Passat Won't Start

Quiz of the day: Passat won’t start after 1 night sitting outside in the cold. 1/2 tank of gas, poured some dry gas in the tank, changed the plugs, using a fully charged jump box. It cranks but doesn’t catch. Sounds like it want’s to start but won’t:mad:

how old are your plug wires? try some wd-40 on the wires (if it has wires). make sure your alarm (if applicable) hasn’t been tripped either. also, does it need the jump box to crank at all? if it fires a few times, try giving it just a little throttle and see what that does.

posible bad coil pack? is it a v6 or 1.8T? i’m sure more vw guys will chime in.

is it getting fuel?

try starting it like an old carb vehicle giving it a bit of gas… full throttle to half while cranking. i have seen where cheap gas makes it do this and i start the cars like its an old carb vehicle. usually get go gas fuck that shit

just changed the plugs. Wires/coilpacks would be at least 3yrs old. haven’t changed them since I bought the car but never had any problems like this before :gome:

1.8T it could be, i hope not casue they’re expensive

I’m thinking it might not be. IT’s def getting spark since I changed the plugs. It cranks with the jump box, I give it gas, then I get a “budddum…badddum…budddum…” …nothing

Sonny sprayed some starting fluid in the TB but still no change. I could get gas but if its getting stopped up in the motor what good is a full tank gonna do me?

The fully charged jump box is only good for about 3 tries before it drops to 2 bars. Our cars require high cranking power. Think today I’m going to pull the battery out and let it trickle charge inside before I have another go at it.

My car just did the same thing, 98 Jetta.
Turned over fast as ever, wouldn’t catch and start up.
Coilpack.
It got cold once, it shorted out the first time it was turned over.

is the fuel pump turning on/priming? plugs look wet? if car is a 1.8t, i find it hard that all 4 coil packs are shit. u said you have spark. so that means it is either not sparking at right time (cam angle) or no fuel (pump or pressure)

spark can be weak and not start right? might be sparking but when its going thru the plugs its not so strong. im just tossin out an idea here

I’m leaning towards timing belt…or fuel pump. It was throwing codes before regarding cam position (timing belt) but the fact that it was running when i parked it, and the only variable that changed was the cold, it could be some electrical failure. From what I’ve seen, when a timing belt goes, its usually while the car is running, get a flashing CEL and shit gets bent/fucked up. Maybe it’s just slipping?! The tensioner was replaced under warranty about 2 years ago. Having it towed today to a local VW/Audi shop across the street. I can’t do dick outside in 0 degree weather. I have a feeling this is going to be expensive. Might as well get all the maintenance done while its in there so it runs through spring.

:frowning:

i really doubt all 4 coils are shot as well… i’m guessing the big ass fuel pump relay on the fuse block, or hte fuel pump shitting…

could be the timing belt i guess??? but you’d imagine you’d hear somethign smacking around if the starter is just spinning the crank… dunno

What happened to the battery? Went dead? Cranked too much and drained it? Make sure it didn’t freeze! I won’t use a jump pack on any car newer than 1995. If there is a problem with the battery it can cause a voltage spike that can fry ECU’s and other black boxes.

If the battery is bad enough that you’re only getting a few cranks with a jump pack than that could very well be the reason the car is not starting.

1.8T’s are prone to fouling plugs on cold start-- especially when the weather takes a cold snap. VW changed the plug specs on these engines after a couple of model years for this reason (went a step hotter).

What are the exact model plugs that you put in? Stay far away from any type of platinum plugs and plugs with more than one ground strap. They’re much more prone to wetting out/ fouling. If the car is flooded, chances are good the plugs are to blame. If you’re not getting fuel, then obviously this is not the issue.

Do you have fuel pressure and injector pulse? Smell of gas in the cylinders after pulling the plugs?

mark, i suggested he get some copper autolites, it looked like they sold him the cold set… 3923’s i think??? because his is a '99 i’m sure the computer came back with the older plug spec.

the battery just died from cranking i do believe… we trickle charged it and it sounded like it was cranking it alright… just didn’t want to turn over… I’m still leaning towards fuel pump.

I hope note. I thought it was just the battery at first. Jump box didnt work so we pulled it out, stuck it on a 2amp trickle charge for a few hours, blasted it with 10amp for 1/2hr till full charge, still no luck.

If the battery is bad enough that you’re only getting a few cranks with a jump pack than that could very well be the reason the car is not starting.

I think it’s good. Just replaced this past summer

1.8T’s are prone to fouling plugs on cold start-- especially when the weather takes a cold snap. VW changed the plug specs on these engines after a couple of model years for this reason (went a step hotter).

Right, the OE plugs I pulled out from 3+ yrs ago were platinum 4’s, new ones are new OE Autolite single contact.

What are the exact model plugs that you put in? Stay far away from any type of platinum plugs and plugs with more than one ground strap. They’re much more prone to wetting out/ fouling. If the car is flooded, chances are good the plugs are to blame. If you’re not getting fuel, then obviously this is not the issue.

OE Autolite single contact, picked them up at Autozone Saturday.

Do you have fuel pressure and injector pulse? Smell of gas in the cylinders after pulling the plugs?

Couldnt smell anything outside in 0 degree weather

humm could it be something with the coolent temp sensor

somthing that supposledy go bad?

think its needs replaced to a green top one… herd thay can cause alot those same problems

amanda’s every now and then will lug when starting up

fuel pump can you hear it come on?

Sounds likely that you’re not getting fuel. Next time you look at the car, crank it for a few seconds a couple of times. Pull the plugs immediately and inspect/ smell them. You should smell gasoline if you are in fact getting fuel into the cylinders. If not, then you have the problem narrowed down to lack of fuel. Then it’s a matter of determining why you’re not getting fuel.

Are you referring to the coolant temperature sensor?

Might want to just crack the fuel line fitting at the fuel rail and crank for a few seconds. Don’t loosen it all the way, just enough to see if gas will spray. Keep your face away from the fitting while you’re doing this! This is the quickest way to determine if the fuel pump is doing anything.