QuestionI have a 99 Passat V6. I had a mechanic buddy of mine replace my brakes and he also replaced the in-cabin air filter. Just a few days later as I was driving my oil pressure light, ABS light and Brake light all came on at the same time with all the warning beeps. I took my car to Firestone (closest place) and they said my car was just fine - and that VW's are notorious for electrical glitches. My other warning indicator lights seem to work just fine, such as the gas light...The "check engine" light is not on. Please give me a brief education so I am armed enough not to be taken to the cleaners by a mechanic. ; ) Thank you!
AnswerHi Dana;
1999 Passat's have brake wear sensors. The front one is in the pad...inner pad, on the driver's side. The brake fluid reservoir has a warning device attached to it too, and it happens to be under the same cowl cover your less than inept mechanic buddy had to move to get to the cabin filter. Ham handed, ill informed "experts" drive me nuts. The splendid, professionals at "Firestone" are a big help, in my opinion too. What a bunch of dimwits. 1999 Passats have a brake fluid reservoir that is VERY, VERY fragile, and even IF you happen to have the right tools, can crack, or even blow out given the right set of circumstances...usually during pressure bleeding of the braking system...I had this happen to me 3 times in a row, all on different cars. I was about ready to swear off on '99 Passats altogether. When your mechanic buddy removed the cowl to replace the cabin air filter he may have knocked the reservoir off it's 2 "O" ring pedestal connection to the master cylinder, and the fluid may have run down to a level that is DANGEROUS, and set off the lights. The cowl piece can catch the brake fluid filler cap, and pull out the reservoir. The oil pressure light escapes me right now, but I'll consult with some people at work tomorrow, and see what they have to say. There is another possibility that occurs to me just now. Did your mechanic buddy do the rear brakes too? There is a very special tool that is ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED to compress the rear calipers. If they were simply compressed, and not "turned in," your "buddy" just cost you about $300.00 in parts alone! I'm sorry. I'll stop beating up on the people you know, and I'll try to help more even though you don't know me from "Adam." The people at Firestone can't help it they don't have any experience with Volkswagen, so they make themselves look like they still know what they are talking about, even though they never performed an oil filter change on an "AHA" engine code Passat. By the way, your car has an "AHA" engine code engine...2.8 Liter, V6. Until someone who actually knows something about Volkswagens takes a look at your car, I would not drive it. If the reservoir has been pulled away from the master cylinder, your next stop might only be an attempt...to stop! The warning lights in Volkswagens don't come on just to entertain the driver, and passengers. There is something wrong. The oil light is probably because of oil, or rather broken down oil deposits covering the "pick up screen" inside the oil pan, at the base of the oil pump. At low engine speeds...ie., idle, the engine isn't turning fast enough to generate enough pressure to shut the light out. Does the light go out when you step on the gas? Dana, I'll bet you are a trusting, easy going, mostly happy person. Don't EVER go back to Firestone, by pass them for ANYTHING else. Even the cook at the Jack-in-the-Box knows more about car repair. If you like your mechanic buddy, keep him your buddy, nothing else, and nothing more until he learns how to educate himself about other brands of cars than he is used to working on. Finally, find a German car repair specialist and talk to him/her on the phone, and ask them if ANY of thethings I said here could be true, and if they say, "Yes," then take your car directly there, on a tow truck, if you can afford it. If you can't afford the tow truck, then drive the car over there at the slowest possible speed, and remind yourself where the emergency brake handle is before you go! I don't mean to be flippant, or ingenuine, or mean. I only want to impress upon you how badly you have been taken advantage of. Your personal safety has been compromised. And, your car, has been purposefully broken. I don't think it was intentional, except for the Firestone clowns, but I do think it is inexcusable. It certainly was not professional! Alright my soapbox days are numbered, too. Forgive me, Dana. I hope you are able to use some of this to your benefit. Good luck. Honestly!
