You didn't mention if the Alternator was checked or replaced.
The battery is able to recover after being drained (from an alternator that is not charging). That might be why it started again the next day.
However, a dead / weak battery should still have enough juice to cause the starter to at least make a clicking sound (wanting to engage the
engine. If there was no sound at all (just the instrument cluster lights coming on when turning the key to crank, then you might have an
Ignition Switch problem.
The best thing to do (before you replace more parts), is to check items when the car does not crank. So you can determine where the
problem is.
Check all the connections on the battery to make sure they are tight. The connectors and fuse holder on top of the battery are known to
cause issues. Check for burnt connectors/wires under the fuse cover on top of the battery.
- Make sure the battery + cable that attaches to the starter is tight at the battery & at the starter.
- Make sure the battery - cable is tight at the battery and at the connection on the transmission/engine mounting bolt.
- Using a test light, check for power at the starter "trigger" plug on the starter, while someone is cranking the engine
- - - Remove the single wire connector from the starter (located under the battery) and attach the test light to the connector
- - - with the other end of the test light attached to battery - clamp.
- Does the light light-up when someone is cranking the engine?
- If yes, then the starter is no good (provided the battery is charged enough to turn the starter)
- If it does not light-up, then you need to follow the circuit back to the Ignition Switch.
Something like this should not take a VW Specialty Shop long to diagnose (provided the problem occurs). So it can be cheaper to have
someone look at it, than to try and diagnose yourself.
Thomas
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Wednesday, October 31st, 2012 AT 4:29 AM
