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Sedans Volkswagen Passat Volkswagen Passat Brake Questions
71 messages, Last post on Nov 17, 2009 at 10:29 AM
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| Ok, bear with me here. Quite some time ago I was driving down the road and brake failure lights came on on my dash. I pulled over and tested the brakes on the side of the road. Noticed no degradation of performance of the brakes so I drove the car home. The warning lights intermittently would come on and off seemingly randomly. I realized it had been quite a while since I replaced the pads so, not having the time to do it myself, I took it to Mineke. They kept the car a day and said I needed rotors and pads. I Ok'd this and they replaced them. The brake warning lights did not go off. I mentioned this to Mineke and they said I may need to take the car to Volkswagen to get them to turn the light off. I have not done this yet because it appears to be just a nuisance. Now, however, the brakes are scrubbing. I have pulled the brakes apart and found that nothing obvious is wrong. Pads are still good, rotors are smooth and unworn. Caliper piston is not sticking and it's getting brake fluid from the brake lines. The car stops just fine but there is a constant scrubbing or grinding as if the pads are not releasing all the way after I apply them. I haven't driven the car much since the brake problems began but need to get it running now. | |
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My owner's manual for 2004 V6 (2.6L I think) Passat shows a fully visible plastic brake fluid reservoir which can be checked by observation. My actural brake fluid reservoir is concealed behind a dark plastic shield so you cannot see the min max level indicators and the shield cannot easily be removed. Unscrewing the fill cap and you see a plastic screen so you cannot see the actual fluid level. How do you know if you need to add brake fluid. There is a yellow 1/2" dia slotted cap next to the filler cap that i turned 90 degrees with a screw driver hoping I could remove the entire reservoir cap but no luck. I bring this up because our brake STOP warning light came on recently and I am told adding brake fluid may correct this condition but I dont want to over fill.
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Replying to: rgut (Oct 22, 2009 10:46 am) That black plastic shield is very easily removed. Simply grasp the rubber gasket on the front edge (towards the engine) and pull it forward. Then lift the shield slightly and pull it out from under the windshield. It's harder to describe than it is to actually do. You'll then have a full view of the brake fluid reservoir. Youmight even want to change your cabin air filer while you have that cover off. It's cheap and easy to do (dealer has a special running right now to do this for $37. You can DIY for the cost fo the filter fo maybe $12). To give us a better idea what might be going on thw your brake fluid, a little more info would help. How many miles are on your current brake pads? The reservoir drops as the pads wear. This could be telling you it's time for a brake job. Alternatively, your brake fluid could be leaking - in any case, it's worth investigating. There could be other factors at play here, too. You might want to pull the codes with an OBD scanner at your local auto parts store (many do this for free) to see if there are any codes from the ABS module. Good luck! |
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CC won't engage. The indicator light on the center console that shows the brake is depressed to shift into gear is reversed (lights up when foot off the brake and turns off when depressing brake. In addition, the console lights come on when I apply the brakes (like they do when I turn on my headlights. I think all are associated with Fuse #31. The CC is probably not engaging because it thinks I have my foot on the brake. I have checked the fuse and replaced it. It seems as if I have a problem with a switch somewhere...any ideas?
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Replying to: skelley2 (Nov 10, 2009 6:06 pm)
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Replying to: altair4 (Nov 10, 2009 6:14 pm) |
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I have a problem that i can't figure out that may be more related to the electrical system than the brakes but thought i'd post here. My 2001 VW Passat rear drivers side light bulb went out. I drove with it out for over a month. I got a replacement bulb and it was easy to replace but now I have some weird side effects. When I hit the brakes the dashboard lights always come on. Also, when I have the headlights on the rear brake lights are always on. If i take the replacement bulb out everything works as designed except i have a rear light out. Has anyone encountered something like this with VW lights? Does it sound like a problem with a fuse or a bigger issue with the wiring? I am out of ideas and hate bringing the car into the dealership. Any suggestions are appreciated.
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Replying to: dsnapp (Nov 10, 2009 7:15 pm) |
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Replying to: dsnapp (Nov 10, 2009 7:15 pm)
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Replying to: altair4 (Nov 11, 2009 6:44 am) |
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