2000 VW Passat

Maintenance/Repairs
1

My husband has a 2000 VW Passat Wagon. Here is a list of symptoms the car is experiencing:

ABS and Brake lights coming on randomly with the message STOP. (I have read this is a common problem with VWs.)

Blinkers work sporadically

Temperature gage (for outside temp) running about 10 degrees hot.

Occasionally the car will not start if the car is turned off and then turned back on within a few minutes. (ie my husband went in a convenience store to buy a drink and it would not start for 30 mins after he got back in it.)

We took it to a respectable German Auto repair shop, and they want to replace the ABS Pump for about $1500. They said that the pump being bad can affect other electrical parts of the car. Is this true? Could a bad ABS pump cause the car to not start? It always starts again after a few minutes.

This sounds like something electrical to us and we do not want to spend the money to replace the ABS pump if this is not the true problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

2

I believe you should be able to disconnect that ABS pump. If the problem persist after disconnecting it, then it is not the fault of the pump. Frankly I don’t think it is likely the pump

Now there is one thing you did not note. That Passat should have a stored error code. Some auto part stores will even read the codes for free. Get those codes (the exact code like P0123) and post it back here. Let’s see what the car has to say.

Note your car has some error codes that the auto parts store is not likely to be able to read. However they can read most of them. To get to some of the VW specific codes (or make some adjustments to the computer) you need a VAGCOM.

3

try to check the sensor censor under the brake pump (its about 13 dollars) it will keep you car from starting and is really common i have replace mine 4 times

4

I know it sounds illogical, but you’re mechanic is probably correct. When the module goes, it causes all sorts of wacky electrical behavior (especially in the instrument cluster).
The ABS computer (not the pump) is a weak part on these cars. The pump and the computer are a single unit that sells for about $1500 new.
Alternatively, you can get it rebuilt instead for about $200. I’ve used www.bba-reman.com with great results. You can remove the computer from the rest of the module (leaving all the hydraulic lines alone) and send the unit out for repair. It only takes a day or two plus time to ship it there and back.

It might not solve your occasional problem of the car not starting, but it sounds like this repair needs to be done anyway.

5

Any idea what this sensor is called? I would like to look into this