MY SLC just died while i was driving!

[Corradoboy18 0]

This is my first time here, so...hello. :D

I was driving one night from Lake Tahoe to my home in reno. The car was running fine the entire day. After i was finished and ready to go home i try to start the car but it wouldn't start. This is NOT problem. The ignition problem has happened three times this year, and i've replaced the ignition switch each time.

 

Anyways, i was driving down hill when all of sudden every light throughtout the whole car(i.e. Headlights, cabin lights, dash, etc.) dimmed. they didn't shut off, they just got dimmer. All this was happened at about 45mph or for you guys roughly 70kph. Then, while i was in fifth gear, my car jerked forward, and the engine cut out. since my igniton switch wasn't working i put it in 3rd gear and bump started it. That worked. It did it about 4 more times before shutting off completely.

The wierd thing was that when i pushed in the accelerator the car felt like it was down shifting. It was like pushing the accelerator made me deccelerate. I've never experienced this before. It was a good thing i was going down hill because i was about 45 minutes away from the city in which i call my home...i just coasted the entire way, running many stop lights. once i got to a gas station i opened the engine bay; My battery was ok. checked all the fluids. They were all full.

The first thing that came to my mind was a recall about a certain wiring harness that was situated incorrectly in the engine bay causing engine stalling and/or an engine fire.

Please Give me your advice. i'm about to pay dearly for the repair. and frankly i don't trust these damn american mechanics.

Thanks

Chris

[Jim 1]

Well.. firstly i'd like to welcome you to the forums. Unfortunately I personally cannot offer any suggestions on what could be the problem with your SLC - I am just hoping some of the more mechanically minded folk around here will read over this and offer some advice.

 

Now, I might not be 100% accurate on this, but I am sure that I have read on other Corrado forums that bump starting the VR6 engine is a Very Bad Thing™ - I don't know the reasons why or how this happens, but I just have a vague memory of someone getting sternly advised about the perils of bump starting the VR engine. I thought it was worth mentioning.. hopefully one of the more technically minded can help with that information.

 

You might want to post this up on the VW Vortex forums (http://www.vwvortex.com) as they are more likely to be active around this time for you as an American.. plus if the recall was an American/SLC specific thing (as I can't say I have heard about it here) then they are definately going to know about it.

 

Good luck!

[G60 0]

what about the G60.. any problems bumb starting that? i've bumped my XR a few times.. but never the rado. nice to know if its alright to do it though, just in case i'm stuck w/ a dead batt. :oops:

[vr6storm 0]

what about the G60.. any problems bumb starting that? i've bumped my XR a few times.. but never the rado. nice to know if its alright to do it though, just in case i'm stuck w/ a dead batt. :oops:

 

 

i think its something to do with the timing chain tensioner in the vr6 that can fcuk up if the car is bump-started.....so your g-60 is ok

[Corradoboy18 0]

Thanks for your replys. No luck on VW Vortex. My C was diagnosed at a european performance shop. They got the car started so it's not the engine. It seems that there is some kind of drain on the battery. Anyone have an idea on what the possible drain might be? Ignition? I take it to be a possible bad ground. I just want to know what to expect so i don't get any curveballs from the mechanic. Please Help!

Chris

[GraphicFrOst 0]

check the diaodes (excuse my spelling) in your alternator.... time to break out ur multimeter bust our ur scamatic and get crackin :?

[mrbills78 0]

Next time you feel the need to replace your ignition switch

 

 

Save yourself a load of money and have some fun, install a push button for starting... $20 at any Auto parts store. Run a positive wire 8 or 10 gauge) from the battery to the push button then from the button to the starter (theres already a wire on there take it off and put the new one on)

you'll still need your key in the on position to start and run the car but man is it fun.

[Corradoboy18 0]

Good news guys, they figured out what it was. Bad news; it is going to cost 950 dollars to fix. All of the problems were electrical. But not with the engines electrical system. I think that when i had the heater core recall done the mechanic must have rewired somethings and screwed up. Almost all of my wires were burned up. Most of it was labour.

Two of my ignition wires were melted together, causing my car not to start. I have no idea how that happened. Thanks for all your replys.

Chris

[Jim 1]

Yikes..

 

Can't you do anything about the shoddy mechanic or have you just got to grin and bear it?

 

Good luck getting it sorted.. let us know how you get on :)

[Corradoboy18 0]

Well, the mechanic i took it to this time was very helpful. It's those damn dealer mechanics i have to worry about. I don't know how it is over hear, but the dealerships over here are were all the beginner mechanics start out. You know...to get experience. The fault, this time, doens't actually fall into the lap of the dealership. It was who every set-up my alarm system which was put on before i owned the car.

I don't think my C will have any problems with the electrical components anymore. I guess it was better to pay the extra money because they did a very good job.

Just remember fellas, it's better to pay a little more and get the job done right than to go cheap and pay for the same repairs later.

[supercharged_devil 0]

this is my first time here, so I hope this can be abit of help I've got a G60 and had battery probs and was recommended by no means bump start the 'C's due to the electronics in the dash......