My 98 Jetta GL (2.0-L gas engine) has had an intermitant problem starting. I took a spark plug out and laid it against the engine while a friend tried to start the car. No spark. When I took out the distributor lead (coming from the coil -- the part that plugs into the distributor) and held it near the engine it didn't spark either. There's also some correlation of the starting problem with wet weather. Does this sound like the ECU? Where is it? I would try drying it out with a hair drier if I knew where it was. Is it more likely a coil problem? Something else? Please help.

Jim

 

Whens the last time your car got a tune up? Have you tried a nice new set of NGK plugs and wires?

 

My '97 Jetta GT, 2.0 would die when it rained. Found the ignition coil mounted on the firewall had the outer housing cracked in a bunch of places from age, heat, etc. I RTV'ed it up and that worked for a while but I ended up replacing the coil. It would work fine when dry, but as soon as moisture got to it, it grounded and stopped producing spark...to the distributor at least.

With the car running, hit the coil with a garden hose. If it stops running, thats the issue. These systems need to be weather proof. Once I replaced the coil I could submerge it in water and it kept on running.