Volkswagen Passat Complaints (2006)

576 consumer complaints on file.

#11692301October 9, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2006 Volkswagen Passat . The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671216July 4, 2025
AIR BAGS
recalled airbag
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660470May 12, 2025
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V509000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure to obtain assistance with reimbursement. The failure mileage was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11631089December 16, 2024
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer was contacted however, the manufacturer was not.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577635March 15, 2024
AIR BAGS, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My family and I have been VW owners for over 60 years. Unfortunately, the 2006 VW Passat has been layered with defects, negligent manufacturing issues, faulty wiring, electrical problems, computer glitches, to mention a few. There have been many recalls including an official recall by the NHTSA, for steering linkage problems and tie rod assembly which caused a loss of steering, crashes and deaths. Over 292 complaints are filed with Consumer Affairs, over 561 defects reported, and thousands of horror stories like mine about this car. It's considered a lemon by many car professionals. Many dealerships in the USA offered to inspect, and replace the electronic steering column lock free of charge and address any other concerns, which should be standard, reasonable behavior for all VW dealerships, mandated by this Federal agency. Shortly after this car almost killed me in 2013, VW put me through countless stressful hours of calls, emails and the like and still refused to be fully accountable. Shortly after my almost end of life, the notorious VW Emissions Scandal spoke volumes. VW was well aware of their defects including the electrical system in the steering column/immobilizer, (the system won’t recognize the key; a module in the car that connects the key and starts the engine is defective). In many cases, the entire steering column is defective and has to be completely replaced because the car’s pistons, internal combustion and engine are all subpar. Even the Sunroof and drains are defective and every time it rains, there is a flood in my car which has caused life threatening mold and mildew. I am respectfully asking for your help in having VW provide me, a near [XXX] woman, a safe, reliable, car without another defective sunroof and without defective water drains. It can be used as long as it's reliable and without deadly mold and mildew. I have photos. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11523759May 24, 2023
POWER TRAIN
Transmission clunks into gear and loses traction while shifting.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11514628March 30, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while approaching an off ramp while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where an unknown diagnostic test and repair was completed. Additionally, the dealer fractured an unknown part underneath the hood and water entered the vehicle near the sun visor and there was water accumulating on the rear passenger’s side door location. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11500131January 4, 2023
POWER TRAIN
We owned vehicle approx 8yrs and in late 2022 will driving/on highway 55mph or local roads like Broadway 15-20mph the vehicle goes into neutral. VErY dangerous it wil work as it should after a restart
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11483092September 6, 2022
AIR BAGS, ENGINE
The contact owned a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while her husband was driving in traffic, he rear-ended a vehicle at approximately 25 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. While her husband was exchanging information with the other driver, the other driver alerted him that his vehicle had caught fire. As her husband attempted to retrieve a fire extinguisher from the truck, he was alerted that the fire had worsened and was instructed to move away from the vehicle. Within minutes, the vehicle became engulfed in flames and was incinerated. A police report was filed. No injuries were reported. The contact had the vehicle towed to her home where it remained in her possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11474741July 19, 2022
AIR BAGS
Stalled out as I started to accelerate from a stop light. It's like not getting and fuel. Possibly some type of issue pertaining to that Then my airbag light keeps flashing. Floor board lights cut on an off for no reason. Electrical equipment Possibly incorrect?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11434870September 29, 2021
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the passenger’s side frontal air bag failed to function as designed. The passenger’s side frontal air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11385604December 30, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
I PURCHASED THIS CAR 2 YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAVE THE PARKING BRAKE FAIL AND BREAK THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE AND THE CAR CAME OUT OF GEAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND BEGAN ROLLING. MY 65 YO MOM HAD TO STOP IT AND PUSH IT UP AS SHE WAS HOME ALONE. IT TURNED ON ANOTHER TIME WHILE I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND I WAS ALMOST T-BONED. I HAD IT REPLACED AFTER THIS INCIDENT. IN MAY 2020 THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AND I NEEDED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE BRAKE WAS STUCK ON AND THE COMPUTER CONTROL UNIT BROKE. I PAID $2500 TO HAVE THE UNIT REPLACED. IN DEC 2020 (ONLY 7 MONTHS LATER) THE EXACT THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE AND NEEDED TO TOW IT TO MY MECHANIC. THE CALIPER AND COMPUTER BROKE AGAIN. THE COST IS SIMILAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU LOOK AT ANY VW FORUMS YOU WILL SEE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY PEOPLE HAVING THEIR BRAKE STUCK AND UNABLE TO ENGAGE/DISENGAGE THE UNIT. I REACHED OUT TO VW AND HAD NO RESOLUTION. I REQUEST THE PARKING BRAKE BE RECALLED AND EVERYONE WHO HAD WORK DONE ON IT, INCLUDING MYSELF, RECEIVED A FULL REFUND.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11383386December 14, 2020
ENGINE
