GTI Struggles to start up

[sam6123]

Hey guys, today when I was getting in my 2015 GTI to head back home, I turned the Key and my GTI struggled to turn over. While holding my key in the ignition to the max, the car would softly try once or twice to start up with the power flickering. It would try to start up every few second with me holding the key with ignition. For more context when the key is at half way I have complete power to the car. After a while and me giving it a few breaks and searching youtube and forums, the car eventually managed to unconvincingly turn over and drove as if nothing had happened. I tried starting the car again in the evening and the exact senario played over again, but it managed to start after only a few try's.

My first thought was that perhaps my starter is the issue, but my buddy told me to consider the batter as well.

I'm curious if anyone has had this happen or something like it before and if so what was the solution.

Below is a link that will take you to a video of when I attempted to start the GTI the second time.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ch6Dkq0XPzBXyASB9jEV1LLX4MukCpMC/view?usp=sharing

Thank you

 

[Mksleven]

I’d def check battery terminals make sure they’re not corroded first. If they’re old I’d swap em out for new ones (cheap fix, good maintenance). I’d check if battery is good of course as well.

Sounds like relay is clicking/working..Id suspect not enough power getting to starter to crank over if I know anything

 

[Pineapple]

Sounds like what happened when my battery gave up a couple weeks ago. I had about two day's notice of slightly longer starts before it went. New battery in and good to go. It requires a couple sockets so look into that before you're trying to do the swap.

 

[swcrow]

how old is the battery? That's def the first culprit to even start thinking about

 

[Mksleven]

Hey guys, today when I was getting in my 2015 GTI to head back home, I turned the Key and my GTI struggled to turn over. While holding my key in the ignition to the max, the car would softly try once or twice to start up with the power flickering. It would try to start up every few second with me holding the key with ignition. For more context when the key is at half way I have complete power to the car. After a while and me giving it a few breaks and searching youtube and forums, the car eventually managed to unconvincingly turn over and drove as if nothing had happened. I tried starting the car again in the evening and the exact senario played over again, but it managed to start after only a few try's.

My first thought was that perhaps my starter is the issue, but my buddy told me to consider the batter as well.

I'm curious if anyone has had this happen or something like it before and if so what was the solution.

Below is a link that will take you to a video of when I attempted to start the GTI the second time.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ch6Dkq0XPzBXyASB9jEV1LLX4MukCpMC/view?usp=sharing

Thank you

How’d it go, did you figure it out?

 

[sam6123]

So I went this morning and tested my battery and indeed it was the culprit. I than replaced it and my GTI runs as it should. Makes sense looking back as I had never yet replaced the battery since I had purchased the car and it was probably due to start dyeing, but was shocked just how quickly it did so.

Thank you all for the help, this saves me a massive headache and a few hundred bucks more than I thought it would

 

[avenali312]

So I went this morning and tested my battery and indeed it was the culprit. I than replaced it and my GTI runs as it should. Makes sense looking back as I had never yet replaced the battery since I had purchased the car and it was probably due to start dyeing, but was shocked just how quickly it did so.

Thank you all for the help, this saves me a massive headache and a few hundred bucks more than I thought it would

Yeah, the batteries in these never really tend to last as long as I feel they should haha. And they will absolutely die on you in a heartbeat. At least you got a warning. The first one that went in my 2015 lasted about 4 years (which is actually considered long, but no start-stop or Kessy helps in my poverty spec car). My wife and I had driven to a store, went in and shopped for about an hour, came back out and it was just dead in the parking lot. Had to get the mall cop to jump it and then went straight to O'Reillys for a new one.

 

[YamR1rider]

Yeah, the batteries in these never really tend to last as long as I feel they should haha. And they will absolutely die on you in a heartbeat. At least you got a warning. The first one that went in my 2015 lasted about 4 years (which is actually considered long, but no start-stop or Kessy helps in my poverty spec car). My wife and I had driven to a store, went in and shopped for about an hour, came back out and it was just dead in the parking lot. Had to get the mall cop to jump it and then went straight to O'Reillys for a new one.

Yep...very similar experience to my first one when it went - perfectly fine leaving home, stopped for gas 45 mins later - dead as a nail. Thankfully I had my jumppack in the glove box which got me to my friends house where I was going, jumped again and back to Autozone for a new one.

 

[The Fed]

I’d def check battery terminals make sure they’re not corroded first. If they’re old I’d swap em out for new ones (cheap fix, good maintenance). I’d check if battery is good of course as well.

Sounds like relay is clicking/working..Id suspect not enough power getting to starter to crank over if I know anything

I wouldn't buy new terminals.

 

[Proxima2]

My original battery died a few months ago. Gave very little warning....basically went from a bit draggy to nada in a few starts. I would run you car up to one of the chain auto places...they can scan your battery and give you an idea of whats up.