NHTSA Complaint #10217040 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WHEN I STARTED MY 2002 PASSAT STATION WAGON YESTERDAY, THERE WAS NO POWER ASSIST FUNCTION ON THE BRAKES. THIS WAS EXPERIENCED TWO DAYS IN A ROW, AND BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. BRAKING DISTANCE WAS GREATLY INCREASED OVER WHAT IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN. THIS PHENOMENON HAPPENED WHEN I FIRST STARTED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS PARKED A WHILE. PUMPING THE BRAKES SEEMED TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BRAKING, BUT NEVER ENOUGH TO GIVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT I COULD STOP WHEN I NEEDED TO. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY HAVE SAID THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS REPLACING. I PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR PLENUM RECALL AND HAD THE AIR PLENUM REPLACED ON 9/7/07. I AM SENDING IN THE PRESENT COMPLAINT AFTER READING THE NHTSA ACTION # PE07018. THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES IN COMPLAINT #PE07018 SOUND VERY MUCH LIKE MY PROBLEM, AND I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF MY SITUATION. I ALSO LIVE IN WISCONSIN WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING A COLD WET WINTER. *TR