IllustrationFRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED/REPLACED. *AK
1995 Volkswagen Passat
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Volkswagen Passat do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 110.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Passat years →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: 19 of 93 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.
- Visibility. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
93 reportsBRAKES FAILED DUE TO A HOLE IN BRAKE LINE.
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.
SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE RPM ACCELERATED AND VEHICLE JERKED, CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT UNTIL THROTTLE REACHES FLOOR WHEN TRAVELING AT 30-40 MPH. *AK
PURCHASED CAR NEW, REPLACED THE BATTERY FOR THE THIRD TIME . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SPEED CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE GOING NORMAL SPEED, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.. *AK
VEHICLE'S IDLE SPEED DROPS DOWN WHEN IN FIRST OR REVERSE GEARS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY.
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN FIRST OR REVERSE GEARS.
Official recalls
195V178000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan
Sep 20, 1995
IMPROPER MATERIAL WAS USED IN MANUFACTURING THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR SHAFT CAUSING THE SHAFT TO WEAR AND BECOME NOISY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A WORN AND NOISY FAN MOTOR SHAFT CAN SEIZE RENDERINGTHE FAN MOTOR INOPERATIVE, EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL. A STALLED VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC CAN INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COMPLETE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLE HAVING THE POTENTIAL SHAFT MATERIAL PROBLEM. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW FAN BLADE INCLUDING A NEW LOCK NUT ON VEHICLE WITH LOOSE FAN BLADE LOCK NUTS.
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
2EA00028 · Fuel Tank Puncture
Opened Dec 28, 2000 · Closed Jan 29, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
No summary supplied.
PE00033 · Fuel Tank Puncture
Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Dec 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON AUGUST 10, 2000 BASED ON 9 REPORTS REGARDING PUNCTURED FUEL TANKS INVOLVING THE JETTA, PASSAT, AND CABRIO MODELS.THE REPORTS INDICATE ADDITIONAL REPORTS IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FOR FURTHER STUDY.