[Junebug2019]

This was going to be my first post that I wrote up yesterday:
My issue is lengthy and complicated. I'm going to include as many details as I can because I don't know what all is connected to the problem(s). I just bought my daughter her first car: a 2006 2.5L gas automatic new beetle. We looked at a couple but settled on this one because it seemed to run really well. Only has 88,000 miles on it. Only problem so we thought was the a/c wasn't blowing cold. We paid $4100 for it. We bought the refrigerant refill, put it on and the gauge went to red. Stopped there. We then took it to a mechanic friend who did some diagnostics. We watched many videos prior and did a lot of research and thought it was the compressor. Our mechanic friend came to the same conclusion because there was power to everything. He could not get the compressor clutch to engage. He drained the Freon. We went home and replaced the compressor ourselves. Then took it back to him to have the Freon reloaded, and system vacuumed. No leaks. But Now, for some unknown reason there was no power to the compressor. All fuses are good. He thought maybe I had pulled a wire. We got it home and the only error code it was showing was low power to the cooling/radiator fan. We had not noticed if the fan had ever been working. I did some more research. Took it back to my mechanic friend for a more extensive electrical search. He could not find the issue after hours of testing. I do not know what all he did or tested. I drove it home and on the way a new issue popped up: I turned on the headlights at 50 mph and lost all pressure behind the gas pedal, felt like it was going to stall. Turned the lights off went back to normal, turned the lights on, loss of pressure again, turned the lights off, normal...then the EPC light came on. I let the car sit for 2 days while I went away and decompressed a bit and researched more. Everything else I found on this site pointed to replacing the radiator fan. I ordered a new one. While I was waiting for the new fan to arrive, I started the car and drove it into my driveway, the EPC light was no longer on. I painstakingly removed the bolts on the old fan shroud. I got them all out but one, without taking the front of the car off, just squeezing my little hands into the very tight spaces using various wrenches, sockets and bits. The last bolt I could not get to. I decided to wait for the new fan. It arrived, I plugged it in, and it still would not come on, grrrr(key turned on, a/c turned on)! But now throwing no error codes! My husband is ready to throw in the towel and take it to a vw dealer. The compressor was $200, we paid our friend $150 for his time, the fan $525. So we're looking at close to $5k now for this car already, that I'm afraid to let my 17 year old daughter drive.
Thanks for any thoughts!...............
.......But then today I did some more tinkering: I did a hard reset on the battery. And I thought I should go back to the simple things like the fuses. According to my manual I thought I did not need any fuses down the interior center column which are numbers 31-37, no bells & whistles in this car...I pulled them all out. I tried to start the car and it wouldn't start, but low and behold, the radiator fan came on! And it was the old fan that I reconnected, so the fan itself is not the issue! I think. Could not find a diagram for 2006 2.5L fuse panel online. But then I looked at other vw models & different years and started to put fuses back in that center column. We found that #37 is the culprit. With it in, the car starts but fan does not come on. With it out, car will not start but fan comes on! WTH?! I just fumbled across this! Do you guys have any thoughts what the heck is going on with this?! Diagrams state #37 is for the radio! I would like to get this taken care of. I drove the car tonight extensively with the fuse in slot 37 and it ran perfectly, headlights on, no loss of gas pedal pressure...Just still no air conditioning. 90+ degrees today in an all black bug with black leather seats is no fun! I appreciate any input, thanks!

 

[Thejarhead]

Before throwing more parts at it work through this troubleshooting guide.

Check your radiator/condenser fan operation NOW - TDIClub Forums

 

[Junebug2019]

Thanks Jarhead, but that was for vehicles with the double fans. I only have the single fan with the integrated fan module.

No one has any other thoughts on this?! I did replace the coolant temperature sensor, just because I had already purchased it for $10 and it was an easy job. That was not the problem.

 

[gyachts]

2006 New Beetle Convertible with Single Fan

Did you ever figure out any good way to test the single fan?

Did you just replace?

Thanks.

Greg

 

[Junebug2019]

I didn’t replace the fan. I was going to, but I stumbled across this: The fan runs when fuse #37 is pulled out, but the car won’t start. The car starts with fuse #37 in, but the fan won’t come on. Perplexing!! And because of that I’m guessing still no a/c operation. Don’t know.

