• Passat B5.5 Interior
• Passat B5.5 Polovni Automobili
• Passat B5.5 2003 Deschidere Portbagaj

Driving the Passat just like any other day on freeway, when the red display screen beeps three or four times and displays the word 'STOP', flashing in big capital letters. Then it changes to 'Brake Fault', then it says 'Service Manual'. The hazard light (little triangle with a! Inside), 'ABS' light and 'Brake' light all come on in the speedometer area. Nothing in owner's manual about this. Brake fluid level seems normal. Haven't had brakes inspected yet for wear.

Tested brakes for ABS failure/lockup on a deserted sidestreet and everything seems fine. Anyone know the REAL solution to this problem, or a suggestion for the least expensive way to find it out? Thanks for any help. Experienced a similar - yet slightly different - problem today.

Description of the problem: the red display screen beeps three or four times and displays the word 'STOP', flashing in big capital letters. Then it changes to 'Brake Fault', then it says 'Service Manual'.

The red 'Brake' light flashes at the same time. So far, seems the same - the difference is that nothing else comes on. No hazard light (little triangle with a! Inside), no 'ABS' light.

The car has about 15k on the pads/rotors and went through a major inspection in the Summer. Thanks for any help! Modified by ayilar at 9:16 PM. Must be the day for Brake Lights!

- My car flashed the same sequence of lights. I did a search on the Vortex and it looks like it could light up for a variety of reasons, low brake fluid, ABS module problem, brake switch etc.

I tried to check my brake fluid level (the placement of the tank makes it very difficult to read) and had some trouble adding fluid (DOT 4) (even after opening the screw on the side (top) to bleed it (I assume)) - it seemed I had an air pocket just below it and if I pumped the filter (with a clean finger) it entered the tank. Didn't end up adding a lot (1/8 of a small bottle) but it doesn't show the warning on a short test drive - I guess I'll find out tomorrow. The brake pedal seems fine.

I noticed there was a bit of green gunk in the brake fluid chamber filter but I couldn't take the filter out (would have helped me determine the level as well) - Any other suggestions? This problem started happening to me yesterday too! And right after I came out of the parts store with new front rotors and pads! And right after I spent $950 for a secondary air system problem and a new water pump. I've been doing a lot of searching on the net and have seen 2 main resolutions - spend over $1000 for a new ABS module or top of the brake fluid. I think I'll try the brake fluid first.

If this doesn't work maybe I'll leave it across the train tracks. I'm sicks of spending money on it (over 4k in the since Feb 05). Looks like it was the fluid level in my car as well. As soon as was able to top it off (not as easy as it sounds I found out) no more warnings - didn't have to add much either. Even with the bleed screw open the fluid takes a long time to flow from the screen to the reservoir - had to pump the screen a few times and also just wait for an hour or so before adding more fluid.

The level was extremely difficult to read (especially in a garage) - I had to take off the weather stripping and the cover near the tank to be able to read the level (in daylight). The mechanic solved the problem in my case by replacing the brake fluid; the sensor was apparently dealing with a lot of debris, as well, and I understand it was replaced for good measure.

Was told that it's unlikely the ABS module is involved unless the ABS signal is involved in the warning sequence. The brake vibrations had nothing to do with the issue. It came from rotors that needed replacement (again - looks like she is putting 15k miles max on rotors, the pads had 35% left). Modified by ayilar at 9:17 PM. Quote, originally posted by zero666cool » I checked my fluid levels, they look ok to me, even though it is really hard to really see the level, it is a very retarded design, how do you check the level properly? I can't even see the fluid moving in the reservoir. My pad look ok too, but I got new pads anyway, now after this brake problem, my car started over heating friggin eyyy, and then the timing belt needs to be replaced, and I wonder what other problems I'm going to encounter after I fix all these My thinking exactly.

The car is in tip-top form at the moment, and the mechanic recommends not changing it (he says it's in superb mechanical shape), but at the same times he tells me to expect unscheduled repairs worth about $1,800 per year on V-6 Passats that are 5+ years of age. I like the car, but after adding residual depreciation and maintenance, the annual cost is looking like $3,500+. At that rate, and given the opportunity cost of my time (repairs + semi-annual maintenance schedule), a post-Xmas or early-Spring replacement is starting to sound almost fiscally reasonable Modified by ayilar at 10:41 PM. I had the same issue i started this thread and kept a daily log i got some help by a few posters one of the posts took me to a website from the post was dead on it was my abs module opened it up and there are two wires inside (very very very tiny) that due to heat and time their solder loses connection.

I followed the 'easy' steps to repair it, but it is so small it is virtually impossible to re-establish a soldered connection without a fine tipped industrial soldering knife i checked ebay which has plenty of replacement ones for under $200 and i will be calling LKQ (junk yard) on monday to see what they can find. Imho dont try to fix yours. Its a pita and the out come could be worse than the problems you currently have.

