's not "HOT". I'm wondering if you inadvertently shorted something in the system.

That's my best guess. Hopefully others will chime in.
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
ye
Geez... that doesn't sound good. I try to mess with the electrical stuff as little as possible. I'm still running the same OEM battery I had 4 years ago when I got the car, soo..... Did you undo stuff from the fusebox or from the battery terminals first? Did you maybe touch something by accident?

My understanding is that anytime you're doing anything major to the electrical system, you undo the battery terminals, at very least, negative first, as it's not "HOT". I'm wondering if you inadvertently shorted something in the system.

That's my best guess. Hopefully others will chime in.
ah definitely doesn't, I see that when I want to start the check engine light doesn't even come on briefly as it use to.

I took the positive terminal off first, I am not too sure if I left the - terminal on when undoing the little 10m on the fusebox. But the + was definitely off, But I didn't cover the battery terminal with a little plastic cover, I just left the terminal lead hanging, I am not sure if it touched something on the body and made a short and fried some components.:cry:
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
Start by checking all fuses, both on top of the battery and in the cabin, with a meter (visual inspection isn't always reliable).
Will a test light do? cause they all light up strong with a test light on top of the battery
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
No (edit) glow plug (edit) light is a clue that the ECU is either dead or not getting power... you'll want to carefully check all the fuses in the driver's door fusebox as well.

Test light is fine... you want to see it light up on *both* sides of the fuse you're testing. (EDIT: P2B is a faster typist than me :) )
 
Last edited:

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Sometimes when people disconnect the battery they touch the negative cable to the positive post.
Just to get all the caps to discharge.
Something you could try.

And check the body ground. If there is voltage on the ground, it isn't grounded.
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
Sometimes when people disconnect the battery they touch the negative cable to the positive post.
Just to get all the caps to discharge.
Something you could try.

And check the body ground. If there is voltage on the ground, it isn't grounded.
how do you check the body ground?
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
You can measure if the body is a different voltage than the ground post,
or you can take a look at where it's connected to the body and make sure it looks good or clean the contact.
 

Brett San Diego

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Location
San Diego
TDI
02 Jetta wagon manual
how do you check the body ground?
Key on, put one probe of the volt meter on the wire to the ground or the terminal on end of the wire (not on the ground post) and the other probe on the battery negative post. With a good ground, you should see almost no voltage. You may see 20-50 millivolts. If the ground is bad (i.e. open circuit), then you'll see the full 12 V from the battery.

Think of it like fluids and plumbing... If you want to check the supply pressure being applied to a plumbing system, you have to block the flow and measure the pressure that the pump is providing when the fluid is static. When the fluid is flowing there is much less pressure in the system. Same with electrons. When they're flowing (when there is current flowing), there is almost no pressure (voltage) in the system. You have to block off the system and stop the flow to measure the pressure that the pump (the battery) is providing. So, you have to break the circuit, and then put your volt meter probes on either side of the break to measure the voltage (pressure). In this case, you don't want the system to have a break in it at the ground post, i.e. you don't want to see any voltage when you measure across the ground post in the circuit. If you do see a high voltage then you must have a blockage in the plumbing (i.e. an open circuit) meaning you have a bad ground. Hope that makes sense.

Brett
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
Key on, put one probe of the volt meter on the wire to the ground or the terminal on end of the wire (not on the ground post) and the other probe on the battery negative post. With a good ground, you should see almost no voltage. You may see 20-50 millivolts. If the ground is bad (i.e. open circuit), then you'll see the full 12 V from the battery.

Think of it like fluids and plumbing... If you want to check the supply pressure being applied to a plumbing system, you have to block the flow and measure the pressure that the pump is providing when the fluid is static. When the fluid is flowing there is much less pressure in the system. Same with electrons. When they're flowing (when there is current flowing), there is almost no pressure (voltage) in the system. You have to block off the system and stop the flow to measure the pressure that the pump (the battery) is providing. So, you have to break the circuit, and then put your volt meter probes on either side of the break to measure the voltage (pressure). In this case, you don't want the system to have a break in it at the ground post, i.e. you don't want to see any voltage when you measure across the ground post in the circuit. If you do see a high voltage then you must have a blockage in the plumbing (i.e. an open circuit) meaning you have a bad ground. Hope that makes sense.

Brett
Yes the plumbing part explains it, I will get an electrician with a voltmeter to come test. I feel like a goon by messing with stuff I didn't know about. :(
 

irvingj

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Etna,NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon TDI (PD/BEW)
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger!! I bet it's happened to everybody who tries to fix stuff -- at least once. I know I've made some absolutely classic boo-boos in my time....

Good luck!
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
No CEL light is a clue that the ECU is either dead or not getting power... you'll want to carefully check all the fuses in the driver's door fusebox as well.

Test light is fine... you want to see it light up on *both* sides of the fuse you're testing. (EDIT: P2B is a faster typist than me :) )

looking on the forums people have been recommending a relay called 109, any comments on it? does it also activate immobilizer issues if that relay is damaged?
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Will a test light do? cause they all light up strong with a test light on top of the battery
A test light will work.
I would say while the battery terminal is off, (negative suggested above) it might be a good time to clean all the ground cables where they attach to the body and firewall.
They probably will be clean but it doesn't take long to check.
If the negative cable grounds under the hood are bad then everything that grounds to the body is bad.
 

ducatipaso

Airhead Butcher
Joined
Nov 17, 2001
Location
norcal
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI
if you really want to be a Jedi, get one of these:

 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2002 Golf 6MT; 2015 Sportwagen 6MT; 2016 A3 e-tron 6DSG
Oof - $265. That's a bit rich for my blood, even if it is an elegant tool for a more civilized age.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
The PP3EZ may be worth every penny, but a simple Multi-meter in the right hands can provide all the info necessary to diagnose electrical issues of a Golf IV.

