Shaky (Scary)

I bought a 99 Passat in February and it's been driving fine since then. The warning lights in the dash are always on: BRAKE, Airbags, Wiper fluid, and sometimes the check engine ight comes on, seemingly for no reason. Cause the car typically drives fine. Then yesterday, after I had driven for about an hour on and off, it just started to shake, kinda violenty, and the check engine light came back on, started beeping. It felt like the car was going to cut off. It was really scary.

What could be the problem?

Check for codes first, also you can check if your air intake is connected good.

I took the car to Strauss discount Auto, and had a diagnostic. Of course, there was a long list of things that needed to be done. But I told the mechanic to fix first whatever needs to be fixed to make it stop shaking, because I can't afford to do everything now.

I came to pick it up, and the same problem still. He did a major tune up, but its still shaking and the check engine light is still on. $450 later, same problem.

Any suggestions?

if there are many codes, then all need to be taken care for the check engine light to go off, get the codes all of them. $450 is not that bad, by the way.

Next chapter, please help.

Took it to a different guy. Actually 2 guys.

One said it may need a new timing belt.

second guy said it needs a new "computer system" or PCM. What is this?
I'm car illiterate. He quoted us 1500 dollars to fix it.

The timing belt is not a problem, but the tensioner is. After 60k to 80k miles, i would change them (t-belt, water pump, tensioner) about $600. For PCM what lead them to that conclusion? Get the codes first, again! Find the PCM maybe connection is loose of coroded, then clean it or resolder it.

What r codes, and how do you get them. The mechanic who said it needed a new pcm did an engine diagnostic, thats what made him say we need a new one. So you think the problem might be fixable without a whole new pcm?

where do you work? in a repair shop?

I do a lot of research, and I work with Swiss machines. As for the cars, two thing are most important: electronical and mechanical. Mechanical is being diagnosed by sound, heat, physical integrity. An electonical portion is being diagnosed by computer now a days. And computer has codes that it shows(i.e. p1308); the problem could be diagnosed by OBDII scanner which you can buy at store ($100-500), or you can get VAG-com scanner and connect it to your laptop which gives you a wider view of information.

When someone tells you that new engine is needed, then find out why.


Oh, the connector for the scanner is under the steering column.