Ok, since the Admin closed my help post i'll give a bit of an update:

Finally replaced the neutral safety switch today - simple really except for the $120 I paid for it and oh wait for it, the truck still doesn't start!

I have never had an issue with the starter, no difficult starts no clicking, nothing. I've now replaced this gizmo and I've checked the starter relay in the PDC, looks fine, nothing has shorted or burnt on it or the PDC. So what else is it?

I could remove the starter and check it out I guess, maybe add new brushes and contacts or do I just get a new starter? Do they just go bad like that?

I just forked out $1100 for a new timing belt and water pump on my TDI daily driver but now that the weather is better I've got lots of yard work to do that involves my truck and I'd like to get it rolling again.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

there is a fuse in the fuse box i think it number 9 its a 20amp or 30amp check that
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here it is

 

I'll take a look, thanks.

 

Get yourself a Haynes manual. I get one with ALL vehicles I own. Easy troubleshooting steps to follow. I scanned the page for you.

 

Thanks, I've got the 1200 page factory manual but I spent a few hours looking at this today and it gets worse every time I look at it.

There appears to be a loose connection somewhere in the under dash panel somewhere because when you climb in and throw the key sometimes the key dispays the indicator lamps on the dash cluster and sometimes it does not. When you raise and lower the tilt steering the lamps come on and off too. I've started to pull everything apart and seem to think that everything is related to the starter alarm thing that doesn't work any more that is still in the truck.

The connections are all starting to fall apart by all accounts and I am really getting pissed off at this truck. When it runs it runs great, when it doesn't, it's a paper weight that has insurance on it...

Anyway, if it isn't raining tomorrow I'm going to look at it more and see what I can find.

The starter may still be the problem but that doesn't explain the lamp issue on the dash cluster. I don't know.

Cheers,

 

what about the actual key switch if its anything like the 1st gens could be a problem i lost power to the heater and the electric windows the other day have them wired to the battery until i get a new switch

 

oh you have what i had if you use the steering wheel tilt alot the red man power to you key switch brakes and comes loose pull you bottom cover off its two screws and check that red wire i had to fix that at a job site pulled in shut it down then came back to go home no power at all

 

Coyropin:

The heavier red wire to the actual truck key? I'll trace it back because yes, I use the tilt everytime I drive this truck - have every since it was new the day I bought it.

If you grab the wire loom that runs under the column the lights go on and off so this makes more and more sense. I'm looking into it tomorrow.

Thanks guys.
Any other ideas or pictures, keep them coming because this will help me but will certainly help someone else.

Cheers,

 

i still have my steering apart i will get a pic right now

 

Awesome! Thanks.