Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My fuses keep blowing, this is leading to replacing the Brake switch which I believe was recalled. If it was replaced,it's not working.
When driving my car, the ABS and brake lights blink. There is about 3 beeps and the screen on dash says brake failure see service manual. Have taken it to vw dealership and they say that the ABS control module or pump is bad. After looking over the internet for a few weeks now I have found that this is a nation wide problem and was instructed to file a complaint here. Vw dealership has told me that it will cost anywhere from 1500 to 200 dollars. Now my car is having stalling problems as well as the speedometer is all out of wack. I have connected it to the infamous vag-com and the only problem that comes up is the ABS not communicating or something of the sort. I don't have 2000 dollars to shell out and don't feel as if I have to if this is as big as a problem as I have found it to be. …
My ABS and brake lights started blinking while I was driving on the freeway and I got a "stop", "brake failure", "service manual" signs with several beeps. I had to stop over the shoulder, took it to a dealer and it was detected that it was a ABS computer module malfunction (not really an ABS mechanical issue). The dealer said there was no recall. I called vw America and they said there was no known recalls. The dealer quoted $700 for this part. There are so many people who have experienced this problem and I'm surprised that vw has not responded so far. The effects of this are that the main computer module would eventually become defective and strange signs/warnings/beeps would come over the dashboard. Vw Passat glx v6, 2001. (its only 5 yrs old and 60K miles). Please do something about this. …
My 2001 Passat is having brake problems. The ABS and brake light blink and there are 3 beeps. The screen on the dash says brake failure and service manual. Now right now if something where to happen to my actual brakes I would not know and I believe that could be serious. I have read many sites and have found that this is a problem that a lot of people who are experiencing. Also, I have been experiencing stalling problems due to the ABS module. Vw has said that it will cost around $1500. I personally don't have $1500 to just go out and spend nor do I feel like I need to due to the research I have done on this problem. Here is a forum website that I have found a lot of my information from http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127734. Also, you can check around that website and find more.
At approx. 74,300 mi. Our 2001 vw Passat gls v6 automatic had an ABS failure. We purchased the vehicle new from a vw dealer in 2001 and have it serviced by vw dealers. Other vw owners I have spoken to (some while in the service area of the dealership!) have also had ABS failure. The ABS unit is back-ordered and wait listed because so many have failed and been requested. I am on my 4th week of waiting for the part, after having to pay for it in full up front. This is a very expensive part: rebuild kit is $650 while the unit itself is approx. $1,100. I believe this part suffer chronic failure among vw's and Audi's. I also believe the ignition coils should be recalled as mine are failing and so many others are failing.
I have a 2001 vw Passat, in the past month, my ABS warning light, and e-brake light, have been coming on randomly. The ABS light comes on and then the brake light flashes and beeps/rings for a few seconds. Half of the time the lights go out after a few seconds, sometimes the only way they go out is to stop, turn the car off and restart. And there are times when this doesn't work either. There have been suggestions by vw dealerships to replace ABS control module which is approx, $1350-1400. After researching this seems to be a problem that thousands of vw owners are experiencing with their vehicles. The replacement of control module has not corrected problem, neither has replacing ignition switch.
My 2001 vw Passat ABS module became defective after 1 year of owning car from the original owner. Not sure if original owner had done repairs/replacements of the unit. Now there is no communication between the car computer and the module, therefore no ABS brake is active. ABS light stays on and brake light flashes intermittently. There are also 3 beeps when car has been started. I am a very unhappy consumer of vw due to their faulty vehicle equipment and has deter me from purchasing any vw in the future. I have recently just had a repair to replace my maf sensor, 2 ignition coils, 4 spark plugs again after purchasing brand new ones just a month prior. It was very costly!!
At approx. 70,000 miles my 2001 vw Passat 4 cyl automatic has an ABS failure. I purchased the vehicle certified used in 2002 from a vw dealer and have had it regularly serviced. Other vw owners that I know have had similar complaints. In act it is apparently well known in the automotive industry that vw`ABS units are sub-standard and prone to defectiveness. When I returned to my local vw dealer, I was told that the unit cost $1300. The person at the dealership also made a comment the reflected on the sub-standard quality of Passat ABS modules. I have seen internet postings detailing the numerous failures of vw Passat ABS units.
The brake lights on my 2001 vw Passat stopped working. I checked the fuses and the light bulbs; and both the fuses and bulbs are good. Vw of America recalled several vw models in 2007 for brake light failure due to a faulty brake light switch. However vw of America did not recall the Passat. I when on line to a vw blog; and found lots of other vw Passat owners who have the same problem with their brake lights. I also found out that vw will not replace the brake light switch free of charge on the Passat, because the Passat was not recalled. I will have to pay out of pocket to get my Passat repaired.
My vw Passat gls 2001's ABS/asr light keeps on at all times now. Went to the technician to put a repair kit since the ABS control module was not communicating with the main computer. On trying 3-4 different kits, taking to the dealerships, the error code showed sensor failure but all the sensors worked fine, electrical were without any opens or shorts. The ABS control module fails to communicate. I am to know that this is a very common problem with vw/Audi especially the Bosch modules. It is a safety issue since ABS doesn't work on this expensive vehicle.
Brake complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2001 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 63 complaints about the brakes of the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, 15% of the model year's 432 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › control unit/module (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Volkswagen Passat brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Volkswagen Passat brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.