# ABS Control Module Replacement questions on 2000 Jetta 1.8T



## ray33 (Apr 1, 2009)

Ok, I have a 2000 VW Jetta 1.8T. I have researched a lot online and believe that my ABS control module has a bad connection on the circuit board inside. I live in Colorado and when the car is freezing cold (after it has sat all night in the middle of winter) the ABS works great. As the car warms up the ABS will eventually stop working and the warning light comes on and stays on until its cold again. I believe the control module is warming up and that when it warms up the circuit inside fails.
My question is this....
I am sending my control module in to BBA Reman to have it rebuilt. I was under the impression that I could remove the control module (electrical part) and then reinstall the ABS pump (mechanical part) and be able to drive the car like that temporarily until I get my rebuilt control module back.
Well this evening I finally got around to pulling the control module off and when I put the pump back on I found it will not apply braking pressure to the brakes themselves when I press the pedal. There are no leaks in the system as far as I can see but when I push the brake pedal with the mechanical abs pump installed but the electrical abs control module removed, it will not send brake power to the brakes. I can essentially remove one of the bleeder screws and press the brakes and nothing happens. For some reason now when I push the brakes its like they dont work even though all of the brake lines are reconnected and no fluid is coming out.
Does anyone have any idea why this may be happening? Am I correct with what I read about being able to still drive the car without the control module as long as the abs pump and all lines are still hooked up? I know I wont have ABS or traction control but I would assume I should still have brakes.
I know I will need to bleed the entire brake system but could it be that there is so much air from removing the abs pump that I will have to pressure bleed it from the calipers up to the pump instead of bleeding it by pressing the brake pedal and loosening the brake bleeders at the calipers? If so, does anyone know where I can get a pressurized brake bleeder that I can hook to the calipers and press the fluid up to the reservoir?
Finally, when I get my rebuild ABS control module back will I still have to take it to VW to have it reprogrammed even though its the one that was on the car at the factory and the one the car is already programmed with?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Ray


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

*Re: ABS Control Module Replacement questions on 2000 Jetta 1.8T (ray33)*

Although I can't answer all your questions, I have never tried to drive a vehicle with a modulator module off, but I do know that you can turn your modulator off and drive no problem (via power source, fuse etc). Strange... perhaps your modulator has closed all the ports in the block, and because your module is messed up it can't open them








What I can answer is that the dealer can not reprogram modulators, only the supplier, atleast with my experience with TRW, Bosch, and Continental. Suppliers are very picky with what type of information they even give to the OEM's upon tuning the brake systems in development, the software is very top secret...shhhhh. Usually the dealer will replace the entire thing.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: ABS Control Module Replacement questions on 2000 Jetta 1.8T (GTijoejoe)*

Did you remove the entire ABS assebly from the car or just pull the electronic part off?...If you get air into the ABS valve block you must cydle the ABS to bleed brakes..which you obviously can't do with the control module out of the assembly..so I hope your answer is that you just removed electronics! Otherwise you're SOL till your module is repaired!


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## ray33 (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: ABS Control Module Replacement questions on 2000 Jetta 1.8T (spitpilot)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spitpilot* »_Did you remove the entire ABS assebly from the car or just pull the electronic part off?...If you get air into the ABS valve block you must cydle the ABS to bleed brakes..which you obviously can't do with the control module out of the assembly..so I hope your answer is that you just removed electronics! Otherwise you're SOL till your module is repaired!









I did have to remove the whole unit so I know there is air in the pump. Assuming this to be the case...once I put the module back on how would I "cycle the ABS to bleed brakes"? I don't mind being without the car until I get the module back but once I do get it back I would like to be prepared with what to do.


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

*Re: ABS Control Module Replacement questions on 2000 Jetta 1.8T (ray33)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ray33* »_
I did have to remove the whole unit so I know there is air in the pump. Assuming this to be the case...once I put the module back on how would I "cycle the ABS to bleed brakes"? I don't mind being without the car until I get the module back but once I do get it back I would like to be prepared with what to do.

ahh, I didn't know you took the entire unit out....
Either way you will need a vagcom to cycle the pump.


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