1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

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

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

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

RECALL CAMPAIGN 00414000 DEALER NOTICE TOO MUCH PLAY IN UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND TIE RODS. *BF RECALL CAMPAIGN# 99V248000. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VIN WAS OUTSIDE OF THE VIN RANGE. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS WITH THE OUTPUT STAGE CONTROL MODULE WHICH WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER AND SHUDDERING. *SC

1999 PASSAT UPPER CONTROL ARM RECALL HAVE TOO MUCH PLAY. *BF THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN RESPONSE TO A RECALL, THE WERE NO PROBLEMS FOUND WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUT THE TIE RODS HAD TOO MUCH PLAY, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD HER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

CONSUMER STATED TIE ROD WORE OUT PREMATURELY. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *NM

1999 VW PASSAT ON12/15/04 AND 12/16/04 SUDDENLY INCREASED SPEED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT DRIVER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. ON 12/15 WHILE DRIVING WB ON I-80 IN PENNA AROUND THE 278/279 MILE MARKER WITH THE VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR ITSELF INCREASED TO NEARLY 90 MPH WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INTERVENTION, I PUSHED BRAKE TO GET CRUISE TO RELEASE WHICH DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, I TURNED OFF CRUISE CONTROL ON TURN SIGNAL ARM WITH NO SPEED INCREASE STOPPAGE, I REACHED DOWN TO BE SURE THE FLOOR MAT WASN'T STUCK AND CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO BE PUSHED AND IT WASN'T. I FINALLY WHY STANDING WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES GOT THE VEHICLE TO SLOW ENOUGH TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND I TURNED IT OFF. I THEN TURNED THE VEHICLE ON TWICE AND THE RPM'S PEGGED IMMEDIATELY TO 5000-6000 RPM'S AND I TUNRNED THE CAR OFF AT ONCE. ON A THIRD TRY THE CAR TURNED ON IN IT'S NORMAL MODE AND IDLED OKAY. I THEN DROVE THE REMAINING APPROX 15 MILES TO WORK ON THE PA TURNPIKE AND PA RTE 115. I DROVE THE CAR HOME THE EVENING OF 12/15 WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS BUT, DID NOT ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. ON THE MORNING OF 12/16 WHILE ON WAY TO WORK AT APPROX THE 114 MILE MARK OF THE PA TURNPIKE NB THE CAR DID THE SAME AS IT HAD DONE THE PEVIOUS MORNING AND STARTED TAKING OFF ON IT'S OWN AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS DAY JUST LIKE THE RETURN TRIP HOME THE NIGHT OF 12/15 I DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. ON 12/16 I GOT THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER SAFELY AND WHILE BRAKING AND GETTING THE CAR TO AROUND 35-40 MPH I TURNED IT OFF AND CAME TO A STOP. ON THE FIRST RESART THE CAR AGAIN PEGGED RPM'S UP TO AROUND 5000-6000 AND I TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. WITH THE SECOND RESTART OF THE CAR IT RAN NORMAL AND I COMPLETED THE REMAINING 4-5 MILES TO WORK.*AK

MY ABS LIGHT ON MY 1999 VW 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. WHEN LIGHT IS FLASHING, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WHEN BRAKING HARD DURING THIS, CAR WILL STALL AND YOU HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING. DEALERS ARE STUMPED, SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE -$1400. *AK

VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA SENT ME A LETTER TO CHECK/REPLACE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS 1998-2000 PASSAT VEHICLES. VW DEALER INFORMED ME THEY WILL FIX THE CONTROL ARMS AT NO COST TO ME BUT AS A RESULT OF THE WORK PERFORMED THE VEHICLE WILL NOW NEED AN ALIGNMENT WHICH IS NOT COVERED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THIS IS ABSURD. I PAID FOR AN ALIGNMENT 5 MONTHS AGO AND PRIOR TO THE RECALL MY VEHICLE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT NEED AN ALIGNMENT BUT AS A DIRECT RESULT OF FIXING THE CONTROL ARMS MY CAR NOW NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT WHICH I HAVE TO PAY FOR. THE ALIGNMENT SHOULD BE COVERED AS PART OF THE RECALL FOR THE CONTROL ARMS!!!*AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM MAKES A SQUEAKING, THUMPING NOISE AS IF THERE ARE NO SHOCKS. *AK