Brake Fluid - Volkswagen PASSAT 2013 Manual

If ABS is not working, ESC, ASR, and EDL will also not work.
You may hear noises when these systems are active.

Brake fluid

Fig. 146 In engine compartment: Brake fluid reservoir cap.
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS
Brake fluid absorbs water from the air over time. Too much water in the brake fluid will damage the
brake system. Water also lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid. Too much water in the brake fluid
can cause vapor lock during heavy brake use or hard braking. Vapor lock reduces braking
performance, increases stopping distances and can even cause total brake failure. Your safety and
the safety of others depends on brakes that are working properly at all times ⇒
Brake fluid specifications
Volkswagen has developed a special brake fluid that is optimized for the brake system in your
Volkswagen. Volkswagen recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly conforms to quality
standard VW Standard 501 14 for optimum performance of the brake system. Check the information
on the container for the brake fluid you want to use to make sure it meets the requirements for your
vehicle.
Brake fluid that complies with VW Standard 501 14 can be purchased from your authorized
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
If this special brake fluid is not available you may - under these circumstances - use another high
quality brake fluid that complies with US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 116 DOT 4
⇒
.
Please note, however, that not all brake fluids that comply with US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 116 DOT 4 have the same chemical composition. Some of these brake fluids can
contain chemicals that could, over time, degrade or damage internal parts of the vehicle's brake
system.
Volkswagen therefore recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly complies with VW
Standard 501 14 for optimum brake system performance over the long term.
Brake fluid level
The fluid level in the transparent brake fluid reservoir must always be between the MIN and MAX
marking ⇒
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