Problems with 1999 Volkswagen Passat SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I was driving down the road and stepped on my brakes. i noticed my car was not stopping and the brake was very low to the floor. i got so scared. thank god i was going at a very very slow speed. my brake light came flashing on and beeping like crazy. this car seems to be a lemon lately. i already have issues when i start my car. at times it just doesn't start so i have to keep the key in the ignition and wait about 35 seconds and finally the car turns over. also i have gray smoke that comes out of my tail pipe upon driving at times. also my sun roof, the material got caught and its all ripped. and. my oil disappears on me. i can put two new quarts of oil in my car with in two weeks its gone bone dry with no oil leaks. very very weird. can someone help me out. are there any recalls for any of this. i already bought rotors, brake pads for the back brakes and buying calipers this week. now this happens where i have no brakes. i am so depressed about this. please help me! i could of gotten into a bad accident because my entire brake system failed on me today. go volkswagen. unreal. :( *kb

When we bought it the abs light was on and brake light blinks, when baking up to the left it clicks. *tt

Cars abs module has failed, and cant afford the estimated price of 1500$ to get it repaired. *tr

Abs module failure, random driving style/conditions. *tr

Out of the blue, my car starts "dinging" and i look down to see the abs light on, along with a flashing brake light. i did a search and the first thing i see is that you should check the sensors at each tire. this makes me think about the fact that just before my problem occurred, i had just had my tie rod ends replaced. was wondering if maybe the sensors had been damaged/broken when those things were replaced, but who knows. doubtful that the mechanic that did that work would own up to that anyways. upon more research, everyone is pointing to the abs control module and quoting anywhere from $100-600 for rebuilt modules to $1500-3500 for brand new ones. my husband wants me to drop the money on something that's not guaranteed to work. there are so many complaints, thought i'd add to this with my own complaint. i'm calling volkswagen monday to see what they're going to say. *tr

I have a 1999 vw passat. i had my brake pad replaced in march 2009, since that time my abs brake light came on and need to be replaced. in checking report for recall notice. i see were nhtsa.dot.gov.has a report date august 2009, concerning a problem with long-term effect of abs in passenger cars and ltvs. it will cost me $200. and something dollars according to my mechanic. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact noticed that the floor on the driver's side in the rear of the vehicle contained approximately an inch to 1.5 inches of water. she noticed the issue approximately four times within one month, especially in rainy conditions. the dealer stated that the failure may be caused by the sunroof, although the sunroof was never wet at the time of inspection. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but they could not provide a definite diagnosis. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls relevant to the issue. the contact also noticed that the abs indicator would illuminate intermittently. she was unsure if this failure was related to the water issue. the current mileage was 115,320 and failure mileage was approximately 115,115.

I was driving like every other day, when the abs light on my 1999 volkswagen passat. i took it to my mechanic thinking my brakes are worn out. the mechanic told me the brakes and rotors are perfect and that the abs control module is not working. i search the internet for a reasonable price to find that many other people are having the same problem. *tr

Abs control module: this complaint pertains to my 1999 vw passat turbo. i have been experiencing the same issue thousands of others have. the abs and brake lights come on every time i drive the car. it is my understanding that this is a defect in the car and a serious safety issue as the abs system is not functioning properly. *tr

While driving the car, had to apply brakes for emergency stop, left front flexible brake hose suddenly ruptured causing complete brake failure. the vehicle has been stopped using emergency hand brakes. under inspection, right front flexible brake hose also shows signs of advanced deterioration. the vehicle has never been in a crash, hoses were original parts. car is 1999 volkswagen passat 18.t automatic with 150,000 miles on the clock. *tr

My abs brake light is on as well as the brake light. i've taken it to the dealer and to a automotive repair shop to have it looked at. the dealer says that the abs module is bad and will cost around $900.00 to fix. the brake lines and levels are okay and the pads and rotors are good as well. it seems that the bosch 5.3 abs model for my year and make has recently been reported as faulty. the electronics in the 98-01 model abs modules should be lasting longer or at least the duration of the car. the problem is that virtually all of the bosch 5.3 and 5.3i abs modules in the passat have a serious internal defect (bad manufacturing process) that will surface after 1-6 years of service. if the brakes and abs are actually fine, then volkswagen should be replacing these faulty abs modules with upgrades. the consequence is that your brakes maybe fine but you cannot legally drive because of a failed state inspection. $900.00 is the way to fix it says the dealer. i've had my brakes serviced on the regular by and been told that they're fine, but now the abs light is saying otherwise. *tr

Abs failure. abs unit stopped working, mechanic says this is a common failure in this car. new unit costs $900 just for the part. *tr

The abs module on my 1999 passat has broken and the car is constantly warning me of the abs and brake lights on the dash are lighting up. *tr

Anti-lock brake system control module failure. lights flash on dash, no abs available. *tr

