Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||||
| 0206 | 09/04/2002 | 10000560 | Diagnostic trouble codes 00778 and 01044 stored in brake electronics diagnostic trouble code memory. *tt | 03/24/2003 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||||
| 0517 | 07/14/2005 | 0521 | 10016037 | Anti-lock brake system (abs) control module warranty repair process. *tt | 08/19/2005 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||||
| P 9-66C8 | 06/01/2008 | 10025923 | Volkswagen: 2001-2005 models: service air plenum area to improve drainage and install improved pollen filter seal. water could leak into the passenger compartment. 2002 models could have leaks into the brake booster. *pe | 09/16/2008 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 02/01/2012 | 129000 | ||
| Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. this appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2012 | 129000 | ||
| Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. this appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. | |||
| 08/01/2012 | 94900 | 1 | |
| The abs light comes on on the instrument panel followed by the brake light and sometimes the anti-skid indicator. this is a common and expensive problem for volkswagens for many years: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=40&tstart=0 volkswagen should be held to account. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2012 | 94900 | ||
| The abs light comes on on the instrument panel followed by the brake light and sometimes the anti-skid indicator. this is a common and expensive problem for volkswagens for many years: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=40&tstart=0 volkswagen should be held to account. | |||
| 06/03/2003 | 5000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was traveling 30 mph when the abs warning light and brake light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 5,000 and the current mileage 56,000. kmj | |||
| 06/03/2003 | 5000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was traveling 30mph when the abs warning light and brake light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 5,000 and the current mileage 56,000. rds | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 03/31/2008 | 74000 | 3 | 03/16/2004 |
| Fuel pump failure while driving on the freeway the car quite running. 1.8 liter turbo in o3 vw passat. dealer calls and tells us our vin number is not part of the recall. to call vw of north america and they should cover it. i talk to a women tell her the same thing as above and she ask me to hold while she submits the claim. she comes back on the line after 45 seconds or so and says that they won't cover it. the vin number is not part of the recall. i ask to speak to a supervisor. i am told there is no one else i can speak to and this is the finally decision of vw of north america. this is not the first failure for this car. temperature sensor replaced, brake module replaced twice, the heater core replace, the trip tronic shift replaced, instrument panel replaced, the engine flushed for sludge. cv boots replaced. they're cracked again after 3 months. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - DISC - PADS | |||
| 05/05/2005 | 52275 | 1 | 11/09/2002 |
| At 35005 miles i was told by vw that i needed rear brakes pads and rotors so i had them installed at 35005 miles. last week with the car at 52275 mile i was again told by vw that my rear brake pads and rotors need to be replaced. i find that 17270 miles is very quick wear for brakes. vw brake pads and rotors should not have to be replaced every 18,000 miles and if they due then there is a design problem. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - DISC - ROTOR | |||
| 05/05/2005 | 52275 | 1 | 11/09/2002 |
| At 35005 miles i was told by vw that i needed rear brakes pads and rotors so i had them installed at 35005 miles. last week with the car at 52275 mile i was again told by vw that my rear brake pads and rotors need to be replaced. i find that 17270 miles is very quick wear for brakes. vw brake pads and rotors should not have to be replaced every 18,000 miles and if they due then there is a design problem. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | |||
| 03/05/2009 | 1 | ||
| Abs control module for a 2003 vw passat. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 09/03/2010 | 87452 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen pssat. as the brake was being depressed the abs warning light illuminates and the front of the vehicle vibrates badly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and informed her the abs module needs to be replaced at a cost of $1,200. the vehicle was repaired and contact paid for the repairs but the vehicle was still vibrating.when the brakes was being depress. there was a loud dinging noise as the warning light illuminates whenever the brake was being depressed. the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 87,452.........mw | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) 2003, vw, passat: a.)tie rod and b.)brake vacuum vin: [xxx] 2006 vw recalls 06v472000 & 05v540000 are suspiciously the same problem as my 2003 passat. last trip to service dept revealed both problems. there has been no accident or injury to date. *tr | |||
| 03/17/2007 | 1 | ||
