Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 235 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 235, in the owner's own words
PURCHASE VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 23,2012 AFTER GETTING THE MECHANICS APPROVAL THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE (OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON) SUPPOSEDLY THE VEHICLE PASSED EMISSIONS,AND DROVE 17 MILES AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP APPLE AUTO IN WALLINGFORD,CT WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE. *TR
CARS ABS MODULE HAS FAILED, AND CANT AFFORD THE ESTIMATED PRICE OF 1500$ TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND STEPPED ON MY BRAKES. I NOTICED MY CAR WAS NOT STOPPING AND THE BRAKE WAS VERY LOW TO THE FLOOR. I GOT SO SCARED. THANK GOD I WAS GOING AT A VERY VERY SLOW SPEED. MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME FLASHING ON AND BEEPING LIKE CRAZY. THIS CAR SEEMS TO BE A LEMON LATELY. I ALREADY HAVE ISSUES WHEN I START MY CAR. AT TIMES IT JUST DOESN'T START SO I HAVE TO KEEP THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND WAIT ABOUT 35 SECONDS AND FINALLY THE CAR TURNS OVER. ALSO I HAVE GRAY SMOKE THAT COMES OUT OF MY TAIL PIPE UPON DRIVING AT TIMES. ALSO MY SUN ROOF, THE MATERIAL GOT CAUGHT AND ITS ALL RIPPED. AND. MY OIL DISAPPEARS ON ME. I CAN PUT TWO NEW QUARTS OF OIL IN MY CAR WITH IN TWO WEEKS ITS GONE BONE DRY WITH NO OIL LEAKS. VERY VERY WEIRD. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR ANY OF THIS. I ALREADY BOUGHT ROTORS, BRAKE PADS FOR THE BACK BRAKES AND BUYING CALIPERS THIS WEEK. NOW THIS HAPPENS WHERE I HAVE NO BRAKES. I AM SO DEPRESSED ABOUT THIS. PLEASE HELP ME! I COULD OF GOTTEN INTO A BAD ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED ON ME TODAY. GO VOLKSWAGEN. UNREAL. :( *KB
WHEN WE BOUGHT IT THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON AND BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS, WHEN BAKING UP TO THE LEFT IT CLICKS. *TT
ABS LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BLINKING AND THE BRAKE LIGHT BLINKING ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY ON. I CAN HEAR BEEPING AND THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TURNS OFF (BUT THE FAN STILL RUNS) WHEN APPROACHING A COMPLETE STOP, THEN THE OIL LIGHT STOPS BLINKING THEN WHEN ACCELERATING, I CAN HEAR THE AC UNIT CLICK BACK ON AND THE OIL LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AGAIN. MAJOR RECALL NEEDED FROM OTHER SIMILAR RESPONSES ONLINE. *TR
ABS MODULE FAILED ON 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ABS NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. *TR
I HAVE A 1999 VW PASSAT. I HAD MY BRAKE PAD REPLACED IN MARCH 2009, SINCE THAT TIME MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. IN CHECKING REPORT FOR RECALL NOTICE. I SEE WERE NHTSA.DOT.GOV.HAS A REPORT DATE AUGUST 2009, CONCERNING A PROBLEM WITH LONG-TERM EFFECT OF ABS IN PASSENGER CARS AND LTVS. IT WILL COST ME $200. AND SOMETHING DOLLARS ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. *TR
ABS MODULE FAILURE, RANDOM DRIVING STYLE/CONDITIONS. *TR
ABS, BRAKE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT INDICATORS ON - APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH PASSATS. FAULTY ABS MODULE ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, $900 PART. VEHICLE HAS 67,000 MILES AND DEALERSHIP SERVICED. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE. *TR
OUT OF THE BLUE, MY CAR STARTS "DINGING" AND I LOOK DOWN TO SEE THE ABS LIGHT ON, ALONG WITH A FLASHING BRAKE LIGHT. I DID A SEARCH AND THE FIRST THING I SEE IS THAT YOU SHOULD CHECK THE SENSORS AT EACH TIRE. THIS MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT JUST BEFORE MY PROBLEM OCCURRED, I HAD JUST HAD MY TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED. WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE THE SENSORS HAD BEEN DAMAGED/BROKEN WHEN THOSE THINGS WERE REPLACED, BUT WHO KNOWS. DOUBTFUL THAT THE MECHANIC THAT DID THAT WORK WOULD OWN UP TO THAT ANYWAYS. UPON MORE RESEARCH, EVERYONE IS POINTING TO THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND QUOTING ANYWHERE FROM $100-600 FOR REBUILT MODULES TO $1500-3500 FOR BRAND NEW ONES. MY HUSBAND WANTS ME TO DROP THE MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GUARANTEED TO WORK. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS, THOUGHT I'D ADD TO THIS WITH MY OWN COMPLAINT. I'M CALLING VOLKSWAGEN MONDAY TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY AN INCH TO 1.5 INCHES OF WATER. SHE NOTICED THE ISSUE APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES WITHIN ONE MONTH, ESPECIALLY IN RAINY CONDITIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE CAUSED BY THE SUNROOF, ALTHOUGH THE SUNROOF WAS NEVER WET AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A DEFINITE DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ABS INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. SHE WAS UNSURE IF THIS FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE WATER ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,320 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,115.
ABS BRAKE MODULE DEFECT. *TR
ABS CONTROL MODULE: THIS COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO MY 1999 VW PASSAT TURBO. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *TR
I WAS DRIVING LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY, WHEN THE ABS LIGHT ON MY 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC THINKING MY BRAKES ARE WORN OUT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE BRAKES AND ROTORS ARE PERFECT AND THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS NOT WORKING. I SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR A REASONABLE PRICE TO FIND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
AT RANDOM INTERVALS WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, AND ASR LIGHT FLASH WITH ACCOMPANYING WARNING BEEPS AND THE TACHOMETER GOES TO ZERO. THESE WARNING EVENTUALLY GO AWAY ON THEIR OWN. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL INTERMITTENTLY PRESENT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES FOR EMERGENCY STOP, LEFT FRONT FLEXIBLE BRAKE HOSE SUDDENLY RUPTURED CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STOPPED USING EMERGENCY HAND BRAKES. UNDER INSPECTION, RIGHT FRONT FLEXIBLE BRAKE HOSE ALSO SHOWS SIGNS OF ADVANCED DETERIORATION. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH, HOSES WERE ORIGINAL PARTS. CAR IS 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 18.T AUTOMATIC WITH 150,000 MILES ON THE CLOCK. *TR
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
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. LIGHTS FLASH ON DASH, NO ABS AVAILABLE. *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
THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR MY ABS MODULE IN MY 1999 VW PASSAT WAGON. IT WENT OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON, WITH LIGHTS INDICATING SUCH. IT IS CONSTANTLY BROKEN NOW. IT WILL COST 1,200 FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE BROKEN MODULE, WITH OUT IT I AM WITHOUT ABS. *TR
1999 VW PASSAT,ABS LIGHT ON/BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, VERY ANNOYING AND SCARY, READ ON INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUMS , POSSIBLY VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, DO NOT HAVE 1500 DOLLARS TO FIX AND IT POSSIBLY MAY NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM..WE NEED ANSWERS ... *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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