2004 Volkswagen Passat Brakes Problems

THE PLASTIC UNDERDASH COWLING CAN BECOME WARPED OVER TIME AND FALL DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP OR TRIGGER THE ABS SYSTEM WHEN NOT NEEDED.

I WAS DRIVING INSIDE TOWN APPROXIMATELY AT 35 MPH AND WAS STOPPING IN THE STOP LIGHT. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. AFTER THE STOP LIGHT TURNED GREEN I RELEASED BRAKE AND THE SHAKE WAS NOT THERE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS GONE. I WENT FEW MILES TO PICK MY DAUGHTER AND AFTER PICKING MY DAUGHTER AND LESS THAN A MILE ON ROAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THERE IS A SLIGHT VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED ON. I'M YET TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. NOT SURE IF THERE IS ANY FACTORY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR FAILED (SEPARATED FROM BOLTING HUB) IN HARD BRAKING AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED IN 2009 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES DRIVEN SINCE REPLACEMENT. NO OTHER SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR OR WARPAGE NOTED BY AUTO TECHNICIANS. FAILED PART NUMBER 4B0-615-301-B. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AROUND 40 MPH IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES IN THE AFTERNOON AND I WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN. I PRESSED THE BRAKES HARD BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP AND I TRIED TO SWERVE TO THE SHOULDER BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM. I REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS PUZZLED AND BEWILDERED WHY THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKES. I COULD SEE MYSELF APPROACHING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND WONDERING WHY I AM NOT STOPPING BUT AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO SWERVE TOWARDS THE SHOULDER. THE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER. *TR

ABS UNIT FAILURE OF 2004 VW PASSAT MY ABS MODULE KEEPS FLASHING A BRAKE FAILURE ON MY DASHBOARD. I DON'T KNOW HOW SAFE IT IS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH A FLASHING BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH. SEEING HOW THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE SHOULDN'T THE MANUFACTURE FIX THIS BRAKE PROBLEM UNDER A RECALL? *TR

I HAVE A 2004 PASSAT WAGON WITH 58,000 MILES. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO WE STARTED GETTING A "BRAKE FAULT" WARNING FOLLOWED BY A LARGE "STOP". IT LASTS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND THEN GOES AWAY. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MORNING, AND AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. AFTER THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE WARNINGS UNTIL WE START THE CAR THE FOLLOWING MORNING. WE MAY GET ONE WARNING OR THREE DURING THE 15 MINUTES. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE CODES SHOWING A FAULT. THEY KEEP THE CAR OVER NIGHT, AND THE NEXT MORNING TOOK THE CAR FOR A DRIVE AND CONFIRMED THE "BRAKE FAULT". THEY TOLD US WE NEED REPLACE THE ABS MODULE AT A COST OF $900. OUR CAR ONLY HAS 58,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT WAS GARAGED MOST OF ITS LIFE. WE PICKED THE CAR UP FROM THE DEALER AND HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM YET. WE ARE JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, AND FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED. TODD KNOEPPEL *TR

ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAY ON ALL THE TIME IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *JB

THE ABS HAS BEEN FAULTY FOR SIX MONTHS FROM TIME OF PURCHASE A S BRAND NEW. THE ABS LIT UP AND WILL STAY LIT UNTIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT RESET IT. THE BRAKE LIT UP AND GOT STUCK WITHOUT PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL. DASHBOARD LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, AND DID NOT COME ON THROUGH THIS FAILURE. VEHICLE SAT PARKED IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF DEALERSHIP FOR 15 MONTHS WITHOUT ANYONE INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM. SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES WITHIN 1.5 YEARS. THE ABS FAILED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

1. WHEN CAR IN FRONT OF THE PASSAT SLOWED, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ABS LIGHT AND ASR LIGHTS CAME ON BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THE PASSAT WAS NOT GOING QUICKLY AND HAD SAFE STOPPING DISTANCE SO THE CAR HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. THE PASSAT DID NOT STOP, HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF IT. 2. THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE PASSAT TO REAR-END THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER CAR SUSTAINED WHIPLASH INJURIES AND 600 USD TO HIS CAR. HE IS IN TREATMENT WITH THE COST OF TREATMENT UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THE PASSAT SUSTAINED 3000 USD IN DAMAGE. THE DRIVER OF THE PASSAT WAS NOT INJURED, WAS TICKETED, LOST HALF A DAY'S WAGES IN COURT, AND DOES NOT TRUST HIS VEHICLE. 3. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE VW DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS DETERMINED TO BE ELECTRICALLY FAULTY. MALFUNCTIONS WERE STORED IN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH GAVE AN IMPLAUSIBLE SIGNAL, SPORADIC. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED. THE FAULT MEMORY OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS ERASED AND RESET. THE DRIVER OF THE PASSAT CONTACTED VW ASKING ABOUT THE FAULT(S) AND EXPRESSING HIS DOUBT IN THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE PASSAT FELT VW'S DEFECTIVE PARTS CAUSED THE ACCIDENT AND VW SHOULD COVER THE COST. VW'S ANSWER IS THAT THE DEFECTIVE PARTS COULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. TONIGHT'S PAPER HAS ISSUED INFORMATION ABOUT A RECALL OF THIS PART HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT PASSATS IN THIS RECALL. PASSATS HAVE THIS PROBLEM, TOO. WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION OR WE WOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU MONTHS AGO. *JB

