NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2001–2010

Volkswagen Passat Wagon recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 50 owner complaints for the Volkswagen Passat Wagon, covering model years 2001 to 2010. The 2007 model year drew the most complaints (11), and Fuel/Propulsion System is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Volkswagen Passat Wagon VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

3 recall campaigns on file
50 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
9 model years with data (2001–2010)

most complaints: 2007 (11 for that model year)
top component: Fuel/Propulsion System (19 complaints)
latest recall 18V247000 (reported Apr 18, 2018)

3 complaints reporting a crash (6.0%)
3 complaints reporting a fire (6.0%)
2 complaints reporting an injury (4.0%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints by model year

8 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2007 model year has the most complaints: 11 of 50, or 22.0%. Next come 2010 (9) and 2002 (7). The fewest are for 2001, with 2 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
2001	2	1	1	0
2002	7	2	0	0
2003	3	0	1	1
2004	6	0	0	0
2007	11	0	0	1
2008	6	0	0	0
2009	6	0	1	0
2010	9	0	0	0
All model years	50	3	3	2

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Volkswagen Passat Wagon components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Fuel/Propulsion System is the component named most often, in 19 complaints (38.0% of all 50), followed by Air Bags (10) and Electrical System (9).

Components named most often in Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System	19	38.0%
Air Bags	10	20.0%
Electrical System	9	18.0%
Engine	8	16.0%
Fuel System, Gasoline	3	6.0%
Service Brakes	3	6.0%
Structure	3	6.0%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	2	4.0%
Exterior Lighting	2	4.0%
Steering	2	4.0%
Unknown or Other	2	4.0%
Vehicle Speed Control	2	4.0%
Engine and Engine Cooling	1	2.0%
Seats	1	2.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	1	2.0%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Volkswagen Passat Wagon recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Passat Wagon, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model years 2006 to 2010. The 2007 model year appears in the most campaigns (3).

3 recall campaigns

Volkswagen Passat Wagon recall campaigns covering each model year
2006: 2 campaigns	2007: 3 campaigns	2008: 2 campaigns	2009: 2 campaigns	2010: 2 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 18V247000
Reported Apr 18, 2018
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module
Model years 2006–2007
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.
Consequence:
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 death.
Remedy:
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 customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q8. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-079.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 18V148000
Reported Mar 6, 2018
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module
Model years 2007–2010
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 pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Consequence:
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 injury or death.
Remedy:
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 Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 17V509000
Reported Aug 16, 2017
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Model years 2006–2010
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.
Consequence:
If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
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. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.
Filed by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Volkswagen Passat Wagon questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Volkswagen Passat Wagon have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the Volkswagen Passat Wagon, covering model years 2001 to 2010. The most recent, 18V247000, was reported on April 18, 2018 and is filed under “Air bags”. The 2007 model year is covered by the most campaigns (3).

Which Volkswagen Passat Wagon model year has the most complaints?

The 2007 model year, with 11 of the 50 complaints in NHTSA’s file (22.0%). The next are 2010 (9) and 2002 (7). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaint?

Fuel/Propulsion System is the component named most often: 19 complaints, or 38.0% of all 50. Air Bags (10) and Electrical System (9) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Volkswagen Passat Wagon?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Volkswagen dealer.

How many Volkswagen Passat Wagon complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 50 complaints, 3 report a crash, 3 a fire, 2 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Volkswagen models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Volkswagen VIN decoder with every Volkswagen model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Volkswagen Jetta 1995–2026 · 60 recalls · 9,683 complaints
Volkswagen Passat 1995–2022 · 50 recalls · 7,514 complaints
Volkswagen Beetle 1998–2019 · 24 recalls · 2,586 complaints
Volkswagen Tiguan 2009–2026 · 39 recalls · 2,282 complaints
Volkswagen Atlas 2018–2026 · 48 recalls · 1,980 complaints
Volkswagen GTI 1995–2025 · 29 recalls · 1,397 complaints
Volkswagen Golf 1995–2023 · 42 recalls · 1,314 complaints
Volkswagen ID.4 2021–2026 · 26 recalls · 998 complaints

All Volkswagen models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.