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2010 Volkswagen Passat Wagon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 8 of 9 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

3 reports
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88,000 miles · Nov 14, 2018
Engine

2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. 88K MILES. CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING IT IN THE CITY. WITHIN ONE HOUR OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARING I STOPPED THE CAR. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART 30 MINUTES LATER IT REFUSED TO START. PROMPTLY HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. VW DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAYS: TIMING IN THE ENGINE SLIPPED DUE TO SLACK…

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2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. 88K MILES. CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING IT IN THE CITY. WITHIN ONE HOUR OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARING I STOPPED THE CAR. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART 30 MINUTES LATER IT REFUSED TO START. PROMPTLY HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. VW DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAYS: TIMING IN THE ENGINE SLIPPED DUE TO SLACK IN TIMING CHAIN. COMPRESSION MEASURED LOW TO NONE. INCORRECT TIMING HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO VALVES AND CAMSHAFT. VEHICLE WILL NEED A CYLINDER HEAD, CAMSHAFT, TIMING CHAIN & TENSIONER TO START. THEY SAY THIS PORTION WILL COST ME $5,700 PLUS TAX. ALSO A POSSIBILITY IT WILL NEED AN ENGINE BLOCK IF THE CYLINDER WALL IS DAMAGED IN ADDITION. IN MY RESEARCH I'VE FOUND MANY VW OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT VW IS AWARE OF. I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11151418

77,748 miles · Nov 14, 2017
Engine

PCV VALVE FAILED, AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO JAN 11, 2016 AND 77,748 MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR OTHER INDICATION OF THE FAILURE EVER OCCURRED UNTIL THE PCV VALVE FAILURE CASCADED INTO FAILURE OF THE ENGINE REAR MAIN SEAL (BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION), RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LEAK. BASED ON A WEB SEARCH, THIS IS AN EXTR…

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PCV VALVE FAILED, AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO JAN 11, 2016 AND 77,748 MILES. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR OTHER INDICATION OF THE FAILURE EVER OCCURRED UNTIL THE PCV VALVE FAILURE CASCADED INTO FAILURE OF THE ENGINE REAR MAIN SEAL (BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION), RESULTING IN A MASSIVE OIL LEAK. BASED ON A WEB SEARCH, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON SITUATION, NOT ONLY FOR THE VALVE FAILURE, BUT THE METHOD IN WHICH IT FIRST BECOMES APPARENT TO THE VEHICLE OWNER (REAR MAIN SEAL FAILURE). COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $1900. PCV VALVE FAILED AGAIN AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO OCT 24, 2017 AND 116,102 MILES. SIMILAR TO THE FIRST EVENT, NO INDICATION OF THE FAILURE OCCURRED UNTIL THIS CASCADED INTO AN UPPER TIMING COVER SEAL FAILURE. COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $600. MY RESEARCH CLEARLY INDICATES VW PCV VALVES ARE KNOWN TO BE TROUBLE-PRONE. VW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON PCV VALVES TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES ON CERTAIN VW MODELS (INCLUDING PASSATS) UP THROUGH 2008 MODEL YEAR. MY EXPERIENCE, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER OWNERS, CERTAINLY SUGGESTS 2009 AND 2010 VW PASSATS STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND ONE HAS TO WONDER WHY THESE MODEL YEARS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE OUTRAGEOUS COSTS THAT OWNERS ARE LEFT TO DEAL WITH.

NHTSA ODI #11046156

69,000 miles · Oct 21, 2017
Engine

TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT 69,000 MILES. OIL CHANGES WERE KEPT UP WITH CONSISTENTLY WITH CAR. ENGINE NOW HAS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR CAR TO DRIVE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING.

NHTSA ODI #11035392

Official recalls

2

18V148000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Mar 6, 2018

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 & remedy

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.

17V509000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Aug 16, 2017

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.