1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V414000 (STEERING: LINKAGES: ROD: RELAY: CONNECTING). SHE FELT THAT HER VIN SHOULD BE INCLUDED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,740.

ABS, BRAKE, AND OIL LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. IT STARTED TODAY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE FROM MY RESEARCH IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL I SPEND CLOSE TO 2K ON AN ENTIRE MODULE WHEN ONLY ONE SMALL CHIP SOLDER FAILED. *TR

1) WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY I-10 AT THE SPEED OF 50 MILES/HOUR, THE CAR IS SHAKING AND THEN AFTER A MINUTES. 2) THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE BLOWED OUT AND HITS A HOLE IN THE CAR. AT THE SAME TIME, REAR BUMPER WAS DAMAGED. 3) I HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRE IN THE HIGHWAY AND DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS, I CHANGED ALL 4 TIRES MANUFACTURED BY BRIDGESTONE. MY MECHANIC FIXED THE REAR BUMPER, AND HE TOLD ME THAT ONE OF MY BRIDGESTONE TIRES INSIGNA 195/65 IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (ACTUALLY THE TIRE SHOWS TIRE TREAD SEPARATION), THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF TREAD LEFT ON ALL OF 4 TIRES, 'CAUSE I JUST DRIVE OCCASIONALLY. ONE OF 4 TIRES FOUND OUT. *TR

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

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/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

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

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

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