72 of the
10,333 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Passat
are about the stability control —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
72
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
Stability & Traction Control complaints by model year
HELLO I PURCHASE MY PASSAT 2013 LAST YEAR IN DECEMBER IT NEVER GAVE ME A PROBLEM BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AN IT WOULDN GO OFF THAN THE ALL KIND OF DIFFERENT SYMBOLS CAME ACROSS MY DASHBOARD SO I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC THEY SAY I NEED NEW GLOW PIPES SO I GOT NEW GLOW PIPES AFTER THEY GOT REPLACED MY CAR STILL WOULDN'T WORK SO THEY SAYED I NEEDED A TURBO ACTUATOR BROUGHT THE TURBO ACTUATOR AN THE MECHANIC CHANGE IT MY CAR STILL WOULDN'T WORK IT WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED OR NOTHING THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN RESTED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES STILL WOULDN'T GO AWAY SO I CALL A ANOTHER MECHANIC TO GET A SECOND OPINION AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS A ELECTRIC PROBLEM THAT MY CAR WAS HOLDING TO MUCH HEAT AFTER CHANGING EVERYTHING MY CAR BEEN PARKED FOR 3MONTHS AN I'M SO SAD I LOVE MY CAR BUT I SEE THAT THEY HAVE A RECALL ON MY CAR AND THE PROBLEM I'M EXPERIENCING SO BASICALLY ALL THE MONEY I SPEND TRYING TO GET IT FIXED WAS A WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME BUT IM GRATEFUL I'M OK AND MY CAR DIDN'T BLOW UP WHILE ME AND MY BABIES WERE IN IT CROSSING THE BRIDGE IT WAS SMOKING SO BAD FROM THE BACK THAN IT STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AFTER AGAIN EVERYTHING WAS FIX AN REPLACED THAT WHEN WE LEARN IT WAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE ANYMORE ALSO I TRY TO CHECK THE BOX FOR THE ELECTRICAL, AN ENGINE AS WELL SORRY ABOUT MY COMPLAINT I TRULY LOVE MY VW PASSAT I HAVE A VW TOURGE ALSO VW OR MY FAVORITE CARS LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO SOMEONE SOON
NHTSA complaint #11365860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO STOP IT APPEARS THAT BRAKES/ABS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ABS, TPMS, TRACTION CONTROL, SRS WARNING LIGHTS HAVE COME ON FOR THE SECOND TIME IN JUST A FEW MONTHS SPAN. DEALER SAID IT WAS FAULTY ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS BOTH TIMES (BOTH REAR). IT APPEARS THAT IT IS THE SAME ISSUE AS NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11265312.
NHTSA complaint #11337346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON (CONSTANT SPEED, HIGHWAY, DRY CONDITIONS), DISABLING CRUISE CONTROL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT THEN CAME ON. THEN THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT AND FINALLY THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT AND EXCLAMATION POINT ICON NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11330287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS POP ON AND THE FUEL PUMP IS THE ERROR CODE, ALONG WITH MISFIRES. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST A DOZEN OR MORE CLOSE CALLS WITH THE STALL OUT AND FAILURE TO START UP, AND AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE STALL OUT. IT STALLS WHEN ITS IN MOTION OR EVEN WHEN IT IS PARKED AND IS STARTING UP.
NHTSA complaint #11302680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH THE FUEL PUMP , INTAKE & CYLINDERS . I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE FUEL PUMP BUT NOTICED ONLINE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THESE SAME ISSUES . WHEN TURNING THE CAR ON AND DRIVING IT TURNS OFF AND HARDENING THE STEERING WHEEL
NHTSA complaint #11297252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ABS/ESC AND/OR BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. AT VARIOUS TIMES THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THEN WOULD TURN OFF AFTER AN IGNITION KEY CYCLE. (THESE ARE THE EXACT PROBLEMS THAT VW HAD WITH ABS MODULES IN EARLIER MODELS. I AM NOT POSITIVE IF THIS IS TRUE BUT WHILE DOING RESEARCH ON THOSE MODELS, I READ THAT THESE ABS MODULE ISSUES TYPICALLY CAME UP AFTER 105,000 TO 110,0000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS JUST NOW WITH IN THAT RANGE) AFTER TAKING IT TO A SHOP, THE MECHANIC NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE, TOTALING AROUND $1200. NOTE: DATE LISTED IS AN APPROXIMATE DATE
NHTSA complaint #11290136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING THING SINCE I PURCHASED IT IT IS NOW PAID FOR EVEN UNDER WARRANTY IT WAS MISDIAGNOSED THE BRAKING SYSTEM PULSATES AND I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST CHANGE THE BRAKES AND THEN NOW THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE IT TELLS ME THAT THE THERE'S A FEW THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHTS UP THE AIRBAG LIGHTS UP THE ROAD CONDITION LIGHTS UP AND THEN I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF A PULSATES WHEN I'M BREAKING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR OR 70 MILES AN HOUR. I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AS WAS THERE ANY RECALLS AND THE ONLY RECALL WAS SOMETHING I HAD TO DO NOTHING WITH THE THE VEHICLE ISSUES THEY DO NOT SEEM VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT SEEM TO FIND THESE ISSUES THAT I'M READING IN PREVIOUS MESSAGES AN ISSUE BUT IT'S OUR SAFETY SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EVEN PURCHASING ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN.
