Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.: Power Train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on May 11, 2017 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 84,262. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, potentially resulting in a grease leak.
The risk
If the leaking grease contacts a heated surface, such as the exhaust system and/or the diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could increase the risk of fire.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft heat shield, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23W5.
3 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Volkswagen Passat | 594 | 10 | 3 | 19 |
| 2013 Volkswagen Passat | 749 | 9 | 4 | 29 |
| 2012 Volkswagen Passat | 484 | 11 | 3 | 14 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 17V309000.
Full record for the 2014 Volkswagen Passat → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →