VW Jetta 01 (A4) electrical or computer problem with remote starter

I had an after market remote car starter installed on my Jetta and several months later I started experiencing a very wierd electrical problem.

After driving and using the turn signals (left or right), I turn the car off, remove the key and lock the doors with the key remote, the driver side (left) flashers will stay on, (constantly lit). If I play with unlock and relock it will continue to remain lit. Even if I start the car, it will remain lit and I can not flash on the driver side. I have to let it "cool down", meaning that after about an hour of the light being on with the car off, I relock the doors and then it will go off.

The dealer had a look at it and they said there was nothing wrong and that it was a problem with the remote starter. I then had the control module of the remote starter removed, yet it still does it.

Has anyone seen or heard of anything like this? Please help I'm getting seriously frustrated with my Jetta.

Perry

Reply to
Perry
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Reply to
Rob Guenther

Never heard of that issue yet, but my guess it's because the way the remote start was installed. If you have an immobilizer on your car I bet they took an extra key and glued it inside your steering column. That opens the door for anyone to steel your car. Might want to remove the hazard switch and see what happens, as it's possible it may be messed up. But I doubt it.

Reply to
Woodchuck

Thanks for your replies...

Rob: It does happen all the time after I use the flasher while driving. If I don't use the flasher at all, then it will not stay lit. After the "cool down" period I have to manually go and relock the doors and only at that point will it turn off. If I forget it will stay on indefinately until the battery dies (which has happened). Do you know where the coil or relay is located. I was under the impression that it was the hazzard relay that controls the right and left flashers. Is there another one?

Woodchuck: Yes an extra key was installed to bypass the immobilizer. While the light remains lit and the key is out of the ignition, I have tried removing the hazard switch and it still remains lit. I have also removed every single fuse from the fuse box and it still remains lit. I have not had the time yet to trace where it is getting it's power from.

Perry

Reply to
Perry

Not 100% sure on the location, the hazard relay I can hear ticking when the hazards are on, but the ticking doesn't seem to come from there when the indicators are on... Best bet is to listen very carefully with the car in accessory mode (no engine noises) and then feel the hazard button, if the relay is behind it, and ticking you should be able to feel it in rythm with the ticks.

I'd actually guess that the indicator relay is controlled somewhere else, somewhere in the dashboard.

I've never had an indicator problem with any car (aside from a bulb once) - I was just using my knowledge as a Mechatronics Electrician to try to help you out - relays are relays, they tend to fail the same ways.

If your indicators work fine when the car is running then whatever the car does when it turns on is de-energizing that light bulb.... either by relay disengaging or some other means.

You also say you have pulled every fuse... Well your remote starter won't be on a fuse in your fusebox, they probably installed an in-line fuse somewhere in your car. It could be that when your car is off, this allows the remote starter to kick in, so there would be power to its circuits... Maybe somehow they tied into a common point that that signal light and something is powering it up - I do find it incredibly odd that the problem can go away after an hour if you hit your locks again, this would lead me to guess that your battery rundown circuit is working, but not quite 100% - as the light doesn't turn off itself.

I'd take the car to the people that messed around with the wiring doing your remote starter.

Reply to
Rob Guenther

The hazard & turnsignal flasher are now all in the hazard switch.

Reply to
Woodchuck

Reply to
Rob Guenther

I have experience with removing the hazard switch :). What you need is

2 little screwdrivers. These are the little electrical screwdrivers with small tips. Anyways, what you do is place the screwdriver in the gap on either side of the hazard switch. Then you lever the switch out, i.e. push the screwdrivers outwards. The switch is held in by a spring lever which comes out fairly easy when you lever the switch.

Just a follow up to my problem. The remote starter does have its own fuses, I will try removing it next time the flasher light remains lit.

Also, with the hazard switch removed, I can not flash either right or left. However when I lock or unlock the doors with the key remote the flasher lights still flash??? How is this possible with the hazard switch and relay removed? Is the signal to flash sent by the computer or immobilizer?

Reply to
Perry

Reply to
Rob Guenther

The "comfort control module" is tied into the lights. Along with windows, locks, sunroof, immobilizer, alarm, and maybe a few more items.

Reply to
Woodchuck

Just an update and for future reference to other owners. As woodchuck hinted to it is indeed the comfort control module the root of the problem.

I negotiated with the dealer to track down the problem, after over 6 hours (thankfully they only charged 3) they found the problem in a faulty relay within the comfor control module.

They temporarily disabled the lights flashing upon arming the system, which saves me a lot of grief. I plan on replacing it later.

Perry

Woodchuck wrote:

computer

switch.

somewhere

Electrician to

whatever the

in-line fuse

Reply to
pstatho

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