Questions and Answers
Interesting Jetta Problem
Q. My car stalls in traffic and in city driving. It only happens when the car is hot and it happens more when it is hot outside. I have had everything that has to do with the temp in the engine replaced. The car does not overheat. My mechanic and friend, who specializes in VW's has had the car for weeks before and driven it to get parts and the like and can not figure out what is wrong with it.
(He has yet to charge me a cent for that. Thank God there are still some honest people out there.) The car has a history of fuel pump problems and the gas tank imploded once. The coil and thermal switch were the most recent attempts to fix it, and the coil seems to have helped make the stalling less frequent, but it has not stopped.
Also, there is a power drain and if the car is not driven everyday, it needs a jump and that problem has not been found either. On a daily trip home from work on a hot day, when traffic is bad, I will stall several times and since the coil has been replaced I have not had to get it towed.
Every time I have had it towed, the battery has been dead. A quick jump and it starts again, just to have it happen again. It has not cost me much yet and I can not afford a new car. I can deal, but I would love to have it solved. Can you help?
Jason
A. Okay Jason, I hope you're sitting down because the cause of the problem is going to surprise you. Are you sitting? Good, here it comes.
Replace your gas cap.
What?!?!? The gas cap?!?!?!? Are you insane you ask. No, I am not insane and here's why.
As you use up fuel in the tank, it is replaced by air. The air comes in through a vent in the gas cap. If no air can enter the tank, you will build up a vacuum. Now the fuel pump has to work harder to get the fuel out because it has to fight this vacuum, thus it wears out much faster. Also, it draws more current and in stop and go traffic, the alternator is not turning fast enough to replace what the fuel pump is using.
Now the real clue was where you said the gas tank imploded. When the vacuum builds up enough, outside air pressure will crush the tank.
So go over to the VW dealer, buy a new gas cap and put ut on and I think your problems will be over.
Added 8/16/02
Hi Vincent, I might be able to help one of your readers.One of your readers had the same problem with his Jetta as I did. You're reader's name is Jason (Interesting Jetta Problem), he wrote about how his Jetta stalls in traffic and in the city when it's hot outside. I had the same problem with my car, it would stall when it was hot outside while I was driving. After it stalls, the engine would turn but would not start. After leaving the hood open and waiting around 10 minutes, my car would start again.
I went to a first VW dealer which ended up changing my starter ($$) and that did not resolve my problem. I later ended up spending more money changing the distributor (bought a used one), distributor cap, sparkplugs, wires and the coil, all to no vain.
I then found out that a VW Customer Care Center existed so I called them, they suggested that I bring my car to another VW dealer or to a mechanic. After following their advice, I brought it to another VW dealer, I asked to speak to the service manager and I explained him my problem, after plugging my car to the computer and checking to report, the problem pointed to a sensor (reference sensor / Impulse sender) on the crankcase.
After replacing it (can only be changed by a mechanic because you have to lift the engine) by a mechanic and driving in very hot and humid weather, the problem so far seams resolved.
I hope this will help your reader.
Nabil
