Problems with 1999 Volkswagen Passat SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

About a month ago the abs and brake lights started intermittently flashing. i took the car to the dealer and i was informed that the abs module had failed. i was told that it's not safe to drive with a failed abs module as it communicates with other systems in the car. the dealer charged $912.08 for the repair. a month later the same problem started happening again. this time i was told that the abs hydraulic system, and the dealer is asking $2372 for the part itself. i searched for more information on the internet and there are thousands of vw passat owners who are plagued by abs-related failures. driving with no abs is not safe in a car that is designed to work with the abs system. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the abs, oil, and brake lights illuminated and then flashed. there was a beeping noise as a warning signal prior to the illumination of the abs, oil and brake lights. the tachometer also failed. this problem was intermittent and worsen over a two week period. the vehicle was taken to a independent repair shop who indicated there were no codes after the diagnostic testing. they recommended the vehicle be taken to the an authorized dealer. while looking through the owner manual, the contact observed a warning statement that the illumination of the abs and brake lights could result in the locking up of the rear brakes under hard braking. while driving 65 mph on a highway the rear brakes locked causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. there was no hard braking when this occurred.

Abs control unit failure. *jb

My 1999 vw passat 1.8t began exhibiting a flashing/beeping red light to indicate a failure in the abs system. upon further research with other owners of this vehicle, it has come to my attention that this failure is fairly common on 1998-2001 passats, but no action has ever been taken by the manufacturer. i had the abs module rebuilt and did the removal and installation work myself; the result was $220 out of pocket. however, many people who have sought dealership service work for this same problem have spent well in excess of $1,000. given the apparent failure rate of this module and the fact that it is a core safety feature of the car, it is my opinion that it should be considered for recall (including compensation for those who have already made the repair). thank you. *tr

Abs light and brake light flashing continuously. dealer claims abs module($1600). after researching, found hundreds of vw passat owners with same problem vw does not want to assist or perform recall. *nm

My abs light has been flashing for months .....i am told by dealership that it is an abs sensor....brakes not really affected....however i hit the brakes at 10mph while taking a slight turn...brakes failed, then locked; hit curband brushed tree.vw needs to address this.....brakes checked and looked fine...no explanation for the behavior of the brakes. *nm

At about 80,000 miles abs & brake lights began flashing. took in for service as indicated in owner's manual. service tech advised it was abs instrument cluster -- expensive repair. was told brakes were ok and i should have no problem with them operating properly. i waived repair based on this information. it is now a month later and the lights are on continuously. took car in for state inspection. now told car will not pass inspection due to possible problem with brakes! huh? i've been driving car for over a month thinking there was no danger. service techs will now not confirm problem is with abs instrument cluster. must do additional diagnostic at $80/hr. was informed they could pass car inspection if they could get lights to go off long enough for them to perform inspection (wink wink). is this a safety hazard or not??? i now have 15 days to get repair done in order to pass inspection. i'm no tech but this seems to be a faulty part that everyone is aware of but not willing to do anything about. add to that, there is no clear direction on whether this is a danger or not. i'm guessing since cars won't pass inspection, it is. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the abs light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. the dealership determined the abs module needed to be replaced.

Abs warning light plus oil and brake lights flash, tachometer goes to zero. *nm

Abs light comes on and brake light blinks. abs electronic module failure - discovered problem at passatworld.com. *jb

My 1999 volkswagen passat (v6, glx model) has a faulty abs control module. at around 103,000 miles, the anti-lock brake system stopped working on my car and began flashing a brake warning light in the instrument panel. i have spoken with numerous other vw passat owners who tell me this same incident has happened to them. it seems to be a trend among 1998-2001 passats, and since the abs system no longer works, is an obvious safety hazard. *tr

