# 2000 beetle gauges/radio not working after replacing battery



## rickrogers (Dec 6, 2011)

just puchased this car with a bad battery. the gauges and radio do not work and the check engine light and other warning lights are on. The car runs fine with no other obvious problems. I have been told there is a procedure to follow after replacing battery. Is there one and if so what is it?


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## alphaseinor (Mar 20, 2004)

do your high beams come on when pushed forward?

does the horn work?

You might have a bad ignition switch.


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## rickrogers (Dec 6, 2011)

alphaseinor said:


> do your high beams come on when pushed forward? yes
> 
> does the horn work? yes
> 
> You might have a bad ignition switch.[no but I do appreciate the help, thank you]


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## JimmyD (Apr 30, 2001)

rickrogers said:


> just puchased this car with a bad battery. the gauges and radio do not work and the check engine light and other warning lights are on. The car runs fine with no other obvious problems. I have been told there is a procedure to follow after replacing battery. Is there one and if so what is it?


The only procedure I can think of would be to reprogram your radio. You may or may not need to do this. After replacing the battery, if your radio displays the word SAFE, then you need to enter the radio code to "unlock" it.


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## MyOtherRidesAVette (Nov 13, 2010)

rickrogers said:


> just puchased this car with a bad battery. the gauges and radio do not work and the check engine light and other warning lights are on. The car runs fine with no other obvious problems. I have been told there is a procedure to follow after replacing battery. Is there one and if so what is it?


You just purchased this car WITH a bad battery. So you don't know what was going on prior to the battery being bad, is that correct? And the radio and gauges were already not working, am I reading that correct also? The CEL is on, and other warning lights. Also inherited? What warning lights, and have you had the CEL read? The resets you are referring to have to do with the Motronic Engine Management System and certain trannies. Should not be causing your issues. 

You may have a single issue and you may have multiple. Have you looked at the physical condition inside of the fuse box that sits atop the battery. This box and wiring is problematic. With the bad battery, was the car ever "jumped" or run without the battery hooked up, as some shade tree mechanics do to check the alternator (bad, very bad idea).
The first thing I would do is check the battery top fuse box and get the CEL read for active and stored codes. Even the generic codes from a generic code reader at the Corner Auto Parts Store.

M.


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## alphaseinor (Mar 20, 2004)

If this were my car...

Since the Ignition switch isn't the problem... then...

Start with fuses
Then Grounds
Then relays

After that... ??? Check more leads?

As for a procedure... none that I've heard of...

There are grounds under the battery tray that also go bad... for whatever reason, your problem "feels" like a bad ground... possibly in the kick panel, or where the steering column is.


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