# VW Jetta - Power Problems

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 27, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187 "2007-09-27T19:22:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vicki\_Young](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Vicki\_Young](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vicki_Young)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187/1 "2007-09-27T19:22:15Z")

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My niece has a 2005 VW Jetta. It has had 2 alternators and 3 batteries replaced - all within 2 weeks. The mechanic (very trusted) can’t seem to find the problem that is causing her car to die if it sits more than a few hours. Any ideas?

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**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:** [September 27, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187/2 "2007-09-27T21:45:27Z")

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Isn’t this car still under warranty? Take it to a VW dealer and let them fix it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Vicki\_Young](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Vicki\_Young](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vicki_Young)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187/3 "2007-09-30T02:06:16Z")

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Sorry, I just found out that her car is a 2003, out of warranty

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 10:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-jetta-power-problems/5187/4 "2007-09-30T10:05:57Z")

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```
What specify is happening to the alternators and batteries?  

I suspect the alternators may have been rebuilds and depending on who rebuilt them, should always be suspect. The ones from the discount auto parts stores that come with a warranty are them least reliable. While batteries can be bad, they are far more likely to be OK. A bad alternator can kill a battery.
```