nOOb TDI and Jetta questions: Are these common problems?

[micalk]

Just drove my new (to me) Jetta TDI home (Simi Valley, CA) from Phoenix. Runs great, but the cosmetics are a bit weak. I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but the these are the most glaring. Don't have a Bentley manual yet, but I know that a good tech manual will save more money than you spend buying it. I've only owned it for about 10 hours now, so I haven't even really had a chance to wrench on it. I could probably figure out some of these on my own, but I'd rather look to the more experienced hands out there to get some quick answers.

The headlight switch moves into the "brights" detent but it basically goes past the position where the brights are on, i.e., I can hold it in position to engage the brights, but if I let go, the bar moves into the detent and the brights go out. Is this common? Is there a fix? If I disassemble/clean/re-assemble the switch, can I fix it?

It seems like my AC compressor squeaks when it's not engaged. Is this common? It worked pretty good through the desert, but is this an indication of an imminent failure?

The center arm rest is missing the snap that secures it closed. I saw this on another TDI. I assume this is common as well. Is there a good fix?

How do people treat their door pulls to get rid of all the scratch marks?

FM reception is non-existent. Why? Is there a common culprit? Is the radio a POC and I should just invest in a good aftermarket radio? I've never owned a car that had this type of antenna. It has a bare metal spring and the coated spiral thing above that. Do these go bad? The one on my truck (solid full size coated spiral thing) has worked fine for 10 years.

The top screw on the engine cover seems to be loose. Haven't had the cover off yet. Are these supposed to be studs that the cover sets into with nuts and washers holding the cover down?

That's about it for now. After owning Mercedes diesels for about 8 years, this is a sports car. And my wife says she's got a big adjustment to make from her Cummins RAM 2500 4WD.

 

[SilveR316]

AC compressor squeaking may indicate the accessory (serpentine) belt is on its way out.

FM reception is probably poor because the base of the antenna on your roof has corroded. Common problem. If you have an aftermarket radio it could also be because the antenna adapter isn't hooked up to power.

The top screw on the engine cover is easy to screw in at an angle and strip. Another common problem.

 

[Powder Hound]

Just drove my new (to me) Jetta TDI home (Simi Valley, CA) from Phoenix.

Aahhh... another TDI escapes the desert!

Runs great, but the cosmetics are a bit weak.

What does that mean, the cosmetics are weak? Just bad details like fading clear coat?

...The headlight switch ... goes past the position where the brights are on,... if I let go, ... the brights go out....

No. Pull the turn signal stalk for flashing, push it to keep the brights on.

...The center arm rest is missing the snap that secures it closed. ...

They break. That and the glove box door hinges break rather easily. You'd think that since virtually all of them break, those german engineers could have fixed them. TDIparts.com carries new latches. They snap in place. Or you can get cheapie ones from China on ebay. I have no idea if they're (the chinese ones) any good, but considering the german ones are crap, how bad can they really be?

How do people treat their door pulls to get rid of all the scratch marks?

I assume you're talking about the exterior? No cure except for only having the doors touched by humans without fingernails. I've seen one (well, photos...) without those scratches. I can't imagine how anal retentive that owner is.

Really, it is just the design of the indent and how your fingers go through it. Thank the german engineers. The only real cure is a repaint after having the doors shaved. (See the really ricey mods on vwvortex for this one.)

... I've never owned a car that had this type of antenna. It has a bare metal spring and the coated spiral thing above that...

That coil was covered in some polymer originally, but flexing in weather (and Phoenix weather is really hard on that stuff) just eats it away. VW has a proving ground south of Phoenix, so it isn't like they don't know what the desert does to their cars. So... well, no explanation other than the usual VWAG response to American complaints (i.e. they ignore us). I just found some vinyl tubing at a Lowe's or HD and used it as a mold for black silicone. I filled it in, cut it off after the silicone cured, and it has worked for a number of years. Or you could buy a new antenna. Some people buy the short version instead. And as far as radio reception, there's an amplifier under the antenna that can corrode if any moisture gets into it. That can greatly affect radio reception.

