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Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010 problems by year and mileage

B6 · PQ46 (transverse engine — a fundamental architecture change from the longitudinal B5)

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

The 2006 Volkswagen Passat

Close
Median failure report
64,000 mi
Complaints filed
576
Recalls naming this year
7

Most reported on the 2006

  1. Airbag system148 reports · median 94,000 mi
  2. Steering112 reports · median 63,000 mi
  3. Electrical system79 reports · median 59,000 mi

7 recall campaigns name the 2006: Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Service brakes, hydraulic — power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2007 Volkswagen Passat

Close
Median failure report
72,000 mi
Complaints filed
273
Recalls naming this year
7

Most reported on the 2007

  1. Airbag system111 reports · median 97,000 mi
  2. Fuel and propulsion system36 reports
  3. Electrical system35 reports · median 80,000 mi

7 recall campaigns name the 2007: Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Service brakes, hydraulic — power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2008 Volkswagen Passat

Close
Median failure report
90,000 mi
Complaints filed
174
Recalls naming this year
4

Most reported on the 2008

  1. Fuel and propulsion system47 reports · median 111,000 mi
  2. Engine44 reports · median 92,000 mi
  3. Airbag system32 reports

4 recall campaigns name the 2008: Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Engine and engine cooling. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2009 Volkswagen Passat

Close
Median failure report
78,000 mi
Complaints filed
152
Recalls naming this year
4

Most reported on the 2009

  1. Engine61 reports · median 78,000 mi
  2. Fuel and propulsion system49 reports · median 90,000 mi
  3. Steering20 reports

4 recall campaigns name the 2009: Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Steering — gear box (other than rack and pinion). Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2010 Volkswagen Passat

Close
Median failure report
72,000 mi
Complaints filed
172
Recalls naming this year
4

Most reported on the 2010

  1. Airbag system48 reports
  2. Engine44 reports · median 88,000 mi
  3. Transmission and driveline34 reports · median 62,000 mi

4 recall campaigns name the 2010: Air bags — frontal; Fuel system, gasoline — delivery. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2008 reports latest and the 2006 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2006 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.

The short answer

“Is the 2006–2010 Volkswagen Passat reliable?”

Median of reported failures
73,000 mi
90% of reports came by
137,000 mi
Reports with mileage
937
Recalls
12

Most reported

  1. Airbag system26.1% of complaints · median 90,000 mi
  2. Engine17.9% of complaints · median 92,000 mi
  3. Fuel and propulsion system14.8% of complaints · median 104,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Owners filed 1,347 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006–2010 Volkswagen Passat; the airbag system leads with 26.1% of them, and half of the 937 that record an odometer reading came by 73,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.

Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 106,000 miles.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2006–2010 Volkswagen Passat last?

Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2006–2010 Volkswagen Passat, half of the 937 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 73,000 miles and 90% by 137,000 miles.

71 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 14 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Passat reached that mileage, not that it failed there.

Figure 1 · Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010 · 937 reports with mileage

Mileage at failure

Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 84 complaints.

Mileage at failure, Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010Histogram of 937 owner-reported failures by mileage, in 10,000-mile bins from 0 to 200,000. The tallest bin is 0 to 10,000 miles with 84 complaints, 9.0 percent of the total. Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 106,000 miles. A further 14 complaints, 1.5 percent, were reported above 200,000 miles and are shown as a separate detached bar. Median mileage at failure is 73,000.
  • Rest of the range
  • Median
  • 200,000+ — 14 complaints (1.5%), plotted separately
10%
11,000
25%
40,000
Median
73,000
75%
106,400
90%
137,000

Tallest bin: 84 complaints between 0 and 10,000 miles. Based on 937 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 10,000 miles.