I'd start over and systematically remove, clean and reinstall each component that you tampered with initially.

I've had the battery in and out numerous times while working on these things with no issue at all, didn't matter which cable I removed first. However, as others have suggested, removing the ground cable first is the proper procedure.

About three years ago, I had issues with my VW Tiguan gasser after doing a crap load of maintenance. Without all the details, one of the 10 gauge cables was not making contact at the fuse box by the battery. I had installed the nut but forgot to run it down snug., Thus, it was not making contact with the metal plate at the base. The stud was dead center and did not have contact with the metal plate at the base. So, all those circuits were dead. It took me a very long time (days) to identify the problem. I actually drove the vehicle for days with it doing weird things.

Keep us posted.
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
UPDATE: the hole just got deeper for me and my frustrations are now maximized, since the initiall errors i could only get someone to do an IMMO Off on the ECM, and it did start and drove it for one day but the biggest issue now was that the dashboard was lit up like a Christmas tree, glowplug light was on, airbag light was on, handbrake sign was on and flashing, it looked really ugly, I was just supposed to continue driving and ignore those lights but I didn't.

Instead of getting my VCDS cable and laptop to go through the DTCs, I decided to first clean up the terminals of the battery abit and get some rust and dust off, big mistake, putting the terminals back on the car won't start. No glow plug light, no sound of the fuel cutoff valve when the car key is on the on position, nothing. It would just crank and crank and crack to infinity, I went to go get the VCDS kit to see where there DTCs and vcds isn't picking up a single controller it's as if there wasn't anything in the car it controller you click on nothing happens, the plug on the vcds is just steady green and it supposed to be flashing red to signify reading but nothing it's all dead.
The only thing that Google is suggesting is relay 109, although some symptoms of it being dead are similar I don't think it's the relay since it was working a 2 days ago the car started and glowplug indicator was on. Nonetheless I ordered the relay to come check it out anyway.
One other thing is when it's cranking over and over the positive terminal cable of the battery gets really hot. So I don't know what that might Indicate.

This has been such a nightmare.
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
No CEL light is a clue that the ECU is either dead or not getting power... you'll want to carefully check all the fuses in the driver's door fusebox as well.

Test light is fine... you want to see it light up on *both* sides of the fuse you're testing. (EDIT: P2B is a faster typist than me :) )
Golf 4 TDi has CEL at startup? I can't remember ever seeing it.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Er.... glow plug light. :) Should be a brief blip of the glow plug light when the key is first turned to ON, regardless of outside temp.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
UPDATE: the hole just got deeper for me and my frustrations are now maximized, since the initiall errors i could only get someone to do an IMMO Off on the ECM, and it did start and drove it for one day but the biggest issue now was that the dashboard was lit up like a Christmas tree, glowplug light was on, airbag light was on, handbrake sign was on and flashing, it looked really ugly, I was just supposed to continue driving and ignore those lights but I didn't.

Instead of getting my VCDS cable and laptop to go through the DTCs, I decided to first clean up the terminals of the battery abit and get some rust and dust off, big mistake, putting the terminals back on the car won't start. No glow plug light, no sound of the fuel cutoff valve when the car key is on the on position, nothing. It would just crank and crank and crack to infinity, I went to go get the VCDS kit to see where there DTCs and vcds isn't picking up a single controller it's as if there wasn't anything in the car it controller you click on nothing happens, the plug on the vcds is just steady green and it supposed to be flashing red to signify reading but nothing it's all dead.
The only thing that Google is suggesting is relay 109, although some symptoms of it being dead are similar I don't think it's the relay since it was working a 2 days ago the car started and glowplug indicator was on. Nonetheless I ordered the relay to come check it out anyway.
One other thing is when it's cranking over and over the positive terminal cable of the battery gets really hot. So I don't know what that might Indicate.

This has been such a nightmare.
Not clear if it's at the positive post or the cable itself.
If it's the post, it could be loose or dirty.
If its the length of the cable to the starter the starter that's hot the starter could be dragging from worn bushings or such.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
IF you get no click and brief glow plug light, and no OBD, you almost-certainly have no power to the ECU. This started with the wiring being disturbed -- I'll bet you have a bad cable causing this since that's all you disturbed; at this age you could easily have a cable that LOOKS ok from the outside but doesn't pass any current. (This is a lot more common on boats but it does happen with cars too; the wire corrodes inside the sheath.....)
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
Not clear if it's at the positive post or the cable itself.
If it's the post, it could be loose or dirty.
If its the length of the cable to the starter the starter that's hot the starter could be dragging from worn bushings or such.
its the cable itself
 

vol4til3

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Location
Namibia
TDI
Golf IV
IF you get no click and brief glow plug light, and no OBD, you almost-certainly have no power to the ECU. This started with the wiring being disturbed -- I'll bet you have a bad cable causing this since that's all you disturbed; at this age you could easily have a cable that LOOKS ok from the outside but doesn't pass any current. (This is a lot more common on boats but it does happen with cars too; the wire corrodes inside the sheath.....)
yes the car turned 23 years old with the original wires from the factory, I am certain they are fried now.
 
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