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2006 Volkswagen Passat brakes problems

49 complaints (9% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 54,700. 3 crashes reported.

owner complaints
49
of this car's complaints
9%
typical mileage
54,700
crashes
3
recalls
1

Which part fails

  • Power assist: vacuum
    4
  • Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
    4
  • Power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
    2
  • Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: ABS warning light
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Volkswagen Passat brakes problems in other years

1990199520002005201020152022

Specific symptoms reported on the 2006 Volkswagen Passat brakes

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Brake failure 10

Related recalls

Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuumReported December 12, 2006 · 58,800 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.0l engine with 147 kw may have a vacuum line that may fracture and become disconnected at low ambient temperatures.
Risk
If this happens, the brake power assist can become inoperative, and the driver will experience increased effort to apply the brakes possibly increasing vehicle stopping distance. This could lead to a crash without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install the newly designed vacuum line. The recall began on january 12, 2007. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑893‑5298.

Recall number 06V472000 · Recall details

What 2006 Volkswagen Passat owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Dec 30, 2020 · Brakes · 140,000 miles · NY

I purchased this car 2 years ago and have have the parking brake fail and break three times. The first time was shortly after the purchase and the car came out of gear in my driveway and began rolling. My 65 yo mom had to stop it and push it up as she was home alone. It turned on another time while I was crossing an intersection and I was almost t-boned. I had it replaced after this incident. In may 2020 the parking brake would not disengage and I needed to have it towed to my mechanic. The brake was stuck on and the computer control unit broke. I paid $2500 to have the unit replaced. In dec 2020 (only 7 months later) the exact thing happened again. I was unable to disengage the parking brake and needed to tow it to my mechanic. The caliper and computer broke again. The cost is similar. This is a safety issue. If you look at any vw forums you will see this is a known issue with many people having their brake stuck and unable to engage/disengage the unit. I reached out to vw and had no resolution. I request the parking brake be recalled and everyone who had work done on it, including myself, received a full refund.

Filed Jun 17, 2020 · Brakes, Engine · 211,742 miles · WV

Have replaced numerous parts ...the epx light keeps coming on which may reference to the oil pump bolt failing...crankshaft and cam shafts codes keep coming on even though they were replaced...transmission shifting slightly hard.. Overheating even though new parts were installed...air bag light stays on..brakes have been bleed over 10 times and are still too soft cause me to brake at a further distance to avoid a wreck....I am on a fixed income and cant afford a massage bill to fix it and vw is aware over these years of the issues and wont recall to repair any of the issues...I have all receipts for the parts replaced...

Filed Jan 11, 2020 · Brakes · 150,000 miles · NV

When stopped and start going and get to about 30 MPH and shifts into third gear the emergency brake system engages and I can barely move. I have to turn my vw passat off, wait a couple minutes and turn it back on form the emergency brake to dislodge. Example: I'm in vegas at a stop light it turns green so im going up a on ramp to get on freeway and as soon as I accelerate and car shifts into 3rd gear a yellow p with a circle around it comes on my dash and when I push on the gas ( I had many cars behind me) my car revved up but would not go because the emergency parking brake came on. And it continues to do it to me. If I can get past third gear it's fine and 1st and 2nd gear are ok. I just purchased the car and called on recalls there weren't any. This almost made me have a serious accident on my way home the same day. Because I have to go over a pass to get home it did it to me 4 times and the last time cp8ld of killed me. Ive been reading the problem others are having with vehicle and they are the same as mine. Braking system failure on 2006 volkswagon passat. Please help us who can not afford to pay to have it fixed. And I cant sell it because I cant let somone else get hurt. This is my only transportation and I love my car. But now I'm scared to drive now. I can't afford to fix it and can't risk selling it and now have nothing to get to work. Please help. Thank you

Filed Dec 4, 2019 · Brakes, Electrical · CA

My vehicle does. Sudden stop while I'm driving emergency brake lights up nd then on dash it state to stop vehicle pull over and doesn't want to advance to move out of danger from traffic on streets and freeway. Then I won't want to advanced at time and the prnd all light up at one or none at all at time. This has happened about x 4 times last year and now it keeps doing it every time. So know I just keep my car parked because I'm afraid of putting my kids in danger I can't even take it in to a dealer for airbag recall.

