# jetta 1.8t check engine light blinking, car shaking. Any ideas?



## wehrfuchs (Sep 30, 2006)

I'm in my broken down jetta right now, and of course it's pouring rain. I guess I shouldn't say 'broken down,' but the check engine light is blinking and the engine is shaking, suggesting one of them isn't firing(?)
It has been hesitant to shift out of 1st or 2nd for the last several months, if that helps. 
Any input would be a favor.


----------



## MarkusWolf (Dec 10, 2001)

*Re: jetta 1.8t check engine light blinking, car shaking. Any ideas? (wehrfuchs)*

Coil packs.


----------



## belgepunk (Oct 6, 2007)

1) goto autozone and get scanned
2) find out which cylinder is misfiring
3) replace coilpack and or sparkplug
4) unplug battery for a bit to clear code
5) thank god you have the vortex


----------



## wehrfuchs (Sep 30, 2006)

Thanks! Waitin for a bus right now, jeans soaked, freezing my ass off but HAPPY to get some hopeful input!


----------



## wehrfuchs (Sep 30, 2006)

Does it sound safe to drive a mile or two back to my work? Can't afford to fix much on it if I make it worse...


----------



## TJet1.8 (Dec 19, 2002)

*Re: (wehrfuchs)*

You'd be taking a risk in destroying your Catalytic converter if you drove it now.
The unburned gases are a CAT's worst enemy







.
If you knew which coil-pack blew, you could un-plug the injector for that piston which would save your CAT....but that is not easily done on the side of the road without a Vag-com or some other Vag tool that can read your ECU codes.
Looks like you're sol








Get it towed home, get it scanned with a Vag-com or other Vag tool, replace the failed coil-pack yourself...it's real easy to do.
GL


----------



## Mohudsolo (Feb 25, 2004)

*Re: (wehrfuchs)*

People have ruined cats by driving them with bad misfires. It dumps fuel as if it was running right but since one or more cylinders are not firing, the gas goes to the cat and then burns and can melt it. Start with the easy stuff, pull the cover off the motor and make sure all 4 coils are pushed down tight. If that makes it run OK then drive it to where you can work on it and pull the plugs. If a coil is popped up, good chance that plug is loose. If so, new plugs, properly torqued, coils back on. If not loose coil, then get the codes scanned to verify what coil is dead and replace. Others could easily fail soon too and the bad coil could make the plug for that cylinder pretty cruddy and in need of replacement too.


----------



## wehrfuchs (Sep 30, 2006)

OK, I'm back on a real computer. I'd like to thank you guys profusely for the excellent input. 
One last question to possibly set my mind at ease until tomorrow: did I possibly damage the CAT the way you describe by driving it across a parking lot and back?
Also, sorry about the BTB post earlier.


_Modified by wehrfuchs at 7:27 AM 3-11-2008_


----------



## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: (wehrfuchs)*

If you need to drive it, you can unplug the fuel injector for the offending cylinder. You can safely drive it this way.


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

Gonna revive this thread... Sorry

I am currently having this problem....

My brother brought over 2 coil packs and we swapped them in and out to try to find the bad one and it stayed the same or got worse (making the car to not even start). This leads me to believe that the next possibility is the spark plugs. The only problem is I can't/don't want to drive my car to autozone to get the codes pulled to find out exactly what cylinder it is...

Do I just replace all of the spark plugs or keep testing things out with the other coil packs?

P.S. I also heard there was a recall on 2001-2002 coil packs due to failure. Is this correct? what are the limitations/requirements?


----------



## Zneith (Jan 4, 2010)

Appleseed said:


> Gonna revive this thread... Sorry
> 
> I am currently having this problem....
> 
> ...


call your local stealership and ask them if you have any recalls. Have your vin handy so they can look it up.

Id just replace your plugs. If your stock get your stock plugs and gap them at .032 and if your chipped go a step colder BKR7E's at .028.


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

Zneith said:


> call your local stealership and ask them if you have any recalls. Have your vin handy so they can look it up.
> 
> Id just replace your plugs. If your stock get your stock plugs and gap them at .032 and if your chipped go a step colder BKR7E's at .028.


Thanks for the reply, 

I'm planning on calling the stealership except the service department is closed on the weekends:banghead: Maybe I'll get lucky with another department...

I am stock and picked up NGK BKR6EGP's just didn't have the tools to replace them at the time and now I wish I would have done it earlier. Ironic right?

Any advice on torquing them? I assume they are 14mm gasket type with iron heads? There is a chart on the back showing torque specs I just don't know what I have


----------



## Zneith (Jan 4, 2010)

Appleseed said:


> Thanks for the reply,
> 
> I'm planning on calling the stealership except the service department is closed on the weekends:banghead: Maybe I'll get lucky with another department...
> 
> ...


I forget torque specs.... I honestly just tighten them "snug".


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

That's what I was planning on doing anyway. I'll go change them out and be back with results..


----------



## woteg (Apr 7, 2009)

15-22ft/lbs


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

Changed the spark plugs. Didn't fix my problem. Not sure what to try next

I guess I will have to find a way to get the codes read


----------



## Dj_Flix (Aug 7, 2011)

5 bucks its the coilpack, get a conventional one at auto zone to be able to drive it to the dealer. i had the same problem but the recall took care of it. now it runs mint :thumbup:


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

Dj_Flix said:


> 5 bucks its the coilpack, get a conventional one at auto zone to be able to drive it to the dealer. i had the same problem but the recall took care of it. now it runs mint :thumbup:


I changed one or two of them out with my brothers old ones (he had this problem and changed all of his) and it started to idle fine. I started to go and it died immediately. Started it up again and revved it to about 1600 rpm's and let out the clutch and it dropped to about 550 rpm's after I let the clutch out. It idles fine but I can't even drive it with those other plugs in.

I'm going to call the dealership once I am out of class and make sure that my car is still covered under the recall. 

I have the 2001 1.8t wolfsburg AWW engine. It should be covered right?


----------



## Dj_Flix (Aug 7, 2011)

it should be, i called for mine after new years and they said the recall ended on new years, but i called another day and they took my car in. so they should take it in


----------



## Zneith (Jan 4, 2010)

Appleseed said:


> I changed one or two of them out with my brothers old ones (he had this problem and changed all of his) and it started to idle fine. I started to go and it died immediately. Started it up again and revved it to about 1600 rpm's and let out the clutch and it dropped to about 550 rpm's after I let the clutch out. It idles fine but I can't even drive it with those other plugs in.
> 
> I'm going to call the dealership once I am out of class and make sure that my car is still covered under the recall.
> 
> I have the 2001 1.8t wolfsburg AWW engine. It should be covered right?


Make sure you have your VIN # handy, and they will be able to tell you. I have an 01' AWW and coil packs werent the only things covered.


----------



## Appleseed (Aug 1, 2011)

Got it to the dealer and they switched out the coil packs and the car is running fine now:thumbup:

They also changed a brake light switch that was on recall. I don't know what he was talking about but I'm just glad that my car is running again


----------



## Makkwill (Feb 10, 2016)

*Bad jetta*

Having this same problem. CEL started flashing this morning. Light had been on and checked for a bad o2 sensor. But the flashing. From what I've read I shouldn't drive 25 miles to the nearest autozone. What do I do?


----------

