Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#11431408September 1, 2021
AIR BAGS
None of the functions on the steering wheel of my 2014 VW Passat work. This includes the horn, the airbag and other functions on the steering wheel. This car is what my daughter uses for college. It puts her at risk and other drivers. She cannot beep the horn if someone is driving erratically, the air bag on the steering wheel does not work and sometimes the directionals do not work. This car will not pass inspection. VW has not put a recall out on this part and after doing some research, many VW's are affected by this issue. What makes matters worse, is that she had the same issue in 2018. She had to travel to a VW dealer almost 50 miles away from her college campus to have the clock spring replaced to the price of $646 dollars. Now it's 2021 and the same problem is occurring. What is the matter with VW where they will not take responsibility for their cars.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11431221August 31, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ABS module failure at 56,000 miles. Warning lights illuminated on dashboard are ABS, brakes, stability control, tire pressure and airbags. Local VW dealer inspected and confirmed failure of ABS module.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430991August 30, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The battery died. It's located in the trunk. There was no way to get to the battery because there's no keyhole in the trunk lid and without power nothing works. As in the trunk latch. Once I was able to jump the car bypassing the battery the trunk latch in the driver's side door malfunctioned. Now I can't get into the trunk at all. The latched to let the backseat down are located in the trunk. It's a horrible design and I'm just grateful I was stranded alone somewhere when the trunk latch failed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430407August 25, 2021
AIR BAGS
Turned right after a traffic light while driving. Heard clicking noise from steering column and noticed that the airbag warning light came on. Further investigated and realized that the horn, front crash avoidance, vehicle voice control, cruise control, and all controls on the steering column were not working. No horn. No front crash avoidance. No airbag. After a short period of online research, I recognize that this is neither an isolated issue nor the first time VW has had this problem. Prior safety recalls have required repair of broken clock springs that render multiple pieces of safety equipment useless. This is a manufacturing error or part malfunction that should be repaired by VW at their expense.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430569August 25, 2021
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The automatic emergency braking has applied three times while driving this vehicle. Once on a freeway onramp curve in traffic with following car, twice driving on different paved city streets. All three times were daylight and no other vehicle or obstruction in front of my car. This to me is asking for a trailing vehicle to rear end collide, or maybe even worse yet what would happen if this were to happen on rain slick or snow covered road? I did take it to an authorized VW dealer after the second brake application and of course they could not replicate the brake issue. I did not have it checked the first time since I falsely assumed I had done something I had not thought about. Now, after the third time, I am sure that it is the car and not something I have done. I have not been back to VW shop yet after this third time. My wife is scared to drive the car now and I am concerned about myself. I do not think the VW dealer went any further than a test drive and maybe a computer check after the second braking I encountered. There have been no warning lights or messages on my car dash before or after all three times. The dash light warning to "BRAKE!" did light up as the brakes were applying on their own. As a small aside comment, I was a professional highway truck driver with over a million miles driving and achieved a 28 year safe driving record. That has let me make this statement with a lot of "boots on the ground" certainty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11430116August 23, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR
In less than 51,000 miles 3 wheel speed sensors have required replacement. An unacceptable average failure rate of once every 1.7 years or 17,000 miles. Failure of one of these components disables all safety systems including air bags. How could such an obviously unreliable part not be subject to a safety recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429986August 21, 2021
ENGINE
there is a TDI/AEM Emissions service action CODE: 23Z3 for this year TDI, that requires Dealer Software 'fix" , I have owned the car for a year now , with no contact from VW. Also, have read that there is a Recall on the Heater Cores getting clogged, and causing fogging windsheilds, driving hazard. And no contact from VW ?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429717August 19, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I got all types of misfires and fuel pump and electrical problems the car almost has me in car wrecks every time I drive it the speed thermometer jumps up and down causing me to have no push in the gas I have to turn the car on and off on the highway
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429475August 17, 2021
AIR BAGS, STEERING
1. Air bag clock spring (twice) 2. No horn, no airbag driver side safety issues. 3. Yes, twice confirmed by VW Dealer 4. No other inspections, just VW Dealer 5. No warnings of the issue until none of the controls were working - now an air bag light January 29, 2020 - 82227 miles, no air bag, no horn, no steering wheel controls. brought to dealer - says there is a known issue with the clock spring and replaced it no charge. August 11, 2021, 123221 miles, no air bag, no horn, no steering wheel controls. brought to dealer - says not covered. the first clock spring lasted 80,000, the second one even more faulty - lasted barely 40000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11429138August 14, 2021
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The DPF keeps causing the engine light to come on when there isn’t anything wrong but it also makes the car use more fuel every time this happens
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428840August 12, 2021
SUSPENSION
Rear passenger side wheel area started making a lot of noise. After tire was taken off, found rear coil spring broken and dislodged from proper location. Then looked at drivers side rear coil spring and it was still in proper location but broken. Found replacement part which also fit VW Beetle and VW Jetta which are much smaller cars than a Passat. VW does not offer heavier springs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428647August 11, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:INTERLOCK/LOCKOUT