AT THE 20000 MAINTENANCE INSPECTION THERE WAS NO OBSERVATION DONE BY THE DEALER. AT ABOUT 22K THE BRAKE PROBLEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN OFF. I TOOK THE CAR AT THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE BACK BRAKE PADS ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY WORN OFF AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE FLUID NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED. THE ESTIMATED COST WAS MORE THAN 350$. I ASKED THEM TO GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION ON HOW THE BRAKES GOT WORN IN THE 2K BETWEEN THE 20K AND 22K SINCE THEY DID NOT TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT ANY BRAKES BEING WORN AT THE 20 MAINTENANCE INSPECTION. THEY HAD NO ANSWER ON THIS. I FINALLY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BACK BRAKE PADS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SHAKING ON BRAKING AND I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING IT. I DID NOT TRUST THE DEALER ANY MORE SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A THIRD PARTY SHOP I TRUSTED, AND I HAD TO PAY 138$ TO REPLACE THE BACK BRAKE PADS.*AK

I HAVE A BRAND NEW 2004 VW PASSAT TDI WAGON THAT HAS NO TAIL LIGHTS. SIGNALS WORK, BRAKE LIGHTS WORK BUT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT AND REAR PARKING/DRIVING LIGHTS DON'T WORK. CAR HAS NO BURNED OUT BULBS OR FUSES. MY CONCERN IS IF THE CAR HAS WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT OTHERS HAVE HAPPENING. ALSO ON A RAINY DAY THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM IN THE SAME CAR FAILED BUT, WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED AND RESTARTED THE COMPUTER RESET AND PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. IS THIS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM? *NM

MY 2004 VW PASSAT HAD 13,823 WHEN THE REAR BRAKE PADS COMPLETELY WORE OUT. THE FRONT HAVE ONLY WORN OUT 8% TO THIS DAY (12/20/04). FIRST, THE CAR PULSATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. SO, I PERSONALLY WENT TO THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS; WHICH WAS NO HELP. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WORNG. LATER, TO NO SUPRISE OF MINE; THERE WAS. THE BRAKE LAMPS TURNED ON AND DIDNT GO OFF. EVEN WITH THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. WITH THIS, I WENT TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME MY REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN. AT THE DEALERS, THE REAR ROTORS WERE REPLACED FOR FREE, BUT THE PADS WERE NOT. THIS IS SIMPLY DISRESPECTFUL, AS I AM NOT A CRAZY DRIVER AND HAD TO PAY $220 TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE BRAKE PADS. *AK

WHILE TEST DRIVING A VOLKSWAGON PASSAT GLX SEDAN, TOUCHING THE WINDOW CONTROL CAUSED THE ABS BRAKING MECHANISM TO ENGAGE. THE CAR LURCHED AS IF THE BRAKES WERE QUICKLY APPLIED AND ABS FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS AND TONES WENT OFF IN THE CAR. THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS FLICKERED AS WELL. THE WARNINGS SHUT OFF IN A FEW SECONDS AND THE CAR APPEARED TO RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS IN THE SPAN OF 10 MINUTES BOTH TIMES WHILE TRAVELING ON A LEVEL ROAD AT A CONSTANT SPEED WITH MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AT THE TIME. THE SITUATION WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE UNINTENDED BRAKING AND THE STARTLING EFFECT OF THE WARNINGS OCCURING SIMULTANIOUSLY. *AK

REPORTED WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO 5-10MPH CARE HESITATED AND THEN JERKED AS IF SOMEONE HIT FROM BEHIND, ALSO WHEN BRAKING TO STOP,CAR LURCHES FORWARD. VW DEALERSHIP REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS AND DID SOFTWARE UPDATE AFTER 3 TIMES IN SHOP. NOW CAR HESITATES WHEN EITHER SLOWING DOWN OR FROM STOP THEN KICKS IN ALL OF A SUDDEN,WILL BE CALLING REGIONAL TECHNICIAN TO REPORT, STILL FEEL SLIGHT JERK AT SLOW SPEEDS. ALL HAPPENS WHEN ENGINE HOT OR COLD.*AK

WHEN BRAKING AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS INTO THE CITY VEHICLE BUCKED FORWARD. DEALER STATED THE PROCEDURE WAS WHAT THEY CALLED A HARD DRIVE. ALSO IT WAS NORMAL. *AK