| I purchased a certified used vehicle from volkswagen in 2/07'. within the first month i began having problems with this vehicle. the laundry list, starting with the brakes, includes a leak in the trunk, entire brake replacement within the first year, several recalls, battery replacement, cracked valve cover, problems with engine coolant temp sensor, faulty ignition coils causing serious safety hazards as a result of the vehicle 'shaking' while on & potential to stall at any given time, a recent massive water leak inside interior of vehicle causing interior water damage as well as a build up of mildew and possibly mold as well as now causing the windows to fog up constantly due to moisture under floor mats, problems with left blinker, trouble starting, several current engine leaks to the extent of a few thousand dollars, automatic window problems, worn cv boots currently making a clicking noise; this being the major things that have occurred to date. in good faith, after a very scary ride this last january, i contacted vw of america in an attempt to notify them of the situation and was informed that they were not going to accept any responsibility for their product because i was out of a warranty that i was originally told (during time of sale) i did not have anyway. in addition, however, it was stated to me later by their representative that none of the items would have been covered anyway. i am a single mom in no financial position to hire an attorney or even pay for the cost this vehicle has incurred and while this is my only means of transportation i have no other option then to continue driving it. with that said however i strongly feel that given the current condition of this vehicle and the potential of anyone of these items to fail this vehicle is a safety hazard and given that i purchased this vehicle only 3 years ago this is an excessive amount of problems for it to have. i strongly feel at this time that vw sold me a lemon. *tr | |||
| 02/07/2009 | 95100 | 4 | 07/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that a new pair of rare brakes failed on her vehicle after 14,952 miles. she usually gets over 36,000 miles on a pair of brakes. she stated that the brake pads failed and damaged the rotors. the contact feels that the pads are defective and should have lasted longer than 14,000 miles. she also feels that the dealer should cover the cost of the new pads. the current and failure mileages were 95,100. updated 04/21/09. *lj the serpentine belt was cracked, the power steering fluid was low, the vc boot and hood strut was replaced.. updated 04/21/09.*jb | |||
| 01/18/2009 | 113000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2003 vw passat. recently. i took my car for repair as my brakes were not responding on turns. the vw dealer investigated the issue and i was told that the abs control module is not communicating for some reason. they suggested i replace the abs control module for around $2,216 i called vw and asked them to look into the issue and see if they can cover the expenses of the repair since this is not a normal tear and wear issue. they responded by saying that since the car is not within the warranty period, they cannot cover the expenses of this repair. i feel that is a safety issue that vw of america needs to cover the repair for. in fact i think they should have been more pro-active and investigate the abs control module in my care after they replace it to see if there is a major issue that can result in a recall. i understand that my car is not within warranty; but given the fact that this is a safety issue, i think vw should cover it and pay the repair cost. *tr | |||
| 05/17/2007 | 62000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat wagon. while attempting to accelerate from 5 mph, the vehicle would not move forward and began to vibrate. the contact pulled over and noticed a burning odor coming from the brakes. when he touched the wheels, they were extremely hot. the vehicle had stability control, traction control, and abs. all four brakes were applied when he attempted to accelerate. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle. the abs light illuminated along with another light (he did not remember which light). after he allowed the vehicle to cool down and attempted to start the engine, all of the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. he continued to drive, but the failure recurred. he took the vehicle to a volkswagen dealer in indiana and was instructed on where to find the fuse to deactivate the abs, traction control, and stability control. the service manager stated that they had seen audis experience the same failure with the same engine and features. the failure mileage was approximately 62,000. | |||
| 01/21/2004 | 24145 | 1 | 01/25/2003 |