1 - i was driving my 1999 vw passat with 97,630 miles on july 28, 2006 when it seemed to lose power and the "check engine light" came on. i pulled over as soon as possible to check oil, fluids, damage, etc but could find nothing out of the ordinary. 2 - a day later, the exhaust started to make a continuously loud noise and the accelerator pedal now fluctuates up and down automatically without any action from me. it appears like a circuit board or electronic control module went bad. 3 - the "abs / brake" lights came on and started blinking at this time as well. 4 - my dealer said the modules go bad and it is not under any warranty, so the estimate was around $850 to fix. i called vw's national customer care and they did not have any warranty or recall notices that could help. *jb

In august of this year, 2006, my 1999 volkswagen passat gls, which was purchased new by my family, begin exhibiting some troubling behavior. the behavior consists of the tachometer ceasing to function as both the "brake" and "oil" dashboard lights flash with accompanying warning tones and the "abs" dashboard light comes on solid and remains on. when the "abs" dashboard light is on, my car's abs does not function. at first the problem was intermittent, but eventually became more frequent and has now reach a state of persistency. i have been working on volkswagens vehicles since i was a child and, given my immediately family has owned over ten volkswagens in the past 20 years alone, the rest of my family has as well; including a secondary relative who owns a volkswagen repair business in amesbury, ma. given the above described problem is common and well documented, the diagnosis of a faulty bosch 5.3 abs controller was straight forward. the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) has logged over 50 complaints alone with many hundreds more being affected. all instances are consistent with my own. review of the individual testimonies as logged by the nhtsa makes it clear that this problem is caused by the premature failure of a key component of one of the most crucial automotive safety systems. the prohibitive cost of repairing this item and the refusal to acknowledge the problem component as defective and electively recalling it amounts to negligence and reckless endangerment on the part of volkswagen. the defective component represents a danger to the driver of the affected automobile and everyone sharing the road with the affected automobile. the problem expressed herein is widespread and clearly documented as a problem and a hazard that is not typically experienced by other automobile owners with similarly functioning antilock braking systems. this unit should be recalled to ensure the safety of hundreds if not thousands of drivers. *nm

Abs, oil, brake warning lights intermittently come on and off over last few months with alarm sounds beeping intermittently also. tachometer drops to 0 when this starts and stays on 0 as long as warning lights on. other times no lights or anything when i start it up and drive for quite a time, then they start again. took it to rusty wallis vw in garland, tx. they said abs module not communicating was my problem===quoting $2687 to replace, and if i didn't replace it, chance was wheels would lock up if i had to brake hard. they did ask me to fill out a questionnaire on this abs problem, like "constant light" or "intermittent", etc. i thought that was curious. i have seen so many complaints on this very same thing on internet, automotive discussion boards. i also have gathered vw is saying there is nothing they can do. this is a vw problem (also gather it's an audi problem). it's a safety problem, and it's an expensive problem. i don't have almost $3,000 in my pocket for something that should be owned up to by vw. it's a safety problem with vw's and this abs module going bad appears to be a very common problem with vw. i'll never buy another one. thank you for your consideration. *jb

Abs indication light was on consistently. searched online and found a large number of complaint existed regarding the abs control unit but not yet have the vm/audi recall action activated. brought to the dealer for diagnosis and noted "found no communication between abs and instrument cluster, abs control unit has failed". was charged for over $1000 to replace the abs control unit. this should be a manufacture defect and it is not reasonable for the consumers to bear the cost of replacing the abs module. *nm

The following is exact comments from vw tech written in dealership invoice. "abs control unit is faulty abs light is on and the word brake is flashing when the control unit is plugged in. no tachometer reading and the oil pressure light flashes. 5052 will not communicate with the unit at all. dealer tech unplugged abs control unit and the tachometer signal came back and the oil pressure light stopped flashing." **5052 will not communicate** diagnostic tool will not detect fault with abs module!!! *nm

