FaultScore

1992 Volkswagen Passat engine problems

18 of the 60 complaints about the 1992 Volkswagen Passat are about the engine — 30% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 140,000 miles.

F

18

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 12 66.7%
Gasoline 4 22.2%
Cooling System 1 5.6%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 1 5.6%

Engine & Cooling across every Volkswagen Passat year

1990 13 0.8%
1992 18 1.2%
1993 20 1.3%
1994 10 0.6%
1995 21 1.4%
1998 46 3.0%
1999 92 6.0%
2000 109 7.1%
2001 100 6.5%
2002 150 9.7%
2003 156 10.1%
2004 80 5.2%
2005 63 4.1%
2006 131 8.5%
2007 60 3.9%
2008 53 3.4%
2009 64 4.1%
2010 41 2.7%
2012 44 2.8%
2013 109 7.1%
2014 81 5.2%
2015 55 3.6%
2016 19 1.2%
2018 11 0.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 140,000 miles Raleigh, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

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).

NHTSA complaint #10041089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelph, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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

NHTSA complaint #557855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Apison, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE GASKETS LEAKED.

NHTSA complaint #784451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Apison, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #784451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

City OF SU, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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

NHTSA complaint #547595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Roanoke, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY OVERHEATING (6 TIMES).

NHTSA complaint #784431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pitsburg, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

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.

NHTSA complaint #858402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Antioch, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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.

NHTSA complaint #703415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelph, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE VALVES.

NHTSA complaint #542517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Somerville, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT SNAPPED CAUSING THE CYLINDER HEAD TO BLOW AND TOTAL ENGINE SHUT DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #521439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelphia, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE STALLS.

NHTSA complaint #603371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisburg, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #516659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manteca, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

IMING BELT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOS EPOWER/CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #514470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Perry, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VW PASSATS.

NHTSA complaint #546718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manteca, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #546583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pompano Beac, FL Crash

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

AFTERMARKET ENGINE MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN IN TWO DIFFERENT VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES, PART NO 191199279C FOR THREE DIFFERENT VW VEHICLES 85-95 MODELS.

NHTSA complaint #982248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Towns, WA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED, CAUSING OIL LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #480626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

E Brunswic, NJ Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #478142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 1992 Volkswagen Passat report