Three problems related to brake master cylinder have been reported for the 1999 Volkswagen Passat. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Driving at 60 mph the driver applied the brakes upon entering a reduced speed zone. The pedal went to the floor without resistance and the brakes failed to engage. No warning lights or other indications to suggest a problem. Driver pulled the emergency brake to prevent hitting traffic ahead and spun 180 degrees across traffic slamming into a curb. Witness to the accident tried to apply the brakes several times at the crash site and the pedal offered no resistance for him. Powering the car on and off; brake pressure returned to normal. The vw dealer where the car was hauled to cannot duplicate the failure and the brakes checkout normal. Dealer has given little sense of security to make driver want to get in the car again. Said they could replace the master cylinder, but it checks out fine. One mechanic said he heard of a case with tires confusing the abs with different wear. Front tires are >95% and the rears are 75%. Nobody would document this theory however and repair will now leave car with 3 basically new tires with one rear at 75%. Updated 12/12/07.
The consumer experienced total brake loss due to master cylinder failure. Also the right front caliper was damaged causing a fire and the right front wheel to seize.
Oil line broke while driving. Also, abs/master cylinder malfunctioned, causing the entire abs system to be replaced. Vehicle was not braking properly when brakes were applied. In addition, had pads replaced twice/needed a new booster installed, and sun roof was replaced because it leaked and made a squealing noise.