# 04 1.8t: cranks but won't start. Please help!



## 1.8turblow (Sep 13, 2008)

Alright so we were in my buddys garage painting my car. It was off for a good 8 hours and when we tried to start it, there was nothing. We jumped the car for like an hour and it started to crank but it wouldn't actually start. I then bought a new battery and it did the same thing. It would crank really strong and when I stopped cranking it a weird grinding noise came from around the starter. So then I replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump relay and still does the same thing. The fuse for the fuel pump is good and the fuel pump does prime when I turn the key. Timing belt is not broken and seems really tight like normal. I also took all the spark plugs and coil packs out and they all seem fine. Could it be a crank sensor?! I'm stumped and I need insight. Please help!


----------



## Hawaii5-0 (Apr 10, 2007)

*Re: 04 1.8t: cranks but won't start. Please help! (1.8turblow)*


_Quote, originally posted by *1.8turblow* »_It would crank really strong and when I stopped cranking it a weird grinding noise came from around the starter. So then I replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump relay and still does the same thing.


----------



## Alex's_GLI (Mar 18, 2010)

I had the same problem.. I had someone with vagcom come over and he reset/tested all relays and fuses or whatever.. and now it works everytime.. idk what the problem was


----------



## MkIVwarrior (Mar 9, 2007)

*Re: 04 1.8t: cranks but won't start. Please help! (Hawaii5-0)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Hawaii5-0* »_


















Did you bother to check to see if you had spark








Take a coil pack out and connect the plug. Turn the car over and check to see if its sparking CONSISTENTLY. I would start there. 
BTW, your timing belt can be good and taught, but still be missing teeth, you would never notice this until you inspected a full rotation of the belt.


----------



## 1.8turblow (Sep 13, 2008)

Yea I'll check the plugs. And the timing belt better not have any missing teeth... I just replaced the damn thing haha.


----------



## 1.8turblow (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: (1.8turblow)*

Bump


----------



## vwguru1.8t (Sep 24, 2009)

i am currently having the same problem right now with my 2000 jetta turbo. i havent had any time to really work on it but im not getting any spark at the coils either ive checked everything mentioned in the previous statements but next on the list is my crank sensor which is the one located close to the oil filter if im not mistaken but if that works ill let u know about it so u can figure this mystery called a Volkswagen out . lol


----------



## 1.8turblow (Sep 13, 2008)

So I checked the plugs and the coils and that's not it. It's not the timing belt, fuel pump, fuel filter, battery, starter, bad ground or ecu. So my next guess is the crank positioning sensor...


----------



## groggory (Apr 21, 2003)

*Re: (1.8turblow)*


_Quote, originally posted by *1.8turblow* »_So I checked the plugs and the coils and that's not it. It's not the timing belt, fuel pump, fuel filter, battery, starter, bad ground or ecu. So my next guess is the crank positioning sensor...

Just so it can help people like me...
what process did you go through to rule out each of those?


----------



## Hip001 (Feb 12, 2010)

my car is doing the EXACT same thing!
Please let us know what is the fix! My mechanic suspects the crank sensor but not sure how to test it?


----------



## dubinsincuwereindiapers (Jan 16, 2008)

*Re: (vwguru1.8t)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vwguru1.8t* »_i am currently having the same problem right now with my 2000 jetta turbo. i havent had any time to really work on it but im not getting any spark at the coils either ive checked everything mentioned in the previous statements but next on the list is my crank sensor which is the one located close to the oil filter if im not mistaken but if that works ill let u know about it so u can figure this mystery called a Volkswagen out . lol
 not much of a "vwguru" are ya


