24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

[Canadian-VW-Guy]

Hi there ! ,

This is my first post, and I was told about this website by
some fine people over at VWvortex forums....

Anyway, here goes with my story ....

My wife bought a 2006 Jetta this past October, and last week she was talking to a guy at a local garage that services VWs. She asked him if there was a special way to start her Jetta in very cold weather, and he said there really was NO trick to it.

As I am the one starting her car every morning for her, I am pretty familiar with how the car has fared in the last 2 weeks of extremely cold Canadian weather that is upon us.

This morning it was -24.5 degrees on the Jetta's LCD panel, and I found the car very very hard to start. The only way I could get it going was to keep the key turned, and finally after perhaps 20 seconds, the car finally caught on, and started .... over the first 10 seconds or so, the turning of the engine was very slow, but it started turning faster and faster while I had the key turned.

It's rather scary doing this though, but it seems the car will just not start any other way.

Pressing the gas brings up a little OIL CAN icon, and this seems to make the situation worse, so I have stopped touching the gas at all while I am turning the key. ---- is this correct proceedure ?

Also, we asked our dealer about a block heater, and the price is $352, and the dealer said it was not worth the money, however I wonder if it is, as the cold weather really seems to take a toll on the Jetta.

Thank you for any help, insight, etc.

Thanks everyone in advance !

[Chris]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

A block heater definitely helps.

Other than plugging in your car I'm not sure what else could help

I've had my car hesitate before but it has never failed me yet!

[RedMile04]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Haha I think that fine person would be me!

[stefan]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

get a heater of some sort for sure... block heater is pricey, but there are some alternatives like oil pan heaters and inline coolant heaters that work well.

there are a whack of threads about it on here. here's one to start:
http://www.eurodrivers.ca/forums/sho...coolant+heater

there are more... this topic seems to come up a lot. I have an oil pan heater. Works pretty good, but has some risks associated with it, like if you hit your oil pan on something, it can damage is and could possible start a fire the next time you plug it in. (more of a concern if your car is lowered). The circulating coolant heaters are supposed to be great. I am thinking about getting one.

ps. welcome to boards

[Canadian-VW-Guy]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Hello guys !

Thanks for the warm welcome, and thanks for the tips.

Hmm, I'm a member of a homebrew club in Ottawa, and one member who lives in NewFoundLand and works on VWs says that a "block heater" is actually an oil pan heater ... hmm, perhaps I misunderstood what he said, I will have to go back and re-read his post to the brew forum.

(By the way, we do have synthetic oil in the car ) this the garage mechanic told us would help so that's one good thing.

One thing my dad used to do ages ago in Montreal, was put a 100 watt lightbulb right up against the engine block, and leave it on for about 2 hours in the morning before he started his car.... and believe it or not, this actually worked ! ( the lightbulb is placed on the engineblock so it actually phyically touches the block, thus transferring heat to it ), it did work, and I did this with an old Honda I had in the early 1990s.

Quick question for you guys if I may...
For those of you that don't have any block heater or oil pan heater, -- have you ever had -20 degree C temps or lower...where the car just won't start with a simple turn of the key, and no more than 3 seconds of holding the key actually turned ? - by this I mean
where you physically have to apply pressure to the key to keep the starter turning.....

If yes, how do you get the car started ? what is your method ?
- do you use several shorter burts ?
- or do you do fewer longer bursts with the key ?

When we first got socked in with the really cold weather, I tried turning the key like I did in October when we got the car... this doesn't do much now, the car's starter just turns, and the engine doesn't start.... so I've had to keep the key turned for extended lengths of time to actually get the engine going.... I'm sure I'm not the only one that is in this boat though, with the cold weather in many parts of Canada hmm.....

[bart]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

first, is this a tdi or gas model?? second, the car isn't carburated, its got this invention called a computer, which figures out how to start the engine based on environmental conditions... so there is no point in pushing the gas pedal down when trying to start it, especially since its drive-by-wire.

if its a tdi jetta you have, you may want to wait until the glow plug light shuts off LOL

[Canadian-VW-Guy]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Hi Bart,

ah heck, I totally forgot to mention this in my post...

The model we have is the TDI ( Diesel model )

Well, I'm not sure if you are joking, but yes, I would hope anyone driving a diesel car would know they need to wait for the glow plug symbol to disapper in the lcd panel on the dashboard.

However, to address your point about pushing the pedal, -- nowhere in the user's manual is there anything that talks about the actual starting of the car. I've been through our manual several times, and there is nothing there about starting your car, let alone starting it in a colder climate.

[forkdork]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Cycle the glow plugs twice (as soon as the light goes off turn the key back off and then on again).

Do you have the heated seats/fan/etc on while cranking? If so, make sure they are off before you start the engine.

In -25C mine starts within 3 seconds of cranking (And I have a weak 6 year old battery).

[bart]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

i dont think its in the red panel on those jettas, its a yellow swirly icon in the rpm section...

[Red90]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

It should start quickly after the glow cycle is finished. If it doesn't, there is something wrong.

Get a coolant heater or an oil pan heater. Both available at Gregg's distributors. This will help the life of the engine.

Where are you buying fuel? Fuel quality matters a lot. You may also want to use diesel fuel conditioner.

[Vulcan]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Mine car starts fine down to about -25 then it is a bugger to get going. I bought the zerostart inline coolant heater but have to to install it. From the reports I have read it is the best option for diesels. You can buy the parts at Canadian Tire or order a kit from www.tdiheater.com .

[Khyron]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Wonder if you have a bum battery? Even new, there are defects.

Khyron

[stefan]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

my tdi has been not starting too well lately, but i think its battery related. by the time i cycle the plugs a few time, i dont have much cranking power left. Run a few tanks through with diesel conditioner too, can clean up the injectors a bit.. make starting better. (give you more power to0.. might just start running additive all the time )

[Stonewall]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

Get the coolant heater, it will save you money in engine wear in the long run and you will have nice heat inside the car when you start it. On very cold days cycle the glow plugs twice and make sure you have all the major electronics off (lights etc). I have been starting diesels that way for years and rarely have problems.

[gtx]

Re: 24 degree C weather - What is correct way to start 2006 Jetta ?

My wife bought a 2006 Jetta this past October, and last week she was talking to a guy at a local garage that services VWs. She asked him if there was a special way to start her Jetta in very cold weather, and he said there really was NO trick to it.


Your after market guy is he using synthetic oil????
(the proper stuff !!!) Block heater is the way to go,prevents premature engine wear as well.