I made the mistake of letting a friend hook up the jumper cables to his car. I assumed he could handle red to red and black to black but apperently not. I jumped the car with the cables on backwards, and instantly the horn of my gti began to blare and the headlight washers shot out and began to spray fluid. We jumped it the right way after that but it couldn’t run on it’s own without giving it throttle. I drove it around the parking lot and it ran fine but then it beeped and the check engine light, along with the epc light and the traction control light came on. I left it as is because I feared I’d mess it up more. I should also note radio lights and radio itself quit working. Any thoughts? 2006 gti 2.0L
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Bad jumpstart please read I need help
- Thread starter Rpetty.13
- Start date
If you have a CEL and EPC light get the codes off the computer and share them here so we have more information to work with. Sucks your buddy hooked things up the wrong way. There are data points that set shortly after the car is running once the battery is reconnected which may explain why some things happened after the car ran a bit. The radio not working is indicative of some potential damage. Hard to say though.
vwengineer
Ready to race!
- Location
- Switzerland
First of all check all the fuses, some of them surely burned. There is also a fuse behind the radio but you need to get it out. Then scan the car, probably that some control modules fried unfortunately
What do you think the cost it’s going to be? Roughly
Fuses are a buck a piece. At most. But if you need a new ECU that's a whole different matter. Are you chipped? If so, your new ECU will also need to be reprogrammed. If you're stock, you can pick up a used ECU for cheap on ebay and install it yourself. Your car's brain lives just under the plenum on the passenger's side. Kind of close to the turbo.
vwengineer
Ready to race!
- Location
- Switzerland
It's not only the ECU which I assume is fine since the car runs, everything on this car has its own control module, from doors/windows to fuel pump. You have like 20 of them, hopefully you should be able to source used ones. No idea of cost, it's probably between 30 to 150$ a piece (for a used one). So first you should replace all fried fuses, see if the new one do not burn immediately (which is possible if something is fried), then scan the car, check where there are faults, see what you can clear and what stays and go from there.
First Take a DVM and check you battery for proper voltage if fine +12.6V then check the fuses SA in the front of the fuse box next to battery box then look at SB top of fuse box and finally SC side of driver dash panel.
SA main fuses front of box SB top of box
SC fuse panel
Next do a scan and see what it shows, a generic ODB scan tool is not going to cut it, need Vcds or something equivalent if you can save scan info for later fine. Clear codes and then try to start engine, if it starts or not read codes again and see what you have for current Dtc.
May also want to just post in one place and not all over the place for the same issue, surprised a Mod has not closed down or joined the others make life easier.
SA main fuses front of box SB top of box
SC fuse panel
Next do a scan and see what it shows, a generic ODB scan tool is not going to cut it, need Vcds or something equivalent if you can save scan info for later fine. Clear codes and then try to start engine, if it starts or not read codes again and see what you have for current Dtc.
May also want to just post in one place and not all over the place for the same issue, surprised a Mod has not closed down or joined the others make life easier.
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