ok so here's the deal... i have a 2000 Jetta VR6 GLS 5 speed

my brake lights were staying on all the time unless i pulled up on them.. and found out it was the switch. this caused my EPC light to come on, making my cruise control not work, unless u held up the brake while i was driving to simulate as if it were working right to turn the EPC light off, and then the cruise would work.

soon after my clutch starts going, and my check engine light comes on, so i go get it read at advanced, and they tell me the O2 sensor is bad. so im like shit. i take it to west german auto (probably a big mistake) and tell them to change the sensor and the clutch, which was $900. a few days go by and i go pick it up. they replaced the clutch like i asked and fixed the switch, but also changed my O2 sensor without asking me. which cost me $120 and i didnt want it changed anyway...

they said that when i got my catalytic converter replaced last jan. that the wires were hanging down onto the exhaust and they melted and they said fried my computer, but how come my computer was working fine for the last 11 months. anyway, once i get there they tell me it will be 4500 to replace the computer and im like wtf? hell no

do yall think they scammed the shit out of me? or that my computer was already broken?

now my check engine light is still on, the EPC light wont go off, the anti-slip light is on and wont turn off when i press the button, and cruise doesnt work... but hey the brake lights turn off and the clutch works

[Edited on December 1, 2007 at 6:34 PM. Reason : ]

12/1/2007 6:13:16 PM

First off to somewhere with an actual VagCom set up, or someone local with one to see the actual codes your car is throwing. There are 2 02's on your car, the front is used by the ecu for engine adjsutments and the second is only for monitoring the cat and obd-2 compatability.

As for the whole bad 02 runing the ecu, not a chance. And even if your ecu got damaged somehow, you can find new or used ECU's for easliy less than $700.

The MIL and the EPC often point to the MAF, both will be triggered when the MAF goes out.

But yes it sounds like you are being taken

12/1/2007 7:01:57 PM

Quote :

"tell them to change the sensor and the clutch"

Quote :

"changed my O2 sensor without asking me. which cost me $120 and i didnt want it changed anyway..."

huh?

12/1/2007 7:02:16 PM

brake sensor switch, sorry

12/1/2007 7:05:06 PM

so do u think they messed up my ECU or do u think something is wrong? if they messed it up and i make them fix it? or am i screwed?

12/1/2007 7:19:21 PM

jettas are crap

get rid of it before you go broke

12/1/2007 7:22:09 PM

brake sensor switch is common.

it is feasible that the o2 sensor could have shorted and burned the ecu. it happened to a friend of mine a little while back.


http://www.ncdubs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6284&highlight=fried

you can probably find another ecu on vwvortex.com or ebay for a reasonable price

let me know if you want me to check your codes.

[Edited on December 1, 2007 at 7:37 PM. Reason : image tags]

12/1/2007 7:37:32 PM

i was looking at some ECU's on ebay, and i was wondering where exactly the ecu is on my car so i can go find the part number, and see if i can find one on ebay. or if one of you knows how to find it online somewhere?

12/1/2007 8:34:24 PM

I like the torque of the VR6 motor but a friend of mine has that generation VR6 Jetta and the reliability is pretty bad

12/2/2007 2:25:03 AM

vag com will tell you the ecu number.

are you in raleigh??

[Edited on December 2, 2007 at 2:44 AM. Reason : i can check it, let me know.]

12/2/2007 2:43:38 AM

How easy is it to swap ECUs on MK4s, aren't they somehow tied to the instrument cluster?

12/2/2007 11:26:02 AM

Quote :

"but also changed my O2 sensor without asking me. which cost me $120 and i didnt want it changed anyway..."

if it's not on the estimate/you didn't sign for it to be done, you don't have to pay for it.

call the cops.

12/2/2007 12:10:37 PM

just speak to the manager if there's a problem, and tell them specifically what you're upset about and what you want them to do to fix it.

12/2/2007 12:16:56 PM

Quote :

"How easy is it to swap ECUs on MK4s, aren't they somehow tied to the instrument cluster?"

the immobilizer makes it a little difficult, but it can be done.

12/2/2007 11:23:43 PM

cool sounds good, yea im in raleigh, ill probably let you take a look at it, ur a huge help

also i was wondering would it be a bad choice to, as soon as i get this thing fixed and figured out to sell it and get a different car, before it breaks again? haha

12/3/2007 3:17:22 PM