Has anyone who owned a Volkswagen Jetta have problems starting it in the winter?

Has anyone who owned a Volkswagen Jetta have problems starting it in the winter?

I'm looking to buy a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (the new deisel fuel one) and I heard from someone at work that in the cold winter weather she had a difficult time starting her Jetta. I was wondering if this was a common issue for Volkswagen owners up north...

Asked by: C @ 2009-04-28 18:13:48

[Best Answer]I have a 1999 Jetta TDI.

I'm in the habit of putting the key in and just turning it. In the winter, there's a little light on the dash, and you need to turn the key halfway, wait for the light to go out, then turn it the rest of the way to start the car. If you don't do this, it will take a few seconds to start.

Another possible issue is the fuel gelling. This is fairly rare - it has to get really cold for it to happen. Different states/provinces sell different blends of fuel in the winter time (i.e. fuel sold in Michigan won't gel until it gets to a lower temperature than what would cause fuel sold in Florida to gel). The intention there is to make it so that your fuel won't gel.

For the 10 years I've owned my car, it's never gelled. I've lived in central Indiana that whole time. I park in the garage at night, though. If you don't have a garage, it's possible it might gel like one morning per year.

One more thing about the different states' formulations: since these cars can go so far on a tank, say you live in Detroit and go on a trip down South, during the winter, and on the way home you fill up in Lexington, KY. When you get home, you'll probably still have half a tank of Kentucky-formulated fuel in your car. It would probably be a good idea to fill the tank the rest of the way with Michigan fuel.

They sell engine block heaters - you glue it onto the bottom of your engine (quick and easy, just have to jack up the car then remove a plastic cover on the Jetta to get to it). I think they're like $60. If you don't have a garage, but do have access to a power outlet, then on the coldest winter nights you can just put it on a timer to start heating a couple hours before whatever time you leave in the morning, and you should be good to go.

Get the car - they're excellent. I should hit 200,000 miles sometime in June. My window sticker said 49mpg highway...when I drive normally (80mph) I get about 46mpg and when I drive like an old lady I get up to 53mpg. Even at 10 years old, it's still nice and peppy. Any problem you ever have, you can find lots of helpful people at forums.tdiclub.com

By : Jon @ 1240971764

Answers ::
Yeah. They are difficult in the winter. That's why I got an SUV because they are good for all of the seasons.

Ashley

I live in Germany, and It gets REAL COLD in the winter. I never have a problem starting my Volkswagen.

Chad

The thing is if you take good care of it like its a child (kinda don't bring it in the living room) it will start easy but if you hit rocks or are mean to it it will have difficulties so take good care of it and in return it will be a good reliable little car. O ya if you have a garage park it in there so the motor wont get to cold and in winter don't use bio diesel because it will get very thick and gum up the lines. =)

G- MAN

All over the place .........sorry!.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e94a3/14

supernova

Use the winter blend fuel and don't ignore the check engine light, and you won't have much (if any) trouble. More often than not, when a hard to start TDI car comes in to the shop in the winter, the check engine light has been on for quite some time and just ignored. The fault stored: Glow plug circuit failure. $50 repair. $150 tow.

Moose

I have a 1999 Jetta TDI.

I'm in the habit of putting the key in and just turning it. In the winter, there's a little light on the dash, and you need to turn the key halfway, wait for the light to go out, then turn it the rest of the way to start the car. If you don't do this, it will take a few seconds to start.

Another possible issue is the fuel gelling. This is fairly rare - it has to get really cold for it to happen. Different states/provinces sell different blends of fuel in the winter time (i.e. fuel sold in Michigan won't gel until it gets to a lower temperature than what would cause fuel sold in Florida to gel). The intention there is to make it so that your fuel won't gel.

For the 10 years I've owned my car, it's never gelled. I've lived in central Indiana that whole time. I park in the garage at night, though. If you don't have a garage, it's possible it might gel like one morning per year.

One more thing about the different states' formulations: since these cars can go so far on a tank, say you live in Detroit and go on a trip down South, during the winter, and on the way home you fill up in Lexington, KY. When you get home, you'll probably still have half a tank of Kentucky-formulated fuel in your car. It would probably be a good idea to fill the tank the rest of the way with Michigan fuel.

They sell engine block heaters - you glue it onto the bottom of your engine (quick and easy, just have to jack up the car then remove a plastic cover on the Jetta to get to it). I think they're like $60. If you don't have a garage, but do have access to a power outlet, then on the coldest winter nights you can just put it on a timer to start heating a couple hours before whatever time you leave in the morning, and you should be good to go.

