How to get out of limp mode, after battery was connected incorrectly?

143BENNYBABE

MEMBER
2006 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
2.0L
2WD
AUTOMATIC
200,000 MILES

So, someone tried to put a new battery in my car, but they hooked it up backwards. Meaning they hooked positive to negative and negative to positive and then said okay turn it over so when I started my car of course nothing happened, but when we put the other battery back in my car wouldn't start. So, looking at it the next day I realized basically every single fuse had been blown. So, we replaced what fuses we could to get it driving again but ever since then it's been in limp mode.

1 Reply

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
42,935 POSTS

Yep, that will do it, it sounds like it blew out the throttle actuator pedal but to be sure let's do a CAN scan. You can get a CAN scanner (Controller Area Network) which will work on most cars from Amazon.

Here is a video to show you how:

https://youtu.be/u-4syLc-ifQ

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/can-scan-controller-area-network-easy

Here is one for about $99.00 if you need it:

https://amzn.to/3ZixY4v

Here is how to change out the throttle actuator pedal in case a code comes up for it. Check out the images (below). Please let us know how it goes.

Image (Click to make bigger)