About Jason Moreland Expertise I am a certified Volkswagen technician and am currently employed at a VW dealership. I am especially proficient with late-model VW`s. I have read over many of the questions already on the board and most of them I know the (correct) answer to. I did notice that whoever is currently answering them doesn`t, so I may be of service.
I would be helpful with electrical questions, and anything anyone is going to want to know about a late VW. I don`t know it all (no one does), but your people don`t seem to be having huge problems anyway.
Experience 9+ years in the automotive field
4 years VW experience, factory trained
Question I drive a 1997 Jetta that has about 70.000 miles. It is automatic transmission. The problem is that I started the car the other day and the RPM's shot up to 2000 right after I turned the ignition and without me stepping on the gas. It's as if I'm revving the engine but I'm not. This happens every time I start the car now. I am afraid to try to drive the car since this has been happening. If you have any ideas why this might be happening I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. On a side note, another condition of the car is that, after driving it for an extended period of time, it starts to make a loud clicking noise which sounds like it comes from under the front right tire. If you have any remedies for this I would also appreciate it, although the engine problem is my main concern. Thanks!
Answer Matt,
Your car probably has a bad throttle body. On this model, the throttle body also electronically regulates idle speed. It is probably now in what is commonly termed a "limp mode", meaning it will run well enough to get you where you need to go, such as a dealer or VW repair shop. It shouldn't be much trouble for such a place to confirm my suspicion or find whatever other problem is causing the high idle situation.
While there, they can also probably find the source of the ticking noise. It could be a bad wheel bearing, or something else.
I do recommend taking it in because you really shouldn't drive an automatic car with it idling that high-it is VERY hard on the transmission.
