A quick update on the Passat electrics issue. My first attempt at ordering a replacement part met with quite a dilemma: There are six different versions to choose from. Two different manufacturers, two different amperage ratings and two additional non-descript models. Further research was needed so I put the car on jack stands and started poking around under the car.

Based on the markings and look of my generator unit plus the account of several other B5 V6 Passat owners I've determined that my part is most likely a Valeo 120 Amp generator. Several folks suggested that I test the voltage from the B+ terminal before assuming the generator was at fault. As I suspected the voltage was low regardless of where I tested it relative to the generator. This was good news since a grounding wire issue would be a bitch to track down.

The bad news is that I need to put the front of the car in the "service lock position" which is a fancy way of saying you have to remove the bumper cover, headlights and unscrew a few bolts so that you can have a few extra inches to work. I determined that there is absolutely no way to get the generator out of the car without doing this. Since I need to remove it to have it tested or to replace a part I pre-ordered a voltage regulator for the unit.

The worse case is that I'll pull the generator, replace the voltage regulator and still have a voltage problem. I can then take the entire component to AutoZone and have them bench test it to confirm that the generator is bad. I'll then have to reinstall the generator and wait for the replacement. Best case the voltage regulator is bad and the replacement will fix it.

When it comes to constant car maintenance the Passat doesn't disappoint. I took a drive this morning to our local garden supply store and on the way noticed a "battery" warning light. After a quick diagnostic with my multi-meter and Volkswagen scan software I determined that the generator was bad.

So how did I figure it out? For starters I measured the voltage across the battery connections while the car was running. The reading was 11.8 volts which is well below the 14+ volts you'd expected with a functional generator. I turned off the car and measured again, this time I read 12.3 volts. A bit low but not out of whack. I then let the battery sit for an hour or so and rechecked, this time reading 12.4.

What happened: The battery was discharging (or draining) while I ran the car. The alternator/generator was not recharging the battery so it was losing power every time I started or drove the car. When I turned the car off the battery went back into "recovery" mode and the voltage creped back up as the battery regulated its self.

Eventually the battery would have died or become too weak to start the car. I made a quick trip to the store and bought a battery charger, which will keep the battery well charged until the replacement generator I ordered arrives. The temporarily solution is to recharge the battery every night so I can drive the car, though I'll have to do it without the headlights or over very long distances.

Fans of Deadliest Catch might recognize the phrase "I'm a robot" which is a running joke on the Northwestern. Captain Sig is notorious for running his deckhands ragged and once commented that they were good little robots after one long grind. Most of us have never experienced this sort of mindless, endless, repetitive task but many of us have experienced some part of it at times.

Personally I'm preparing, once again, for the long grind of having a new baby in the house. The first time I thought that it would never end but thankfully after a month or two it did. Don't get me wrong, having a new one in the house is a great thing but the endless repetition makes it seem like all you ever do is feed, sleep, change, sleep, work, eat.. etc. Aside for the routine the constant push to keep up at work and around the house leaves little time for anything else. So in this way you tend to feel like a robot.