96 jetta stalled and will not start, weird?

Three things will keep it from running. Compression, fuel and spark.

Spark is easy to check. Find a dim or dark space and remove a spark plug put the wire back on the using an insulated tool, touch the threads of the plug to the engine block while someone turns the engine over with the key. You should be repeated bright blue sparks.

I'll let someone else comment on fuel, I got lost on gasoline engines when they get rid of carburetors.

If compression is an issue, you should notice a different sound when you turn the key to try and start it. (sudden compression loss is often a timing belt.

Insert the key in the door and rotate to the unlocked position to stop the alarm.

Then try to figure out why you lost power from the alternator circuit. Is the belt driving the alternator in good shape? Does the Alternator turn?

Charge the battery with a charger. Does the car work until the battery dies? That would be a charging problem. The alternator is the most probable candidate, if the belt is turning the alternator.

Maybe the timing belt broke, take the cover off (should be held in by clips, black plastic cover on the edge of the engine block... left hand side most likely).

Remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor spins when cranking the engine over. If not, it's timing belt time!

its time for your coil to die. in A3 cars they die around 60.000 miles, at least down here. ALL A3s I know have had their coil replaced around tht mileage.

That stall happens all the time at least for me. Panic at first, then found the trick: You should carry a can of WD40 and spray it on the battery connector, group connect from coil to engine, distributor cap, and lot more. Then start the engine. It works for me all the time. I had many stalls on the wet day, heavy traffic highway or the up ramp. WD40 has never disappointed me.

If you know where to spray the WD40 then why not just remove the connections, clean them with an abrasive and/or some contact cleaner until the metal shines like new, apply some anti-corrosive electrical grease to the connections (only where applicable, shouldn't need it on plug connectors) and then tighten everything back up again.

You should get another few years out of a cleaned connection, instead of the couple weeks/days you might get with WD40.

Is this a 2.0 engine? Actually replacing the bad component, or repairing it, is a better and safer thing to do. Hate to have it stall on you when you are making a left turn across traffic! 8-o Ign coils can be sealed sometimes with epoxy if they are good otherwise. Spark plug wires, caps and rotors should be changed. JMHO later, dave