Show the numbers
Complaints by mileage bin
MileageComplaintsShare
0–10,000849.0%
10,000–20,000505.3%
20,000–30,000353.7%
30,000–40,000616.5%
40,000–50,000596.3%
50,000–60,000727.7%
60,000–70,000849.0%
70,000–80,000737.8%
80,000–90,000606.4%
90,000–100,000687.3%
100,000–110,000747.9%
110,000–120,000525.5%
120,000–130,000535.7%
130,000–140,000242.6%
140,000–150,000171.8%
150,000–160,000252.7%
160,000–170,000161.7%
170,000–180,00091.0%
190,000–200,00070.7%
200,000+141.5%

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.

What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.

Common Passat problems, and when they happen

Figure 2 · Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010

When each system fails

Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.

  1. Engine and its cooling system111 reports44,00012,000–69,000Engine and its cooling system: 111 reports, median 44,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 69,000 miles.
  2. Transmission and driveline116 reports64,00022,000–100,000Transmission and driveline: 116 reports, median 64,000 miles, middle half 22,000 to 100,000 miles.
  3. Steering174 reports64,00050,000–90,000Steering: 174 reports, median 64,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 90,000 miles.
  4. Electrical system179 reports68,00040,000–103,000Electrical system: 179 reports, median 68,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 103,000 miles.
  5. Airbag system351 reports90,00053,000–120,000Airbag system: 351 reports, median 90,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 120,000 miles.
  6. Engine241 reports92,00070,000–115,000Engine: 241 reports, median 92,000 miles, middle half 70,000 to 115,000 miles.
  7. Fuel and propulsion system200 reports104,00080,000–124,000Fuel and propulsion system: 200 reports, median 104,000 miles, middle half 80,000 to 124,000 miles.
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”

Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

All systems in a table
Complaints by vehicle system
SystemComplaintsShareMedian25–75%
Airbag system35126.1%90,00053,000–120,000
Engine24117.9%92,00070,000–115,000
Fuel and propulsion system20014.8%104,00080,000–124,000
Electrical system17913.3%68,00040,000–103,000
Steering17412.9%64,00050,000–90,000
Transmission and driveline1168.6%64,00022,000–100,000
Engine and its cooling system1118.2%44,00012,000–69,000
Fuel system705.2%68,00047,000–101,000
Problems owners could not categorise584.3%80,00050,000–120,000
Throttle and speed control493.6%49,00014,000–101,000
System by system, in words

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 73,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The airbag system accounts for 26.1% of complaints (351 reports, 118 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 120,000 miles.

A single system taking 26.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The engine accounts for 17.9% of complaints (241 reports, 205 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 92,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 70,000 and 115,000 miles.

The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 14.8% of complaints (200 reports, 134 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 80,000 and 124,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 13.3% of complaints (179 reports, 146 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 68,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 103,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 12.9% of complaints (174 reports, 156 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 64,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 90,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.6% of complaints (116 reports, 101 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 64,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,000 and 100,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2006–2010 Passat

Engine (2.0L Fsi) 2006–2008

Affected: BPY 2.0 FSI

High-pressure fuel pump cam follower wear-through. The bucket follower riding the intake camshaft lobe wears through, then the pump plunger machines the camshaft lobe, filling the engine with metal. Requires camshaft and often HPFP replacement; inspection interval became a de facto maintenance item.

Engine

Timing chain tensioner failure on the 2.0T allowing chain slack and valve-to-piston contact; carbon buildup on intake valves inherent to early direct injection without port injection.

Body / Electrical

Blocked sunroof drains flood the driver footwell and soak the comfort control module and other under-carpet electronics, producing seemingly random electrical faults. One of the most-reported B6 problems.

Brakes

ABS control module failure causing ABS/ESP warning lights and loss of stability control.