I have a 1999 vw passat v6 gls. i have 74, 270 miles on the car. my abs and brake light came on about 1 1/2 weeks ago, then my check engine light came on, then my abs/ brake and oil pressure light came on and were flashing. i brought it to vw dealer today, and was told my abs module needed replacement for $975.00. i went online and found at vwvortex.com that quite a few people had similar problems with their passat in my year range. i don't feel that i should be charged for a defective part that is jeopardizing my safety. in addition, i received a recall in 11/04 for vehicle control arms. i brought my car to vw dealer on 12/17/04, and was told that my control arms did not need to be replaced. at that time i had 61, 923 miles on the car. today, i am told only 12,000 miles later that my control arms need to be replaced at my own expense because the recall is closed. i don't feel that i should be charged for this part either, the defective part should have been replaced in 12/04 before it could pose a hazard to my safety. *jb

Just before the expiration of my 100,000-mile, 6-year extended warranty at 99,938 miles (and 23 days before the end of 6 years) i took my 1999 1.8l turbo volkswagen passat (b5) to the dealership. i requested that they perform the 100,000-mile service and to thoroughly check the car for any repairs that may be required since it would soon be out-of-warranty. five weeks and 3000 miles later (and out of warranty) i was driving home from work when on two occasions my abs and brake warning lights turned on and three beeps sounded (the first instance occurred at 103,085 miles). both times the warning lights went off within seconds. upon researching this problem on the internet, it appears that this is related to a failed abs control module, apparently a known problem that should have a recall associated with it since it fails prematurely. according to the dealership, it will cost between $1800 and $2400 for them to repair the abs control module. this is the second large item failure within five weeks and 3000 miles of my warranty expiration (the first was a failed timing belt and tensioner). it appears to me that volkswagen has instituted planned obsolescence into their products! i am also very upset that both of these failures are well documented and should be known by both the dealership and volkswagen and could have been prevented with very little effort. *jb

Abs light, abs intermitant failure, oil light failure, tachometer failure. *nm

Abs and brake light flashes - was told abs unit needs to be replaced. when lights are on determined that abs and the proportioning system of the braking system is not operating and feel that this is a dangerous condition. dealer wants crazy amounts of money for repair which i cannot afford. i found out online that thousands of other people have the same exact problem as i do and we all strongly feel that this definitely deserves to be a recall by vw of america. they know that this is a major problem and won't do anything about it. *jb

Abs, asr, and brake light started coming on intermittently. when abs and brake light is on the car's anti-lock brake system is not functioning and the owners manual suggests rear wheels may lock and that the vehicle should be driven slowly to a service station. i took the car to the dealership service department where they ensured me that a new wheel speed sensor and associated wiring would fix the problem. i was very disappointed with the service i received and because i'm a cometent engineer with electrical trouble shooting skills i actually found the problem to be a faulty abs control module. i'm currently awaiting the rebuilding of the component and will install it when it arrives. there are hundreds if not thousands of these complaints at various sites on the internet. one sight has over 28 pages of complaints about this issue. *nm

I own a 1999 vw passat glx with 72,000 miles. approximately one month ago, the abs light, the brake light, the oil pressure indicator, and the tachometer began to behave erratically. two weeks ago, the right front caliper stuck in the extended position, starting a wheel fire at the rotor. i replaced the caliper, rotor, and pads. a non-vw service center replaced the remaining rotors and pads, replaced the master cylinder, and flushed/bled the entire system. the problem with the lights and alarms persists. the lights and alarms are usually absent when the vehicle is completely cold, then usually appear after several minutes of driving. the lights and alarms can disappear while driving, then reappear during later driving. i have not contacted vw directly, because i'm concerned what the estimate might be to attempt repair. *jb

