1992 Volkswagen Passat

Routine

Owners filed 39 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine9
100
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly4
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline4
010
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element1
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Cables1
000
Suspension › Front1
100

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Vehicle Speed Control92V131000
Filed Sep 15, 199212,650 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. THE VENTURI TUBE LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE VALVE HOUSING CAN BECOME LOOSE AND FALL AGAINST THE THROTTLE PLATE.

Risk. THE VENTURI TUBE CAN PARTIALLY BLOCK THE THROTTLE PLATEAND PREVENT IT FROM RETURNING TO ITS FULL IDLE POSITION, RESULTING IN UNWANTEDENGINE SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN A FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR.

Remedy. REPLACE THE PRESS-FIT VENTURI TUBE WITH A THREAD TYPE TUBE.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Vehicle Speed Control › Cables
Filed Sep 4, 200787,500 milesCA

THROTTLE CABLE MELTS THEN IT JAMS, USUALLY IN A HIGH REVVING POSITION. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 NEW THROTTLE CABLES, EACH TIME THEY MELT AND STICK. *JB

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Jul 6, 2004120,000 milesPA

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HEATER CORE BLEW OUT. AS A RESULT WHITE STEAM FILLED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH IMPAIRED THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER. *AK *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Oct 2, 2003140,000 milesNC

HEAT EXCHANGER (CORE) LEAKED WHILE DRIVING, STEAMING UP THE VEHICLE INTERIOR TO IMPAIR VISIBILITY. HOT COOLANT LEAKED INTO PASSENGER'S FOOT AREA. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ALREADY ISSUED RECALL # 96V115000. MY CAR IS 1992 VW PASSAT: [XXX]. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Dec 20, 2002NJ

WHILE DRIVING GAS AND FUMES BEGAN EMITTING FROM VENTS CAUSING WINDOWS TO FOG ELIMINATING CONSUMER'S VISIBILITY. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT HAD A BROKEN HEATER CORE. TS

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
Filed Dec 11, 2001CA

HEATING SYSTEM SMELLS OF ANTIFREEZE WHEN USING FRONT VENTS AND DEFROST. 2 - 3 FAN SELECTION USED AND HEATER SET TO MEDIUM WARM SETTING ANTIFREEZE FUMES STARTED TO BLOWOUT, WHICH FOGGED FRONT WINDOW AND BREATHING IN HAZMAT ANTIFREEZE.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 4, 2000PA

THE ENGINE VALVES AND TIMING BELT FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *MJS

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
Filed Sep 14, 2000CA

THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *MJS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Mar 13, 2000PA

WHEN IT'S COLD VEHICLE WILL START FAST AND RUN WELL. BUT AFTER CAR HAS BEEN WARMED UP, PARKED AND STARTED AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO START. THEN, WHEN GOING DOWN THE STREET AND SLOWING DOWN, VEHICLE WILL STALL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Feb 2, 2000TN

THERE IS FUEL LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING: -AUTOMATIC ACCELERATION, THROTTLE STICKS WHEN ACCELERATING -HEATER CORE EXPLODED -BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR -CV JOINTS BAD -TRUNK LATCH WILL NOT OPEN -OIL LEAK -TRANSMISSION FAILURES -EXHAUST PROBLEMS -STARTING PROBLEMS, IGNITION -FRESH AIR CONTROL DOES NOT WORK -STEERING WHEEL LOST SCREWS *AK *ML

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element
Filed Feb 1, 2000FL

THE AIR CONDITIONING WORKS FINE ON THIS VEHICLE. BUT WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON HEAT CONTROL SWITCH MELTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE DASH PANEL. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Jan 29, 2000TN

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

Suspension › FrontCrash
Filed Jan 29, 2000TN

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Trunk Lid › Lock
Filed Jan 27, 2000TN

TRUNK LATCH BROKE.*ET

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jan 14, 2000VA

VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY OVERHEATING (6 TIMES).*ET

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jul 26, 1999FL

ENGINE OVERHEATING THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT IT HAPPEND AGAIN. YH

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
Filed May 28, 1999CA

TRANSFER PUMP WAS REPLACED ONCE DURING WARRANTY, ALL OTHERS AFTER ITS EXPIRATION. THE SYMPTOM IS THAT THE ENGINE STALLS AT ALL SPEEDS. IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL, ALL POWER ASSISTED COMPONENTS STOP WORKING. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Mar 2, 1999CA

AUTOMOBILE STALLS OUT BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP GOES BAD AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES HAS HAD THIS DONE FIVE TIMES. BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, NEITHER WANTS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VEHICLE'S DEFECTS. *AK *ML

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Mar 2, 1999CA

FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AND HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES. I HAVE BACK-UP PAPERWORK, INVOICES, ETC. SYMPTOMS ARE CAR STALLING, SOMETIMES ON FREEWAY. I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP SAYS TALK TO VW; VW SAYS TALK TO DEALERSHIP. I'M STUCK.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 17, 1999TN

ACCORDING TO THE VOLKSWAGEN'S OWNERS MANUAL THE TIMING BELT MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 60,000 MILES. THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT BROKE AROUND MY 58,000 MILES, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CYLINDER HOUSING, AND VW PAID A PORTION OF THE COST. MY REPLACEMENT TIMING BELT BROKE AT THE 109000 MILE MARK; WELL BEFORE IT'S RECOMENDED REPLACEMENT, AND CAUSED DAMAGE INSIDE THE CYLINDER HOUSING. VW REFUSES TO PAY ANY OF THE COST THIS DEFECTIVE PART CAUSED TO MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICES, AND THEY WOULD HAVE CHECKED THE TENSION OF THE TIMING BELT. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO MENTION OF IT IN THE SERVICE MANUAL. I MAINTAINED AND HAD REGULAR SERVICES PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT REPAIR SHOPS THAT WAS USUALLY CHEAPER THAN GOING THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Nov 10, 1998PA

TIMING BELT FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE VALVES.

20 of 39 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2013
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202213000Routine
202118110Routine
202018300Routine
201912100Routine
201845400Do not drive
2017110710Routine
2016106500Routine
2015243720Above average
20145941030Above average
2013748942Fatalities reported
20124831130Above average
201116011Fatalities reported
2010163410Routine
20091464120Routine
2008168460Routine
2007262760Above average
2006576760Above average
20051484110Routine
20042794250High concern
20036347940High concern
20026364462Fatalities reported
20014304140Above average
20005075251Fatalities reported
19996646132Fatalities reported
1998331541Fatalities reported
199770120Routine
1996142110Routine
199593110Routine
199425110Routine
1993683100Routine
1992 — this page39110Routine
199124110Routine
199034230Routine

Compare every Passat year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Sep 15, 1992. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.