Before you buy a 2006–2010 Passat: the 3-minute check

Generated from 937 mileage-tagged complaints, 12 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 12 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
  2. Check engine (2.0L fsi) on 2006–2008 (BPY 2.0 FSI) cars. High-pressure fuel pump cam follower wear-through. The bucket follower riding the intake camshaft lobe wears through, then the pump plunger machines the camshaft lobe, filling the engine with metal. Requires camshaft…
  3. Check engine. Timing chain tensioner failure on the 2.0T allowing chain slack and valve-to-piston contact; carbon buildup on intake valves inherent to early direct injection without port injection.
  4. Check body / electrical. Blocked sunroof drains flood the driver footwell and soak the comfort control module and other under-carpet electronics, producing seemingly random electrical faults. One of the most-reported B6 problems.
  5. Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
  6. End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 40,000 and 106,000 miles, with a median of 73,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the airbag system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 90,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Passat problems by mileage: where your car sits

Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.

earlier most reports on that system came below this mileage — ask for repair records. in window this mileage sits inside the middle half of its reports. later most reports came above it. That describes reports, not your odds.

Where each system’s reports sit against common odometer readings
SystemMiddle half of reports, miAt 60k mi39% belowAt 90k mi62% belowAt 120k mi82% belowAt 150k mi92% belowAt 200k mi99% below
Airbag system53,000–120,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Engine70,000–115,000laterin windowearlierearlierearlier
Fuel and propulsion system80,000–124,000laterin windowin windowearlierearlier
Electrical system40,000–103,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Steering50,000–90,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier
Transmission and driveline22,000–100,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Engine and its cooling system12,000–69,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier

Figure 3 · Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010 · 937 reports with mileage

Share of reports below each mileage

Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.

Cumulative share of reports by mileage, Volkswagen Passat 2006–2010Of 937 reports that record mileage, the share filed below each odometer reading, rising in steps at each 10,000-mile bin edge. 39 percent below 60,000 miles. 62 percent below 90,000 miles. 82 percent below 120,000 miles. 92 percent below 150,000 miles. 99 percent below 200,000 miles. Median 73,000 miles.
  • 60,000 mi — 39% of reports below
  • 90,000 mi — 62% of reports below
  • 120,000 mi — 82% of reports below
  • 150,000 mi — 92% of reports below
  • 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
  • Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.5% of reports (14) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2006–2010 Volkswagen Passat recalls (12)

NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (6), the steering (2), the fuel system (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. Oct 2024 · 2006–2007 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant…

    What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    The free fix. Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.…

    NHTSA campaign 24V-834 (2024-10-30).

  2. Apr 2018 · 2006–2007 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan and wagon vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or…

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen…

    NHTSA campaign 18V-247 (2018-04-18).

  3. Mar 2018 · 2007–2010 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal…

    What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious…

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact…

    NHTSA campaign 18V-148 (2018-03-06).

  4. Aug 2017 · 2006–2010 · Fuel System, GasolineIf the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.

    What can happen. If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.…

    NHTSA campaign 17V-509 (2017-08-16).

  5. Feb 2016 · 2006 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2006 Volkswagen Passat sedans and wagons, 2005-2013 Audi A3, and 2006-2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure…

    What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or…

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service…

    NHTSA campaign 16V-079 (2016-02-10).

  6. Feb 2016 · 2007–2010 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles.…

    What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious…

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a…

    NHTSA campaign 16V-078 (2016-02-10).

  7. Aug 2015 · 2010 · Air BagsA loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in…

    The defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may…

    What can happen. A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    The free fix. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock…

    NHTSA campaign 15V-483 (2015-08-04).

  8. Nov 2008 · 2009 · SteeringDriver attempts to overcome the system during malfunction will cause (1) vibrations in the steering wheel…

    The defect. Vw is recalling 130 my 2009 Passat, Passat wagon, and Passat cc vehicles. Some vehicles may have an electromechanical steering gear control unit that can malfunction due to a damaged capacitor. If this malfunction occurs, the driver's steering input is not…

    What can happen. Driver attempts to overcome the system during malfunction will cause (1) vibrations in the steering wheel; (2) the steering system motor to turn off; (3) the red steering system malfunction indicator…

    The free fix. Dealers will replace the steering gear in the affected vehicles. The recall began on december 5, 2008. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.