Lots of people like aftermarket radios for any of the myriad reasons they do. All I'd say is that if you choose one, get one that can use the factory plugs or comes with adapters to use them. If not, buy an adapter yourself. You might be able to get them from Crutchfield even if you don't buy the radio from them, but I can't guarantee that; I just have read they are available for many radios. If you use a local installer, have them splice into the wires rather than just hack them off so you can preserve some organization back there, and whatever you do, don't let them bugger things by tying the k-line into the 12 volt power supply like many of them still do!! If they do this (it has only been about 15 years since VW didn't need this done) it will make it impossible to use a diagnostic tool to read trouble codes or anything else on the car. Some dealerships won't even plug into your car if they see an aftermarket radio for this reason (the power on the k-line has destroyed the interface of the computer diagnostic tool).

 

[micalk]

AC compressor squeaking may indicate the accessory (serpentine) belt is on its way out.

Squeaks seem to stop when the compressor is engaged, so I'd expect that this would isolate it to the compressor. I'll take a good look at the belt in the daylight, tho.

FM reception is probably poor because the base of the antenna on your roof has corroded. Common problem. If you have an aftermarket radio it could also be because the antenna adapter isn't hooked up to power.

The car lived it's whole life in Phoenix, AZ, wouldn't think corrosion would be much of an issue there. Of course, hard water will corrode/lime up too. I saw a thread over in VWvortex about pulling the headliner, sounds kinda painful especially since I haven't messed with many headliners. Is the fix to replace the entire base or just clean the corrosion and coat appropriately? Are there better aftermarket antennas?

 

[micalk]

Aahhh... another TDI escapes the desert!
What does that mean, the cosmetics are weak? Just bad details like fading clear coat?

Some stains on the carpets, a slight green stain on the driver's leather seat, the broken latch on the console, some pretty good scratches on the rear bumper like someone slid something heavy down the bumper, some other stain/paint issues besides normal rock chips and dings, three rock chips in the windshield, passenger side view mirror has some silver missing from the glass, two missing center caps, front lenses are getting cloudy. Most of this is cosmetic and has normal fixes, but still the car was advertised as a creampuff. Don't want to say I was screwed, just a bit misled on the true cosmetic condition of the vehicle.

The headlight switch moves into the "brights" detent but it basically goes past the position where the brights are on, i.e., I can hold it in position to engage the brights, but if I let go, the bar moves into the detent and the brights go out. Is this common? Is there a fix? If I disassemble/clean/re-assemble the switch, can I fix it?

No. Pull the turn signal stalk for flashing, push it to keep the brights on.

Please, I'm not that much of a n00b. When the stalk is pushed in to the brights detent, it settles past the place where the brights come on, i.e., the brights flash and go out again. Pulling on the lever slightly will engage the brights, but when you let go it goes back to the brights detent and the brights go out. The indicator on the dash works with the brights so at least that's okay. I disassembled one of these on a toyota, but I don't think I was able to get it back together so that it worked satisfactorily - worn internally. Do you have to pull the steering wheel or air bag to replace the turn signal lever?

How do people treat their door pulls to get rid of all the scratch marks?

I assume you're talking about the exterior?

No, I'm talking about the pulls that are part of the arm rests. The grey "paint" has all sorts of scratches that go down to the base material underneath. Do people sand and respray or dye?

That coil was covered in some polymer originally, but flexing in weather (and Phoenix weather is really hard on that stuff) just eats it away. ... as far as radio reception, there's an amplifier under the antenna that can corrode if any moisture gets into it. That can greatly affect radio reception.

Is there a replacement for the antenna base? edit - never mind - just found it on a parts site. how about a link to a good DIY on r/r antenna base?

