Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 18:50
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - VWBrakingProblem

Hello,

Summary

Mechanic error - VW service mechanic left wrench on braking nipple causing massive loss of braking fluid whilst driving at high speed 1 week later. VW accept resonsibility. They want our suggestion as to how we want to proceed. Any advice?

Longer version:

On Monday was driving, with my two children, on a A road leading up to a roundabout. I approached the roundabout at around 60 mph and pressed the brake. Nothing happened. I looked down to see if I'd hit the accelrator accidently - we were quickly approaching the roundabout with a vehicle already on it - to my horror my foot was to the floor and the brake was fully depressed.

We managed to cut up the vehicle already on the roundabout without crashing and I used the gears and pumped the brakes to slow down my vehicle as we traverssed the roundabout heading for the third exit. After about 200m, the vehicle came to a stop. No warning lights came on. I flimed myself depressing the brake in case when I turned off the engine everything was ok.

When the recovery vehicle came, we noticed a lot of (what we assume is) brake fluid under the car.

VW came back to me today. The car had been serviced a week before at a VW garage. The mechanic had left a wrench attached to a braking nipple, which had loosened over the week as we turned the vehicle. It must have fallen off and leaked braking fluid as I was on the A road. There was no warning light, no sponginess or loss of braking prior to the roundabout. VW have accepted full responsibility, but want to know what we think is reasonable compensation.

Does anyone have any advice on how we should proceed? Compensation or just a complaint? I understand that human error occurs, but the garage implied that actually it was negligence as they should do a Q-Check after each service, where this should have been picked up. Sounds like it wasn't done.

This could have been a lot worse. Luckily, we didn't hit anyone on what would normally be a busy roundabout. Also, I'd just picked up my daughter from school and dread to think what would have happened had the braking failure occurred at the school crossing.

Thanks for the advice.

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 19:33
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - skidpan

Something not right here.

How do the garage know a "wrench" had been left on the bleed nipple if it had fallen off.

ALl modern cars have dual circuit brakes which means if you loose fluid from one circuit you still have braking on the other. The brakes won't be as good but you will still have brakes.

Obviously you were not that badly shaken if you thought about filming yourself pressing the brake pedal.

Is this just a thread trying to make VW look even worse than they have already managed without outside assistance.

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 19:43
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - VWBrakingProblem

Thanks for the reply. I am just repeating what the mechanic at VW told me this morning. I suspect he means the bleeding nipple came off, but the wrench was still there - I don't know I'm not a mechanic. The full report is to be posted to me.

Yes, all modern cars have dual circuit brakes. Apparently, I accidently did the right thing by pumping the brakes, which can aid the use of whatever pressure is left in the line. The reality is that whatever braking there was was not enough to stop me from entering the roundabout and going all the way to the third exit and stopping down the road. So, in essence, the level of braking is irrelevant: it wasn't enough.

Shaken - people react to situations in different ways. For example, while going round the roundabout I actually apologised to the car that I cut up, which is pretty rediculous given the circumstances. Plus, my first reaction was to call my wife and tell her the brakes failed. Then to contact recovery at VW. It was whilst waiting for recovery that I filmed the brake pedal.

I actually feel pretty bad for the mechanic - things could have turned out very differently. I am simply asking for advice about whether to put it down to a lucky escape or proceed further. I don't know what the answer is.

Edited by VWBrakingProblem on 30/09/2015 at 19:53

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 20:11
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - RobJP

I would suggest escalating it to the dealer principal - at least initially. This is a case of gross negligence. It may also be worth your while getting VW GB involved. I daresay someone from their staff would be delighted to be dealing with something other than the diesel scandal they're currently going through.

(and no, that isn't sarcasm. I'm serious. The last thing they want or need is further bad press of any sort)

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 20:36
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - bathtub tom

Something not right here.

ALl modern cars have dual circuit brakes which means if you loose fluid from one circuit you still have braking on the other. The brakes won't be as good but you will still have brakes.

I agree with skidpan. You'd still have some brakes. I'd also add I find it strange the pedal went to the floor. You'd certainly have a 'longer' pedal, but you should still have resistance. Finally I would expect a 'low fluid level' warning light.

To have the eperience you had I suspect there must be many more braking faults with the car!

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 20:48
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - VWBrakingProblem

Thanks Rob - the nearest VW garage who took the car after recovery said the same thing - escalate to Principal (it was another VW garage who had carried out the service).

and thanks Tom:

Well, again, whatever brakes there were or weren't, the pedal depressed to the floor and the car didn't stop. The warning light didn't come on until after I had filmed the pedal depressing: couple of minutes later the red warning light came on.

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Wed 30 Sep 2015 22:45
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - daveyjp
Let them open with an offer.

As an aside, whilst brake failure is rare, not having a handbrake you can yank on in such a situation is a problem.
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Wed 30 Sep 2015 23:01
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - gordonbennet
As an aside, whilst brake failure is rare, not having a handbrake you can yank on in such a situation is a problem.

Absolutely, saved me from what could have been a nasty turn when i had total brake failure on an almost new Wartburg Knight many years ago, luckily the handbrake was excellent and i've never been one for belting up to junctions and leaving braking till the last moment.

Something is very wrong here, complete failure on a modern car with normal hydraulic twin circuit brakes is fantastically rare, when you syphon out brake fluid from the master cylinder prior to a flush you often find a secondary compartment inside the reservior that you can't drain out, either way all the warning lights in the car should have illuminated long before the fluid vanished.

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Thu 1 Oct 2015 17:35
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - SteVee

perhaps the dealer had accidentally drained the other circuit on a previous service ? Most cars will still brake adequately on one circuit.

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Thu 1 Oct 2015 18:19
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - SteVee

Is there only one bleed nipple on the front calipers ? If so, then it will drain both circuits if open.

As regards compensation, your loss is not great (fortunately). Their error in servicing though is considerable.

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Thu 1 Oct 2015 19:01
Volkswagen Passat CC (2013) - Catastrophic brake failure after service error - VWBrakingProblem

Thanks Stevee for the comments. I don't know about the mechanics of the braking system, but I will receive the full technical report in the post.

All I know is that whatever braking there was or wasn't left, my foot went to the floor and I had to cut up a car already on the roundabout, use the gears to decelerate and stop some distance from the roundabout.

To be fair, VW are treating it very seriously.

I completely agree with your line regarding compensation (fortunately, no great loss) and error in servicing. It's ok to make a mistake, but the Q-check carried out at the end of the service should have picked up the mistake.

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