    NHTSA campaign 08V-577 (2008-11-03).

  9. May 2008 · 2008 · Engine and Engine CoolingAn engine surge caused by an unexpected increase in engine RPM may surprise the vehicle operator and can…

    The defect. Volkswagen is recalling 4,079 my 2008 Passat and 2,500 my 2009 tiguan passenger vehicles equipped with 2.0T fsi ulev ii engines. These vehicles have an engine control module (ecm) containing software that may not properly control engine idle with the air…

    What can happen. An engine surge caused by an unexpected increase in engine RPM may surprise the vehicle operator and can result in a crash without warning.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect and update the ecm software free of charge. The recall began on may 30, 2008. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

    NHTSA campaign 08V-235 (2008-05-28).

  10. Dec 2006 · 2006–2007 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf this happens, the brake power assist can become inoperative, and the driver will experience increased…

    The defect. Certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine with 147 kw may have a vacuum line that may fracture and become disconnected at low ambient temperatures.

    What can happen. If this happens, the brake power assist can become inoperative, and the driver will experience increased effort to apply the brakes possibly increasing vehicle stopping distance. This could lead to a…

    The free fix. Dealers will install the newly designed vacuum line. The recall began on january 12, 2007. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

    NHTSA campaign 06V-472 (2006-12-12).

  11. Dec 2006 · 2006–2007 · VisibilityThis could lead to reduced visibility increasing the risk of a crash without warning.

    The defect. On certain '6' generation passenger vehicles, the wiper motor may fail during heavy rain due to excessive moisture entering the wiper motor. If this happens, the wipers can become inoperative.

    What can happen. This could lead to reduced visibility increasing the risk of a crash without warning.

    The free fix. Dealers will install a special cover and sealing kit. The recall began on january 12, 2007. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

    NHTSA campaign 06V-470 (2006-12-12).

  12. Nov 2005 · 2006 · SteeringAn insufficiently tightened tie rod nut may loosen, resulting in separation of a tie rod.

    The defect. On certain passenger vehicles, the left and right tie rod securing nut may be insufficiently torqued.

    What can happen. An insufficiently tightened tie rod nut may loosen, resulting in separation of a tie rod. This can cause a loss of steering control, which could cause a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect and install new left and right tie rod securing nuts at the proper torqued specification. The recall began on december 7, 2005. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.

    NHTSA campaign 05V-540 (2005-11-30).

Some of these 12 campaigns also cover Volkswagen Passat 2012–2022 (4 of them): the same campaign number appears in NHTSA’s file against both, which means the same defect and the same free repair. 7 of the 12 are specific to this vehicle alone.

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,347 complaints against this generation:

Crashes
38 (2.8%)
Fires
32
Injury reports
14
Fatality reports
0

These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.

Passat problems by model year

The 2006 drew the most complaints of this generation, 576, most of them about the airbag system, and the 2009 the fewest, 152. A typical year drew about 174.

That makes the 2006 stand out at roughly 3.3 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.

Complaints by model year
YearComplaintsWith mileageMedian milesMost reportedRecalls
200657640864,000Airbag system (148)7
200727317072,000Airbag system (111)7
200817413090,000Fuel and propulsion system (47)4
200915211678,000Engine (61)4
201017211372,000Airbag system (48)4

What Passat owners reported

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while her husband was reversing out of the garage, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the insurance company…

2008 · 134,000 miles · Fuel system

The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights started flashing on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who attempted to start the vehicle; however, the engine skipped, and the vehicle…

2009 · 112,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system

The contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a strong fuel odor inside and outside the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure persisted while the vehicle was parked and turned off. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that…

2010 · 148,000 miles · Engine

The contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The…

2010 · 61,000 miles · Fuel system

Built from 937 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built

Other Passat generations

Other midsize cars from the same years