Strange Electrical Problems - ABS / Brake Light come on

I have had this electrical problem happening on my 1997 Jetta VR6 for
the past couple years. I barely drive it, maybe 4000 miles/yr so
haven't really doen anything about it.

I'm experiencing the following while driving, the conditions occur at
the same time:
1. ABS light comes on
2. "Brake" light on dash comes on
3. Lights turn off, this is a problem if driving at night.

My mother has now started driving the car and the problem has become
more prevelant. What are the possible effects of not getting this fixed
right away.

The thread doesn't clearly state where to look to check the problem.
Loom, where is this located? How can I tell if I have a faulty sensor
or if the wiring is worn? I don't wanna get screwed by the dealer when
I take this in to have it fixed.

Thanks for any assistance!

Here's the link to the original post I found:
http://groups.google.com/group/uk.re...1e749a742dad07

-Trace

There is no sure-fire simple way to solve this problem. There could be many
reasons: frayed or shorted wiring, bad connector(s), defective fusebox, bad
switch, or a combination of these things. The only way to fix it is to do a
thorough step-by-step examination of your electrical system. That means
crawling around under the car, looking under the dash and engine
compartment, or even removing some of the automobile components in order to
be able to view some of the wiring hidden underneath (for example, taking
out the instrument cluster).

If you have never done this before, you are at the mercy of whomever you
hire, so hire someone you can trust. Not that they are dishonest, but a
dealership is the last place I would try because of their high labor rates.
Happily, I am fortunate in that there are very reputable small "Mom and Pop"
foreign car repair facilities in my area. If you don't have the luck to have
one of those nearby, and you can't do the repair yourself, then your only
choice is to take it to a VW dealership. It'll cost you more, but at least
you'll get it fixed.

As to the possible effects of not getting it fixed right away. That should
be obvious: a fire in your car, or worse. You shouldn't allow your mother to
drive that car in it's present condition. She could be killed, and/or kill
someone else on some dark night when the lights suddenly fail. Beyond that,
she could be the victim of a car fire, day or night.. So I suggest that you
park that car until it can be towed to a repair facility. In the meantime,
be sure to disconnect the battery.

By the way, a "loom" is just another word for "wiring harness". The loom
(wiring harness) runs all over, under, and everywhere in and outside the
car.