84 of the
10,333 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Passat
are about the seat belts —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1990.
My 2013 VW Passat SE did have a recall on the airbag in the past. I brought it to the VW dealership & had it fixed. Now it suddenly came on again. Maybe they never fixed it properly.
NHTSA complaint #11683987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased this car from what I believed was a private individual for my 15 year old daughter as her first car. This individual knew the purpose of this sale and was accutely aware that a new driver would be the primary driver. Before allowing her to drive this car, I had a detailed safety and condition inspection completed by a local import repair specialist. They found that there had been a deployment of the air bags resulting in the clock spring and front seat belt retractors being unusable. In addition, the air bag warning light had been removed from the instrument cluster and the bulb was removed, disguising the fact that there was an issue with the air bags. Further inspection showed overspray on one headlight lens from the repairs, the ac condenser was bent upwards, none of the splash shields under the front were intact or completely missing, body panels do not line up, and there is an issue with the front brakes. It is the opinion of the inspector and the business owner that this car had been reconditioned for a quick sale, intentionally hiding the fact the air bags had been deployed and the air bag system was rendered unusable. The CarFax shows minor damage to the rear and left rear, nothing about front end. The title reflects this car was at Adesa in Jacksonville FL (a car reconditioner) and sold to NES Enterprises of Jacksonville, then sold to Performance Motor Group, who sold it to me, all between 9/22/2022 and 10/31/2023. The individual I was dealing with was not involved in this sale.
NHTSA complaint #11494168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seat belt indicator light comes on while driving. Only vehicle driver was present in car with seat belt secured/locked. After releasing driver belt and reengaging driver belt several times, the indicator light did not change. Driver engaged the passenger belt and indicator went off. There was nothing or no one on the passenger seat to enable the presence detector. The ignition and engine remained on throughout this event. This occurred at least twice within seven days.
NHTSA complaint #11486348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Just as I parked, the explosive seatbelt retractor for the rear passenger seat activated. There was a loud pop from the charge and the plastic seatbelt alignment clip flew off, and smoke came out from around the seatbelt. Had the vehicle been in motion there would have been a very serious safety hazard from the distraction, and if someone was in the back, there was the clip that flew off that could have struck them. No one was in the seat at the time of the incident. The seatbelt is now stuck in the retracted position. The component has not been inspected. There were no warning lamps before or after the failure. The climate control system does have an error and is not cooling. The error is for the A/C pressure sensor, so it does not seem related. I do have an appointment for the climate control system, so I can have the component inspected by the service center. Ambient temperature was approx 85F at the time of the incident. The sunroof was set to vent position while driving, and the climate control system fan was operating so interior temp should have been around 85F as well.
NHTSA complaint #11471455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My seat belt unfastens whenever it wants and my cruise control doesn’t work any longer. I also have an issue with the 4th injector which causes the car to accelerate and I had to replace the transmission as well
NHTSA complaint #11462484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased this car brand new Oct 2016. Since then I have experienced multiple sensor failures year after year… At first we thought this was a one time failure but as more and more issues came our concerns grew. I have changed out the radio, 3 speed sensors, and now am having more issues with different symptoms. For example my epc light is no and my check engine is on along with the other typical light i have seen with my speed sensor issues. I can not confidently pass any cars because the car stalls at 3000 rpms. I consider this car a safety issue on the road and i do not want this car anymore because i do not know what hidden failures will appear later on after fixing these.
NHTSA complaint #11457655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2009 VW CC PULLING OUT INTO CROSS TRAFFIC THE ELECTRIC CONTROLLED PARKING BRAKE LOCKS UP. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES NOW. I REFUSE TO SELL THE CAR LIKE IT IS OR LET ANYONE DRIVE IT. IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE SEATBELT. IF IT HAPPENS I UNDO MY SEATBELT AND REINSERT IT TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT PROGRAMMED TO BE A FAIL SAFE SYSTEM. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11399319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PASSAT WAS TRAVELING SOUTH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN, TURNED NORTH INTO THE SOUTHBOUND LANE, AND HIT PASSAT ON PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT CAUSING CAR TO SPIN AND COME TO A STOP WHEN IT HIT FRONT CENTER INTO A LIGHT POLE. SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, EVEN THOUGH ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN DONE IN SEPTEMBER. PASSAT WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND MECHANICS ADVISED US THAT AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. DRIVER OF PASSAT WAS INJURED DUE TO FAILURE OF SAFETY FEATURES.
