the other day my car wouldnt start so i thought itwas the battery and had my friend jump my car and it worked. On the way home it started to die on me and everything shut off even the headlights so today my dad changed the battery and i was driving it and the little battery icon came on again and it started to die and i had to pull over like three times before i could get to my cousins house. I was reading the maual and it said either its an electrical problem or the v-belt is broken. Any of you guys can think of whats the problem?

 

These cars are very voltage sensitive. So if you are still running around with your stock battery that is the most likely culprit. A fully charged battery should show >12.5V across the terminals with everything off. You could pull the battery out and take it in somewhere to have it load tested, but more than likely the battery is in need of replacement.

 

Thats the thing i just replaced it today and its still doing it. think the new one is a bad one or something?

 

if the srpentine is broke your A/C wont work, and the alternator wont charge the system. Broken belt is easy to check, open the hood, remove some engine covers and look at the left side of the engine for the belt. Since its chilly in most of the country you were probably using heat instead soyou didnt notice.

If the A/C works or you open the hood and find a belt in perfect condition, I would say the alternator went out, and needs replaced. The fact you were able to drive it a short distance before it ran out of juice suggestsno alternator. So it not spinning or its not charging, find out why. Make sure the 110A fuse on top ofthe battery box is good, in case of the latter, then get the alt. tested.

 

alright ill go check that stuff out right now thanks

 

Whoops misread your first post. Check your grounds and your battery cables.. And as DenimTT said you may have a broken belt or bad alternator.

 

My vote is for the alternator, it sounds just like what happend to me when mine when out in my truck. I thought I was good replaced the batter, and it ran for a bit off of that, but then it died again from not getting charged. Good luck

 

yea it has to be the alternator. i was attempting to drive it home to switch cars so my cousin came with me and we drove for like 2 minutes and it died in the middle of the road and we had to push the little heavy *** car -_- pretty far to some neighborhood area. Car wont start jumped it with cables and gave the alternator a little juice to where i could re-park and leave my car....sigh* so many problems with this car. Im thinking about getting it towed to this vw service shop thats like not even a mile away from where the car is at and have them fix it there...is the alternator a hard thing to change?

 

It takes a bit of work, but it has been done... DIY instructions here

 

likely the alternator, if the serp belt broke you would loose power steering. thats would be really easy to know.