2002 Volkswagen Jetta: battery drain or dead battery

Filed Nov 14, 2009 · Electrical · TX

Battery continues to drain over night. Changing batteries did not solve the problem. Online forum points to radio draining the battery. Pulling fuse and resetting radio tends to stop the process, but then it returns after a couple of days.

Filed Dec 13, 2007 · Electrical · 80,000 miles · VA

No events lead to this problem. The original battery in the vehicle was changed out due its age. Over the past 4 months I have changed out the battery twice. On more than at least 20 different times, I would go to my vehicle in the morning to start it up and the battery would be completely dead. No lights, radio or any other devices were left on in the vehicle, to drain the entire battery to nothing within the span of 10-12 hours. I have taken it the auto shop on several occasions to have a voltage test done on the battery, alternator and starter with negative results every time for a parasitic drain of the battery. The alternator is in perfect working order and does not need replacing. So far the has been nothing that can be done other than jump start the vehicle. During the 10 or so hours I am work and leave for the day, I have had absolutely no issues. If the vehicle is not driven over the weekend, come monday morning it is dead. I have just recently changed out the battery and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it but yet its dead if left for more than 12 hours.

Filed May 8, 2005 · Electrical, Engine · CO

September 2002 - leased 2002 vw jetta 1.8t. July 2003 - check engine light came on, ignition coils had to be replaced per recall. November 2003 - plumes of black smoke came out of tailpipe - they determined the oxygen sensor needed replacing. November 2003 - (a day later) smoke still coming out of tailpipe, they determined there was oil in the turbo, they had to remove and install new turbo charger and there was an oil leak, they had to remove and install oil line. November 2003- car making whoosing noise, had to rescure loose intake hose. May 2004 - replace breaklight switch per recall. July 2004 - drivers side window fell - had to have both windows and clamps replaced per recall. (if this had happened after hours, my car could have easily been vandilized, fortunately it was during the day and I was near the dealer so they were able to get them wedged shut before they could get the car in to be fixed.) july 2004 (a day later) - battery died, got jumped and was towed to shop, it was determined I needed a new battery. No problems for almost a year, thought I was homefree... May 2005 - clacking noise in engine, sludge on dipstick and in oil fill cap. No oil light or check engine light ever came on. Had to also have hazard switch replaced per recall. I am currently waiting to see if they will cover the repairs under my warranty. My car needs to have the oil pan removed to see if there is any further damage. I was never told to you use synethic oil in my car and that apparently is the cause of the sludge problem. From looking online, it seems many more people than just myself have had this problem. Vw needs to recall this.

Filed Jun 10, 2004 · Visibility · NY

I purchased a new 2002 jetta gls and have had the car jump started four times in the past year. After the second time the battery died, they gave me a solar panel to help keep the battery charged. My battery died again last week with the solar panel plugged in. Vw ran another diagnostic test and still maintains that, among a long list of the other possibilities they have offered me, they are sure it is because I don't drive the car enough to charge the battery sufficiently to handle all the electronics that are standard on the car. I am not satisfied with this explanation. If they put all these "extras" on the car and it draws too much on the battery when not driven for a few days , then why put them on the car? In addition,I also had the front windows crash inside the door while entering a major highway. They were replaced. And, last month while I had the car in for a recall regarding the tail lights, I had to have the window mechanism fixed again due to a faulty clamp. I will never buy another volkswagen. I never expected a new car to have so many problems. It is an inconvenience and a waste of time.

Filed Nov 29, 2003 · Body, Brakes · NC

I have a 2002 1.8t volkswagen jetta - I have experienced numerous failures. 1)radio has failed twice - in each instance fault was traced to a fuse - following radio failure I experienced repeated dead batteries until the radio was repaired. 2) ABS failure detected when I was getting my radio fixed the second time 3)vehicle has failed to start on two occasions - I wait a minute and try again - it worked 4)my window fell into the door 5)I experienced an activation of numerous engine fault lights that reset following engine restart 6)the coating on interior door handle surfaces peels off easily 7)the chrome ring around the shift know is peeling.