Appears to be a dead battery, but...

so, about two years ago my 99 auto vw jetta had starting problems. i thought the battery was dead and replaced it.

about 6 months ago, i was having the same problem and took it in to have it looked at. the said the ignition key was recalled and replaced it.

today i went to go for a drive and the car was dead. its like there is NO battery in the car. doesnt turn when i try to start it, no lights, no radio, it doesnt make a sound.

any ideas? anyone?

Sounds like a dead battery, but for it to die like that either you have a light on somewhere that you wouldn't see (trunk, under hood) that never turns off... and even that would only happen if the car were parked for a week at a time and never run. Or you have a larger drain somewhere. Jump the car, if it starts it's the battery or the alternator. Most chain stores will test them for you for free. If it's the alternator, replace it (I reccomend calling 1-800-VW-PARTS, cheaper than the dealership and it's genuine so it won't crap out like a chain store part). If you find out it's the battery charge or replace it. Then go to autozone or pepboys or similar and they sell a vareity of kill switches. One is a switch that will kill all battery power. You can have the button moved to inside the car, so that to start the car you'd first have to hit the button to turn the battery back on. Down side is you're constantly setting the time on the clock, the radio stations, and unless you drive the car for a full day it'll never complete it's diagnostic scan. Another type is a kill switch that will only trip when the battery is just about dead. The way that one works is it has a sensor that will know how full or empty the battery is and will only throw the switch while there's still enough juice to start the car. All that being said there is still a leak somewhere in the car, and if it's shorting out on the body it could be playing havoc with the computer and all sorts of sensitive electrical systems. Take it to a shop you trust and have them give the car a full once-over to check for blown fuses/bulbs etc. Good luck!

Thanks for the response.

you know, it seems the simplest answer is usually the right one. so my neighbor said the parking lights were on over night. though i never forget to turn off my lights, I did park at the crack of dawn--

I guess the only question is whether or not leaving the parking lights on is a sure way to kill a battery.

An aside: those portable battery jumpers are a must have. i am charging it up right now, and plan to buy it from my carless friend to keep in the trunk of my car.

Another aside: despite all the reports of malfunctioning jettas, i think my car has been doing alright on a whole-- knock on wood. but it is a must to add oil every 1000 miles, and change every 3000 of course.