weird electrical problem - one for the books!

[scqueaky]

I have a 2000 Passat 1.8T and there are very strange electrical problems happening right now. First there is the lock problem where I hit my remote and the locks sometimes work, sometimes it will not, sometimes it will open all the locks including the trunk and then lock them all again on its own. While this is happening, my dome light flickers, the passenger door red indicator lights for the locks and window controls flicker and the chime for the key in the ignition sounds like morse code. This stops if I start the car. And that's only IF I can start the car. Sometimes the car won't start, but if I leave the door open with the key in the ignition and the chime starts up, I know the car will turn over. I have it in the shop right now and they're at the $200 mark and still counting. Anyone have ANY ideas? I just spent $600 on other engine problems and I feel like I might be getting taken advantage of... Thanks for any insight!!!

[boschmann]

Start here....

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1542461

Then....

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...hlight=comfort

[scqueaky]

The shop just called as I was checking your links and sure enough they've found a short somewhere to the CCM. I am curious to know how long or how much something like this should take to fix. They're telling me they're at 6 hours and it will cost me around $450. Does that sound kosher to you?

Originally Posted by boschmann

Start here....

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1542461

Then....

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...hlight=comfort

[veedubmechanic]

Comfort module takes about an hour to replace. But then again the wires that lead up to it are normally corodded and need to be cleaned and re-soldered back together. so... 2hrs max without chekout.

Aftermarket shops could charge 6hrs because they dont know how to fix stuff correctly.

[scqueaky]

The CCM didn't need replacing but they said that because of water on the floor under the driver's seat there were "shorts" in some of the wires. Unfortunately, when I got my car back they either popped some fuses or didn't fix all the connections because the radio/temp display and the red lights in the doors for window and lock don't work. I'm taking it back today and they better not try to charge me for it!!! Thanks for your reply

[scqueaky]

Also, this is a VW Dealer. If anyone should know how to fix a VW, you would think it would be the ones trained by VW!!

[boschmann]

It's very common now for the highly experienced mechanics to leave dealerships. Most dealers only have one, maybe two, highly experienced mechanics & they're usually in a manager position.

[scqueaky]

I have been dealing with a Service Manager. I guess I wasn't lucky enough to get someone who is really knowledgable.

[veedubmechanic]

ha ha ha.... if there was water in the floorboard then the CCM is bad... It had to have been in a sea of water if the wires were corroded.