Brake Abs Warning Light problems of the 1998 Volkswagen Passat

Anti-lock brake failure. Abs warning light .

I am the original owner of a 1998 vw Passat, 4-cylinder, 5-speed manual transmission automobile. The abs brakes warning light came on (February 27, 2005). I consulted with my independent mechanic and he said the abs brakes were necessary in wet or icy weather in emergency situations. The problem did not result in any accident or injury. I took the car to the dealer on March 21, 2005. The dealer performed diagnosis and determined the abs pump needed replacing. The dealer (new century Volkswagen in glendale, CA) quoted a price of $3125, parts and labor, to fix. I am unable to repair the car at this time due to the expense. Research online and in discussing with independent vw mechanics reveals that this is a very common problem with this model vw. I checked with an independent vw mechanic and he told me that so many people have had this problem that the price of abs used parts is rapidly rising. . Read more...

1) abs warning light/sounder came on, told by dealer that abs system was out, would need to be replaced for $1800 before any other engine problems could be diagnosed by computer. 2) did not fix this, which led to their excuse that they could not accurately diagnose other issues, but "did their best" to fix acceleration problems (replaced hoses and plugs) 3) current acceleration problem miraculously diagnosed as some sort of power regulator device w/o mention of fixing the abs system so that computer "could get past it" 4)electrical problems including moon roof opening and closing at will, door locks opening and closing at will, interior lights not shutting off and alarm going off all by itself (unable to lock doors b/c it sets the alarm) 5) now dealer says that it's a battery problem and resetting everything should fix it all, including the abs light problem. Can you say rip-off?.

Complaint received via e-mail. "the abs light started coming on intermittently. Whenever the light is on, the abs do not function. This is a safety hazard and will cause the car to fail inspection. The abs light now stays on constantly. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a bad abs control module (it would not communicate with the diagnostic computer) and stated that the abs pump had to be replaced. The quoted cost of a new abs pump was $2250. ".

When driving at an undetermined speed abs light appeared on the dashboard. Consumer informed the dealer about this issue. However, mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem.

Abs warning light illuminated on dash. The consumer was told the problem was the abs control module and could be repaired for 1400. 00 plus labor.

Abs light came on with less than 30,000 miles on it. For 4 years, the vw dealer said it would be over $1,800 to replace the abs pump. Last year they said it would be $2750. After seeing on internet threads that the common cause is only the abs module, I confronted the dealer, and they sai it would $650, and it has worked fine since. I feel vw dealers are not forthright in telling customers about the less expensive solution, and they should pay for it, since it is a known common defect, and a safety hazard. I have been told that many people are pulling the bulb out, and buyers may not be aware the abs doesn't work. Until its too late.

1)trunk light stopped working just past the warranty period, wiring problem, cost to repair $200. 2)abs light flashes continuously, about 1 year now,dealer gets 3 pages of diagnostic error messages. Can't determine problem with light but abs is supposedly working. Cost: 3days car rental, and $300 out of pocket. 3)front end suspension: crunching noise and bounce. Bounce corrected-dealer replaced stablizer bar, $284. Noise continues(6 months), dealer can't determine problem. Getting worse, afraid front end will crash into ground. 4)timing belt broke, dealer replaced engine at no cost. 5)engine replacement caused problem with radio. Radio will not accept code. Needs to be replaced. 6)rear driver side window will not go down when indicated, falls down a few minutes later. Also, door will not open when unlocked. 7)sometimes the ignition switch will not turn when starting car.

My abs light intermittently comes on followed by the brake light flashing> upon researching this on several various forums on the net. This appears to be a commonly defective part on several model years from 98-01. The oldest posting I found was done in 2000 and the vehicle was a 99. From researching this it appears even vw dealers are unable to get correct problem codes on this issue. I saw postings from many owners stating they were told everything from abs modules needing replaced to instrument clusters to wiring issues. It appears no one is absolutely sure what the issue is as some owners after the dealer recommend replacements did not fix the issue. In the short time I looked into this I feel that vw should be well aware of this issue and have taken steps to resolve it. I saw literally years worth of postings a on this issue on bentley publishers website. I can only imagine how many thousands of people have had to pay for things that did not do any research on it.