# Jumpy after rain **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** jetta, starting, gasoline\ **Created:** [July 10, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jumpy-after-rain/66128 "2011-07-10T21:18:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bowsertune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bowsertune](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bowsertune)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jumpy-after-rain/66128/1 "2011-07-10T21:18:56Z")
Hey guys, I have '98 VW JETTA Wolfsburg and EVERY time after hard rain (cold OR warm weather), the next day my car is unable to start without giving it gas while turning the key. It only starts after a few tries AND it “bucks” when I give it a bit of the gas pedal early on (within 5-10 minutes) into the drive. After that time, it drives great like always. Just had the fuel system “cleaned” at a local oil change conglomerate, which yielded tons of white smoke out of the tailpipe. Any thoughts? - Eric ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jumpy-after-rain/66128/2 "2011-07-10T23:21:40Z")
Replace the spark plug wires. The symptoms you describe are classic signs of old, dried out spark plug wires. ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jumpy-after-rain/66128/3 "2011-07-11T17:00:52Z")
I forget what years/models were involved, but I recall that VW had a huge run of bad coils. Try spraying them one at a time time with water and see what happens