| I bought my 2003 vw passat wagon brand new. in a span of 3 years i have had to replace my rear rotors and brakes 4 times and have yet to replace the front rotors and brakes and the car is at 77,510. i had the left rear rotor replaced jan. 21, 2004, the right rotor april 1, 2004, both left and right rotor nov. 23, 2004, and then both again july 11, 2005. i was very concerned about this from the beginning and stressed the recurring issue with vw corporate since my warranty was running out and the problem was still persisting. when it happened again at my regular check up in june of 2005, after only 7 months and 11,427 miles from the last time i changed the brakes and rotors, i raised some red flags and suggested that i lemon law the car, vw researched and found that there was excessive heat on my rear brakes and that my booster rod was bent and not releasing rear brake pressure completely. on july 11, 2005 vw replaced the brake booster, master cylinder, rotors, and brakes. which brings us to the present, i took my car to get my regular service and find out that i have to change my front and rear brakes and rotors. the front i can understand given that it is now at 77,510, but the rear brakes and rotors again after 18,500 miles? i have always felt there is something very wrong with this car and after research on the web and finding others are having similar problems, i know there is something very wrong with this car and when it comes to the brake system there is definitely cause for concern. though it has only been at inconvenience at this time, i would like it resolved asap. with the exception of the brake pads, vw have not charged me for the rotors and though they have said there is not a problem with the rear rotors and brakes and they have been paying for the changes even though it is after my warranty so that leads me to believe that there are many complaints like mine and there has to be a problem. *nm | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 20000 | 4 | |
| Consumer disappointed in the quality and performance with braking system on 2003 passat. *bf the problem was with the front brake pads and rotors. there was also grinding in the rear brakes. the right headlight had gone out twice. *sc *jb | |||
| 10/07/2004 | 19000 | 1 | 02/15/2003 |
| Rear brake pads and disks worn out after 19000 miles. the front brakes are within spec. dealer states it's normal for passat, i don't think it's true. the front brakes are usually the first to engage, if needs a harder braking - then the rear brakes become active! did the vw re-invent the wheel??? obviously there is a design flaw or manufacturing defect. i've had japanese and american cars before - usually you have to service the rear brakes around 50k miles! as for the dealer - the service manager in this case - he conveyed some kind of nonsense just to get rid of me. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2004 | 18500 | 1 | 07/26/2003 |
| We purchased a new volkswagen passat station wagon from livonia volkswagen autoplex (now thayer automotive livonia, inc.) in july, 2003. at 18,500 miles, the car developed a rattle in the under carriage and the brakes were squeaky. we took it to the dealer and their service department stated that the car has aftermarket brakes that fit differently from vw brakes, hence the rattle. however, these are the brakes that were on the car when they sold it to us. we have contacted vw of america customer service on three occasions regarding this issue. they contacted the dealership and were told by the service dept. that the brake pads appeared too new to have 18,500 miles on them (implying that we have had the brakes replaced). based on this, vw of america states they will not authorize vw brakes to be put on the car. we have not had the brakes on this car replaced or serviced in any way, and have never had the car serviced anywhere but this dealership. incidentally, the day after the 10,000 mile service, the windshield fluid reservoir was empty, and the day after the brake inspection a hubcap flew off. this may speak to the skill and integrity of this service department. we filed a complaint with the michigan department of state bureau of regulatory services who state that this matter was not in their jurisdiction because the dealership is no longer licensed by the state, and suggested we contact you. we bought this car in good faith, assuming, of course, that it was made of all vw parts. apparently it is not. currently, our new car has squeaky brakes, an increasingly loud rattle in the undercarriage, and a missing hubcap. vw of america will not help us. the sales manager and owner of the dealership do not return our calls. we would like vw brakes on our vw car, assurance that everything else on the car is, in fact, a vw product, and a hubcap replaced. a family who buys a new car about once every twelve years would appreciate help. *jb | |||
| 02/25/2004 | 18000 | 2 | |
| While driving 60 mph brakes operated poorly.*ak | |||
| 11/23/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated the brake and accelerator pedals are designed too close together, when consumer attempted to apply the brake, the accelerator was also being applied.*jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 11/17/2006 | 7000 | 23 | 07/30/2002 |
| I've spent over $8000 towards vw dealership attempts at fixing the horn, radio, homelink, climate control (a/c and heat) rear passenger side window, heated seats, dashboard panel lights, and defroster flap. vw replaced abs and brake light module, but only fixed the horn. vw stated they are not responsible even after i paid for them to fix the above problems and they are still unable to determine the cause of the problems. i request reimbursement from volkswagen for the repair attempts and related expenses. current vehicle mileage: 127,000. *tr | |||
| 06/10/2006 | 59000 | 1 | 04/15/2003 |
| Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. this appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - PADS | |||
