GTi won't start! Key turn click click click click click

[Pld118]

Well... Tool required to get the car going was... my jump leads.

To be fair, when attending to the car and trying to start it this morning, my instinct was telling me that a flat battery was all that was stopping the car from starting and indeed it fired into life as soon as the jump leads were connected.

Wheels turning as to what drained the battery (including alternator considerations).

I don't drive it very often and it's not had a decent run for a while so touch wood, it was "operator error" that resulted in some form of act that drained the battery. 

When the car started, the ECP yellow warning light audibly displayed on the dash and seems to have since cleared so presuming that was due to the battery having been 'disconnected'. 

[Pld118]

And it's gone again.  Seems to jump start, drive fine, then will allow one restart before refusing to start again and the ECP/ other warning lights are staying on.

[Mattyj]

I've had flat battery issues in the past and never had a clickmclicknjust a poor slugish attempt to start this iwhy i jumped stright to starter

[Buck]

I had this on mine once when I drained the battery. Seems really strange with the clicking but yes, it was battery charge.  I gave mine a good run then charged at home and all was well.

If it is happening again it could either be the battery that has a faulty cell (rare but possible) or the alternator?

It could be something as simple as a faulty/loose connection too.

[golfhappy]

I agree, check the connections. If you do have a multi meter, cost very little from ebay, stick it on Volts(V) with the symbol straight line direct current(dc) and pop it across the battery terminals. This should read 12.6ish volts. Less 2 volts deems a dead cell, less 4 is 2 dead cells etc. If you do bump again, car running should be near 14volts with nothing electrically running. Putting wipers lights on with the car running results in a voltage drop, numbers like 13 something. A poor battery usually the car turns sluggishly and then dead no clicking. A faulty charging system will possibly give you the red alternator light on the dash.
Failing all this the orange ECP light is telling you something.....wait for it!! ECP (extra censory perception) you'll need to bring this into play to find the fault 

[Pld118]

VW Assist en route!

[Pld118]

VW Assist (it was the AA) tested and concluded the battery needs to be replaced but he says the alternator is fine.

[ben gttdi]

test it yourself with a multi meter, with the car running and nothing turned on IE heating aircon or such, should charge at the battery at 14 volts or just over, if its under 14 your altenator is dying too which is y the battery went down... sounds to me like something has killed the battery and caused a dead cell, as it started and drove the first time til parked up!! from experience its your altenator or something was left on inside and killed a cell in the batt....
im speak from my daily experiences working in the roadside game!!

[Pld118]

Car now fitted with a new 3 year guaranteed Yuasa car battery:
Type 096 YBX3096 12V 75Ah 650A Yuasa Car Battery