Heres my story, bought this 2001 Jetta 2.0L 2 years ago, I have had pretty good luck with it up until now, have only had to replace the alternator. Since then the car is shifting funny won't go into reverse 75% of the time without playing with the shifter and now won't move in drive without giving it a little has and getting whiplash from it jerking so hard, its like driving a 5 speed. These however are not the reasons I am posting..
Driving back to my office from a meeting yesterday morning all was good car was fine until I come to a stop light and the car acted like it wanted to die, I quickly applied the brake and accelerated a bit to keep the car running. When the light turned green the car felt like it was running on 1 cylinder, it had no power, I get the the next stop light and stopped then the car just died, i had to get out of the car and push it into a parking lot, once i got out of traffic I got back in the car and tried to start it with no luck the car just cranks and cranks. When cranking the car I can depress the gas pedal just a bit and the car will backfire through the exhaust, Whats your thoughts on what is wrong? Timing Belt? Coil? Check engine light has been on since I bought the car, Catalytic Converter Code, I have driven it for 2 years with the light on, anyway whats your thoughts?? Sorry to be so long winded I am just really frustrated..Thanks in advance...

 

sorry to hear that~
good luck to you

 

Try checking the timing belt. I hope is still in one piece. Have you done a tune up to it recently??? have you checked it for any engine codes??

 

it was in fact the timing belt, it was still in one piece but was missing about 7 teeth off of it, no bent valves to my knowledge car runs good now. The Check Engine light has always been on with a O2 Sensor/CC code, now the only problem is that when idling at a light or stop sign the car now lower than before and the check engine light flashes until I get going again and the light stays on continuous. Any ideas?

 

Id get on those o2 sensors. i recently changed mine. to my knowledge the 99's roughly the same as the 01. i did it with nothing more than a set of stubby wrenches. Not real easy though. Thats probably a big factor in your problem. May be a problem with the cat now too. But seriously get those 02 sensors. Bought mine pretty cheap on amazon cross reference between advanceauto.com part numbers to amazon. Or Europartsdirect.com. You may have alot of problems by now. may want to get a diagnostic run on it.

Good luck.