NHTSA complaint #11317100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2013 VW PASSAT 3.6 SEL HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTING, SEAT BELTS, AND BODY. THE FOG LIGHTS, AND FRONT MARKER LIGHTS KEEP BLOWING OUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELTS LOSE TENSION WHILE DRIVING, AND THERE IS BODY ROLL ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO SUBSTANDARD BODY CONSTRUCTION. MY 2005 VW PASSAT V6 4MOTION HAD A MUCH SAFER, HIGHER QUALITY BODY CONSTRUCTION THAN MY 2013 VW PASSAT 3.6 SEL. IT'S QUITE OBVIOUS THE EXECUTIVES AT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, AND VOLKSWAGEN AG IN WOLFSBURG, GERMANY AREN'T INTERESTED IN BUILDING SAFE, QUALITY VW PASSAT'S. THEY ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN SACRIFICING QUALITY, AND SAFETY TO SAVE A DOLLAR.
NHTSA complaint #11162788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WOLFSBURG EDITION. IN FEB 2018 AT 40,000 MILES THE PASSENGER SEATBELT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REAR DOOR LATCH ALSO FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. NOW AT JUNE 29, 2018 AT 46,000 MILES THE DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT HAS FAILED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE AIRBAG RECALL WAS COMPLETED AT 40,000 MILES ALSO. SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LAST AND THESE SEATBELTS HAVE ALREADY FAILED THROUGHOUT THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11104646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMPLAINT #11046964 WAS FILED 11/17/2017 AND MORE PROBLEMS HAVE SURFACED SINCE THEN. THE HORN STOPPED WORKING, ALL THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL DO NOT WORK - THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN TRACED TO THE WRONG AIR BAGS REPLACED BY RECALL BY THE DEALER . THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG IS THE WRONG AIR BAG AND IT HAS THE OTHER CONNECTIONS NOT WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #11096580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND WARNING CHIME CONSTANTLY RINGS. THIS IS AT APPROXIMATELY 53,000 MILES. WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON.
NHTSA complaint #11096371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND IN STOPPED TRAFFIC AND PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A TWO-WAY ROAD WHEN HIT. THE DRIVER AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AND THE COLLISION INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T EITHER! I AM LUCKY I WASN'T HURT WORSE. THE CAR I WAS DRIVING WAS NOT A SAFE CAR, BUT WAS SOLD TO ME AS A CERTIFIED PREOWNED CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11084887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL: I PHONED VW CUSTOMER CARE ON 08/10/2016 REQUESTING A RECALL LETTER BUT NEVER RECEIVED IT. I REPORTED THIS TO JONATHAN BRADLEY/HALLMARK VW USED CAR SALESMAN. I REPORTED TO GOSSETT VW SERVICE AGENT JEFF WHO SAID MY RECALL DATE WAS 09/30/2017. 08/25/2017 AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED THIS ONE TIME. THE LOW TIRE INDICATOR CAME ON 09/13/2017 SO I DROVE TO GOSSETT TO HAVE MY TIRES INFLATED. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT RE-SET THE INDICATOR IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT PER JENNIFER OSBOURN/SERVIDE AGENT AS IT WAS LOCKED. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR AGAIN ON 09/16/17 THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, SEAT BELT PRETENSIOR & LOW TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. GOT APPOINTMENT ON 09/22/17 TO HAVE THEIR WORK INSPECTED. I ALSO ASKED FOR AUTHORIZATION TO REPAIR THE TAKATA AIRBAG. ON 09/22/17 GOSSETT REFUSED TO TOUCH THE CAR UNLESS I PAID THEM $140.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. FOLLOWING THE DIAGNOSTIC I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ANOTHER $140.00 TO CLEAN DIRT FROM THE SHORT TO THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR. NO PROBLEMS EXISTED PRIOR TO THE 09/13/ VISIT TO INFLATE THE TIRES. TOTAL PAID WAS $340.41. FOLLOWING THIS VISIT THE RE-SET IS INOPERABLE, THE LOW TIRE INDICATOR, SEAT BELT, AIRBAG AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON AND FLASH IN AND OUT DURING DRIVING. THE ESP/ABS LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE PANEL ON THE DASH COMES ON, THE FUEL FILLER FLAP DOOR IS MALFUNCTIONING IN THE REVERSE ORDER FOR THIS YEAR VEHICLE, ERROR AIRBAG AND ERROR ESP/ABS WARNINGS COME ON. ON 09/22/17 MY VEHICLE WAS RETURNED WITH BROKEN OFF PART # VW 8E038813348E>ABS< FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. REPORTED VIA MAIL TOAL GOSSETT/CEO, VW CUSTOMER CARE LIVE CHAT, TELEPHONE TO JENNIFER OSBORN/SERVICE AGENT, DWAYNE HILL/SERVICE MANAGER GOSSETT GERMANTOWN. TUESDAY, 10/17/I RECEIVED A CALL FROM JASON TRIPP BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH HIM TO DATE.
