1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

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

1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WINDOWS FALL DOWN DUE TO DEFECTIVE PLASTIC CLIPS BREAKING THAT NORMALLY HOLD THEM IN PLACE. WINDOWS FALL DOWN INTO DOORS DISTRACTING DRIVERS ATTENTION FROM ROAD AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DRIVER SECURITY IS NOT ASSURED WHEN DOOR IS LOCKED DUE TO THIS COMMON DEFECT. VW IS AWARE OF THIS COMPLAINT AND FIXED ON SOME JETTAS BUT NOT PASSATS. NOR WILL THEY MAKE AVAILABLE A REPLACEMENT PLASTIC CLIPS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IF YOU WANT THIS FIXED YOU MUST BUY THE ENTIRE WINDOW REGULATOR RATHER THAN THE SINGLE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT APPARENTLY BECOME BRITTLE WITH AGE AND FAIL. *TR

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. LIGHTS FLASH ON DASH, NO ABS AVAILABLE. *TR

CAR ACCELERATOR PEDAL LOCKS UP WHEN DECELERATE AND ACCELERATING WHEN MAKING A "U" TURNS. *TR

WHEN A $2 O RING IN OIL FILTER HOUSING FAILS, OIL IS QUICKLY PUMPED FROM THE ENGINE. . MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1.8 LITER TURBO. DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE OIL LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON. IN LESS THAT 5 MILES ENGINE DAMAGE STARTED. CAM SHAFT IS SCORED. *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

UNEXPECTED ABS AMBER LIGHT FAULT AND FLASHING RED BRAKE LIGHT. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE THIS AND WILL COST A LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO TRY AND REPAIR. *TR

1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS 1.8T. FAILURE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE. DEALER DEMANDED $2,500.00 TO REPAIR WHAT IS APPARENTLY A FAULTY DESIGN. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF ABS MODULE FAILURES ON THESE VEHICLES. *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

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