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My Jetta has been "died" on me a few times in the last month. Here is each situation:
1- Just opening the car to go to work in the morning, hit the unlock button twice to get all the doors open. The drivers rear didn't unlock, and the remote didn't work. Get in, all of the LCD displays (clock/mileage) are off. Put the key in, every light on the console comes on, car starts fine. Clock reset to 12, lost all my stereo settings. Stereo fuse is blown.
2- (last week) Get home, lock the car, horn beep sounds funny (quiet). Manually unlock the car, same as above - everything dead, put the key in everything comes back, car starts fine. Lock up and go inside. This time stereo fuse did not blow.
3- (today) Get home, while pulling the key out of the ignition, stereo turns off before the key is right out, and everything is dead. Put the key back in, all the lights come on, car starts fine. Lock up and go inside.
I can monitor the voltage going to my stereo on my deck. I have been really watching it lately because I suspect the battery or alternator may be the problem. What I have noticed is when I first start driving, the voltage is about 13.6V @ idle and about 14.1V @ speed, which is fine. After driving for 10-15 minutes, it goes down to about 13.1V @ idle and about 13.4V @ speed, which should still be OK, but definately low.
I have seen as low as 11.5V on the deck once with the car off, but up until now it normally reads about 11.8V -12V when the car is off.
I checked the battery after letting is sit for a few hours the other day, read 12.4V with everything off. So the battery would seem to be fine.
The big question I have is does this sound like an alternator problem or an electrical gremlin? I have had the same stereo setup for the last 2 years, so I sorta doubt that is causing the problems. What does the immobilizer do to the car when activated? Maybe my keyfob is done.
I'm planning on getting the alternator checked somewhere before I book in at a mechanic.
Thanks for reading and any responses.
1- Just opening the car to go to work in the morning, hit the unlock button twice to get all the doors open. The drivers rear didn't unlock, and the remote didn't work. Get in, all of the LCD displays (clock/mileage) are off. Put the key in, every light on the console comes on, car starts fine. Clock reset to 12, lost all my stereo settings. Stereo fuse is blown.
2- (last week) Get home, lock the car, horn beep sounds funny (quiet). Manually unlock the car, same as above - everything dead, put the key in everything comes back, car starts fine. Lock up and go inside. This time stereo fuse did not blow.
3- (today) Get home, while pulling the key out of the ignition, stereo turns off before the key is right out, and everything is dead. Put the key back in, all the lights come on, car starts fine. Lock up and go inside.
I can monitor the voltage going to my stereo on my deck. I have been really watching it lately because I suspect the battery or alternator may be the problem. What I have noticed is when I first start driving, the voltage is about 13.6V @ idle and about 14.1V @ speed, which is fine. After driving for 10-15 minutes, it goes down to about 13.1V @ idle and about 13.4V @ speed, which should still be OK, but definately low.
I have seen as low as 11.5V on the deck once with the car off, but up until now it normally reads about 11.8V -12V when the car is off.
I checked the battery after letting is sit for a few hours the other day, read 12.4V with everything off. So the battery would seem to be fine.
The big question I have is does this sound like an alternator problem or an electrical gremlin? I have had the same stereo setup for the last 2 years, so I sorta doubt that is causing the problems. What does the immobilizer do to the car when activated? Maybe my keyfob is done.
I'm planning on getting the alternator checked somewhere before I book in at a mechanic.
Thanks for reading and any responses.
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