Volkswagen PassatYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 7,710 NHTSA owner complaints across 35 model years, the Volkswagen Passat years to avoid are 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014, and the strongest years are 1990, 1994, 1996 and 1997. The Passat has 54 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoid'99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '06 '12 '13 '14Use caution: 1998, 2004, 2007, 2015 Best years'90 '94 '96 '97Fewest complaints for their age Owner complaints7,710Top: Air bags Safety recalls541988–2022 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: JamesYoung8167, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Volkswagen Passat years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Passat median. Tap a year for its full report.

0 0 34 24 39 68 25 93 40 37 33166450743063662827914857626216814616316 48474959424310611047 12 18 20 13

'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

2022Not rated–/10013 complaints · 0 recalls 2021Not rated–/10020 complaints · 1 recall 2020Not rated–/10018 complaints · 3 recalls 2019Not rated–/10012 complaints · 1 recall 2018Best73/10047 complaints · 4 recalls 2017Solid59/100110 complaints · 7 recalls 2016Solid62/100106 complaints · 5 recalls 2015Caution40/100243 complaints · 7 recalls 2014Avoid23/100594 complaints · 10 recalls 2013Avoid18/100749 complaints · 9 recalls 2012Avoid26/100484 complaints · 11 recalls 2011Not rated–/10016 complaints · 0 recalls 2010Solid52/100163 complaints · 4 recalls 2009Solid51/100146 complaints · 4 recalls 2008Solid50/100168 complaints · 4 recalls 2007Caution40/100262 complaints · 7 recalls 2006Avoid23/100576 complaints · 7 recalls 2005Solid50/100148 complaints · 3 recalls 2004Caution33/100279 complaints · 3 recalls 2003Avoid17/100628 complaints · 6 recalls 2002Avoid20/100636 complaints · 3 recalls 2001Avoid27/100430 complaints · 3 recalls 2000Avoid24/100507 complaints · 3 recalls 1999Avoid21/100664 complaints · 5 recalls 1998Caution34/100331 complaints · 4 recalls 1997Best80/10037 complaints · 0 recalls 1996Best81/10040 complaints · 1 recall 1995Solid64/10093 complaints · 1 recall 1994Best88/10025 complaints · 1 recall 1993Solid65/10068 complaints · 3 recalls 1992Best80/10039 complaints · 1 recall 1991Not rated–/10024 complaints · 1 recall 1990Best82/10034 complaints · 2 recalls 1989Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall 1988Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall

Complaints by system

Most common Volkswagen Passat problems

All model years combined: 7,710 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

1,652Air bags123 crash/fire/injury

1,164Electrical system106 crash/fire/injury

909Engine and engine cooling85 crash/fire/injury

646Engine53 crash/fire/injury

625Service brakes, hydraulic25 crash/fire/injury

572Steering

477Power train

472Fuel/propulsion system

435Fuel system, gasoline

2,70827 other systems286 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Air bags	1652	123
Electrical system	1164	106
Engine and engine cooling	909	85
Engine	646	53
Service brakes, hydraulic	625	25
Steering	572	9
Power train	477	17
Fuel/propulsion system	472	18
Fuel system, gasoline	435	18
27 other systems	2708	286

54 recalls

Volkswagen Passat recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

Driver side: inflator module24V-834 · 2006–2017 · Oct 30, 2024 · 248,330 vehicles Front: wheel bearing21V-812 · 2021 · Oct 15, 2021 · 30 vehicles Unknown or other21V-321 · 2016–2017 · May 5, 2021 · 46 vehicles Unknown or other20V-561 · 2016–2018 · Sep 16, 2020 · 23 vehicles Passenger side frontal: cushion20V-533 · 2020 · Sep 2, 2020 · 1,829 vehicles Driver side: inflator module19V-862 · 2012–2015 · Dec 4, 2019 · 226 vehicles Unknown or other19V-679 · 2017 · Sep 25, 2019 · 113 vehicles Exterior lighting: headlights19V-389 · 2012–2020 · May 22, 2019 · 662,185 vehicles Air bags: side/window19V-218 · 2020 · Mar 20, 2019 · 3 vehicles Driver side: inflator module19V-014 · 2015 · Jan 11, 2019 · 119,394 vehicles Disc: caliper18V-536 · 2017–2018 · Aug 15, 2018 · 8,416 vehicles Driver side: inflator module18V-406 · 2003 · Jun 13, 2018 · 2,564 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 54 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

21 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Passat

Apr 18, 2018
Clockspring failureEA18003 · 2010–2014 · closed Nov 6, 2026
No recall
Nov 13, 2017
Air Bag Clockspring FailureRQ17009 · 2010–2014 · closed May 4, 2018
No recall
Mar 24, 2015
Air Bag Clockspring FailurePE15010 · 2010–2014 · closed Sep 28, 2015
Led to recall 15V-483
Jan 26, 2011
Engine Compartment FireEA11002 · 2001–2007 · closed Feb 17, 2012
No recall
Jul 26, 2010
Engine Compartment FirePE10027 · 2002–2003 · closed Feb 7, 2011
No recall
May 4, 2009
TRANSMISSION FLUID HOSE CHAFEPE09022 · 2009 · closed Jul 9, 2009
No recall
Jan 31, 2008
FUEL TANK LEAKPE08008 · 2001–2005 · closed May 30, 2008
Led to recall 08V-156
Sep 28, 2007
PASSENGER ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA07014 · 1999–2005 · closed Jul 7, 2008
Led to recall 08V-156
May 10, 2007
PASSENGER/ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE07024 · 2000–2003 · closed Sep 28, 2007
No recall
Apr 3, 2007
WATER/ICE IN BRAKE BOOSTERPE07018 · 2002 · closed Sep 4, 2007
No recall