I am one of an already large and constantly growing number of persons with volkswagen's and audi's who have abs (automatic braking systems) that have stopped working after only a mere 60-70,000 miles. i have taken my car in to the dealer several times to resolve this issue and each time they (deal) say it's something else. with many people complaining now and more to join in as the days go by, one can only imagine the large quantity of other people who have this snafu. our experience has been that vw/audi appears to refuse to acknowledge the problem. lately, several persons have said that the problem is generally being caused by the electrical unit in the abs module. yet at this point, vw and audi are having users replace the entire unit. this cost is prohibitive for many of us ($2000 upward in my case). in the meantime, many of us are having to drive with faulty abs systems, with resultant safety problems: for me, the abs problem causes the brakes to go on at inappropriate times. the brakes on my car grab and activate unexpectedly during the first several minutes of driving after my car has sat overnight. others have experienced this too. i fear that this may cause an accident. this problem on my car seems to be growing worse. the more obvious safety hazard is that all of these cars lack the abs during crucial times of driving on icy or wet pavement. again, this problem is aggravated when the abs goes on and off intermittently, without the driver's knowledge (since in many cases, the dash warning lights remain on throughout). at this point, i'm fearful whenever i drive my car. *jb

1999 vw passat 1.8 turbo. abs light came up on 74000 mile for no reason. light was coming and going. now it is always on. reading codes says: "no communication" between control module and computer. diagnose was: bad control module. module cost $700 us dollars, and dealer is asking for $700 to replace( for me it will take 15-20 min). still, this is too much for bad designed and in a wrong spot placed module. *jb

Abs warning light on - abs not working. *jb

vw passat 1999 - failing abs module (abs,oil,brake lights on). internet research showed hundreds of similar complaints. vw should at least fix this for original owners. my light has been on for over a year. i was quoted $1400 to repair yet it is a bad solder joint on the abs circuit board. vw needs to replace the module. so mush for vw safety. *tr

Abs light started to light intermittently for about two days and is now on constantly. braking characteristics have noticeably changed and randomly pulse at times. this is a well documented failure in vw passats at around 75k miles. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the abs, brake and oil lamps intermittently illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined the abs module needs replaced although the repair was not made.

1999 vw passat. abs light was always on. brake light always flashing in dash, 3 beeps every few minutes. no definitive answer from 2 dealers. i will not accept trial by error diagnosis at my expense. i strongly urge vw to attend to this overwhelmingly common problem. my love of driving this car is gone.*ak

The abs brake system failed in our 1999 passat wagon with only 70k miles. it failed when my wife was driving and almost caused an accident. the cost of the repair was also extreme. *jb

Multiple warning lights on and/or blinking including abs, brake light, and oil light. *jb

The abs and the brake light is going on. dealer told me the problem is the abs control unit. the cost is >$1700. *jb

Under normal driving conditions the abs light comes on and the brake warning light flashes intermittently together with 3 beeps. some days are worse then others, but i would say the problem occurs about 60-80% of the time. when the light is on, the abs is not functioning and rear wheels tend to break out easily on icy roads. *jb

I had a flashing abs light in my gauge cluster that wouldn't stop. went to dealer to check fault code for light. told that my abs control unit is bad and needs replacing....shouldn't drive car without replacing unit. cost for unit and r & r $1.000. *nm

Vw passat 1999 - failing abs module (abs,oil,brake lights on). internet research showed hundreds of similar complaints. see http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=30&tstart=0 for additional details. *nm

Abs control module failure. this failure has been reported by many owners, as reported on various online forums (vwvortex, etc). the failure is well known and frequent enough that there are businesses that sell rebuilt/remanufactured part. *nm

At 52k miles, had intermittent episodes of abs light remaining lit and brake light flashing. over the course of a couple weeks, had >100 such incidents. also of note, vibration was felt upon braking at low speed. service mechanic at dealer reported faulty abs control module, which was replaced at exuberant cost. apparently, hundreds of such complaints have already been reported on this problem, and vwoa have taken no effort to recall such prevalently faulty parts. *nm

Abs control module failure on volkswagen passat 1999 1.8t gls. *nm

The vehicle is a 1999 volkswagen passat. abs and brake warning lights come on periodically with increasing frequency and no apparent cause. this is a common problem with passats and audi a4s. i found around 40 similar complaints on the nhtsa web site and the frequency of the problem is well documented elsewhere on the internet. the problem is reported to result in lack of abs and inactivation of the normal braking distribution mechanism. the lack of abs, while serious, only reduces braking to that of many other vehicles. the alleged effect on distribution of braking power is a potentially more serious problem, as it could result in poor performance of even the conventional braking system. *jb

