Electric handbrake problem

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VW Passat Estate B6

As the MOT was due soon, I decided to check all the brake pads. 

The front had plenty of wear left although the wear limit warning cable had broken, so I ‘snipped’ it off as it was not part of any management system other than a warning on the dash.  I will replace the front pads when necessary, complete with its wear limit warning cable.  The rear pads were quite worn, so I decided they needed attention. I replaced the rear pads and drove quite happily for a couple of days using the electric handbrake where needed.

 I then drove to a local post box and had to apply the handbrake as I was on a slope but on returning to the car, the handbrake would not disengage.  As it was pouring with rain, I assumed maybe water had got into one of the brake calliper motors but after about 5 minutes the handbrake disengaged!   I drove home but then applied the handbrake, although this time it stayed engaged.  This was the day before my  MOT/service booking.

On investigating I found the driver’s side rear wheel was locked by the handbrake, the passenger side appeared OK.  I released the driver’s side by removing the calliper motor.  On re-instating, it rotated OK but after applying the foot brake followed by pressing the handbrake switch/button , the passenger side was locked by the handbrake  but the driver’s side was OK!

So I then removed both handbrake calliper motors and checked them electrically which showed both motors rotated, both clockwise and anticlockwise.  I also checked the cable connectors for both calliper motors and neither had any voltage when the handbrake switch/button was pressed.  By this time both road wheels were able to rotate even though the handbrake switch /button is flashing, and continues to flash!

As there were no blown fuses found, I can only assume that there is a fault with the handbrake module but I haven’t got a computerised tool to evaluate the problem.

As the car is down for its MOT/service, the handbrake problem would need attention first.

Next day, and after I had re-booked the MOT/service, as the battery was flat, I used my son’s Jump Start device and went for a short drive of about 10 miles.  During that trip the handbrake switch/button continued to flash but this time, whenever the car was moving, there was a beeping noise in tandem with the switch/button flashing.  On returning home I tried the switch/button but it didn’t make any difference although the beeping had stopped, probably as the car was stationery with the engine running.

Then that night it rained but the following morning I noticed the handbrake switch/button was not flashing.  I drove out and on my return I tried the switch/button and heard one (or both) calliper motors whirring.  The switch/button now had a full illumination indicating handbrake was on.  I pressed the switch/button again, it went out and I was able to drive.  I then raised a rear road wheel and then pressed the switch button. The wheel could not be moved.  On releasing the switch/button, the road wheel became free.  I repeated the process with the other rear road wheel and the result was the same.  Maybe it is the switch/button that is temperamental (?)

CURIOUS, any ideas?

[Volkswagen Owners Club]

My first thought was not reindexing the handbrake motors with the correct scantool application.
However, when you said you replaced the battery then that made more sense as to why the system was playing up