1999 vw passat,abs light on/brake light flashing for a couple of weeks, very annoying and scary, read on internet discussion forums , possibly very expensive to fix, do not have 1500 dollars to fix and it possibly may not resolve the problem..we need answers ... *tr

Abs module failure at ~67000 miles. abs light on with flashing brake light and 3 short peeps. water intrusion from under battery drains due to design flaws. *tr

The anti-lock braking system module on my 1999 volkswagen passat has failed leaving me with no functioning abs system. the failure occurred under normal driving conditions. the failure occurs every time the car is driven, the lights on the dashboard appear telling me the system has failed, the only consequence so far is a failed abs system, as of right now no corrective action has been taken because a brand new module is ~$800 dollars, and to have the module rebuilt requires removing it from the car and mailing it to a module rebuilding company(www.modulemasters.com) and costs $200+ and at this time i can't afford either of the costs easily. the car and brakes function fine, but there is no safety of the abs system incase of emergency an emergency stop of a 4000lb car. *tr

I got in my car one morning and started the abs lights and brake lights come on the instrument panel and has pretty much been on since and i have noticed without abs my car doesn't stop near as fast as it used to the dealer said it was the abs computer failed and the manufacture would have to send me anew one but that it was really pricy to fix and a group that i am with also drive the same cars a large number of them and there's has failed just like mine did. *tr

Abs light, oil light, blinking and the brake light blinking are simultaneously on. i can hear beeping and the air conditioning unit turns off (but the fan still runs) when approaching a complete stop, then the oil light stops blinking then when accelerating, i can hear the ac unit click back on and the oil light starts blinking again. major recall needed from other similar responses online. *tr

Abs module failed in my 1999 vw passat. *tr

Sudden loss of abs function due to abs module failure. *tr

This complaint is for my abs module in my 1999 vw passat wagon. it went out for no apparent reason, with lights indicating such. it is constantly broken now. it will cost 1,200 for the dealer to replace the broken module, with out it i am without abs. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. when the vehicle was purchased, there was plastic covering the reflector board. after a few months, the contact noticed that the abs lights illuminated on the instrument panel. through online research, the contact discovered several complaints on the same year, make, and model vehicle. an independent mechanic performed a diagnostic on the vehicle, but could not locate the specific cause of the failure. he was informed that if he depressed the brake pedal too hard, it could lock his wheel and result in a crash or he could lose control of the vehicle. the failure mileage was 47,000. updated 09/16/08. *lj updated 09/18/08. *jb

Abs module failure. happens everytime i start my car. replacement of abs module. *tr

The abs control module is dead on mt 1999 vw passat. this renders the abs useless. this is a known problem with the passats. i just hope they have a recall because it is big dollar repair. *tr

Normal usage on the car. at ~75k miles, the emergency brake light, abs light, and traction control light blink and the dashboard beeps any time the car drops below 15 miles per hour. abs module is faulty, due to defective design. well documented issue on passats of this era. *tr

Driving along on a clear day, open road, no bad weather. the abs/brake light on my car came on with a warning beep. intermittently the tachometer and oil pressure light would fail to work additional creating warning beeps . having the vehicle checked by a garage, the abs electronic module had failed requiring replacement. *tr

My abs light on my 1999 passat 1.8t comes on intermittently and stays on. when it does, the brake light also flashes. i can park my car overnight. when i restart it, it is off. after driving a short ways, it will come on again. *tr

I drive a 1999 vw passat sedan turbo. out of no where one day my abs and brake lights started flashing, they are always on now everytime i drive and do not go off. i am worried something may be wrong with my brake system but do not have any more money to put into my car at the moment since i have put thousands in since it was purchased. *tr

Driving at 60 mph the driver applied the brakes upon entering a reduced speed zone. the pedal went to the floor without resistance and the brakes failed to engage. no warning lights or other indications to suggest a problem. driver pulled the emergency brake to prevent hitting traffic ahead and spun 180 degrees across traffic slamming into a curb. witness to the accident tried to apply the brakes several times at the crash site and the pedal offered no resistance for him. powering the car on and off; brake pressure returned to normal. the vw dealer where the car was hauled to cannot duplicate the failure and the brakes checkout normal. dealer has given little sense of security to make driver want to get in the car again. said they could replace the master cylinder, but it checks out fine. one mechanic said he heard of a case with tires confusing the abs with different wear. front tires are >95% and the rears are 75%. nobody would document this theory however and repair will now leave car with 3 basically new tires with one rear at 75%. *jb updated 12/12/07 *bf

Abs module failure nothing lead upto the beeping and flashing of the abs light (solid lit) and brake light (flashing). occured after routine driving, simply pulling into work parking lot as usual, after short trip to eating. after some searching and browsing online leads me to believe the abs module has failed as on many other volkswagen/audi models. repair has not been done. remanufacturing of module is around $200 and oem dealer replacement is said to be well over $1,000 dollars. *tr

While driving on the freeway, my 1999 vw passat's abs light lit up and the brake light flashing in the instrument cluster follow by 3 loud beeps. i later bring it to an auto mechanic shop and was told that my abs module does not work any more. the mechanic further stated that this is a normal occurrence with vw abs system. *tr

Abs light stated to blink... can't "talk" to abs in car with computer... abs module is out :( *tr

1999 vw passat 1.8 abs light stays on.

