FaultScore

1995 Volkswagen Passat engine problems

21 of the 142 complaints about the 1995 Volkswagen Passat are about the engine — 15% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 153,015 miles.

C

21

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Gasoline 8 38.1%
Cooling System 6 28.6%
FAN 5 23.8%
Engine 1 4.8%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 1 4.8%

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 115,000 miles Pomona, NY 1 injured

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE HEATER CORE FAILED ON OUR 1995 VW PASSAT WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT. WITHOUT WARNING IT FAILED AND POURED 190 DEGREE ANTIFREEZE OVER HIS ANKLES. FORTUNATELY HE WASN'T SEVERELY BURNED OR CRASHED THE CAR, BUT IT WAS SERIOUS ISSUE. WE SPOKE TO VW BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE CORE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. I HAVE READ ON THE FORUMS OF THIS HAPPENING OFTEN AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS RECALL THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

NHTSA complaint #10249400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 163,000 miles Aubrey, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND IS WORSE WHEN IN HIGH GEAR. PART OF THE FAN FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 95V178000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN. THE VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10165716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 153,015 miles OAK Park Heights, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

HEATER CORE EXPLODING, NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS I WAS SIMPLY GOING FROM A STOPLIGHT WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING IN THROUGH THE VENTS AND ENGINE COOLANT GOING EVERYWHERE. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING YET, BUT THE HEATER CORE IS DESTROYED.

NHTSA complaint #10090994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 175,000 miles Hamilton, UN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND VALVES WENT AGAINST PISTONS. ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. IGNITION SWITCH FAIL AND LIGHTS GO OFF. RIGHT WINDOW DOESN'T WORK. IGNITION COIL IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10071395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Flower Mound, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

FRONT END WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. ALSO, RADIATOR OVERHEATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET.

NHTSA complaint #10060957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lowell, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 ON ONE OF THE COLD DAYS, THE FAN SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK AND AS A RESULT CAR OVERHEATED AND BLEW OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOTAL COST TO FIX $2000. SMALL RECALL OF COOLING FAN COST ME $2000 AND IN SPITE OF CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, NO COST WAS BORN BY THE COMPANY. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10032554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120 miles Hagerstown, MD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

COOLANT LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS THE HEATER CORE. NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS SOON, CAR IS ONLY YEARS 8 OLD.

NHTSA complaint #10025939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Astor, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #729691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Astor, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #729691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chester, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAM SHAFT SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #552644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Somersworth, NH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE COOLING SYSTEM ENDED UP WITH A SLOW LEAK OCCURING DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED HOSE RESTRAINT BEHIND THE FAN ASSEMBLY. THE HOSE GOT OUT FROM BEHIND THE RESTRAINT AND GOT WORN AWAY BY THE FAN/FAN HOUSING. THE RESTRAINT SHOULD SURROUND THE HOSE COMPLETELY INSTEAD OF ONLY COVERING APPROXIMATELY 160 DEGREES OF THE HOSE. NOW I WILL GET CHARGED TO REPLACE A HOSE AND FOR LABOR BECAUSE OF A POOR DESIGN. NOT FAIR TO CONSUMERS.

NHTSA complaint #702284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapoli, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA complaint #534864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE WITH CRANK AND SLOW START.

NHTSA complaint #525836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneopolis, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

NHTSA complaint #534864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapoli, MN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AFTER IT IS WARMED UP AND IS SLOWED DOWN TO FIRST GEAR, REVERSE GEAR, OR STOPPED AND AT ILDE.

NHTSA complaint #536598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Alexandria, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, IT WOULD LOOSE POWER; WOULD BUCK, SPUTTERS & JUMPS; AT VARIOUS SPEEDS IT WOULD SLOW DOWN; TOOK TO DEALER TWICE; 1ST TIME NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND; 2ND TIME CHIEF MECHANIC NOTICED PROBLEM. BEING REPAIRED NOW.

NHTSA complaint #812613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fremont, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN FIRST OR REVERSE GEARS.

NHTSA complaint #507013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Evanston, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

DIFFICULTY SCHEDULING COOLING FAN REPAIRS DUE TO UNAVAILABLE OF PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #505778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hoboken, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

RECALL REPAIRS ON RADIATOR FAN MOTOR/FAN BLADE REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #502769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bergenfield, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

VOLKSWAGEN HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE DEALER WITH ANY RECALL PARTS ON THE RECALL FOR THE RADIATOR FAN. TT

NHTSA complaint #979133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Venice, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SEND HIM A RECALL NOTICE EVEN THOUGH HE IS INCLUDED BY HIS VIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA complaint #977708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1995 Volkswagen Passat problems

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