ABS light on, and E-brake light flashing VW

[f.]

So I just bought a 2001 VW Jetta GL 2.0L with 145,000KM on it a couple weeks ago. Today as I'm driving home, out of nowhere, the ABS light comes on, the E-Brake light starts flashing, and this beeping noise comes on for a second, and all the instruments die. I've looked online but just wondering if there is anyone with a similar experiences and what have you done? TIA!

[donjalapeno]

top off brake fluid? my accords ebrake light kept flickering so i added a little more brake fluid and it was gone and its been good so far

[chewbacca]

3 possibilities:

1. Common VW/Audi problem from that era - the ABS module has died. This would explain the ABS and parking brake lights, but unlikely this is the cause since the rest of the instrument cluster died.

2. Instrument cluster lost power due to a bad ground or something. Plausible.

3. Another very common VW/Audi problem - the ignition switch is on its way out. Start the car. Do all the instruments work and all the warning lights are off? Jiggle the key around without turning it to "off". Does the cluster die again?

[Hyper_night]

1. did the car die on you?
2. does the car still start?
3. hows your brakes? possible for both lights to come on if u got no brakes!
if you lost power to your instruments, then it could possibly be a bad battery/not charging alternator.
I had problems with new and old defective alternators before, they would work for a few days or so and as you're driving the abs and e-brake light comes on and after you lose power to everything else.

[westopher]

Save the headache and get it scanned for codes. But the ign. switch so often causes really random things like that to happen. My ex-girls jettas headlights would turn off when she turned the windsheild wiper on due to a bad ign. switch, and my corrado would do tons of weird abs blinking shit and wouldn't start every 20 or so times

[jribchester8]

its a long list of COULD be's. get a vag com scan its quick and some shops will even do it for free. check your rear break sensor. as for the cluster dying all together that makes me think there is a wire touching where it should/ bad ground.