I have a flashing brake light that i understand could be a result of the abs module failure. research shows that abs failure is very common and expensive to fix. *tr

Abs lights on, oil light, brake light on. diagnosed as failure of abs control module. *ak

My 1999 passat 1.8l has abs and brake lights flashing intermittently with the chime coming on occasionally. there appears to be no degradation of braking but not sure if abs is working or not. the condition seems to correct itself, but then restarts again within 10 minutes. *tr

Abs module is faulty, resulting in no abs braking system. *tr

Abs/brake light flashing; beeps initially when ignition is turned on. after having service center replace oil pressure sending unit, diagnosis determined to be failure of abs control module. not aware of this occurring in any other makes, and learn from complaints within and from forums and other internet sites that this is a common problem in 1999 vw passat. oil light, now, also comes on when brake pedal is applied, but goes off when pedal is released. oil pressure & pump okay, as is oil level, but source of oil light/brake pedal issue cannot be determined. *tr

Abs and brake light go on and off with no rhyme. dealer has quoted me $1500 to replace. it seems that it should be a recall with so many having the same problem. i will send to have it rebuilt then quickly sell car and not purchase vw again. *tr

This complaint pertains to my 1999 vw passat 1.8 turbo. i have been experiencing the same issue thousands of others have. the abs and brake lights come on every time i drive the car. it is my understanding that this is a defect in the car and a serious safety issue as the abs system is not functioning properly. *tr

Car abs brake module quite working causing tires to lock up and lose control of vehicle. *tr

Abs module has failed. this is a very expensive repair ($1400 for the part (!) plus labor) for a safety-related feature. in checking around the internet i am finding out that this is apparently a very common problem with this vehicle (vw passat, late 1990s models). *tr

Abs module failure. abs light comes on with brake light flashing and 3 beeps intermittently. after turning the car off for awhile it may not come on for several miles the next time. braking heavily causes the rear wheels to lock up and skid. also what i think is particularly dangerous is when braking heavily with the abs light off causes the car to skid and at the same time the check engine light comes on as well as the abs light and brake light and stalls. if on a highway at high speed this could be deadly. the repair will be the replacement of the electronic module. add me to the list of many who have this problem and want to get a recall instituted on this module. *ak

Beep sound abs and brake lights came on intermittently for a few seconds, and then went off.*ak

This regards a 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t wagon @ 97,500 miles. beginning 03/20/2007 the abs and brake warning chime and light on the dashboard suddenly came on and then off again. the vehicle was inspected by two separate mechanics. the abs and brakes are working properly, but the abs control module is faulty causing the warning chime and lights to intermittently come on and off. the warning chime and lights come on and off again at least once daily, some days repeatedly and at random. the cost to replace the abs module is $900. research on the internet proves that this is quite a problem with passat and comparable audi vehicles, many with much less mileage. i have placed a call with volkswagen of america, but they refuse to acknowledge that a problem exists with the module. the cost is quite excessive for a problem that continuously causes concern for the driver and is a pure annoyance. can anything be done to remedy this situation? *tr

Abs brain failure, 1999 vw passat 1.8t. driving on highway when dash lights lit noting abs failure occurred. car had 54,000 miles at time of failure. had to send out unit for repairs, led to driving for 2 weeks without abs brakes, and cost $200 for rebuild (new at dealer would have been >$1000).

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 1999 volkswagen pasaat with 113000 failure mileage at 60 mph the vehicle began to accelerate on its own. the vehicle accelerated up to 75 miles. the contact rode the brakes for approximately 5 miles, then noticed a safe place to pull over. the contact was jamming on the brakes to get the vehicle to stop. the vehicle came to a complete stop , and the contact turned the vehicle off. the vehicle was restarted twice, but the vehicle was still revving high. the contact was told to pull up on the brake pedal, and that was the remedy to get the vehicle to idle properly. the vehicle was taken to the shop, and they could not duplicate the problem. the contact was afraid to drive the vehicle. *ak

Solid abs light/flashing brake light. *jb

The anti-lock braking system failed on my vehicle. the abs and brake lights came on to warn me so i took it into the dealership. i was told that the abs control module had failed and would cost me $1500 to repair. there are hundreds of posts online about this exact problem with passats - in particular abs bosch 5.3 ,5.4, 5.7 control modules. *jb