Get the car - they're excellent. I should hit 200,000 miles sometime in June. My window sticker said 49mpg highway...when I drive normally (80mph) I get about 46mpg and when I drive like an old lady I get up to 53mpg. Even at 10 years old, it's still nice and peppy. Any problem you ever have, you can find lots of helpful people at forums.tdiclub.com

Jon

its because its a diesel...need to keep engine warmer on it at night

Jettaowner

With all diesel vehicles it is important to use a winter blend of fuel. Diesel will jell at very low temperatures without it. Diesel cars have a much higher compression ratio that gasoline cars and because battery cranking power drops with temperature they may be harder to start. Some with diesels utilize engine block heaters to make starting easier. Many trucks with diesels have two batteries.

Lawrence S

The 2009 Jetta TDI is brilliant. The engine is cleaner than a regular gas engine, yet has the same mpg and torque of an old fashion diesel. Older diesels needs to be plugged in to keep them warm, but now with modern technology they start right up. If its under 0 degrees outside, it made take an extra half second to get it started, but i have never even come close to worrying that my VW wouldn't start. Good luck, i hope you get it, because its a great car!

Cody M

Is a VW Jetta a woman's car?

So i'm a 17 year old boy and I'm looking at cars for my parents to buy me. They want it to be a new car and a foreign car around $20,000. I really like the VW Jetta but am afraid that it looks too much like a woman's/old person's car. I know all their commercials have women and men alike but I'm just wondering what other people think. Which color is best? I like the black.

Asked by: HuntP @ 2009-04-29 14:50:52

Answers ::
i dont know...it goes both ways...but i do see more girls driving vw jettas...only guys once in a while...

john m

It absolutely is not a girly car. To start, its such a fantastic car. Its incredibly safe and fun to drive. Its cheap to insure and very reliable. I love my VW GTi more than anything. For your information, all seven friends that i know who own Jetta's are guys. Even a football jock at my school drives it, and all the ladies love it. They thinks its fast and sleek, and they are right. Go drive on, there is nothing else that can compare to that quality for that price. Good Luck!

Cody M

it can go either way. not necessarily a girl or guys car.

go for white or black.

you're lucky your parents are buying you such a nice car.

lessthan3

Yes it is a girls car. Yes it is a Guys car, What does the plus or minus one chromosome have to do with a car?

Those things are a ton of fun to drive. Quick, Nimble and sporty. They are used for off road and Dakkar rally racing as well. Does that tell you anything?

Alex E

The Jetta was of course designed in Germany for the unlimited speeds of the Autobahn. It therefore had to be safe, reliable, fast, and practical. It does all this and still has character and class.
The designers/creators of this remarkable car never thought about gender while it was being developed. Perhaps neither shoud we.
Is it really important what others think?
My suggestion is to heartily thank your parents for their largesse and go straight to your local VW Dealership for a test drive of the gender-free Jetta!
I own a Reflex Silver 2005 Jetta with 70+K reliable and fun-filled miles on it.
Yes, Im a male, but I never once thought about whether the Jetta is for one type or age group. The car is so much a joy to drive, I bet that once you get behind the wheel of one, you will wonder why you asked that question.

fenton

I Love VW Jettas, But Are They Safe?

I've heard that Jettas are not very safe cars. I was wondering if this was true. I really like the older boxy ones. Not the new ones. So, people that own Jettas, or know about them, how safe are they?

Asked by: It's time we saw a miracle @ 2009-04-29 19:48:16

[Best Answer]I'm not sure what time period that your attempting to discuss: Since the 1999.5 models, the Jetta/Golf/New Beetle have been vehicles that have had more safety features than most cars in their class.

The compact VW's have had side air bags standard on all models before the Civic, Corolla, Protege and Focus. ABS became standard across the lines again before all of the above; in the case of the Civic ABS was only available in high end trim and not available otherwise, even as an option. Traction control and anti skid control were available on some VW models long before the Civic and Corolla had them available and the Protege only had traction control available.. on the Focus it was an expensive propostion to purchase and the Focus didn't have curtain air bags available until just recently.

Now, the generation before the 99.5 models was no worse or better than other cars in the market place. If you're talking about the models from the 70's or so, even those were competitive with other models and in some ways better than many, as the VW was among one of the first cars to place the gas tank ahead of the rear axle, instead of behind it (remember exploding gas tanks on Ford Pinto's) and passive restraint belts on some models used to reduce injury and improve safety. Even the front subframe used a two piece shell ( on the frame horn extensions that the bumpers were mounted to ) on each side that was designed to absorb frontal impacts, given what the state of automotive safety was at the time these very advanced concepts.

