98 won't start

I would check the fuel pump relay. I had the same problem. Fuel injector grounds are ran through the relay I believe. You should have 7 or 8 fault codes dealing with ground issues. Relay is under the dash.

Where under the dash? drivers side? pass side?

Thanks

The latch issue is caused by bad solder joints and is fairly common:

http://newbeetle.org/forums/questio...ms-new-beetle/59654-door-latch-resources.html

I'm not sure if it can cause a no-start, but there are a lot of ways the latch can fail since there are a lot of combinations of bad connections that are possible. I would try repairing or replacing the latch first. Someone else here had a similar no-start recently:

http://newbeetle.org/forums/2-0-liter-gas/97018-im-back-after-5-years-w-no-start-issue.html

Very good info, Thank you.

I can't help but think that there is a way to make the ECU think that the door is always unlocked (even if its locked) and closed so the security system doesn't arm.

there just micro switches, they are either open or closed.

There are 3 microswitches. I believe that they sense door open/closed, key twisted CW and key twisted CCW. It looks like you have bad connections to both the open/closed and key twisted CW switches. There are 3 connections to each microswitch so the bad connections can cause either open signal never present, closed signal never present or an indeterminate state if the common connection is bad.

It may be that ECU does not know that the driver's door has opened so it does not prime the fuel pump and this is also somehow preventing the fuel pump relay from closing when the ignition key is turned.

Fuel pump relay is under the dash on the drivers side, up behind the OBD2 port. I pulled the relay, pryed the plastic cover off, cleaned the contacts, and manually actuated it. Worked fine until I bought a new one. Link below has a picture of the area. I think it is the one marked 409. There is also a fuse #28 in the fuse box on end of drivers side dash that powers the relay. Can you pull codes on it?

http://newbeetle.org/forums/questions-issues-concerns-problems-new-beetle/34728-where-fuel-pump-relay-located.html

More good info, Thank you!

The old relay I have is stamped 167 from my '98. Looks like the numbers can vary. Picture on link shows 409.

Since you aren't getting priming from the key in the ignition, I'd say its your fuel pump relay. They commonly fail. The microswitch has failed on the drivers door in my GTI and I have no issues starting the car, as it still primes when I put my key in the ignition.

You probably also have a microswitch failure in the door, but that shouldn't cause a no-start issue.

vwtdi01 said:

The old relay I have is stamped 167 from my '98. Looks like the numbers can vary. Picture on link shows 409.

Click to expand...

My Bentley manual shows it being a type 409 from the earliest production in 1998. It has probably been replaced before.

Just a little update, I pulled the door actuator and its toast. one of the micro switches is dead. pulled the fuel pump relay, mine is labeled 167 and has a date of June 98 on it. The contacts are fried so I cleaned them up and plugged it back in and nothing. so I pushed the contacts together and the fuel pump starts to run. So I climb in the car, foot on the clutch, finger on the relay, turn the key.......and it runs!
I did all of this without the door actuator in the car. now I have a bunch of lights on in my cluster. Check engine light, air bag, ABS, water temp. so when I get my Vag-Com cable I will go in and check out the codes.

Thanks for all of your help and info. I have all of the info copied to a word file now.

Put a new relay in it today, runs like it should.