# 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
> NHTSA complaint `609801` · 2007-01-16 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** PASSAT
- **Year:** 2000
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
- **Miles at failure:** 72,000
- **Speed:** 15 mph
## Narrative
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP IN MY 2000 VW PASSAT, THERE WAS A 1 TO 2 SECOND DELAY IN BRAKING POWER.  THE ROADS WERE WET AND THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WET DUE TO LACK OF SHIELDS TO PREVENT WATER FROM MAKING THE BRAKE ROTORS WET.  THE 1-2 SECOND DELAY (FROM THE TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKE) CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO NOT STOP IN THE TYPICAL STOPPING DISTANCE AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO IMPACT ANOTHER VEHICLE.      VW PASSATS FROM 2003-NEWER SEEM TO ALL HAVE THESE BRAKE ROTOR SHIELDS "SPLASH SHIELDS", BUT NOT THE OLDER 1998-2002 PASSATS.      A CALL TO THE VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE HOTLINE (800-822-7661) DID NOT  ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT TO MY SATISFACTION.  THE AGENT KEPT SAYING "THERE'S NO CURRENT OPEN CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR VEHICLE".  I KNOW OF NUMEROUS VW PASSAT OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SERIOUS ISSUE.  *NM
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*