| 09/20/2006 | 53001 | 2 | |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 5 mph, the vehicle made a clanging noise while pulling into a garage. when the brake was depressed, the pedal went all the way to the floor, and did not engage completely. there was no indication of a problem prior to the incident. a private repair shop was consulted, and determined the rear brakes needed to be replaced. the brake pads were replaced, the tires were rotated, and the oil was changed. during the subsequent test drive, the vehicle stalled completely while traveling 25 mph. a service dealer was consulted by the private repair shop, and determined that the fuel pump had failed. the fuel pump was replaced. there was a nhtsa recall # 06v017000 which pertained to the fuel pump. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 2 | ||
| 2003 volkswagen passat sw developed problems rear brake pads and rotors.***no answer required***.*mr the consumer stated 8,493 miles later the brakes began to squeak. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership where it was discovered the rear brake pads and rotors were damaged again. the head light bulb was replaced.*jb | |||
| 03/16/2005 | 9000 | 2 | 10/17/2003 |
| Vehicle is experiencing problem with excessive wear of front brake rotors and pads. both the rotors and the pads had to be replaced on two separate occasions. the first time at 9,000 miles, and now at 17,000 miles. the problems was causing the vehicle to vibrate and make a roaring noise when braking. consumer anticipates the problem may recur again.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - ROTOR | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 41000 | 1 | 06/28/2002 |
| I brought my 2003 passat glx sedan into dealership because car was jerky when the brakes were applied. car has 41,214 miles on it, 90% highway. dealer informed me that the rear brake rotors were warped and had to be replaced along with pads. dealer informed that passat rotors could not be turned in lieu of replacement. from other complaints i view, it appears this is a defect in the rotors. *jb | |||
| 09/05/2006 | 33000 | 1 | |
| My 2003 passat has approx. 34,000 miles. the brake rotors had to be replaced twice -- once at somewhat over 12k miles ago, and the other very recently. the most recent time, we were told not to drive the car any further (by the dealer) because it was unsafe to drive. the first time, vw paid for the repair, this time they would not. i believe there is a safety problem, one which i am afraid will happen again. please note...i do not have the exact date in the field below. *nm | |||
| 07/31/2006 | 44400 | 2 | 02/01/2003 |
| At 44,400 miles and just 4,000 miles after fuel pump replaced the new fuel pump failed on my 2003 passat wagon. both incidents occurred while driving the car on high traffic suburban washington dc streets. there was no warning and car came to an abrupt stop without time for me to signal the cars behind me. this is in addition to having to replace both front and rear rotors at about 20,00 miles as well as control arms. this seems to be an inordinate amount of service in only 3 years and 44,000 miles! *jb | |||
| 01/21/2006 | 40600 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling up hill at 25mph the vehicle sputtered and stalled. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was determined the fuel pump needed to be replaced. previously the contact experienced braking problems while traveling at high speeds. there was vibration and grabbing in front end of the vehicle when braking. the vehicle was seen by the service dealer four times. the front rotors, the rear rotors and both control arms were replaced. the problem was corrected by the replacement of these parts for twenty thousand miles and has now returned. | |||
| 03/08/2005 | 3000 | 4 | 05/15/2003 |
| Bought new a vw passat, glx,v6 in may 2003. it has 18500 miles on it. i have had three sets of rear rotors replaced because they have warped. the last set were replaced in march 2005, and i am experiencing the same problem today, and have an appointment at the dealer to have them replaced again. the rotors warp badley, the car, especially at highway speeds shudders when the brakes are applied and does not stop adequately. *nm | |||
| 09/23/2005 | 29110 | 1 | 07/02/2002 |
| Vibration from steering wheel when braking and uneven stopping. dealer found warped front rotors. i found this problem rather unusual as we drive the car to and from the station daily and we only have 29,000 miles. dealer had to replace pads and both front brake rotors. vw refused to cover under warranty. i feel the car is not safe due to these constant brake problems. i have had other brake problems with this car, the dealer has replace the rear brake pads and then rear pads and rotors under warranty. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 2 | ||
| 2003 volkswagen passat sw developed problems rear brake pads and rotors.***no answer required***.*mr the consumer stated 8,493 miles later the brakes began to squeak. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership where it was discovered the rear brake pads and rotors were damaged again. the head light bulb was replaced.*jb | |||
| 04/29/2004 | 6200 | 3 | 04/23/2004 |
| Design defect in brake rotors. *ak | |||
| 03/16/2005 | 9000 | 2 | 10/17/2003 |