NHTSA complaint #11034667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON, THE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL LOSE TENSION. THE PUSH START BUTTON HAS BE PRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. I RECEIVE THE ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASH, "KEY NOT IN RANGE" WHEN THE KEY FOB IS ON MY PERSON. THE BUILT-IN TRACTION DOES NOT HANDLE WELL, BECAUSE THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION IS NOT 50/50. THERE IS ENTIRELY TOO MUCH BODY ROLL FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 3.6 SEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED AS AN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, AND A HARD BODY. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLUGGISH BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS. I USED TO OWN A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLX V6 4MOTION, AND IT WAS A MUCH BETTER BUILD QUALITY THAN THE 2013 PASSAT. THE QUALITY OF VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT IS IN MAJOR DECLINE, AND IS NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE EARLY 2000S.
NHTSA complaint #11033370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATLBELT WARNING LIGHT AND INDICATOR SOUND OFF (ALARM OR BEEPING SOUND WITH LIGHT) WITHOUT CAUSE. IT'S THE SAME SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU'RE NOT WEARING A SEATBELT. HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY.
NHTSA complaint #10957917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL: VW TRAVELING IN RIGHT MOST LANE OF 4 LANE CITY STREET WHEN VEHICLE IN OPPOSING LANE MADE AN ILLEGAL LEFT ON TURN IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT OF VW. VW IMPACTED TURNING VEHICLE IN MIDDLE OF PASSENGER SIDE. ACCIDENT REPORT ATTACHED. DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER/STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG RESULTED IN SEVER GASH TO DRIVER'S LEFT HAND - PHOTOS ATTACHED.
NHTSA complaint #10924417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TENSION BELT, SHAKING & JUMPING THE ENGINE FEELS LIKES IT'S GOING TO FALL, THE MANIFORD VOLKSWAGEN HAS EXTENDED THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEMS WARRANTY FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS TO 10 YEARS OR 120,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST, FROM THE VEHICLE'S ORIGINAL IN-SERVICE DATE, FOR CERTAIN 2008 ' 2011 MODEL YEAR VOLKSWAGEN 2.0T ENGINE VEHICLES WITH ENGINE CODES CBFA AND CCTA., "WHICH I WENT TO THE VW SERVICE CENTER, AND THEY WASN'T TRYING TO HONOR ANY OF RECALLS OR THE EXTENDED, THIS WAS THE WORST SERVICE I EVER HAD, "I ALWAYS TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER, I HAVE ALWAYS HAD TOYOTA DUE ALL MY SERVICE, AS I WAS SAYING, "I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT'S WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE, THEY STARTED TRYING TO HAVE ME FIX OTHER STUFF ON MY CAR, COSTING $2,400.00, THE MAN WAS FORCING ME TO DO AN ENGINE SERVICE, AND WHEN I SAID I WASN'T READY TO DO THAT, HE BECAME MAD AND STARTED SAYING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EXTENDED MANIFOLD, EVERYTHING WAS WORKING GOOD ON MY CAR UNTIL I BROUGHT MY CAR IN, EVEN THE MECHANICS MAN WAS SAYING HOW MY CAR WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, THE CRAZY THING, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH THE VW CUSTOMER CARE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, & THEY HAD MY CAR FOR OVER 7 HOURS AND ALL WAS DONE WAS AND REGULAR OIL CHANGE, "WHICH I THOUGHT THEY DID AN TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE SINCE THAT'S WAS WHAT THEY WAS TELLING ME I NEEDED, BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, AND I DIDN'T NEED A REGULAR OIL CHANGE, I JUST HAD ONE TWO MONTHS PRIOR, THEY WAS LIKE SAL-VERGERS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF RECALLS AND EXTENDED SERVICES, THEY NOT TRYING TO HONOR OF FOR FILL ANY OBLIGATION OF THE LAW, IT'S LIKE THEIR SALES PEOPLES IS TOLD TO MAKE THE PEOPLE WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY, RECALLS, FOUND SOMETHING WRONG, OR MAKE SOMETHING WRONG OTHER THEN THE CUSTOMER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY, RECALL, FOR MORE INFO CALL [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10874299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.