Car wont turnover, 12.8 volts on battery, might be the starter.

If you put a volt meter on the battery and it reads 12 volts before you cranked the engine and it drops to 10 volts or less when you crank the engine, this indicates you have a bad cell in the battery and you should replace the battery because it is not holding the charge. The loud click sound coming from your starter is because you are not supplying enough voltage to energize it.

Sounds very much like the battery or the battery cables/connections. If the battery has low fluid or a shorted cell or two, it won't take a full charge no matter how long you charge it.
If you are not able to take the battery in for a load test and validate that it is good, try changing it out with the battery in another vehicle that is not having a problem, and see if that vehicle suddenly develops the same issue. Batteries need to have a load applied while the voltage is checked for a valid determination of it's condition. If you have a volt meter, have someone try the starter while you are checking the battery voltage. If it falls way below 12 volts (replace it), or stays above 12 volts (good) you have a valid answer either way.

if your battery has 12 volts and you can hear click noise , try to locate the click noise. If that is coming from the starter location then the starter mtr is not working.a voltage check at the starter mtr with the key in the start position will verify the problem. if 12 volts is not present at the starter mtr thethe start switch or wires could be the problem

Engine wont start.If car battery voltage is low then engine wont start.The fully charged battery will show 12 volt.But if battery is showing 12 volt.Then check the battery to starter connection.If that is also checked ok then check voltage for starter itself.The starter is also a 12 volt part.But if the starter is faulty then it has to be replaced.If you start the car but if its not starting then its starter fault.But if the car makes cranking noise but its not getting turn over then there are many other possibilities.But if the car is not even cranking then its faulty starter.Get this checked and confirmed before replacing any part.This should help.Thanks. Helpmech.

You will need a volt meter to figure this one out. Battery voltage? Should be above 12 volts, and while you are trying to "crank" the engine over, if it's still over 12, you need to see if that power is getting to the starter motor. If it goes below 9 or 10 volts, you either have a bad battery, or the starter motor is shorted, or bad.
To test the starter, you should have a large wire going to the starter that has 12 volts all of the time from the battery. A smaller wire will have 12 volts only when the key is turned to "start". If you have these and a good ground, the starter motor is bad.

sounds like a loose connection to starter motor not allowing full power to solenoid which is where power lead connects. or if it is a second hand starter could be faulty solenoid

MAKE SURE YOUR BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED.IT SHOULD BE 12.5 VOLTS.IF NOT HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AT AUTO ZONE OR ADVANCE AUTO.IF BATTERY VOLTS IS GOOD.MAKE SURE BATTERY CABLES IS CLEAN NOT CORRODED AND NOT LOOSE.IF BATTERY CABLES GOOD.HAVE STARTER TESTED.WARNING TAKE CAR TO VOLKSWAGON DEALERSHIP.BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE BATTERY OR STARTER.BY DISCONNECTING BATTERY CABLES. YOUR PCM WILL LOSE IT MEMORY.THE CAR WONT CRANK IT HAVE TO BE RESET WITH A SPECIAL SCANNER.

If the starter isn't turning it is not an o2 sensor. You need to make sure you are getting power to the starter, use a test light and a voltmeter check and make sure you are getting 12 volts to the starter if you are getting 12 volts from the battery to the starter check and make sure you are getting 12 volts from the ignition switch which will be the smaller wire. If you are getting 12 volts through that wire then the starter is bad. If you are not getting 12 volts or any volts you need to make sure the fuse and relay for the starter are good then check and make sure you have power coming out of the ignition switch going to the starter you will need an electrical schematic for the car to trace the wires to find the correct one.

You will need a meter or a test light to check the starter. You will have a big wire cable going from the battery to the starter that always has 12 volts positve at it. The smaller wire will have 12 positive when the ignition key is turned to "start." If you have both of these at the starter, your starter is bad.

could be a fuse, electrical problem going to starter, bad relay for starter (located under hood in fuse box) but more than likely your solenoid is shot on the starter itself. also relay should click when energized you will notice it if you have your hand on it while turning ignition switch. and you need constant hot (12 volts), switch hot(12 volts with ignition switch turned like your cranking car) and ground wires landed at your starter, a cheap volt meter from wal-mart is not a bad tool to have 10 dollars to test all connections and make sure to have parts store check your starter before you buy one