Lots of people like aftermarket radios for any of the myriad reasons they do. All I'd say is that if you choose one, get one that can use the factory plugs or comes with adapters to use them. If not, buy an adapter yourself. You might be able to get them from Crutchfield even if you don't buy the radio from them, but I can't guarantee that; I just have read they are available for many radios. If you use a local installer, have them splice into the wires rather than just hack them off so you can preserve some organization back there, and whatever you do, don't let them bugger things by tying the k-line into the 12 volt power supply like many of them still do!! If they do this (it has only been about 15 years since VW didn't need this done) it will make it impossible to use a diagnostic tool to read trouble codes or anything else on the car. Some dealerships won't even plug into your car if they see an aftermarket radio for this reason (the power on the k-line has destroyed the interface of the computer diagnostic tool).

This is good info to be aware of. It really emphasizes to me that I need to buy the Bentley manual, especially when it comes to the electrical schematics. I've looked at the battery and noted the different wires going to it. What's a k-line?

 

[JB05]

I use velcro tape to keep my arm rest lid closed; works great.

 

[Powder Hound]

Well, sounds like your car was the recipient of pretty heavy use. I don't know what to say other than don't buy the car if you don't car for how it looks. But I have no idea of the circumstances behind your purchase, so I can't make a judgement call.

On the brights - sorry about my comments, I didn't mean to offend. It is impossible to tell the background of a question sometimes. It sounds like you have worn detents and the only suitable fix is a new one or a good replacement from a junkyard. The plastics inside are what they are - I know of no one that has repaired such items.

...No, I'm talking about the pulls that are part of the arm rests. The grey "paint" has all sorts of scratches that go down to the base material underneath. Do people sand and respray or dye?

OK. The scratches you are talking about are in VWs coating. It is a soft coat over the hard plastic in an attempt to give an upscale feel to the parts. Here again I know of no one that has a satisfactory repair for such an item. Mine are doing the same thing and I'm going to clean it all off. What I don't know is if I'll re-coat it with something else or just leave it as the shiny cheap plastic that it really is.

... What's a k-line?

The k-line at the radio is the wire used by the ECU to talk to the radio. A VCDS can tell you what is going on with the radio. Interesting. The k-line at the diagnostic port is brought low in order to initiate communications. It is normally at 12v, but from a very high impedance source. What this means is that you can measure 12v on that line, but there isn't enough power to do anything with it. So it is easy for other electronics (i.e. the interface circuits that ground that line to start communicating with the ECU) to pull it low. If the main power line to the radio is tied together with that k-line, then when the diagnostic computer tries to pull the line to ground, it can't do it since there's too much power going to the line. In addition, some interfaces couldn't handle the power and would burn out. And it would be expensive to repair the interface, which is why some dealers refused to plug in to your car if you have an aftermarket radio.

I haven't researched it carefully, but it appears that VW started on this system ever since OBD-II was required in '96. It is baffling that some installers of aftermarket radio stuff are so behind the times, that even now, 14 years after the fact, it is still happening (tying 12v power to the k-line). Yikes!!

 

[micalk]

Well, sounds like your car was the recipient of pretty heavy use. I don't know what to say other than don't buy the car if you don't car for how it looks. But I have no idea of the circumstances behind your purchase, so I can't make a judgement call.

Smushed my '84 MB 300SD, only had 109Kmiles. Very sad. Thus my signature. Needed a replacement that would also make my wife happy, and a Jetta TDI w/manual tranny fit the bill nicely. Had three requirements: Leather, Moonroof, Manual Tranny. I was on craigslist from SoCal to SF/Sacramento/Reno/LV/Phoenix/San Diego. Most had cloth seats or auto tranny. This was one of the few that fit the bill. I think it had a pretty good life until the last year when a guy bought it to drive between Portland OR and Phoenix. Put 24 Kmiles on in 9 months. I detailed the front half of the interior today and vacuumed the whole thing. Looks sooooo much better. I wouldn't have minded so much, but it was advertised as "clean interior" and "near perfect carpets", and asked a premium price. I have six filthy rags and a scrub brush that say otherwise. Basically I ate the detailing that they should have done.

BTW, I'm going to look a '72 MB 220 Diesel this weekend, and if it's nice I'll be making that my daily driver. No turbo, but still respectable performance for what it is. Everything is manual - windows, seats, tranny, etc., no computer, no smog equipment, just a basic vehicle and you can still get alot of replacement parts for it. I'm crossing my fingers...