NHTSA complaint #11282110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BOUGHT THIS AT A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. WITHIN TWO DAYS, THE EPC LIGHT WAS COMING ON. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR OR WHEN STARTING TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL, THE GAS PEDAL HAS NO RESPONSE. IT'S AS IF THE PEDAL IS NOT WORKING. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEIR MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR. SAID THEY FIXED IT. WITHIN A WEEK, THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME, SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT BUT WITHIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS, THE PEDAL ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY, WE HAVE STAYED ON LOCAL ROADS 40 MPH MAX BUT WHEN THE CAR DOESN'T GO WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO, I'M EXPECTING TO GET REARENDED. WE BROUGHT THIS TO OUR MECHANIC AND $1700 LATER, THE CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THE EPC LIGHT IS ON AND THE CAR IS NOT GOING WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THE CPU HAS BEEN SWITCHED OUT AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS BEEN REPLACED. HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE DUMP IN THIS? THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FROM WHAT I AM READING ON THE INTERNET.
NHTSA complaint #11266545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPON ENTERING THE FREEWAY MY CAR STALLED OUT AND LOSS POWER. TOOK TO THE NEARBY DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ECM CONTROL MODULE WHICH WILL COST ME $1697.00 TO FIX . IT'S A FIVE DAY FIX AND MY CAR WONT RETURN UNTIL WEDNESDAY. 2016 VW PASSAT ELECTRICAL ENGINE MISFIRE. DEALERSHIP IS VW OF ONTARIO THE CAR IS THERE NOW. SINCE THERE IS A RECALL I'M WONDERING ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT. THE COMPUTER MODULE OF A CAR DOWN NOT USUALLY GO OUT AT 100K MILES. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. CONTACT ME AT [XXX]. MY NAME IS [XXX]. THANKS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11185501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE ON MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 35000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK ALSO CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, IT COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE WHILE IT IS BEING DRIVEN. VOLKSWAGEN USA ADMITTED THAT THIS PART IS AN ISSUE. THEY ISSUED SEVERAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK. SEVERAL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF VOLKSWAGENS WERE RECALLED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. I AM SEEKING JUDGEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $588.91, WHICH IS THE COST OF REPAIR. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR ONLY HAD A 3 YR WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN EVER. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER ON 12/28/2018.
NHTSA complaint #11165995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2013 VW PASSAT 3.6 SEL LACKS A ELEC STABILITY CONTROL SWITCH ON THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE TRACTION IS TERRIBLE ON THIS VEHICLE IN RAIN, SNOW, AND SLEET. THE ENGINE HAS A KNOCKING NOISE, EVEN THOUGH I SERVICE THE VEHICLE AT VW EVERY 10,000 MILES AS REQUIRED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS VEHICLE HAS MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THE SEAT BELT LIGHT ILLUMINATING, AND I LOSE TENSION IN MY DRIVER SEAT BELT. THAT IS A HUGE SAFETY FLAW FOR THIS $40,000 VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11162787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY STEERING WHEEL WAS AFFECTED, NO HORN, LOSS OF AIR BAGS, LOCKED TRUNK. WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CLOCK SPRING PROBLEM (PREVIOUSLY REPORTED). THESE PROBLEMS SEEMED TO APPEAR RANDOMLY AND NOT ALL AT ONCE. IS UNDER YOUR FORCED RECALL, BUT WAS ALLOWED TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN VEHICLES??? HAD TO FIX IT FOR AROUND $500. NOT PREVIOUSLY REPORTED--ON THE WAY HOME--I NO LONGER HAD A CRUISE CONTROL. VW CHARGED ME $143.50 JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT AND TELL ME IT WOULD COST $720.97 TO REPLACE IT. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE AIR BAG. ALSO,LAST YEAR MY CAR STARTED SPONTANEOUSLY LOCKING AND RELOCKTING MY CAR WHILE DRIVING.. I TOOK IT TO VW. THEY SAID IT NEEDED REPLACING (WITHOUT DIAGNOSIS). THEY COULDN'T WORK ME IN SO I LEFT. THE PROBLEM JUST DISAPPEARED ???
NHTSA complaint #11151122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY EPC LIGHT COMES ON. TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND ENGINE SPEED SET TO 1800RPM IN "SAFE MODE" NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG. MECHANICS CANNOT TTELL ME WHAT IS WRONG. DEALERSHIP VW HAS NO IDEA AND WANT TO START REPLACING ITEMS IN DESCRIMINATELY AND I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO THROW AROUND AND BESIDES. THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THE CAR CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. COMPUTER FAULTS AND SHUTS DOWN THE POWER AT HIWAY SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES CAR STALLS OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS MAYBE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE I'M READING ONLINE AND TALKING WITH OTHER OWNERS.
NHTSA complaint #11115689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE WAS A RECALL ON CLOCKSPRING, AND THE REPAIR WAS A CLOCKSPRING COVER THAT WAS REPAIRED ON MY VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2016. JULY 2018 MY CLOCKSPRING HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED COSTING $650. THERE WAS ALSO AN AIRBAG RECALL THAT CAUSED MY HORN TO STOP WORKING, AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON, AT THE SAME EXACT TIME THE CLOCKSPRING STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP 2 DAYS AGO TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING LOOKED AT AND THE RECALL ON THE AIRBAG REPAIRED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW CLOCKSPRING BECAUSE ONLY THE COVER WAS CONSIDERED A RECALL, HOWEVER OBVIOIUSLY THIS WAS NOT A SUFFICIENT CLOCKSPRING REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #11110227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRAINED MY BATTERY ALL TIME, TURNED OFF IN MIDDLE THE I DRIVING IT. FOR COUPLE MONTHS I BEEN EXPERIENCE THIS SITUATION. FIRST I WAS CAME BACK FOR WORK, I WAS IN MAYS LANDING AREA, I WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT CHANGE, WHEN MY CART TURNED OFF. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES TURNED ON AGAIN, I DROVE FOR 10 MINUTES AND AGAIN TURNING OFF. I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY, MY CAR WORKED PERFECTLY FOR 3 DAY, I WAS IN MY JOB READY TO CAME HOME WHEN MY CAR NEVER START AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11109587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.