 

[Froggy]

There is a lot of information there, and I'm not sure all of those symptoms are related to only one issue. Here is what I know:

A simple dead battery plays HELL on our cars. A dying battery can affect every system like your car is possessed. It will throw dash lights on and off for all kinds of errors including check engine and everybody. The engine WILL eventually just shut off. It might feel like it's running out of gas, so that sponginess with the accelerator pedal when you specifically turned headlights on and off... that leads me to believe you may have a battery or alternator issue.

STOP throwing $$/parts at your car! That is the fastest way to damage your relationship with it and begin hating everything about it. Swapping pieces to rule them out as a culprit is fine for easy or cheap replacements, but be sure if the problem isn't fixed to take those parts back. Also, be aware that very rarely, you might not have a good part from the store. Try to make sure you switch to Known Good Units, or you've wasted your time.

I'd get a multi-meter.

Read the directions, look up Youtube videos on how to check battery and alternator. Just off the top of my head, I think running with a good alternator you should see 14.1 volts at the battery terminals with all the accessories you have on: air conditioning, radio, seat heaters, headlights, the works. The battery needs 13 or so just to start the car. (Check my numbers there, it's been a few months.) You must check your battery voltage with the car RUNNING. Poking it with your car off will give a false surface charge reading that looks fine but you could still have a bad cell in the battery or an alternator problem. You'll drive the car and could get 20 minutes down the road before it starts "acting possessed", then stalls out and leaves you stranded. Ask me how I know!



It sounds like the radiator/fan issue is something else?

My husband chimes in with a "she's checked fuses, but has she checked relays?" question.

He also mentioned a high pressure switch for the air conditioning system. First: research and see if we have one of those, then maybe start looking into that as one thing to be sure is checked out?

I don't know everything, and diagnosing over the phone/internet/Facebook is always a best-guess type of thing. Go slowly, try to work from easiest/cheapest solutions toward the more expensive ones, research everything and double-check that you've actually done the simple checks, the right way, before you move on to the next thing (we missed a super easy solenoid once).
GOOD LUCK!

 

[billymade]

Here is a good video, discussing; common charging issues and testing procedures:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdgs5bqzZg&t=10s

 

[Junebug2019]

Thanks so much froggy and billymade!!! The battery was showing 13.8 while running. But yeah idk what it's supposed to be. I have not checked the relays, this is my first vw and first time dyi'ing repairs, so that's why I really appreciate any suggestions you guys make! I can do tinkering and labor if I know what the problem is, but the diagnosing is the hard part, especially since the repair manuals don't seem to match this model. I'm watching the video now Billy. My daughters dad is having a new battery put in tomorrow as his contribution to the situation regardless, so we'll see if that fixes any of the issues. I will update the thread with any new discoveries. Oh and I was able to return the new radiator fan since I never installed it, so that saved me $500+. Thanks again!

 

[billymade]

As always, most auto parts stores; will do a full charging test for you, for free! So, you could just run down there and have the whole system tested, ruling out the battery/alternator but the possible, grounds, wiring, battery cables, etc., could be another contributing issue. The linked video, is very good and walks you through testing with a multimeter.

 

[jayrugged]

Hello Junebug we’re you ever able to get this issue sorted out I have a 2007 with the exact same issue. I was hopeless with this Issue until i stumbled across this thread searching for anything related i could find I’ve done everything you’ve done. Thanks in advance

 

[Junebug2019]

Hey Jayrugged! No unfortunately I was not able to figure anything else out. The battery was replaced and I’m thinking that helped with some of the issues, but not all. Still no a/c or fan operation. I actually went out today to do some more tinkering. I read in one of these threads that someone traced the wiring connections and was able to more securely plug something in, but I wasn’t able to get to anything without jacking the car up and I couldn’t do that by myself. And since it’s going to be getting colder here in jersey I’m not too terribly concerned about it now. Sorry! If you do happen to find out anything else, please let me know! Good luck!!

 

[jayrugged]

Ok thanks i definitely appreciate any further info I’ll do the same

 

[jayrugged]

Is there anyone here that can provide wiring diagrams for all the circuits listed under fuse 37 or at least those that apply I’ve found what seems like the proper fuse box layout now i need to test all the circuits involved. I would like to believe that this problem is relay or ground involved but I’m not sure where to start. Any help works thanks.

I’ve read somewhere on another thread someone had a similar issue but in their case the engine misfired as well, and constantly popped fuse 37 upon key turn. In their case it turned out to be bad ignition coils from factory. In my case the fuse doesn’t pop. Removing it allows the fan to run at full speed when ac is turned on