passat electronic parking brake

**siddy** · 02-01-2010,04:08 PM

Hi passatt 2.0l tdi 2006 model, Electronic parking brake stuck on wont release,does say to release manually on dash display nothing in handbook ,any suggestions?????

**johnloaderuk** · 02-01-2010,04:38 PM

Don't know if this is a new car to you, but if it is make sure the drivers door is shut, you have your seat belt on, then it should release automatically when you pull away. Ensure you have enough revs, and the clutch has gone all the way to the floor before letting it up.
If not, also put your foot on the brake, then try manually releasing the handbrake using the dash button.

**siddy** · 03-01-2010,08:31 AM

Thanks john no not new to me all you have mentioned i have done but the parking brake still stays on never mind looks liuke main dealer jobby

**martin1810** · 03-01-2010,01:00 PM

Disconnect battery for a few minutes. Reconnect and try brake again.

**redrolo** · 04-01-2010,01:13 PM

Siddy read a few threads about this on the internet recently. The biggest suggestion is a dodgy switch, which takes about 30 seconds to change (open fuse box and it pops out apparently).

**siddy** · 04-01-2010,05:38 PM

thanks redrolo tried this and failed thanks anyway

**T4-V6** · 06-01-2010,01:25 AM

mine had to have a new handbrake switch for the same fault ('57 plate TDI Sport Est), AA came out and disconnected battery for about 15 minutes then it used to come off, till next time that was

**vstevenson** · 07-01-2010,03:55 AM

As I understand it when this fault (handbrake not disengaging) presents itself it is often down to the switch activated by the cluch pedal. Some revs and bringing up the clutch tells the brake to release. I have seen details of this somewhere in this forum in the past I think. The parking brake switch is known to fail but this tends to show itself by not putting the brake ON.
I had this a couple of months back. A trip to the dealers, paid about £18 (I think) for a new switch, a couple of minutes in the carpark with Vagcom (took my laptop with me) and all was well again. The new switch was identical in appearance but there were fewer pins in the back and it "feels" different in that the old one had a soft action whereas the new one has a positive on- off feel with a slight click, an uprated part no doubt. The fact that the dealer had them on the shelf tells me that this is a well known problem to VW.

**redrolo** · 07-01-2010,11:28 AM

Hi V, where did you get your Vagcom set up from and what sort of cost was it?

**vstevenson** · 07-01-2010,10:34 PM

Hi, got mine from "Gendan" Uk agents for Ross-tech ( a US company), just google gendan and select the VW specific products. The later versions (which we need, canbus electrics!) are now called VCDS although I think most people still refer to it as Vagcom. a significant outlay at about £270. but you have to offset that against potential trips to the dealer. Have had my 06, B6 2.0 tdi estate for about 18 months and I have used the vagcom "in anger" twice. first time was when I got the message " emissions workshop" in the dash display, vagcom told me it was a fault in glowplug circuit 1 ( a failed glowplug then), a set of new glowplugs ( might as well change em all and keep the working "old " ones as spares) and all was well again. The second time was for the failed parkbrake switch. The vagcom diagnosed the fault precisely and the ross-tech wiki gave an exact fix for the problem , ie replace switch. If you are a bit of a tinkerer - as I am- get one, you will need it for routine fault code clearing and the service from gendan is second to none in my opinion. something else I would highly recommend is registering with "erWin-online" . costs about £3 for one hour access to a highly detailed online "dealer level" workshop manual. I used it once for the glowplug replacement job. What I did -a bit naughty I know, but it was entirely for my own use - was to scroll through the pages that I needed and took digital pics of the relavant screens so that that I could refer back to them while carrying out the work.By the way I have no connection with Gendan, Ross-tech or erWin online, just very impressed by them. Have fun!

V.
P.S forgot to mention I also needed the vagcom to "tell" the car that I had fitted a towbar and the appropriate electrics - to get the trailer lights to work and to inform the ESP system to allow for a trailer when connected, so I think that I am probably in pocket already buying my own VCDS/Vagcom as these three jobs alone would have cost a bomb at the dealers.