Relay 109 Replacement Made Easy

[Turbo Steve]

Since Prevention is much better than Redemption, it makes sense to replace the Relay 109 Circuit Fuse before it gets too hot and leaves you stranded.

Here's what to do:

Contact VW Parts.com (AKA Impex World Distributors) at http://www.vwparts.com / (800) 736-3550 and order VW Part #1J0906381A for $17.65 plus $4.42 shipping. (This part fits most late-model VW TDI's.)

I also recommend ordering two of these critical parts in order to keep a second newly-designed circuit as a spare.

Installation is literally a snap. After removing the driver's side under-dash panel (two T-15 Torx screws), simply use a flashlight to look-up where the fuses are and remove the largest fuse - Relay 377 - and carefully set it aside.

Directly above the empty slot (where Relay 377 used to be) is Relay 109, which can now easily be removed and replaced. Everything can now be put back together in reverse order.

Note - The newly-designed Relay 109 is gray in color and slightly smaller than the older black model, which tends to fail under hot temperatures.

 

[Clatterman]

The dealer replaced mine under warranty, even though the car is over 24k on milage.

 

[Turbo Steve]

Clatterman - Was your Relay 109 replacement by the dealer one of precaution or was your car exhibiting symptons of a faulty Relay 109?

 

[Bill Kriese]

Is the newer style relay 109 more reliable than the old style, and would you still carry a spare if you have the newer style?

 

[Turbo Steve]

Bill - The upgraded version of the Relay 109 circuit has heavier contacts which can withstand the heat better.

I replaced my fuse a couple of days ago and carry both the new and older versions as precautionary spares.

 

[boyelectric]

Dumb question from me: After removing the two torx screws from the lower left panel (2000 Jetta) does the panel just 'pop' off? I pulled and managed to extract part of the panel from the rest of the dash, but it seems like I am pulling too hard for plastic to withstand. Do I need to remove the fuse panel housing or is that part of the panel?
-a-

 

[Clatterman]

Turbosteve, my original relay melted into oblivion, and car was totally unreliable. Service writer gave me a hard time when I explained the problem and solution.

I was back at stealership last week, service writer told me he had 4 more cases just like it.

 

[Karl Roenick]

I went for a little drive yesterday and when I came back I went under the dash and felt (not felt up) the relays. My new model 109 was just barely warm. The 100 relay (load reduction relay) was much warmer. I seem to remember the old model being warmer. Probably a good sign.

 

[HowardZ]

Stevie: We've already posted all this information in the past, but I suppose you are very excited about it since you just did the relay swap in your car.

CarolinaGolf is the forum expert on relays. He does electronic repairs for a nuclear power plant. He has had similar relay problems with plant equipment and solved it by resoldering it with high melting point solder.

In the past I have sent him my stock relay 109 which he resoldered with high melting point solder and posted pictures of it on the forums.

The difference with the new relay 109 is that it does not contain the small circuit board. The high current flowing through this circuit board was what caused the solder to get too hot and to lose its conductive properties. This explains why letting the car sit for a while often temporarily solved the relay 109 problem. All the same components are in the new relay, but it was designed without the need for a small circuit board to hold them.

After describing the new relay design to CarolinaGolf he thought that sending it to him for resoldering was not necessary.

CarolinaGolf, he's our man. There is no relay he can't understand.

 

[rgoetz]

I'm confused. About 2 months ago, I bought a spare Relay 109. It is the old part #--357 906 381A, but it is beige, not black.

The box it came in was dated 8/19/96.

It seems unlikely, but is there any chance this is the upgraded Relay 109, albeit with the old part #?

 

[HowardZ]

It is most likely the old design.
You can open it up and look.
If it has a small circuit board then it is the old design.

 

[rgoetz]

How does it open?

 

[HowardZ]

You look at the end with the metal blades coming out of it. You'll need a few small screwdrivers to bend the plastic things towards the outside to slide the box off - going away from the blades. Be sure to remember the orientation of the box to the orientation of the blades for when you will close it later.

 

[rgoetz]

Thanks.

 

[boyelectric]

Woo hoo! Answered my own question by searching through zillions of posts on relay 109:

From gestalTDIesel's posting June 17, 2000:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/NonCGI/Forum17/HTML/000356.html

"At the center torx screw, on the driver's side cover plate, there is a spring clip. The center screw doesn't actually hold up the cover plate but keep the spring clip and the lower part of the dash in place. Gently pry that center area down and foward (more down that toward yourself if you are facing towards the dash) and it should pop out with medium pressure. After that just slide the cover plate out of the two nylon clips mounted on the firewall. The spring clips hold things together quite well but the do scare you when you are taking them apart, feels like your breaking something."

 

[Turbo Steve]

Howard - Everything you've said has been mentioned before; no need to repeat it again (as you said earlier)!

How's your TDI coming along?

 

[HowardZ]

The dealer is waiting for a new ECU to get shipped in from another state.

