My Jetta doesn't like it when it's raining! What's wrong!

SARAHCOUGAR

MEMBER
VOLKSWAGEN

Starting a couple weeks ago, whenever it rains heavily, my car won't run. If it's running at the time, it stops all forward motion, and if it's not running, the engine won't turn over. The first time it happened I went through a puddle right before. The second time, it had just been sitting in my driveway and it wouldn't start.

When I tried to start the car, in addition to not turning over the brake pedal locks. When it is dry the car runs fine (I drove from DC to Michigan between these two events!) And I recently had the oil/fluids changed. It is a 1996 Jetta manual transmission. It has previously always run fine in the rain. I thought cars were waterproof! I don't even know what could be wrong enough to figure out what type of service the car needs! What could be wrong?

3 Replies

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

Find where the water is getting in

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Friday, February 10th, 2006 AT 4:59 PM

STEINY98

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I had the same problem with my 96 vw jetta. Distributer cap was cracked. The distributer sends current to the engine while starting engine and running engine, when the cap is cracked, residual moisture gets in and arcs the current causing the engine to run improperly. My car wouldnt turn over after it rained. If I was driving, and would step on the accelerator, nothing would happen or acceleration was jerky. Check the cap out or have it replaced - shouldnt be too costly if that is in fact the issue. I actually had the same issue with my newer Jetta. Could barely get out of a car wash once! - Probably a recurring VW issue.