The vehicle can be turned off while in drive, and gives no extra signals (beeps, flashing lights, etc.) with the exception of a brief message on the dash and single ding (same ding for door open, and other low importance messages). The vehicle will then roll until the brake is applied or it comes to a rest on a flat surface or against a pole or hard object. This is a significant safety hazard that has occurred to me 3-4 times, the most recent was today when the vehicle rolled backwards down my mothers driveway. Crossed the street, entered the neighbors driveway/yard, contacted the mail box and came to rest in the front yard. The vehicle rolled approx. 200ft. The vehicle is equipped with auto braking and parking collision warning, that are capable of sensing a collision while driving and notifying the driver of objects while parking. The same system should be able to prevent a car turned off while in drive from rolling uncontrolled and striking a person or object. In addition the car should have generate a significant audio and visual warnings to the driver, furthermore the car should not be able to be turned off while in drive. It’s a fundamental flaw that it can be turned off, drivers door opened, driver and keys step out of the vehicle with no response from the vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428166August 7, 2021
ENGINE
The car burns an excessive amount of oil and the problem seems to be the same as those that VW settled a class action for on it’s early year model of the same car. Basically I burn a quart of oil every 500 miles and the engine isn’t leaking any oil.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427926August 5, 2021
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
faulty timing chain tensioner caused catastrophic engine failure. resulting in ~$4000.00 repair cost. i have read about alot of other Volkswagens having this same issue. VW has redesigned this part several times, i did not recive a TSB stating there was an issue with an internal component of my engine even though VW knows this issue will result in engine failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427545August 3, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
On May 4th 2021 start button was replaced. While driving back the car from the dealer, car started to idle violently. Same thing happened the next day. So I drove it to the dealer. Service Manager requested a mechanic to drive the car around and this time we could not reproduce the problem. Instead of running any diagnostics, service manager asked me to leave. Then for past 3 months this problem has been happening on and off. For past 3 days the car started to shake violently at lights (awaiting green signal) and ESC warning started to appear on the dash board. Today I took it to the dealer and they suggested me to change intake cam shaft etc with a total estimate of $ 5000.00 Before the change of start button this car ran just fine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427609August 3, 2021
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The assisted lane control is working terribly on my car and cannot be turned off permanently. The take over steering must be turned off before I drive the car every single time. It does not work properly. Last week I went to steer around a pothole and almost went in the ditch because the steering control was "fighting" with me to not let me steer where I needed to go. The previous incident I was trying to go around a cyclist and had to literally fight with my steering to keep it from hitting the biker. It is terrible. The dealer told me it could not be permanently disabled. It is a hazard and someone is going to get hurt. The service rep told me that NHTSA has made it mandatory for the car manufacturers to have these safety features disabled by default with no way to permanently turn them off. I want to stress how unsafe this is. I truly believe there are many things government can help us with but to get in the middle of me steering my car is not one of them. This is government overreach. The VW customer care person I spoke to also told me they have been plagued with complaints from owners who want the steering control disabled. There is a setting to disable it, but I have to remember to turn it off every single time I start my car. I want the NHTSA to (1) put pressure on VW to fix the steering assist problem and allow for steering changes to safely pass bikers and other vehicles on the shoulder without needing the directional signal and (2) make the assist something that can be turned off by default. I do like to use it when I am on a long highway drive, but never around town. It is terrible and beeps and takes control of the steering and I am tired of fighting with my car. Someone will get killed if you leave it like this. People need to decide for themselves if they want the steering assist or not. Default ON needs to end when a person turns it off - it stays off until they turn explicitly it back on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427498August 2, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES
After a brake job with the replacement of brake fluid, the brake pedal is soft even after re-bleeding. Two methods were used, pressurized and new fluid fed through the reservoir tank and then manually with two people replacing the fluid in the reservoir. Working on resolution. First brake replacement at about 40,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11427531August 2, 2021
AIR BAGS
Steering wheel controls, such as volume control, song control stopped working. As well as airbag light came on. Then a week later heard clicking while turning steering wheel and noticed horn doesn’t work as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11426232July 24, 2021
AIR BAGS, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I started my car and it showed up with “airbag error” I then turned off my car and started it again and something along the lines of “front lane assist error” showed up, there was also a clicking noise from my steering wheel anytime I would turn the wheel, the car also was “breakchecking” me (aggressively breaking when barely any pressure applied) when I was trying to drive home and the digital speedometer is no longer showing up on my dash board. I was only able to get a picture of the “airbag error” message
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11426183July 23, 2021
STEERING, SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
For about 2 years my vehicle has been vibrating at the steering wheel. I have replaced the tires twice, have done multiple tire balances, rotations, road force tests, alignments, and have requested multiple inspections of all components associated with the steering assembly. All possible solutions have apparently been insufficient or they have been found inconclusive. The technicians at the dealership have been unable to identify the cause of the vibration. Due to this, my steering wheel has continued to vibrate for about 2 years. The vibration occurs around highway speeds as well as when braking. I have recorded multiple videos that show this as well as having testament from multiple people, including dealership staff. The vibration has slowly but surely gotten worse over time and I am afraid that something will break and cause me to have an accident or severe injuries.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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