My car is a 2003 Jetta and I just got my battery, alternator, and starter checked and everything is perfectly fine there. Still, my car has a hard time starting. It cranks, and it tries to start up. But usually doesn’t do a thing unless a door is open, or on the 3rd or 4th try. It always starts, just not on the first try normally. What is wrong with my car? My radio recently stopped working due to a blown fuse. I had that fixed by a friend and ever since that day I have had this problem. If you believe it could be a solenoid problem, how can I check that? Or have someone who knows what their doing check that? When my radio was installed there was a wire missing. So I have to manually turn the radio on and off.
One more thing, where can I go to get my airbags replaced or removed and how much will it cost? My passenger side airbag (not the dashboard one) ruptured about two weeks ago and I need to do something about it as well
Current mileage and mileage at last professional tuneup?
what happened to make the airbag deploy? And did you have the starting issue before this?
Did you have the starting issue before the radio was installed improperly?
At the onset, this sounds a bit more like a fuel issue than and electrical one, and the door being open may just be a coincidence… Try this:
Turn the key on for a couple seconds. Do not try to start the car, just key on.
Then turn key off.
Repeat this 3-4 times, and then trying to start on the 4th or 4th try. see if you car starts right up.
If so, you have a fuel drainback issue, or possibly a weak fuel pump. Gpierce001 question about the last tuneup is a good one, too.
There have been many reports about the Jetta deploying air bags for no reason.
Exactly what did your friend do to “fix” the blown fuse?
Concur w/ @eddo above, sounds like a fuel system issue. Ask your shop to check the fuel pressure regulator for signs of gasoline in the vacuum line. If that’s ok, a fuel pressure and hold test is probably next. You may have a faulty fuel pump check valve.