----------



## BooneGLI (Oct 19, 2004)

*Re: 04 1.8t: cranks but won't start. Please help! (1.8turblow)*

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4818586
I had the same problem. The car would crank, but there would be an intermitten starting problem. After cranking the car a few times for a couple seconds it would finally start. The link above is from a thread I created for the problem.
Anyway, I started by replacing the battery. The dealership actually had the cheapest battery for my car so I bought it there and told the parts guy I was going to bring the old one to him to dispose of (no core fee, but I wanted to dispose of it responsibly). I did the swap in the dealer lot and when I tried to start it up it wouldn't. It started happening pretty regular (at this point, about 4 times in 2 days) so I decided to eat the $90 and have a VW tech take a look. They told me I threw a bunch of codes:
P1225 (Clyinder 1 Fuel Injector -N30 - Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1227 (Clyinder 3 Fuel Injector - N32 Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1228 (Clyinder 4 Fuel Injector - N33 - Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1226 (Clyinder 2 Fuel Injector - N31 - Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1425 (Evaporative Emissions Canister Purge Regulator Valve - N80 - Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1547 (Wastegate Bypas Regulator Valve - N75 - Short Circuit to Ground)
P1117 (O2 Sensor Heater Cir., Bank 1 - Sensor 2 Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1435 (Secondary Air Injection Pump Relay - J299 - Short Circuit to Ground)
P1530 (Intake Camshaft Control Circuit Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1421 (Secondary Air Inlet Valve - N112 - Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1289 (Recirculating Valve for Turbocharger -N249, Short Circuit to Ground) - Intermittent
P1114 (Bank 1, Sensor 2 Internal Resistance Too High) - Static
So...after this the tech said I needed a new Impulse Sendor (Engine Speed Sensor), a new Fuel Pump Relay, and replace the Fuel Filter. The dealer wanted about $800 for the everything. I bought all the parts for about $300 (including the $90 for diagnostic fee) and did all the work in less time than it took to jack to car up.
So far everything as been good to go, but you never know. My starting problem was intermitten, so I am waiting to see how it goes. The funny thing about all the codes is that I got another shop scan it with their computer (for free) and they found nothing. But, they are just a garage, not the dealer.
I don't know why the computer would say everything else is wrong (12 codes), but nothing about the Impulse Sendor that was failing. Of course, I am assuming it is the Impulse Sendor that was the root of the problem and not the Fuel Pump Relay. I hope going with a VW tech to diagnose the problem they have access to much more data than us or a general garage.
Any thought?


----------



## BooneGLI (Oct 19, 2004)

*Re: 04 1.8t: cranks but won't start. Please help! (BooneGLI)*

I forgot to mention that when I was searching after I got back from the dealer and was waiting for the car to cool down I came across some Audi forum with a guy that had the exact same problem and threw the exact same codes I did (All 12, exactly). He said he thought it was the radio (k wire?) and he took it out and keep having the same problem. Put a new Fuel Pump Relay in and that didn't work. He said he was just getting ready to sell the car and thats when the thread ended. Never posted a solution so I am assuming he got rid of the car before he fixed it. Or, he fixed it and didn't take the time to post the solution, which I hope was the Impulse Sendor.
A lot of people with starting problems post about how they change the Fuel Pump Relay and that doesn't work so I don't think that was the problem. But relays fail intermittently a lot.


----------



## Hip001 (Feb 12, 2010)

Got mine running! The coil packs ALL 4 stopped working!! Installed new coil packs and runs like new!!


----------



## vwturbowolf (Nov 28, 2003)

*Re: (Hip001)*

try putting the key in the drivers door and lock and unlock the car a couple times. lock and hold it locked for 30 seconds then unlock it. get in and try to start.
good luck.


----------



## 1.8turblow (Sep 13, 2008)

*Re: (vwturbowolf)*

Absolutely no luck yet. all the fuses and relays are good. The fuel pump primes when I turn the key, the coil packs and spark plugs are good, the battery and starter is good and I just replaced the crank positioning sensor and the fuel filter. I have no clue what else would make the car crank but not start. I'm pulling my hair out and I need help!


----------



## evilpat (Feb 26, 2002)

*Re: (groggory)*


_Quote, originally posted by *groggory* »_
Just so it can help people like me...
what process did you go through to rule out each of those?

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif plus it is hard to diagnose a car over the internet without a whole lot of info! If you run through ALL of the steps that you have done you are more likely to get some info and not just a bunch of guesses. Codes?


----------



## TheBossQ (Aug 15, 2009)

*Re: (Hip001)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Hip001* »_my car is doing the EXACT same thing!
Please let us know what is the fix! My mechanic suspects the crank sensor but not sure how to test it?

Here is some help for your mechanic. Tell him he needs to disconnect the sensor from the harness, or backprobe the connector. Hook up his oscilloscope to the connector or backprobe pins. Crank the car. Confirm the pattern. Resembles a sine wave or a square sine wave.
If he doesn't have an o-scope, get a new mechanic.


----------



## BooneGLI (Oct 19, 2004)

Why not take it to VW, pay a couple bucks, and find out what is wrong with it? I would bet they could diagnose the problem a lot better than we could by guessing on the forum.


----------



## lugzyou (Mar 24, 2008)

*Re: (BooneGLI)*

. my car would not start for a week until i decided to push start it and after that it stated up and havent had a problem since... maybe just luck on my end.


----------



## groggory (Apr 21, 2003)

*Re: (lugzyou)*


_Quote, originally posted by *lugzyou* »_. my car would not start for a week until i decided to push start it and after that it stated up and havent had a problem since... maybe just luck on my end.

Or a sensor that is 'going' bad..but isn't bad yet
Or a flaky connection
Or a bad ground that made good contact but will go bad on you again.


----------

