Problems with 1999 Volkswagen Passat SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The abs warning light and brake warning light flash. *nm

I own a 1999 vw passat and had to have my abs control module replaced in july of 2005 at a cost of $1,300. i have been in touch with many other volkswagen passat owners who have also had their abs control module go bad and have had to replace it. since this seems like a very common problem i feel that volkswagen of america should issue a recall on this part and financially reimburse those of us who have already paid out of pocket to replace the abs. it is a very costly expense and was surprising to me that it needed replacement at only 75,000 miles, in my car's case. thank you. *jb

I own a 99 vw passat which has a failed abs system. upon researching this abs and brake light indicator problem, i have learned that this is a common malfunction with vw and audi owners. apparently, vw offered a recall for this problem but did not include pre-2001 vehicles. a definite indicator of their unwillingness to maintain the safety of their vehicles. when this system fails, the indicator lights up, however, this does not happen during 100% of my drive time. it happens intermittently and will likely cause a dangerous accident, since when lit i have no abs. please be aware that i am not alone in my complaint and hold vw liable for their faulty craftsmanship with this abs system. the costs of repair are exorbitant and should not be required by the consumer. this is a universal problem with their vehicles! *nm

Abs warning light flashes constantly with chime sounding each time the car starts. probably been ongoing for the last 6-8 months. was told by independent repair shop the problem was just electrical, but now reading numerous other complaints i believe it to be the abs module failing in so many other cars. seems like volkswagen needs to take care of this issue.*ak

Complete failure of abs control module on a 99 vw passat wagon with 99,000 miles. car reverted back to regular braking system...no abs. *nm

Abs failure. *nm

While driving on the highway abs warning light came on, and red brake warning light began flashing, indicating abs module failure.*ak

I own a 1999 passat 1.8t gls. the abs and brake light started coming on together intermittently at around 58,000 miles. dealer service diagnosed problem as faulty abs unit, cost $1400 total installed. i have not had the unit replaced yet. there are literally thousands of these defective units on the road today, why hasn't nhtsa pressured vw to issue a safety recall? this is clearly a safety issue and crashes are imminent.*ak

I own a 1999 volkswagen passat with 55000 miles on it. the abs light came on while driving and the brake light is flashing. on going to the dealer, i am told that i need to replace the abs unit and the instrument panel which will cost $1900. *ak this appears to be a common problem. according to the dealer, he has had several people complain about the same issue. vw should issue a recall for this part and not have customers pay for its defective parts.

Abs controller on my vw passat 1999 failed. *jb

The abs, brake and oil light all come on (oil will flash) with sporadic irregularities in the tachometer. the tachometer will sometimes drop to zero. all this happens with 3 distinct beeps whenever i use the brakes. colder temperatures can lessen the occurrence of the problems. dealership service says that the abs module needs to be replaced at a cost of $3600. i have not yet approved the repair on the car. *nm

My 1999 vw passat, has a abs control unit failure. the part # is 8e0 614 111b. after doing some research i notice that this is a big problem with vw. if this is such a common problem why have they not been recalled. i also notice that the newer models are now installed with a newer part, is this because vw was aware of the problem? *ak

Same as previous complaints: abs warning light flashes constantly w/ abs chime sounding constantly each time the car starts. i've been told that this is the abs module and that it has reportedly been problematic in a high percentage of these cars. in my opinion, vw needs to stand by there product in this case. *nm

1. abs & brake warning lights appear - no obvious events leading up to failure. 2. i drive carefully to the dealer shop during a snow storm - careful not to apply the brakes too strongly. no accident occured - but danger of accident definitely increased. 3. dealer determines the problem is the abs pump. due to safety issue, i have an appointment to have abs replaced at my cost of at least $1200 . *ak

I have a 1999 volkswagen passat gls - i am driving at random speed. chime comes on blasting. abs light comes on and stay on. brake light flashes (same brake light as when e-brake is engaged) chime keeps going. all goes away after about 20 seconds of driving. *jb

I am one of many people that have had the abs control module fail in my 1998 volkswagen passat. the dealer says that he can fix the 'problem' for around $2,000. i have seen numerous other people post internet messages about their abs control modules failing on their vw passats. i can't believe that vw would allow such a thing without issuing a recall. *jb

Failure of anti-lock brake module on 1999 vw passat 1.8t. no crash/damage/injury (yet). started 1/05, continues. common defect, certainly safety related. vw uninterested in correcting problem. *jb

During an emergancy braking procedure the abs system did not work. i attempted to stop from highway speeds, the tires locked up, and the abs/ brake light came on and then went out seconds later. but the front tire locked up when i needed the abs to work. the light now comes on and off at will. the brake pads front and rear have been changed, and the brake fluid changed to fix the problem with no luck. the light tends to come on once the engine is warm but i no longer trust the abs to work even if the light is off. *ak