Any smaller compact vehicle from the 70's into the early 90's could suffer extensive damage and it wasn't till the air bag came along that injuries were reduced in severe frontal impacts. BTW, thank GM for developing air bags in some models, I believe, in the late seventies and early 80's (it was a very expensive option in Cadillacs at the time).

So, if you're worried about the safety of an older VW, don't be. On the new models, the VW Rabbit/Jetta has been designated a "Top Safety" pick and it comes with standard electronic stablity control which is optional in all the other "top safety" picks in its class.

Hope this helps, a car nt.

By : a car nut @ 1241064212

Answers ::
the VW Jetta is a safe car
The 2009 model did get really good in crash test, so don't worry you can drive a Jetta and fell safe

crash test info
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/safety.aspx?year=2009&make=Volkswagen&model=Jetta

luno

Well my stepdad owns a 2005 Jetta, and even though it's not the newest, it is still safe. All Volkswagons are boxed in the frame (although you may not see it) which provides a steel cage in a crash that gives you extra (yeah thats right) protection. Even in my stepdad's 2005 Jetta, i still feel safe and it's still very good and convenient. Jetta is actually what most people prefer in a volkswagon.

Tsuaxis

The Jetta was designed for the unlimited speeds of the German Autobahn road system. As such, it had to pass rigorous impact tests.
In USA the Jetta receives a 5-star crash rating (highest).
All VWS come standard with ESP (electronic stabilizatin program) that helps drivers avoid accidents. Every car manufacturer must have this feature by 2010. Most man.s dont even offer it yet.
Also, Jettas come standard with ABS brakes and rear wheel discs instead of the cheaper drum brakes others provide.
There are so many other safety features on this wonderful car. My suggestion is to go test drive one and see for yourself.
I love my wife, and thats why I bought her the safest car I could afford. So she's wrapped up in safety in her 2005 Reflex Silver Jetta....

fenton

I'm not sure what time period that your attempting to discuss: Since the 1999.5 models, the Jetta/Golf/New Beetle have been vehicles that have had more safety features than most cars in their class.

The compact VW's have had side air bags standard on all models before the Civic, Corolla, Protege and Focus. ABS became standard across the lines again before all of the above; in the case of the Civic ABS was only available in high end trim and not available otherwise, even as an option. Traction control and anti skid control were available on some VW models long before the Civic and Corolla had them available and the Protege only had traction control available.. on the Focus it was an expensive propostion to purchase and the Focus didn't have curtain air bags available until just recently.

Now, the generation before the 99.5 models was no worse or better than other cars in the market place. If you're talking about the models from the 70's or so, even those were competitive with other models and in some ways better than many, as the VW was among one of the first cars to place the gas tank ahead of the rear axle, instead of behind it (remember exploding gas tanks on Ford Pinto's) and passive restraint belts on some models used to reduce injury and improve safety. Even the front subframe used a two piece shell ( on the frame horn extensions that the bumpers were mounted to ) on each side that was designed to absorb frontal impacts, given what the state of automotive safety was at the time these very advanced concepts.

Any smaller compact vehicle from the 70's into the early 90's could suffer extensive damage and it wasn't till the air bag came along that injuries were reduced in severe frontal impacts. BTW, thank GM for developing air bags in some models, I believe, in the late seventies and early 80's (it was a very expensive option in Cadillacs at the time).

So, if you're worried about the safety of an older VW, don't be. On the new models, the VW Rabbit/Jetta has been designated a "Top Safety" pick and it comes with standard electronic stablity control which is optional in all the other "top safety" picks in its class.

Hope this helps, a car nt.

a car nut

vw passat tdi is having problems getting into gear especially 1st and reverse. the other gears are usually ok.?

i.ve been told the gearbox needs replacing and could cost me a fortune. could the problem be anything else.

Asked by: Steven @ 2009-04-30 08:46:41

Answers ::
Could also be the clutch.

Simon B

I would have someone look at the selector first (where the gear stick goes in). There will most likely be a plastic guard to stop you selecting reverse by mistake at speed. This guard would be close to first gear on most cars so could have moved/broken causing a problem?

got to be worth a look before buying a new box,

Steve D

I agree with Steve D I had the same problem with my Saab and it just turned out to be the gear selector and is not an expensive job to replce.

Neran

it is maybe clutch adjustment 1st and reverse are not syncro the rest of the gears are that is why the other gears are ok, so i think it is a clutch problem.

J R

Is it easy to fit a Sony - CDX-GT220 Car radio CD/MP3 into a 1999 VW Passat?

Asked by: William @ 2009-04-28 14:43:01

Answers ::
Well you need wiring harness's adoptors unless you can do the wiring yourself , plus a universal mounting and face plate kit for that vehicle.Check with places like walmart , radio shack and audio stereo stores etc for those parts.