Dt: the contact took vehicle to dealer for recall repairs. upon inspection the technician noticed the steering assembly came loose. the vehicle was being repaired at the dealership. they replaced both lower control arms and both tie rods. also, the dealership also found there was an oil leak and the abs was defective. *ak the technician discovered the steering rack assembly was loose to the point it could have fallen of from the frame. updated 11/29/05. *jb

1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t abs module failure. appears many other consumers have same problem with this expense safety device failure. vw is ignoring the issue stating there is no history of failures or service bulletin 0517. dealer wants to charge me $1750 to repair.

I own a 1999 vw passat 1.8t gls. at 69,000 miles, "abs" and "brake" dash lights go on and off, indicating failure of abs control module, and loss of abs function. *nm

Many audi and vw models manufactured starting in the later '90s and continuing to present, use the bosch 5.3 abs controller, which is prone to catastrophic failure, ostensibly due to defective design. this module controls multiple brake-related functions including the abs which is important for winter driving, but the most critical function of this module is probably the electronic brake force distribution, or ebd. these vehicles are designed such that if the ebd is inoperative, the proportion of hydraulic force applied to the rear brakes during emergency braking is as great as it is during moderate braking effort when there is minimal transfer of vehicle weight to the front wheels. the ebd is supposed to adjust the front/rear braking distribution dynamically according to the measure of the deceleration, so that the rear wheels will not lock up during emergency braking. if this module should fail during emergency braking on dry pavement, the rear wheels could lock up and cause an accident which could easily include fatalities. this is an expensive repair for owners, costing roughly $2000, and many owners have probably put off the repair indefinitely. evidence which can be found through a simple web search, suggests that the problem is widespread, and that if it has not already led to serious accidents, it is only a question of time. this problem is genuine, and vw/audi should be compelled to take immediate corrective action. *jb

Dt: 1999 volkswagen passat - in re: the anti lock brake system. a warning light had come on along with a beeping sound. the consumer had taken the vehicle to the dealer and they suggested that this was a common problem with the passat. the consumer researched this matter and realized that there were other similar complaints, then called the manufacturer. thee manufacturer stated that there was no recall on this problem and had not fixed it as of yet. the consumer had not experienced any other problems except with the warning light and the beeping sound. *ak (12/08/05) the antilock brake system failed daily. *sc

No abnormal events leading up to failure, just a normal commute on residential road at about 30 mph. the failure was indicated by three loud electronic beeps and the appearance of the "abs" light (steady) and "brakes" light (blinking) on the instrumental cluster. consequence of failure is loss of abs operation. no repair effected as yet, diagnosis shows failure of electronic abs module. *nm

1. normal driving conditions; city as well as highway driving. 2. random, intermittent warning lights appear on dashboard. lights are: abs - solid yellow. brake - flashing red. 3. nothing has be done to correct the failure as the dealer wants between $1,500 -$2,000 to fix the abs module. additional information: visited various volkswagon message forums. many volkswagon owners are experiencing this problem since early 2004. here is a link to one such site: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=6316&start=0&tstart=0. *jb

The abs brake control unit of my 1999 passat has failed. dealer quotes cost in excess of $1000. to replace a part that costs less than $100 to manufacture. i found a car forum where many, many people talk of this bosh part as failing in their passats and audis. *ak

99 vw passat. abs brake lights flash intermittently. it seems the abs module needs replacement at 1500+ after some research it appears there are many people experiencing the same problem. *jb

While i was driving, i hear three beeps, the abs light turns on and the emergency brake light blinks. now it happens everytime after about five minutes of driving. i researched this problem and it appears to be a common problem where the abs control module fails. i have already fixed this problem and it is recurring. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the abs light came on and the brake lights were flashing. he took the vehicle to the dealership ,who stated, the control module was not communicating with the computer, which was a sign that the abs control module failed and needed to be replaced." there have been no repairs made due to the extensive expense. *ak