NHTSA Complaint #10560909 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

IN AUGUST OF 2013, WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLENUM THAT HOLDS THE BATTERY AND BRAKE BOOSTER WAS NEARLY FILLED WITH RAIN WATER. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO REMOVE ONE OF THE DUCK-BILLED DRAIN PLUGS IN THE PLENUM AS ALL WERE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS, PREVENTING WATER FROM DRAINING OUT. THE FLOODED PLENUM APPEARS TO HAVE RESULTED IN WATER BEING DRAWN THROUGH THE VACUUM LINES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THIS, IN TURN, CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE DRAWN INTO THE CRANKCASE. WATER WAS ALSO DRAWN INTO THE CYLINDERS RESULTING IN MISFIRING. AFTER REMOVING AT LEAST ONE DRAIN PLUG IN THE PLENUM FOR PROPER DRAINAGE, AND DOUBLE FLUSHING THE CONTAMINATED OIL IN THE CRANKCASE, I EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER BRAKING PROBLEMS UNTIL FREEZING WEATHER IN NOVEMBER 2013. IN NOVEMBER, WHILE BRAKING NEAR THE BOTTOM OF A HILL, I AGAIN EXPERIENCED A HARD PEDAL WITH NO DEPRESSION AND ALMOST NO BRAKING ABILITY, RESULTING IN THE CAR GOING INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE FULLY STOPPING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE WAS AGAIN THE SYMPTOM OF A HARD PEDAL? WITH NO DEPRESSION AND NEAR LOSS OF ALL BRAKING. THE CAR WAS AGAIN RETURNED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THIS TIME, THE VACUUM BOOSTER, THE VACUUM PIPES, AND THEIR RELATED ITEMS WERE REPLACED. AS NOTED IN THE DEALERSHIP INVOICE, EVIDENCE OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE REPLACED VACUUM BOOSTER. THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PLENUM HAD A SIGNIFICANT HIGH-WATER POLLEN LINE, INDICATING FLOODING OF THE PLENUM. IT WAS BELIEVED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF THAT THE BRAKE FAILURES IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2013 WERE LIKELY THE RESULT OF RESIDUAL WATER FREEZING IN THE VACUUM BOOSTER, CAUSING THE BOOSTER TO BE INOPERATIVE. ALSO, THE IGNITION COILS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/30/14 THE CONSUMER STATED THE INSUFFICIENT FIX DURING THE 2008 CAMPAIGN DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT ALLOWED FOR CONTINUED FLOODING OF THE PLENUM COMPARTMENT A