Check your CCM. (Pull the driver's door sill, remove the dead pedal, peel back carpet. The CCM is the electronics box you now see.) A flooded CCM can cause all kinds of bizarre weirdness.

The car isn't smart enough to shut things down gracefully. If the car starts consistently and easily, it likely is not the alternator. (The starter uses a huge amount of juice. The radio, lights, etc. can all work fine, and still not have enough to even budge the starter, much less start the car.)

SirWired

 

I don't think there is any way to flood CCM, it is inside of 2 sealed boxes.

Now wires being corroded is another story, my "CCM typed" problems were all resolved by cutting the yellow ground wire that's located under the dead pedal and setting a new one (of course).



Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

So, I'm driving home and pull into a convenience store. I set the parking brake run in and come back out. I disengage the brake but the "brake" light stays on - on the dash. The next thing I notice is my headlights will not turn on. The park lights do but not the headlights. (Not good since it is about 11 p.m.) SO, I have to hold in the high beams so I can drive home. The NEXT thing to go is my turn signals and then the windshield wipers. Finally the Fan motor on the climate control stops working. My assumption is the alternator is bad and the car is shutting down systematically so I can drive it home. I stop and have the alternator checked the next day (Still in the car) and the batter is at 80% charge but is good. The Alternator is registering at 14 volts which should be fine. SO, is this a false reading and something else going on? ANY help would be appreciated....

Thanks in advance!

It would help to know what car you have. I doubt it's the CCM. It sounds more like the load reduction relay is bad. I'll look at the schematics, if you tell me what car you have.

 

Car Type

I have a 1999 Passat 1.8 Turbo.

I appreciate all of the responses....Please let me know if you have anything more defined to look at!!

 

I looked at the diagrams. It almost has to be a contact of your ignition switch (or wiring from the ignition switch) went to ground. One contact of the ignition switch picks up the load reduction relay, supplies power to your DRL changed over relay, and to your headlights.

The load reduction relay removes load during starting of the car. The load includes: blower, wipers, emergency hazard switch (turn signals), etc.

The interesting note is that your brake light is lit when the parking brake is released. The parking brake light switch lights the light on the intrument cluster and also operates the dayltime running lights relay. If the ignition switch went to ground then ground would be placed through the DRL coil on the instrument panel parking brake light. So, it almost has to be the ignition switch (or wiring) gone bad as indicated by the problems: the loss of loads on the load reduction relay, the loss of the headlights, and parking brake light remaining lit.

 

So what am I looking to replace? The ignition switch? Or the load reduction relay?

 

It virtually has to be the ignition switch. Does your horn work? If not then, that's another indication of a bad ignition switch. The horn relay gets positive directly through the ignition switch.

Search for a DIY on removing / replacing the ignition switch. The ignition switch contact that is probably bad is labeled "X" and should have 2 yellow/black wires connected to it. One wire goes to the coil of the load reduction relay and the other to the headlight switch. Check to see if you have battery voltage on that terminal when you turn the key to run (no need to start). Also, there is a splice in the yellow/black wire (probably buried in the wiring harness) that goes to the horn relay.

Before you tear into the ignition switch if you want to, you can check to see if the load reduction relay picks up when you turn the key to run or you can see if you have battery voltage on terminal 1/x of the light switch (yellow/black wire) when you turn the key to run. If no voltage on 1/x, then check the ignition switch.

To access relay 213, take the lower footwell cover off below the steering wheel to access the relay panel. Relay 213 in position 2 on the 13 postion relay panel is the load reduction relay. Turn the key to run (no need to start) and feel / listen if relay 213 picks up. If it does not pick up, pull the relay and put a voltmeter on the relay socket connector to ground that corresponds to terminal 8/75 of the relay. The wire from that terminal goes to the ignition switch. Turn the key to run postion (do not start). You should have battery voltage on that terminal. Also, you can leave the relay in and turn the key to run to see if the relay picks up.

 

I didn't get a chance to check the horn but I do know the Rear Window Defrost isn't working either. However, the radio works fine and my heated seats work. Does that change anything?