[WoodyVW9]

I recently purchased a 2001 Passat 1.8T with 120K. Got a pretty good deal knowing it had an issue with a lit ABS warning light, flashing the Brake warning light, and displaying the "Stop Brake" warning in the display window. After searching the boards and hijacking a couple threads, everything pointed to a ABS Control Module. With Forum advice I bought a cable on Amazon and downloaded VCDS-Lite and found a 18057 code, tried to clear it and it came right back. Obviously my ABS module needs a repair which I planned on just sending out butttttttt while scavenging parts off of a 2001 Wagon (2.8 4-motion) at a local Pick-N-Pull I decided to grab the ABS module out of it (did not know what P/N I had in in mine). Soooooo, since I figured I would have to take mine(P/N 273 004 573) off to send for repair, I took it off and installed the Pick-N-Pull unit (P/N 273 004 284) thinking it would at least keep everything covered until I get the old one back.

Once installed, the only warning light I have is the ABS light on. So I am struggling to get my VCDS-Lite reconnected (can't connect to any controllers) but as I fiddle with my drivers, I was wondering if this is the typical warning light I should see if I need to get the module reprogrammed or am I looking at other problems. I will post codes if I get this reconnected to read codes!

I guess my final question is should I just get my old unit fixed or get the new one programmed?

Thanks for your help!

 

[dbrick]

I'd have the original module repaired. While it's out of the car, just cover the mounting plate with a plastic bag, sealed (around the edge) with duct tape.

The one you got from the Pick-N-Pull is just as old, and thus also subject to the same failure you're already encountered. Want to go through this again? Plus, I don't think these things can be reprogrammed - one always aims to get exactly the same p/n as the original.

 

[kurgan]

I got a second hand module from e-bay for £15 and it's lasted years.
You must get exact same part number, you won't need to re-programme.
Pricey re-cons are just as likely to go down.

 

[scotts13]

Actually, no. part of the repair process (from reputable rebuilders) is to use heavier-duty leads inside the module. It's almost unheard of to have a rebuilt module fail. Original equipment... pretty much all of them fail eventually. You've been lucky.

 

[John_E]

Actually, no. part of the repair process (from reputable rebuilders) is to use heavier-duty leads inside the module. It's almost unheard of to have a rebuilt module fail. Original equipment... pretty much all of them fail eventually. You've been lucky.

I thought most rebuilders simply rebonded the existing wires. Heavier-duty leads, if bonded correctly, could indeed provide increased bonding surface area and reduce the chance of a repeat failure.

Rant: Why do so many modules on these cars have similar failure modes?

 

[rreyes]

I thought most rebuilders simply rebonded the existing wires. Heavier-duty leads, if bonded correctly, could indeed provide increased bonding surface area and reduce the chance of a repeat failure.

Rant: Why do so many modules on these cars have similar failure modes?

The connections that fail are thinner than a human hair and quite fragile. I've successfully re-soldered the bad connections with heavier-duty wire (experimenting on a spare ABS unit I knew was bad) but it was a pain in the rear.

 

[WoodyVW9]

I sent the original out to be rebuilt today. Hopefully I'll be back in non-ABS-light land in a week or so.

 

[Steve in Chicago]

Rant: Why do so many modules on these cars have similar failure modes?

That's true for almost any product. When a product starts to fail, there are usually a few specific things that fail first. We're lucky enough to be aware of the pattern failures in the B5 Passat cars because of the collective knowledge we've accumulated in this forum.

 

[captain_video]

I've had three ABS units fail on '98 and '99 B5 Passats, one 2002 Audi A4, and a 2005 Audi A6. Every one of them has worked fine after getting them rebuilt. The A6 was the latest to go and was rebuilt earlier this year. The one in my '99 is the only other Passat I still own and it's been going strong since being rebuilt about 10 years ago.

 

[Tomvw]

Most of the wires are very thin, but it's the 2 thicker wires that cause the usual problem.
I have not heard of a rebuilt ABS module failing.

 

[Attofarad]

Most of the wires are very thin, but it's the 2 thicker wires that cause the usual problem.
I have not heard of a rebuilt ABS module failing.

It seems that they decided for the thicker power-supply wires to use aluminum, which probably fatigues easier with movement/temperature cycles than do the thinner gold signal wires.

 

[WoodyVW9]

Alright, got the repaired original back and installed it. When initially turning the car on I end up with ABS and traction control lights lit. I have not put the wheel back on to take it down the road as for the life of me I cannot get my cable and VCDS-Lite to scan the computer. I was connecting just fine to diagnose the problem last week, now I can't connect to any controller... I used the same USB port, tried other ports, reset the COM ports, googled anything related. It seems that if I am plugged into the car and I get a positive test from VCDS-lite that I should be talking to the computer. IDK, gonna keep messing with it, may have to take it somewhere to read the codes...

 

[WoodyVW9]

Screenshot, plugged into car, ignition on...

 

[WoodyVW9]

I got it, had to mess with the COM Ports (don't really know why) but either way, cleared the ABS faults and it appears they are staying away. Thanks for all the Forum help and to Ian at Reflect Tuning for a quick turn-around on the ABS module rebuild (sent it to NC from CA on Tuesday, got it back Friday). :thumbup: