96 jetta will not start all the time

If the alternator is operating correctly................
It could be the trunk light is on and it drains the battery down over time.

Check for drains on the battery when the ignition is OFF.



<dentdoc DeleteThis @celerityinc.com> wrote in message
news:1147975532.454048.205280@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>I have a 1996 VW Jetta 2.0 automatic, when I first got the car
> everything was working just fine then about 3 months latter I went out
> to start it and the car was tottaly dead. I jump started it and it ran
> just fine. About a month latter it did it to me again so I went and
> bought a new battery thinking that was the problem. It was running
> perfict for over a year and then it just started doing it again. I
> could jump start it and it would run fine for a few weeks then I would
> need to jump it again. Then it just got progresivly worse to the point
> now I have to jump start it every time I get in it. I had the battery
> checked and it is working just fine. Also it takes nothing to jump
> start the Jetta as soon as i connect the cables it takes right off.
> What is really getting under my skin is that the battery is not dead at
> all I never lose memory on my clock or radio presets.
>
> I was thinking it might be a short in the starter/silinoid or
> something, am i going down the right path? I dont want to keep taking
> off good parts to have them tested getting me no where.
>
> If anyone could help I will be very greatful
>
 >> Stay informed about: 96 jetta will not start all the time 

In article <1147975532.454048.205280 RemoveThis @g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
<dentdoc RemoveThis @celerityinc.com> wrote:
#I have a 1996 VW Jetta 2.0 automatic, when I first got the car
#everything was working just fine then about 3 months latter I went out
#to start it and the car was tottaly dead. I jump started it and it ran
#just fine. About a month latter it did it to me again so I went and
#bought a new battery thinking that was the problem. It was running
#perfict for over a year and then it just started doing it again. I
#could jump start it and it would run fine for a few weeks then I would
#need to jump it again. Then it just got progresivly worse to the point
#now I have to jump start it every time I get in it. I had the battery
#checked and it is working just fine. Also it takes nothing to jump
#start the Jetta as soon as i connect the cables it takes right off.
#What is really getting under my skin is that the battery is not dead at
#all I never lose memory on my clock or radio presets.
#
#I was thinking it might be a short in the starter/silinoid or
#something, am i going down the right path? I dont want to keep taking
#off good parts to have them tested getting me no where.
#
#If anyone could help I will be very greatful

How do you jump the car? Do you do it "properly" with the red to
the battery's positive and the black to a chassis ground?

Check the condition of the "big three" cables: Engine ground to
chassis, Alternator to battery positive, and Battery ground to
chassis.

/herb
 >> Stay informed about: 96 jetta will not start all the time 

"Battery is not dead" Did you load test it? How?

If not, it could be the battery. They can go bad slowly after only a
year. You DO have electrolyte in it?

The other stuff is good advice. Just wanting to make sure you checked
it properly.

Mark
'95 Jetta GLS
 >> Stay informed about: 96 jetta will not start all the time 

When it doesn't start how do you jump start it? Does it make any noise at
all? My daughter's 97 Cabrio sometimes wouldn't start when the key was
turned and it made no noises whatsoever. I diagnosed it to be the ignition
switch and after replacing it there has been no problems.

If you think this is the problem........(MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS IN NEUTRAL)
Unplug the small wire from the starter solenoid and temporarily hold a
piece of wire between the positive post of the battery and the solenoid
(where you removed the plug) it will engage the starter. BE CAREFUL and
make sure the transmission is in neutral or the car will run over you. If
you do this and have the key in the run position it should start. If it
starts using this method I would guess you need a new ignition switch but it
could be other things including the switch that senses the clutch pedal
being depressed. If it is the ignition switch you either need to a puller
to remove the assembly under the steering wheel or you need to remove the
steering column. The switch is held in by one small screw but to get at the
head of the screw the assembly has to be pulled or the column removed. I
opted to remove the column. Had it out in about 5 minutes but had a hard
time getting it back in. Would have probably been easier had I used the
proper puller and did it from
the top but without the puller this method does work. For details on this
procedure see:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2532481&postid=28210367#28210367
for a great post.
Hope this helps. (FYI: The ignition switch cost about $20 bucks. )

Good luck,
Ron
<dentdoc DeleteThis @celerityinc.com> wrote in message
news:1147975532.454048.205280@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I have a 1996 VW Jetta 2.0 automatic, when I first got the car
> everything was working just fine then about 3 months latter I went out
> to start it and the car was tottaly dead. I jump started it and it ran
> just fine. About a month latter it did it to me again so I went and
> bought a new battery thinking that was the problem. It was running
> perfict for over a year and then it just started doing it again. I
> could jump start it and it would run fine for a few weeks then I would
> need to jump it again. Then it just got progresivly worse to the point
> now I have to jump start it every time I get in it. I had the battery
> checked and it is working just fine. Also it takes nothing to jump
> start the Jetta as soon as i connect the cables it takes right off.
> What is really getting under my skin is that the battery is not dead at
> all I never lose memory on my clock or radio presets.
>
> I was thinking it might be a short in the starter/silinoid or
> something, am i going down the right path? I dont want to keep taking
> off good parts to have them tested getting me no where.
>
> If anyone could help I will be very greatful
>
 >> Stay informed about: 96 jetta will not start all the time