Slow to crank over?

[DionM]

Noticed the last few times I've gone to start it that my 07 Jetta TFSI takes a few seconds to crank over. Couple of times I've released the key thinking "thats gotta be enough" and it hasn't been.

Am I just imagining things or do the MkVs sometimes take longer to fire?

Battery is fine - I put it on my CTek Smartcharger just to see, but it made no difference even after the CTek topped it up.

[Maverick]

If the battery is getting close to 3 years despite your battery test I'd put money on it being on it's way out. It's covered by the 3 year manufacturer warranty so it's a no cost replacement.

[maca]

If the battery is getting close to 3 years despite your battery test I'd put money on it being on it's way out. It's covered by the 3 year manufacturer warranty so it's a no cost replacement.

That's good to know for the future..

[85turbo]

having recently been through the same thing with my 05 tdi, i can assure you that a battery that can crank over the engine fine,
can be bad enough that it will still not start the engine.

if the ecu is not seeing at least 9.5 volts while cranking, the engine will not start. i replaced the battery a few weeks ago,
and have not seen a repeat of my problem since.

im not saying it's definitely your problem, but it could be.

jason.

[gtimk5]

I had a tdi in my workshop last week that had been to the dealer 3 times for slow winding over.
Pulled the starter out and sent it away to be checked out.
The magnetic fields were very weak and virtually no parts are available for these things.
Cost for a new starter?? $900 thanks very much!!
Bosch Australia dont keep them in stock and their wait is another 3 months. Another company in Oz has them according to my auto electrician but work out dearer than the genuine unit...
The cranking speed on a Mk5 tdi should be 280 rpm where as the one that was here was only winding over at 180 rpm's. Because of the slow speed it was also reluctant to start as well, but all fixed now.
Good luck, hope its only a battery,
Andrew

[gregozedobe]

The first suspect is the battery, especially if it is a few years old and also because it is winter (cold reduces voltage output). Another factor is how long since you last started the car - if it was a few days since you drove it then the battery could have just dropped enough in voltage to make a difference.

Something to look for is how fast it sounds like it is cranking over when it doesn't start. If it sounds a bit slow, but then speeds up next time you start it, them my best guess is the battery or the charging system (many perfectly good batteries are replaced due to faulty alternators and voltage regulators), but if cranking remains slow even with a fully charged, "good" battery then electrical connections and/or starter motor are next on the list to investigate (as mentioned above).

As someone else says in their sig, test properly before replacing anything, it will save you $$$$$.

[Guest212]

Mine does it too. Sometimes starts quickly sometimes takes forever. When its taking forever its not even attempting to fire (you can hear the differences between starting normally and when it takes ages to start).

Ignorance is bliss.

[DionM]

I was perhaps a little inaccurate with my description.

It sounds as if it is cranking at the right speed, but it feels slow as in the time it takes to actually start / catch. It feels like a diesel that hasn't been glowed properly (if that makes sense) (actually the direct injection petrol in the TFSI sounds like a diesel sometimes too!).

I'll keep an eye on it - still got a year or so of warranty left - but I feel I have to hold the key to the run position for longer than I used to.

Car gets driven once a week or once a fortnight sometimes, but this was after being used a couple of times in a row. Doesn't seem to relate to how often it gets used.