Filed Dec 2, 2019 · Brakes · 110,330 miles · FL

My car was driving and brakes were working fine. Then I tried to stop as I came to a red light n brakes totally failed. I couldn't stop n went right through the red light and I between 2 car b4 finally coming to a stop a half mile later. I drove the car on backstreets and the brakes will work when I start going but after a few stops they start getting soft until they just totally fail. Their is plenty of brake fluid in the system.

Filed Feb 25, 2019 · Airbags, Brakes · MA

There was a valve body recall for rough shifts. I had noticed these a couple of times. Also the vacuum pump, airbags ects.

Filed Oct 23, 2018 · Brakes · 95,000 miles · NY

Hello- parking brake will not disengage, making car undriveable. Parking brake also turns on on its own when the car is on (stationary on mine, in motion on others cars) and also when car is off. My car was also parked and the brake unreleased and the car went backwards down the driveway. My 65 mother was home alone and ran out and stopped and held the car (and pushed it back up driveway) herself. Forums have stated this is a known issue and the parking brake turns on when driving which has resulted in crashes/ accidents and injuries.

Filed Apr 10, 2017 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 128,000 miles · CO

Abs system is failing. Anti-lock brakes do not work well, dashboard ABS signals are constantly on. Parking brake light constantly flashes. Just called vw USA customer service. There is a recall for this issue (the federal safety agency campaign number: 16v‑913) but the recall covers model years 2009 and 2010. My car is a 2006, but has the exact same issues. Volkswagon would not offer any repairs or diagnostics since my vehicle was not listed on the recall. Perhaps the amount of vehicles affected is larger than the recall points out?

Filed Mar 2, 2015 · Acceleration, Brakes · 130,537 miles · FL

Has I was driven the car will came up with need services soon and will show brake light on and dead systems failed check parking brake and if you press the parking brake button on and off the car will nearly such gears or nearly move at all where if you shout it of the car and then wait for 5_10 min and turn it back on it will go like nothing wrong at all . Transmission has oil and I don't know what it is.

Filed Dec 24, 2014 · Brakes · 75,000 miles · HI

This vehicle has an electronic parking brake (ebrake) system. The parking brake is set/released by pressing a button on the left side of the dash board. When I came to a stop at home, I pressed the ebrake and the ebrake light started to flash and I was unable to set it. So I disconnected the battery for a few minutes which apparently reset the system and it worked properly again. Then a few days later my wife had the vehicle in town. She got in to leave the market and tried to release the ebrake but it began to flash and she was unable to release it. She called me because she was stuck there and didn't know what to do. I told her to try and disconnect the battery and then reconnect it. She was near a gas station so she borrowed a wrench and did what I told her to do. Again the vehicle reset itself and my wife was then able to release the brake and come home. Now I avoid using the ebrake for fear of that happening again, but now I feel that I'm out a parking brake and I'm not sure if I'll have an issue with it while driving it. I saw complaints on line about people with this car model having the ebrake engage while driving causing immediate corrective steering to avoid an accident! Please consider this as a very important safety issue, worthy of re-call status.

Questions about the 2006 Volkswagen Passat brakes

Does the 2006 Volkswagen Passat have brakes problems?

Owners have filed 49 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat, 9% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2006 Volkswagen Passat brakes problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 54,700 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2006 Volkswagen Passat brakes?

Yes, 1 recall: 06V472000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Volkswagen Passat have bad brakes?

The Volkswagen Passat model years with the most brakes complaints are 1999 (233 complaints), 2000 (207 complaints) and 1998 (90 complaints).

Other 2006 Volkswagen Passat problems

Airbags 148Engine 130Steering 112Electrical 79Fuel system 64Transmission 47Acceleration 32Visibility 21Lights 12Locks 11Body 10Driver assistance 9Suspension 8Seat belts 6Seats 5Tires 4

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