i have a 2000 jetta 2.0 that was making a loud clicking sound from the area of the front of the engine around the belt. the serpantine belt tensioner was out of range so i was in process of changing it and i decided to start car with belt off and see if it still clicked without belt to narrow down the problem. without belt car wouldn't start. i thendisconnected battery to reset not knowing at the time that this would erase the programming.

questions
1 what could have been making loud clicking sound in that area

2should car have started with serpatine belt off or was this caused from something else probably want was causeing the clicking sound.

3 can iget something to reprogram computer or will i have to have it towed to dealer to reprogram.if so can i do something to get it to run enought to get to the dealer and not have it towed

 

Disconnecting the battery should not have erased the ECM's programming. There is probably another issue. My serpentine belt and tensioner went out on my 99 Jetta and my wife ran it for several miles before calling me and telling me that the car was smoking because the belt got stuck on the pulley for the tensioner and melted the pulley on the tensioner and fried the belt. As far as the battery issue goes I know that the programming should not get wiped because I just replaced my battery, and I disconnected the battery for several minutes and then reinstalled the new one and she fired right up. The clicking noise is more than likley your tensioner. Your car should run without the serpentine, all the serpentine belt runs are the A/C, power steering pump, & altenator.