Volkswagen Passat
Owners filed 7,845 complaints across 33 model years of the Volkswagen Passat. The 2013 drew the most (748); the 2019 the fewest (12).
Model years33
Complaints7,845
Recalls134
Fires298
Deaths9
Every Volkswagen Passat model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 | 0 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2021 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2020 | 18 | 3 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2019 | 12 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 45 | 4 | — | 5 | Service Brakes | Do not drive | |
| 2017 | 110 | 7 | 1 | 9 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2016 | 106 | 5 | — | 4 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2015 | 243 | 7 | 2 | 11 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2014 | 594 | 10 | 3 | 19 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2013 | 748 | 9 | 4 | 29 | Air Bags | Fatalities reported | |
| 2012 | 483 | 11 | 3 | 14 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2010 | 163 | 4 | 1 | 5 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 146 | 4 | 12 | 5 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2008 | 168 | 4 | 6 | 3 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2007 | 262 | 7 | 6 | 4 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2006 | 576 | 7 | 6 | 21 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2005 | 148 | 4 | 11 | 7 | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 2004 | 279 | 4 | 25 | 9 | Engine and Engine Cooling | High concern | |
| 2003 | 634 | 7 | 94 | 14 | Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump | High concern | |
| 2002 | 636 | 4 | 46 | 10 | Electrical System › Ignition | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 430 | 4 | 14 | 14 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Above average | |
| 2000 | 507 | 5 | 25 | 11 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 664 | 6 | 13 | 11 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module | Fatalities reported | |
| 1998 | 331 | 5 | 4 | 6 | Suspension › Front › Control Arm | Fatalities reported | |
| 1997 | 70 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch | Routine | |
| 1996 | 142 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch | Routine | |
| 1995 | 93 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | Routine | |
| 1994 | 25 | 1 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1993 | 68 | 3 | 10 | 3 | Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core | Routine | |
| 1992 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Routine | |
| 1991 | 24 | 1 | 1 | — | Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element | Routine | |
| 1990 | 34 | 2 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Routine |
Which Volkswagen Passat years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2013 is the weakest year on record, with 748 complaints concentrated in the air bags. It carries 9 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.