Hope that helps and best of luck.

helpful bob

it will only take 5mins max, it just depends if the wire harness in the passat has been cut off or not, if it hasnt it, its very easy to fit,

but you might need an aerial adaptor to hook up the passats aerial due to they use a differant connection

syco noodles

Yeah, Just swap the lives (red and yellow wires - red goes to yellow vis versa) and buy a Antenna Booster > http://www.raysmith.co.uk/YCT27AA05/

-daz

Darren M

I have a Sony head unit in my 1998 Passat, it is a straight swap, a 5 minute job. I'd recommend an aerial adaptor as the Passat has a powered aerial booster. These are available from most I.C.E. outlets including Halfords. I didn't bother with mine and the radio signal isn't as good as the stereo was in my previous car, but ok for local and main BBC stations.

Rene D

need help with beetle info, plz help asap?

i found a beetle outside, i want to keep it, can you guys help me, live in ny, and it has a shiny rainbow like back, what should i feed it and how big containertaner should i keep it in, plz help asap

Asked by: Jordan W @ 2009-04-28 17:58:53

Answers ::
I doubt if it was a VW Beetle that you found which if it was requires fuel, oil and TLC to survive.

However, if you are talking about the insect Beetle, then my advice is to let it go. It will not survive, no matter how big a container you put it in and what you try and feed it. Do the humane thing and let it go to live out its short life in the environment that it knows.

Replica

Jordan.. enjoy your guest for the day and then release it. Chances are it has matured from a grub and is in the last phase of its life (mating and reproducing).. keeping it all bottled up will defeat that - not a good thing for your friend.

Turn him lose tomorrow in the same place you found him today. He will appreciate it.

ca_surveyor

Feed it 89 octane gasoline with a lead additive. Keep it in the garage, but drive it as much as possible. BE SURE TO KEEP IT STOCK.

Prime

How did Porsche acquire VW?

I understand that they got 75% of shares, what I don't get is how did VW have so many outstanding shares that allowed Porsche to buy it all. Don't corporations usually sell only a limited # of shares? I really don't understand what happened, someone please explain where all these shares came from.
I mean were there previous owners, who simply kept deciding to sell their shares
I understand how the stock market works, and I understand how Porsche was able to make lots of money, and how short sellers lost money. My only question was how did VW end up having so much outstanding shares. It was like Porsche says I want more shares, and they find it, how?

Asked by: king tutsa @ 2009-04-29 20:35:31

Answers ::
The story is quite amazing and a great read.

Basically, Porsche out-smarted the market, and made record profits from the process of taking over VW.

It was such an amazing stunt, In 2008 they sold 10.2 billion dollars worth of cars, but turned up with a profit of 11.6 billion!!
They took hedge funds to the cleaners, making as much profit in one year of trading stock as they make in 10 years of making cars!

Here's an article on how they did it, as its quite a long story.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/26/news/international/gumbel_porsche.fortune/index.htm

Mr. K

it was not all at once, it was a process over several years. and just because they own 75% doesnt mean much. they are only allowed to exercize 20% voting rights. also, about 25 of that 75% is in stock options

robert

Back when DR Porsche was making his cars he about went out of business until Hitler was convinced his cars were what he needed for his war machine. Porsche pretty much could care less what Hilter did with his cars that he built for Hitler as long as he made enough money to make his custom cars and eventually his sports cars so he could race them. Note he even made a tank called the mini elepant, just to prove he could do it ( weighed more than the Panzer ) But it never made it into battle and way to heavy.
The point I am getting at is that when the war was over, some how Dr Porsche convinced the US he had noting to do with WWII, but he was under orders by Hitler to make cars and war machines. Since the US was more occupide with Japan and the nuecular era, the US left Porsche alone. Now Porsche didn't want anything to do with the cars he built for Hitler, The thing, beetle and so on. So he sold the rights to those cars and did so by mostly owning stock of the company when Volkswagon was orginized and I have no idea how that got started. But by owning stock in VW it was a way Porsch could fund his Porsche sports cars and keep his racing alive. And yes Corp do sale limited number of shares but doesnt mean they hold all the controlling shares.
VW used the shares to by the car line from Porsche because VW didnt have the cash. As with all big companies that incorporate, they sale shares to make extra capitol, common practice. And if you are lucky enough to hold 51% of company common shares you pretty much own the company, unless the company buys the shares back from you and they own 51% of the shares, again common practice. Its all how corporations and wallstreet and other orginizations around the world work. Google How does stock work and how does wallstreet operate. You will get the idea

rick b