The vehicle was rear-ended, lost control, traveled approximately 500 feet, and rolled multiple times. Side and curtain airbags deployed; however, the front airbags did not deploy. The vehicle was declared a total loss. The driver exited the vehicle without assistance. The vehicle is currently preserved at a tow lot.
2015 Volkswagen Passat
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Passat years
Owner complaints for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat are substantially higher than 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
132 reports with mileage · 111 unknown
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 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Unknown Or Other complaints
40 reportsGas smell inside vehicle Plastic canister under back seat leaking gas smell /has cracked
I bought a 2015 Volkswagen v6 SEL PREMIUM 15 days ago with only 37000 miles on it from car max and I hear my front windshield making a loud sound in upper left corner every morning ….so today I had my kids in car and it was bout 80 degrees we were at park and left park after hour I turned AC on and was driving when I heard a LOU…
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I bought a 2015 Volkswagen v6 SEL PREMIUM 15 days ago with only 37000 miles on it from car max and I hear my front windshield making a loud sound in upper left corner every morning ….so today I had my kids in car and it was bout 80 degrees we were at park and left park after hour I turned AC on and was driving when I heard a LOUD POP …looked back to my rear windshield shattered in every spot I was only 3 blocks away from home then the glass collapsed all over my kids there all cut up …these windshields do not look normal there’s no rubber surround and I had to pay 250 deductible to get a new one …clearly these Volkswagens have a weak glass issue from temp changes they were mint before this happened no chips or cracks I’m very unhappy with the quality of these I’m in fear if I drive it the front windshield will also do it !!! Not good smh …I’m more scared for winter !!!
The vehicle was totaled but I continue to receive recall notices to the point of harassment. I have called the hotline number and notified them dozens of times. I signed the vehicle over to the insurance. It is scrapped. I don't know how else to make that more clear.
The windshield started separating at he top, makes strange popping sounds. That separation has now migrated around the entire screen. Concerned this might cause a failure and lead to harm for the occupants. It could also result in a loss of control causing harm to other drivers or structures.
I take my car to the dealership for maintenance when it is scheduled. The ignition would not allow me to put the key inside. I did a little internet research and it seems to be a common problem with this car. I could not put the key in the ignition. I then used some wd40 and got it to go in eventually but thought I should repor…
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I take my car to the dealership for maintenance when it is scheduled. The ignition would not allow me to put the key inside. I did a little internet research and it seems to be a common problem with this car. I could not put the key in the ignition. I then used some wd40 and got it to go in eventually but thought I should report it as this could pose a safety hazard.
Heater core big problem on 2015 vw passat Early models from 2012 to 2014 have a recall on heater core, and they have extended warranty. But problem still occurs on 2015 models, but still no recall or covered warranty, big problem and constantly Heater core broking
Mice and rodents just love eating various electrical wires, vacuum lines, diesel fuel lines (both from tank to engine & return lines), etc. Never once had any animals issues with my other vehicles. Discovered that VWoA thought it would be a brilliant idea to use Soy in the manufacturing of electrical insulation, fuel hoses, va…
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Mice and rodents just love eating various electrical wires, vacuum lines, diesel fuel lines (both from tank to engine & return lines), etc. Never once had any animals issues with my other vehicles. Discovered that VWoA thought it would be a brilliant idea to use Soy in the manufacturing of electrical insulation, fuel hoses, vacuum lines, etc. ANIMALS LIKE EATING SOY. Very frustrating. My vehicle has been disabled before and one time I sprang a nice leak, leaving a trail of diesel behind me. Since all repairs and parts were ordered and conducted at local VW dealership. All records are both on carfax & stored in VWoA servers.
Hello, Airbag light on, horn doesn't work, volume control on steering wheel doesn't work, clicking when turning steering wheel. Huge safety issue with the airbag and horn not functioning at all! Cannot get pass Massachusetts inspection in its current state and have reached out to the dealer. Car was brought to Mattie Volkswa…
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Hello, Airbag light on, horn doesn't work, volume control on steering wheel doesn't work, clicking when turning steering wheel. Huge safety issue with the airbag and horn not functioning at all! Cannot get pass Massachusetts inspection in its current state and have reached out to the dealer. Car was brought to Mattie Volkswagen Fall River, MA on 02/18/2022 and was told part was on backorder and they will contact me when it comes in. It has been 6+ months and still now clocksprings in stock. I check in often with them and they either don't respond or say still on backorder with no ETA. This could cause a catastrophic accident and VW needs to step up to either expedite manufacturing of these parts, offer loaner/rental vehicles or replace the vehicle with a comparable model that doesn't have these issues. Dealer needs to replace the Clockspring on the vehicle, which they claim is in warranty. However, the clocksprings have a huge backorder and don't show any signs of being filled.
The airbag on the driver's side, along with the horn and buttons on the steering wheel do not work. The VW dealership has looked at the car and said it needs a new clock spring, and that it is on back order with no estimation of arrival. The car is unsafe to drive and both the VW dealership and VW head office have not offered …
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The airbag on the driver's side, along with the horn and buttons on the steering wheel do not work. The VW dealership has looked at the car and said it needs a new clock spring, and that it is on back order with no estimation of arrival. The car is unsafe to drive and both the VW dealership and VW head office have not offered a loaner vehicle for me to drive my family in safely while we wait for the parts. Without an airbag, I could be seriously injured in an accident. I was also very nearly in a car accident that would have been prevented had the horn worked to alert the other driver sooner that nearly backed into me. The other continuing issue with this car is that there are still ongoing issues with the Diesel Exhaust Fluid system. This system has had problems for years. The VW dealership has replaced parts on it numerous times but it continues to have problems. This car should never have gone back on the market after the initial recall, as the DEF system was never repaired correctly, and the airbag should be on recall already.
Official recalls
719V862000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Dec 4, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69R6, 69Q8, 69Q9, and 69Y5.
19V389000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
May 22, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
19V014000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jan 11, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder 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 4, 2019. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298; Audi owners may contact Audi at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69S8 (Audi) and 69Y5 (Volkswagen).
15V705000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
Oct 26, 2015
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
Consequence: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
Consequence: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
15V373000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Jun 15, 2015
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Passat vehicles manufactured May 18, 2015, to May 21, 2015. The affected vehicles have a brake line at the left rear wheel area that may not have been properly tightened.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the brake line was not properly tightened, it may leak brake fluid, causing a reduction in braking performance, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will tighten the brake line fitting, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47M3.
15V028000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail
Jan 23, 2015
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles manufactured March 31, 2014, to November 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BL. Note: This recall expands and supersedes recall 14V-809 (Volkswagen recall number 24Bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.
14V670000 · Seats
Oct 24, 2014
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Jetta and Passat vehicles manufactured September 23, 2014, to October 9, 2014, and equipped with manual front seatback recliners. In the affected vehicles, the seatback recliner retaining bracket may not engage correctly, resulting in unexpected movement of the seatback.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Unexpected movement of the driver's seatback may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the assembly of the seatback recliner retaining bracket, correcting it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72F1.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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