On the brights - sorry about my comments, I didn't mean to offend. It is impossible to tell the background of a question sometimes. It sounds like you have worn detents and the only suitable fix is a new one or a good replacement from a junkyard. The plastics inside are what they are - I know of no one that has repaired such items.

No offense. Things "sound" different in print. Brights have worked that way for over twenty years now. If you don't know how to use em, you shouldn't even be driving. At any rate, it seems the problem either never existed (I am a still TDI n00b) or has fixed itself because the brights seem to be working just fine now.

OK. The scratches you are talking about are in VWs coating. It is a soft coat over the hard plastic in an attempt to give an upscale feel to the parts. Here again I know of no one that has a satisfactory repair for such an item. Mine are doing the same thing and I'm going to clean it all off. What I don't know is if I'll re-coat it with something else or just leave it as the shiny cheap plastic that it really is.

That's it. Seems like about every solid surface has this issue. Upscale until you own it a few years, I guess.

The k-line at the radio is the wire used by the ECU to talk to the radio. A VCDS can tell you what is going on with the radio. Interesting. The k-line at the diagnostic port is brought low in order to initiate communications. It is normally at 12v, but from a very high impedance source. What this means is that you can measure 12v on that line, but there isn't enough power to do anything with it. So it is easy for other electronics (i.e. the interface circuits that ground that line to start communicating with the ECU) to pull it low. If the main power line to the radio is tied together with that k-line, then when the diagnostic computer tries to pull the line to ground, it can't do it since there's too much power going to the line. In addition, some interfaces couldn't handle the power and would burn out. And it would be expensive to repair the interface, which is why some dealers refused to plug in to your car if you have an aftermarket radio.
I haven't researched it carefully, but it appears that VW started on this system ever since OBD-II was required in '96. It is baffling that some installers of aftermarket radio stuff are so behind the times, that even now, 14 years after the fact, it is still happening (tying 12v power to the k-line). Yikes!!

Good explanation. I'm an electrical engineer, so that all makes sense.

Thanks for taking the time to clarify. You've been a big help.

 

[Powder Hound]

Ha! If I'd have known you are a double-E, that k-line explanation would have taken 1/4 the space! But maybe it will help others also.

It is sometimes very difficult to find the right replacement vehicle, and when there's hard time constraints, it can become impossible. Sorry about losing the big Merc, but life happens, doesn't it? Good luck!

 

[TornadoRed]

The scratches you are talking about are in VWs coating. It is a soft coat over the hard plastic in an attempt to give an upscale feel to the parts. Here again I know of no one that has a satisfactory repair for such an item. Mine are doing the same thing and I'm going to clean it all off. What I don't know is if I'll re-coat it with something else or just leave it as the shiny cheap plastic that it really is.

You might try the suggestion in this post:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2506147&postcount=7

 

[JettaBlue]

By the way, if the turn signal/lights start doing weird things again you may want to disassemble, clean, and re-dielectric grease the switch unit. Wife's '04 Jetta (now for sale - she got a '10 JSW now) started having blinker gremlins and I fixed it for price of the grease. There is a picture tutorial somewhere on the internet about how to go about it. Basically the copper parts wear into the grease and then the ghosts appear.

 

[FredGard]

The arm rest latches from China are like China dolls but not as good looking. DO NOT waste your money or time. Mine broke within 4 days. It's German or nothing. Also the FUBA Antenna masts from China , e-bay, do not all have the same size shaft/threads. They lok OK but the ones I received do not fit the base. Even the base from the same location. I also bought a matching base and antenna. Again the shaft was to big. No response from the China e-bay site. The wheel centers look good and have VW/Audi part munbers on them. They seem fine.

 

[adamant628]

You might try the suggestion in this post:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2506147&postcount=7

I also read a post where someone just used the scouring part of a sponge. I'm pretty sure the user just scrubbed the soft coat off and left it that way. I think that the plastic underneath is the same color.