I'm still driving the free rental car.

I keep offering to turn in the rental car and drive my NB TDI until the part comes in, but the dealer does NOT like the idea.

 

[Karl Roenick]

Howard,
Do you think the ECU replacement would have been covered after 24,000 miles? Is that part of the drivetrain warranty? I tend to doubt it.
I had an oil pump go on a 94 Golf at about 70,000 miles and they definately weren't giving me a rental car.

 

[HowardZ]

I tell you, no private repair shop will require a 2 week wait for an appointment, and then take a week to do a repair that should take 1 or 2 hours.

I am tempted to return the rental car and drive my car away using one of my spare keys. Then maybe in a few weeks they'll call me up to tell me that my car has been stolen.

 

[boyelectric]

My new relay 109 is dated on the package: 08/19/96, but I took it apart and it has no circuit board. Yea!

 

[BKmetz]

Well, it's starting to happen with me. Once yesterday and once this morning my car hiccupped. I just turned over 98,000 miles.

I was on the interstate coming home from my boys baseball game last night when for just a second the engine stopped. Tach went to zero and then right back up. The only thing that didn't make sense is the trip odometer reading is off now.

Then this morning I'm waiting in line at the McD's drive-up and it did it again. The tach went to zero and then the engine caught itself and overrevved (up to 2000 RPM) and then settled back at idle, around 950 RPM. Again, the trip odometer reading was off. All this took place in just over a second.

I called my dealer parts guy a few minutes ago. He knew several relay 109s had been replaced but didn't know exactly what the failure was or that there is a part upgrade number. He has two old part number relay 109s in stock. He will let me take one as a spare until he gets the new ones in stock. If I don't use the spare I don't pay for it. At least I know I won't be stranded anywhere.

Becuase this is a Saturday I won't get the new upgraded relay for 5 days.

Brian, 97 Passat TDI

 

[BKmetz]

I've heard of only a few high mileage 96 Passat TDIs having ignition switch problems.

I am not current on what happens when the switch fails, usually the engine doesn't start or shut off. A bad contact in the ignition switch could cause the exact same symptom. Anybody know more about this?

I'm going to replace relay 109 anyway. It's a cheap item to replace and then if I have more problems I know the relay is not the cause.

Brian, 97 Passat TDI

 

[Karl Roenick]

Aren't the ignition switches on Passats also the source of some problems?

 

[BKmetz]

Picked up my 1J0-906-381-A 109 relays and installed one today. The other is a spare. God this an easy job on a Passat, not any harder than changing a fuse. It took longer to get my body twisted around so I could see up there than it did to swap relays.

I took my old 357-906-381A relay 109 apart. I can't really tell if it is bad or not, nothing is discolored from heat. There is a light coating of varnish that covers the circuit board and solder joints. The varnish does appears to have flaked off around the solder joint for pin #85, the smallest mounting pin. If the relay had a hot spot then this must have been it. It looks like this relay might have gone working for months, or not. In any case now I don't have to worry about it.

Brian, 97 Passat TDI

 

[cars wanted]

Just for your information, www.vwparts.com has raised prices a little since Turbo Steve ordered his. I just now ordered my spare 109 relay, and it cost U.S.$18.20, plus 91 cents Maryland sales tax, plus $4.08 shipping/handling/profits for a grand total of $23.19. I guess, what with everybody ordering a spare, demand for these puppies is pretty high. I just thought I should have my spare relay on hand for our trip to Wilmington, North Carolina over the Labor Day weekend for the TDI Fest 2000.

 

[SlowSpeed]

Yes, I bought a 109 on Friday in Houston for $18.69 plus tax. (It said "Made in Portugal" on the case.) I installed it yesterday. The "old" relay is now my STANDBY.

A question comes to mind -- Do the gassers have the 109 also???? If they do, do they also experience a lot of failures?

 

[BKmetz]

I bought mine at my local VW dealer. List price is $18.65 each and I paid $14.92 each for a total of $29.84 plus 6.25% sales tax.

Brian, 97 Passat TDI

 

[RES]

I have two TDIs, a 97 Passat and a 2000 Jetta. I plan to buy some spares. I am just wondering if I need one for the Jetta. When did VW start installing the new version in its cars?

 

[Turbo Steve]

I believe that VW came out with the upgraded Relay 109 circuit about 5 or 6 months ago.

Since replacing mine, I'm happy to report that there are no problems.

Of course, I wasn't having any problems with the old style fuse either.

Replacing the Relay 109 circuit is simply precautionary because a towing bill will probably cost more than the fuse itself - and - then, you have the unfortunate inconvenience factor to deal with.

[This message has been edited by Turbo Steve (edited July 26, 2000).]

 

[RES]

I just spoke to my VW parts guy about relay 109. I gave him part# 1J0906381A. He said that the number has been replaced with #357906381A. The price is $18.65. I'm confused. Which number is the current number? Incidentally I will get a 15% discount for being a member of the VW Club.