| Vehicle is experiencing problem with excessive wear of front brake rotors and pads. both the rotors and the pads had to be replaced on two separate occasions. the first time at 9,000 miles, and now at 17,000 miles. the problems was causing the vehicle to vibrate and make a roaring noise when braking. consumer anticipates the problem may recur again.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 20000 | 1 | 07/09/2003 |
| Vw passat - brake rotors warp, causing dangerous braking situation. this is a common problem known by vw, and complained of by thousands of passat owners (many, many sites and complaints on the internet, and mechanics). vw refuses to fix this problem. *jb | |||
| 03/31/2004 | 10000 | 2 | 06/09/2003 |
| Under normal driving conditions, and 90% highway driving, the vehicle's front and rear brake pads became severely worn out in approximately 10,000 miles of driving. after the first all 4 brake pads were replaced, in another 10,000 miles, the vehicle's right rear brake pad fell off the vehicle during street driving. all 4 rotors, 4 brake pads, and 2 rear calipers became severely damaged and had to be replaced. vwoa made an exception, and paid for the rear brakes, rotors, and calipers. | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 14000 | 0 | 02/06/2003 |
| Under standard daily driving 50/50 local and freeway miles, rear brake rotors warped before the car had 14,000 miles driven. rear break pads are at 6mm which i am told is just less than 50% of maximum. also been told vwoa will not replace rotors under warranty until pads are at 2mm. warped rotors cause pumping and potentially unstable driving under heavy breaking. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST | |||
| 06/05/2007 | 65500 | 4 | 01/17/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that his brake lights remain illuminated while driving and fail to dim. the current mileage is 66,346 failure mileage was 65,500. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) 2003, vw, passat: a.)tie rod and b.)brake vacuum vin: [xxx] 2006 vw recalls 06v472000 & 05v540000 are suspiciously the same problem as my 2003 passat. last trip to service dept revealed both problems. there has been no accident or injury to date. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - SWITCHES - BRAKE LIGHT | |||
| 07/29/2007 | 55150 | 2 | 02/25/2003 |
| While driving 2003 vw passat the engine stalled out (no fuel) causing near accident by passing vehicles. drifted to side of road. after 100 mile tow to vincent volkswagen dealer in rochester, they found no problem. car did run two days. the same stall-out occurred three days later. another tow to a dealer (schmitts garage) to attempt to repair. not sure what the problem is but strongly suspect fuel pump or control system for fuel or fuel line system. there have been previous recalls on some 2003 passat fuel system items including fuel pumps (potential to cause crash when fail) . was told my passat was not part of the other 2003 passat fuel pump/system recall. however, are more fuel pump units bad that vw doesn't realize which could cause major accidents, head on collisions during passing. filed this with vw customer care. two weeks prior brake lights did not work and was nearly rear ended. vw dealer replaced defective brake switch which initially wasn't on the recall list but was recently added. two near major accidents in two weeks due to equipment failures. *tr | |||
| 01/06/2007 | 30000 | 5 | 06/10/2003 |
| My 2003 vw passat 4-door sedan has experienced multiple occurrences where the brake lights continue to remain on while driving and even after the engine is shut off. this happened again today and i noticed this time that the emergency engine light came on while driving earlier in the day - this is also another issue that also comes on/off for no reason. i've reported the warning light a couple of times as well to the vw service and they don't know why that happens either. the warning light will at least shut off when the car is turned off, unlike my brake lights. since today is saturday, leaving my brake lights on until the service department reopens on a monday is probably going to run my battery dead. with that concern in mind, i immediately called the vw roadside assistance hotline, 800-822-8987, to see if they had any repair instructions i can look into and the operator said she was unable to find any documentation. she advised that vw roadside can come tow my vehicle to a dealership (that won't reopen until monday) or they can come to jump-start my car (which can take up to 45-60 min. after dispatch). this seems a terribly long time to wait & a huge inconvenience esp. since it also took 30 min. just to reach the live operator in the first place. i love driving my passat; i bought it brand new direct from the dealership in 2003. car safety is very important to me which is why i'm adamant about following service guidelines and bring my car in for regular maintenance & oil changes. i only bring it into a vw dealership service, never a local garage mechanic. can nhtsa please look into both issues: 1. sporadic check engine light warning while driving 2. brake lights remaining on while driving and after the car is shut off. i am very concerned as both are major causes for safety concern, in addition to further expensive repairs which may be defects that the manufacturer should cover instead. thanks. *nm | |||
| 07/21/2005 | 39000 | 1 | 10/01/2002 |
| 1) motorists alert that rear brakle lights do not work. if the rear brake lights do not work, thhis can cause fatal accidents. the repair is to replace the brake light switch. | |||