Just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on what could be wrong with my husband's car (2000 jetta with a four cylinder engine)- it's at the dealership (no one else around here would take it) and they said it would be at least a week until they could even look at it.

On Saturday he was driving home when the oil light came on and then the battery light came on. Then his car died in the middle of the road. When he tried to crank it he said it turned over but it didn't completely crank. After it sat for a couple hours he was able to drive it home. The next day his friend looked at it and they were able to get it going and again it died after about 3 miles. (the lights came on again before it died) They gave it another couple hours and were able to get it to a mechanic (who it turned out wouldn't work on it) where it died again.

Do any of you have any ideas what could be wrong? They didn't think it could be the battery since it did run after the initial dying.

Thanks in advance

 

I think your problem is the alternator quit. That's why the car died. The battery wasn't being charged and unable to power the rest of the systems as the battery lost its charge, (no power for fuel pump/ignition etc.) engine will eventually just die. The only reason you could get it to start again is that when you let a car battery sit after it's died, the acid moving around the plates causes the sulfate to drop in the battery and usually you can get another chance at starting the car without boosting if you let it sit. If you try to run the car again it'll just eventually die quickly down the road. Replace the alternator, boost the car, let the battery charge and go for a spin.


-Jeff

 

I would have to agree with the alternator you might need a batery as well it has probally been strugling for awile.if you can find someone to rebuild the alternator you will save alot of money and installation is easy get it away from the shop they will soak you bad.

 

Yea a rebuild is a good idea, at least to diagnose the probem first, keep your old alternator just incase. Maybe even go to a wreckers and rip one out of another VW

-Jeff