Driving the Passat just like any other day on freeway, when the red display screen beeps three or four times and displays the word 'STOP', flashing in big capital letters. Then it changes to 'Brake Fault', then it says 'Service Manual'. The hazard light (little triangle with a! Inside), 'ABS' light and 'Brake' light all come on in the speedometer area. Nothing in owner's manual about this.

Brake fluid level seems normal. Haven't had brakes inspected yet for wear. Tested brakes for ABS failure/lockup on a deserted sidestreet and everything seems fine.

Anyone know the REAL solution to this problem, or a suggestion for the least expensive way to find it out? Thanks for any help.

Experienced a similar - yet slightly different - problem today. Description of the problem: the red display screen beeps three or four times and displays the word 'STOP', flashing in big capital letters. Then it changes to 'Brake Fault', then it says 'Service Manual'. The red 'Brake' light flashes at the same time. So far, seems the same - the difference is that nothing else comes on.

No hazard light (little triangle with a! Inside), no 'ABS' light. The car has about 15k on the pads/rotors and went through a major inspection in the Summer. Thanks for any help! Modified by ayilar at 9:16 PM.

Must be the day for Brake Lights! - My car flashed the same sequence of lights.

I did a search on the Vortex and it looks like it could light up for a variety of reasons, low brake fluid, ABS module problem, brake switch etc. I tried to check my brake fluid level (the placement of the tank makes it very difficult to read) and had some trouble adding fluid (DOT 4) (even after opening the screw on the side (top) to bleed it (I assume)) - it seemed I had an air pocket just below it and if I pumped the filter (with a clean finger) it entered the tank. Didn't end up adding a lot (1/8 of a small bottle) but it doesn't show the warning on a short test drive - I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

The brake pedal seems fine. I noticed there was a bit of green gunk in the brake fluid chamber filter but I couldn't take the filter out (would have helped me determine the level as well) - Any other suggestions?

This problem started happening to me yesterday too! And right after I came out of the parts store with new front rotors and pads! And right after I spent $950 for a secondary air system problem and a new water pump. I've been doing a lot of searching on the net and have seen 2 main resolutions - spend over $1000 for a new ABS module or top of the brake fluid.

Passat B5.5 Interior

Passat B5.5 Polovni Automobili

I think I'll try the brake fluid first. If this doesn't work maybe I'll leave it across the train tracks. I'm sicks of spending money on it (over 4k in the since Feb 05). Looks like it was the fluid level in my car as well. As soon as was able to top it off (not as easy as it sounds I found out) no more warnings - didn't have to add much either. Even with the bleed screw open the fluid takes a long time to flow from the screen to the reservoir - had to pump the screen a few times and also just wait for an hour or so before adding more fluid.

The level was extremely difficult to read (especially in a garage) - I had to take off the weather stripping and the cover near the tank to be able to read the level (in daylight). The mechanic solved the problem in my case by replacing the brake fluid; the sensor was apparently dealing with a lot of debris, as well, and I understand it was replaced for good measure. Was told that it's unlikely the ABS module is involved unless the ABS signal is involved in the warning sequence. The brake vibrations had nothing to do with the issue. It came from rotors that needed replacement (again - looks like she is putting 15k miles max on rotors, the pads had 35% left). Modified by ayilar at 9:17 PM.

Quote, originally posted by zero666cool » I checked my fluid levels, they look ok to me, even though it is really hard to really see the level, it is a very retarded design, how do you check the level properly? I can't even see the fluid moving in the reservoir.

My pad look ok too, but I got new pads anyway, now after this brake problem, my car started over heating friggin eyyy, and then the timing belt needs to be replaced, and I wonder what other problems I'm going to encounter after I fix all these My thinking exactly. The car is in tip-top form at the moment, and the mechanic recommends not changing it (he says it's in superb mechanical shape), but at the same times he tells me to expect unscheduled repairs worth about $1,800 per year on V-6 Passats that are 5+ years of age. I like the car, but after adding residual depreciation and maintenance, the annual cost is looking like $3,500+. At that rate, and given the opportunity cost of my time (repairs + semi-annual maintenance schedule), a post-Xmas or early-Spring replacement is starting to sound almost fiscally reasonable Modified by ayilar at 10:41 PM.

Passat B5.5 2003 Deschidere Portbagaj

I had the same issue i started this thread and kept a daily log i got some help by a few posters one of the posts took me to a website from the post was dead on it was my abs module opened it up and there are two wires inside (very very very tiny) that due to heat and time their solder loses connection. I followed the 'easy' steps to repair it, but it is so small it is virtually impossible to re-establish a soldered connection without a fine tipped industrial soldering knife i checked ebay which has plenty of replacement ones for under $200 and i will be calling LKQ (junk yard) on monday to see what they can find.

Imho dont try to fix yours. Its a pita and the out come could be worse than the problems you currently have.