I a 1999 vw passat gls 1.8t. i have experienced an intermittent abs warning light issue since mid december 2004. when it first came on i promptly took the car to my regular/local vw dealership (power volkswagon, torrance, ca) who reported that they could not find a problem, and said they reset the system. within a few days the abs light was on again and i returned it to the dealership and this time they kept it for a few days to try to determine the problem and reported that they had identified the problem as a wiring problem and recommended replacing the abs wiring to the sensors (cost under $500). after getting the vehicle back the light was again on intermittently (not as much as before) and this time they said the only other solution is to replace the abs control module (quoted $1,500 parts and $300 labor). given the fact that i had just spent $500 on abs wiring that they said was the problem i wasn't about to spend $2,000 with them. i started my own research to find that this is a common problem with 1998-2000 abs control modules on vw/audi vehicles (see http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447). i also talked with independent/german mechanics who seemed well aware of the problem (even though my vw dealership seemed to feel it was a mystery). as parent whose children are regularly in the vehicle i have tried to determine what level of safety risk (if any) this poses. when my wife initially called our vw dealership they said it was a critical problem and that we should bring the vehicle in immediately. then when they couldn't find a problem, it seemed to be "downgraded" to needs fixed but not critical. the vw owner's manual suggests that it is critical as the light on may result in unexpected braking and one of the independent mechanics i spoke with suggested he personally knew of a case where the vehicle's abs engaged at a high speed resulting in an accident. i encourage nhtsa to engage vw in resolving this issue.

i am one a large and growing number of persons with volkswagen's and audi's who have abs (automatic braking systems) that have stopped working after the car has been driven only 40,000 - 50,000 miles. the extent of the problems can be discerned by a web discussion group devoted to people with this sole problem (bentley publishers at http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?forumname=volkswagen.b.b5&threadid=6316 ). with this many people having found the website, 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 ($2600 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. *nm

Anti-lock brake system (abs) warning light blinked intermittently over many weeks. i was first told that the abs was working okay, but the problem was just with the indicator light. a direct test of the brakes on a slippery road proved that the abs was not working at all. a second visits to vw dealer's service department over resulted in diagnosis of faulty abs control module, replaced at a total cost of over $1500. *nm

The abs brake light on my 1999 vw passat keeps coming on. vw says i need. *ak

The abs warning light came on approximately one month ago, at first intermittently. the car was immediately taken to a mechanic, but problem could not be diagnosed. since then, the light comes on and a audible warning sounds at every start-up. the car has been returned to the mechanic, who will perform another diagnostic. all four rotors and pads were replaced in the last four months. the mechanic has a nearly identical car with an identical problem and has diagnosed a faulty abs module, a $950 part plus labor charges. searches on the internet show anecdotal evidence that hundreds, if not thousands, of owners of similar models are experiencing this same problem. other owners describe dangerous brake failures, including lock-up.*ak

The consumer the abs light has been coming on. the dealership said that the control module went bad. it was replaced, however the problem recurred . the anti-lock brake system does not work when the abs light comes on. service invoices are available if needed. *jb

I have owned my volkswagen passat for the last 5 years. about 6 months ago abs warning lights came on. i checked to see if the abs still were working, and it was not. the warning lights went on and off for the next month or so, but is now on whenever i turn the car on. i contacted the dealer, and they immediatly knew what i was calling about. it seemd as though this was a common problem. the price to get it fixed through the dealer was $1600 or more. volkswagen knows of the problem ,but says that nothing will be done. currently i can't afford to pay $1600 to have the abs fixed on my car that had 60,000 miles on it when this started.*ak

My 1998 passat's abs light is intermittently coming on and off. my mechanic has verified that there is nothing wrong with the abs pump itself, there is just a problem with the sensor. the web is full of the same complaint re: vw passats spanning many years. there is obviously a problem with the abs sensors on these cars. they need to do a recall. *jb

Abs module failure. was sudden/no warning. electronic portion needs replacement. re: san antonio tx dealer. failure occured w/less than 55k miles on vehicle. was told this is a common problem w/this vehicle.*ak

Abs & brake light continue to flash. it started as one brief incident and now happens everytime i am in my car. i have been told that this will run somewhere in the ballpark of $1500. this is obviously a poorly manufactured device and should be replaced by volkswagen. we are all hazards on the road. *jb

Abs and brake light simultaneously came on followed by a beeping noise. this rendered the abs brake inoperative. abs control module pump needed to be replaced because its internal relay was clicking and buzzing. this was a common failure part on this vehicle.*ak

In approx. october, 2004, abs warning light started to come on intermittently. problem is not repeatable, but happens at random times and for random durations. abs appears to be inoperative when the light is on. after several minutes, abs light stops flashing and the car functions normally. *nm