WE HAVE 2006 3.6L VW PASSAT WITH 55K MILES FOR MY DAUGHTER. JUST RECENTLY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH. IT HAD BEEN RUNNING GOOD AND NO OIL WAS LEAKING. THIS SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO AN ISSUE MANY OTHER PASSAT OWNERS EXPERIENCED WHERE THE OIL PUMP BOLT BECOMES LOSE AND CAUSES A FATAL FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11337828July 7, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE A GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. VERY HEAVY FUMES COMING IN THE CAR AND AROUND THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND STATIONARY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11329365June 17, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
HAVE REPLACED NUMEROUS PARTS ...THE EPX LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHICH MAY REFERENCE TO THE OIL PUMP BOLT FAILING...CRANKSHAFT AND CAM SHAFTS CODES KEEP COMING ON EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE REPLACED...TRANSMISSION SHIFTING SLIGHTLY HARD.. OVERHEATING EVEN THOUGH NEW PARTS WERE INSTALLED...AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON..BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLEED OVER 10 TIMES AND ARE STILL TOO SOFT CAUSE ME TO BRAKE AT A FURTHER DISTANCE TO AVOID A WRECK....I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND CANT AFFORD A MASSAGE BILL TO FIX IT AND VW IS AWARE OVER THESE YEARS OF THE ISSUES AND WONT RECALL TO REPAIR ANY OF THE ISSUES...I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS FOR THE PARTS REPLACED... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11326103May 27, 2020
POWER TRAIN
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS USED IN THE B6 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER VW MODELS ARE NOTORIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT NEEDING A SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH WAS DONE ON MY VEHICLE, HOWEVER THIS DOES NOT ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUE WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THE WIDESPREAD AND MORE SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS IS THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY PART OF THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING HARD SHIFTS USUALLY BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND OR THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. THESE HARD SHIFTS CAUSE THE ENTIRE CAR AND IT'S PASSENGERS TO JERK VIOLENTLY DURING UPSHIFTS AND SOMETIMES DOWNSHIFTS BETWEEN THESE GEARS. AT ONLY 91,000 MILES AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF MY CAR HAS DEVELOPED THIS PROBLEM BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR MAKING IT FEEL VERY DANGEROUS AND UNSETTLING FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GETTING UP TO SPEED ESPECIALLY ON ON-RAMPS TO THE HIGHWAY. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS DESTROYED MY MOTOR MOUNTS AS WELL. VW SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART OF THE TRANSMISSION SIMILAR TO THE WAY HONDA DID WITH THEIR ODYSSEY, ONLY THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED LIKE WITH THE ODYSSEY. THIS IS AN ENORMOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADDRESS BY VOLKSWAGEN, THE LARGEST AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11324052May 10, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
TRYING TO START CAR AND WON'T TURN ON WITH KEY ALL MY KEYS DON'T WORK SAYS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE CAN'T GET MY CAR TO TURN MY RADIO ON I AM PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY AND CAN'T EVEN TOW IT TO DEALER NOW BECAUSE IT WON'T GO INTO NEUTRAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298582January 11, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN STOPPED AND START GOING AND GET TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND SHIFTS INTO THIRD GEAR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGES AND I CAN BARELY MOVE. I HAVE TO TURN MY VW PASSAT OFF, WAIT A COUPLE MINUTES AND TURN IT BACK ON FORM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO DISLODGE. EXAMPLE: I'M IN VEGAS AT A STOP LIGHT IT TURNS GREEN SO IM GOING UP A ON RAMP TO GET ON FREEWAY AND AS SOON AS I ACCELERATE AND CAR SHIFTS INTO 3RD GEAR A YELLOW P WITH A CIRCLE AROUND IT COMES ON MY DASH AND WHEN I PUSH ON THE GAS ( I HAD MANY CARS BEHIND ME) MY CAR REVVED UP BUT WOULD NOT GO BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CAME ON. AND IT CONTINUES TO DO IT TO ME. IF I CAN GET PAST THIRD GEAR IT'S FINE AND 1ST AND 2ND GEAR ARE OK. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR AND CALLED ON RECALLS THERE WEREN'T ANY. THIS ALMOST MADE ME HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON MY WAY HOME THE SAME DAY. BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO OVER A PASS TO GET HOME IT DID IT TO ME 4 TIMES AND THE LAST TIME CP8LD OF KILLED ME. IVE BEEN READING THE PROBLEM OTHERS ARE HAVING WITH VEHICLE AND THEY ARE THE SAME AS MINE. BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE ON 2006 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT. PLEASE HELP US WHO CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. AND I CANT SELL IT BECAUSE I CANT LET SOMONE ELSE GET HURT. THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND I LOVE MY CAR. BUT NOW I'M SCARED TO DRIVE NOW. I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT AND CAN'T RISK SELLING IT AND NOW HAVE NOTHING TO GET TO WORK. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11286835December 4, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY VEHICLE DOES. SUDDEN STOP WHILE I'M DRIVING EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS UP ND THEN ON DASH IT STATE TO STOP VEHICLE PULL OVER AND DOESN'T WANT TO ADVANCE TO MOVE OUT OF DANGER FROM TRAFFIC ON STREETS AND FREEWAY. THEN I WON'T WANT TO ADVANCED AT TIME AND THE PRND ALL LIGHT UP AT ONE OR NONE AT ALL AT TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT X 4 TIMES LAST YEAR AND NOW IT KEEPS DOING IT EVERY TIME. SO KNOW I JUST KEEP MY CAR PARKED BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF PUTTING MY KIDS IN DANGER I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT IN TO A DEALER FOR AIRBAG RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11286344December 2, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
MY CAR WAS DRIVING AND BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE. THEN I TRIED TO STOP AS I CAME TO A RED LIGHT N BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED. I COULDN'T STOP N WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE RED LIGHT AND I BETWEEN 2 CAR B4 FINALLY COMING TO A STOP A HALF MILE LATER. I DROVE THE CAR ON BACKSTREETS AND THE BRAKES WILL WORK WHEN I START GOING BUT AFTER A FEW STOPS THEY START GETTING SOFT UNTIL THEY JUST TOTALLY FAIL. THEIR IS PLENTY OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE SYSTEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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