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 2003 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle jerked and stalled. The vehicle inadvertently shifted in reverse and the brakes stopped working. The contact had to apply the parking brake. The contact mentioned that the gear shifter was stuck in park. Also, the check engine, tire pressure, and epc indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to heritage Volkswagen of south atlanta at [phone] (4305 jonesboro rd, union city, ga 30291) where it was diagnosed that the ignition control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The contact was advised to call NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 172,000.
I took my car to Volkswagen dealership to find out why my brake light was on and why my brakes would flutter at times when using them. I got estimate that my brake reservoir was bad and the sensor that it would be okay to drive till I got fixed in a week. I faxed my warranty papers to dealership to find out to see what was covered..on Saturday 5 days later when I was driving 35 miles an hour tried to stop and brake pedal went to floor had nothing to stop me but the car in front of me. I was issued a ticket had my car towed and I. Am having headaches and neck pain which I'm getting treated..I don't feel as if that car was safe to ne driving..
Problems with the ABS control unit fails after few years. This could lead to an accident since the car cannot stop in the time & distance originally specified when car was purchased. Also, the smog stations are not able to read the obd2 connector due to this issue, which forces you to buy a new module for almost $600.00. The most important in this issue is the safety in stopping and not having your brakes lock, which also causes the car to skid in sudden stops and cause an accident. There is a blinking warning light that comes on the dashboard that points to the dashboard.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. While driving 50 MPH, the brakes engaged independently and the vehicle shook violently without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.
This car only has 65000 original one owner miles and has experienced all & more of the current recalls with same model yr, vw local dealerships (2) refuse to acknowledge the problems (one even tried to double charge me for Bosch ABS part last year before the recall to fix) and numerous emails to vw have gone unanswered. Most recent issues in last 1.5yrs have been fuel pump went out and I paid to replace (dealer scammed us by throwing out dead brand new aaa stamped and warranted battery, they sd we needed new one and old one already picked up from dealer to expose of, charged $200 for that as well. I paid for the ABS light repair which I have paid and diagnosed numerous times for last 10yrs to fix and finally just paid the over $1000. To get it fixed for safety reasons. 9 months ago rear brake lights would come on randomly when parked and locked killing the battery. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen Passat wagon. While attempting to accelerate from 5 MPH, the vehicle would not move forward and began to vibrate. The contact pulled over and noticed a burning odor coming from the brakes. When he touched the wheels, they were extremely hot. The vehicle had stability control, traction control, and ABS. All four brakes were applied when he attempted to accelerate. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle. The ABS light illuminated along with another light (he did not remember which light). After he allowed the vehicle to cool down and attempted to start the engine, all of the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. He continued to drive, but the failure recurred. He took the vehicle to a Volkswagen dealer in indiana and was instructed on where to find the fuse to deactivate the ABS, traction control, and stability control. …
I own a 2003 vw Passat. Recently. I took my car for repair as my brakes were not responding on turns. The vw dealer investigated the issue and I was told that the "ABS control module" is not communicating for some reason. They suggested I replace the ABS control module for around $2,216 I called vw and asked them to look into the issue and see if they can cover the expenses of the repair since this is not a normal tear and wear issue. They responded by saying that since the car is not within the warranty period, they cannot cover the expenses of this repair. I feel that is a safety issue that vw of America needs to cover the repair for. In fact I think they should have been more pro-active and investigate the ABS control module in my care after they replace it to see if there is a major issue that can result in a recall. …
Fuel pump failure while driving on the freeway the car quite running. 1.8 liter turbo in o3 vw Passat. Dealer calls and tells us our VIN number is not part of the recall. To call vw of north America and they should cover it. I talk to a women tell her the same thing as above and she ask me to hold while she submits the claim. She comes back on the line after 45 seconds or so and says that they won't cover it. The VIN number is not part of the recall. I ask to speak to a supervisor. I am told there is no one else I can speak to and this is the finally decision of vw of north America. This is not the first failure for this car. Temperature sensor replaced, brake module replaced twice, the heater core replace, the trip tronic shift replaced, instrument panel replaced, the engine flushed for sludge. Cv boots replaced. They're cracked again after 3 months.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle made a clanging noise while pulling into a garage. When the brake was depressed, the pedal went all the way to the floor, and did not engage completely. There was no indication of a problem prior to the incident. A private repair shop was consulted, and determined the rear brakes needed to be replaced. The brake pads were replaced, the tires were rotated, and the oil was changed. During the subsequent test drive, the vehicle stalled completely while traveling 25 MPH. A service dealer was consulted by the private repair shop, and determined that the fuel pump had failed. The fuel pump was replaced. There was a NHTSA recall # 06V017000 which pertained to the fuel pump. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that a new pair of rare brakes failed on her vehicle after 14,952 miles. She usually gets over 36,000 miles on a pair of brakes. She stated that the brake pads failed and damaged the rotors. The contact feels that the pads are defective and should have lasted longer than 14,000 miles. She also feels that the dealer should cover the cost of the new pads. The current and failure mileages were 95,100. Updated 04/21/09. The serpentine belt was cracked, the power steering fluid was low, the vc boot and hood strut was replaced.. Updated 04/21/09.
Brake complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Volkswagen Passat, 7% of the model year's 631 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Volkswagen Passat brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2003 Volkswagen Passat, though it has 6 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 2003 Volkswagen Passat brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 44,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.