I own a '99 vw passat gls and have also had the problem with the abs control module. i get a solid dashboard abs warning light and blinking dashboard brake warning light when i start the car. both lights stay on and the blinking light caused my car to fail inspection. i've done research on the internet and found hundreds of such complains about this problem, particularly because this is a $1500 - $4000 repair, according to the various dealer estimates i've read. this is a serious safety issue and well-documented manufacturer's defect. my vw service center acknowledged they know this is a problem and how much to charge for it (~$2400), but because of the expense i have not repaired it yet. please take action! both the abs system and ignition system use bosch parts, which have documented failures. this should be a nhtsa recall item!!! more info can be found not just at bentley, but also this site: http://www.mycarstats.com/console.asp. *jb

Failure of bosch abs 5.3 controller leading to warning tones and lights and loss of traction control and abs functions, a definite safety hazard. this is a widely reported problem as vw and audi cars get older due to a failure in the bosch hybrid module. since the cars are out of warranty, vw and audi are not covering repairs which cost $1400 or more. *nm

Abs light coming on once in a while. now stays on permanently and beeps. concerned about safety of brakes. cost to repair $1600. this car has been in the shop numerous times for electrical problems since i purchased it. i will never buy another vw. *jb

Abs/brake light comes on intermittently, requiring replacement of abs module

Suddenly abs light comes on on the instrument panel. also at the same time, the brake light starts flahing.*ak

The abs and asr (electronic stability control) computer had to be replaced in my car. the car only had 71,000 miles. it almost cost me when my life when the abs did not kick in and started sliding on a rainy day. it cost $1,400 at the dealer to fix this problem; the service technician said it was common. they only replaced the computer.

There are no specific events leading to the failure besides regular use of the vehicle passat 1999. the abs warning light periodically has come on and lengthened in duration until it stayed on permanently. the braking is still normal, but the abs control unit is recommended to be replaced by the dealer. i have not replaced the abs control. also, the timing belt tensioner went out on my passat 1999. i was driving on a freeway when the car just cut out. i coasted it over to the side of the road where it would not turn over. this part was redesigned on later models because of its tendency to fail. i had to redo all of my rods. i still have the old part in my possession. *nm

Abs module 8e0614111b failed on 1999 passat under normal driving conditions. warning lights are intermittent meaning the function of the abs system is intermittent.*ak

Abs light turned on. *ak

Abs brake failure. *jb

Abs brake light- i took my car to a volkswagen dealership to see why this light is on and they informed me that it could be a module, and it is not covered by warrenty, and it would cost about $1300.00 to replace. so i did some research and in my research i learned that this is an ongoing problem. i did a search on google and found at least 200 complaints with the same problem and it is a safety concern. my brakes dont work in damp weather.. they become very hard to push.. and my brakes are new i had them replaces about 3 months ago and the light was on back then.. that is why i had them replaced, in hopes that was the problem.. but if you do a search on google you will find that there are hundreds of stories and safety concerns. i also contacted corporate volkswagen and they told me that my car was out of warrenty and that there is nothing that they can do, that i would have to pay for it myself.*ak

Submission of complaint re vw of america feel he has been over charged for numerous & extensive repair bills for his 1999 vw passat. the consumer stated he is still experiencing problems with the front suspension. the front stabilizer was repaired and the lower control arm was repaired, however the problem recurred. the rear brake pads were worn. the front doors creaked when opened. *jb the cruise control was intermittent. the consumer requested assistance of all the matters. *sc *jb

The abs module on my 1999 vw passat has gone bad. i have read other posts about such failures. it went out when my car had about 105 k miles. though that is a lot of miles, i don't see why a lot of high way driving would cause the abs module to fail. it's also a very costly fix. 1200 for the part and then another 200 for labor. that's 1500. my car is less than 5 years old.*ak

Abs unit failed from defect. i feel that this is a known defect in a manufactured part and vw america refuses to replace defective unit. *la

The abs / brake light keeps coming on my dashboard. i took it to service to rod east volkswagen (vw) and after charging me $75 they said there's nothing wrong with your car. the light is on everyday. *la

Abs control module failed in 1999 passat v6. abs warning light came on, along with flashing brake light and intermittent beeping sound. repair estimate $1500-2000. i contacted vw of america to complain after reading about numerous other complaints about the bosch part. vw of america told me they could/would not help with repair.*ak

Water accumulated in the brake power booster. the consumer removed about 5 cups of water. the dealer was notified. *nlm

Abs brake light came on dash board, causing my abs system to not function and i had it checked out, it turned out to be a busted abs module.

While driving at 25mph, the vehicle experienced total brake loss. causing a fire to the front and rear wheel. dealer has been notified and will cost $2,8000 to replace the abs. please provide further information.*jb

Faulty abs control module made abs sytem inoperative. *ak