2004 Volkswagen Passat Wagon recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Electrical system

  HAD TO REPLACE THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE ALONG WITH UNTOLD AMOUNT OF WIRES DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. AFTER BEING PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE WINDOWS ROLL. DOWN THE ALARM IS DISABLED, THE DOORS UNLOCK. WHILE DRIVING LIGHTS GO. ON AND OFF DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK EMERGENCY FLASHERS GO OFF AND ALARM WILL GO OFF. CAN'T UNLOCK CAR WITHOUT SETTING ALARM OFF.

  Feb 25, 2019 · 140,000 miles
• Air bags

  AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WITH A STATEMENT ABOUT FAULTY AIRBAG ... EPC WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FIRST WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. VEHCLE WAS STOPPED. ON RE-START, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS IDDLING AND STATIONARY.

  Apr 5, 2017 · 135,000 miles
• Fuel/propulsion system

  I PURCHASED A 2004 VW PASSAT 1.8 LITER TURBO 4MOTION STATION WAGON ON AUGUST 12, 2015. WITHIN ONE HOUR OF PURCHASING I TOOK IT TO FILL IT UP WITH FUEL. THE FUEL TANK BEGAN LEAKING IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT BY REPLACING AN O-RING ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER, MEANWHILE ADVISING ME TO NOT FILL THE TANK PAST THE 3/4 FULL MARK UNTIL THEY FIXED IT. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, IT STILL LEAKED WHEN IT WAS FILLED ABOVE THE 3/4 TANK LEVEL. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO REINSTALLED THE SAME O-RING, AGAIN UNSUCCESSFULLY, AT MY EXPENSE. I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED OF A RECALL REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL TANK AND THE VENTING SYSTEM. I…

  Aug 12, 2015 · 100,500 miles
• Fuel/propulsion system

  APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO I LEFT MY PARENTS' HOUSE IN THIS VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND QUICKLY FOUND THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE RIGID LINE WHERE IT IS FASTENED TO THE FIREWALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE METAL TUBE HAD CRACKED INSIDE THE RUBBER LINED BRACKET THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ODD BUT ISOLATED INCIDENT; I HAVE SINCE SEEN OTHER REPORTS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR FAILURES, SO IT SEEMS WORTH DOCUMENTING CONSIDERING THE HIGH RISK OF FIRE INVOLVED. *TR

  May 13, 2012 · 55,000 miles
• Fuel/propulsion system

  PURCHASED CAR USED. FIRST TIME I FILLED THE GAS TANK STRONG SMELL OF RAW GAS WAS PRESENT DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL MILES OF TRAVEL. WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE STORE FROM PAYING FOR THE SECOND FILL UP THERE WAS A BIG PUDDLE OF RAW FUEL ALL OVER THE GROUND DIRECTLY UNDER THE CAR. I DID SOME RESEARCH & DISCOVERED A MANUFACTURE RECALL FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. AFTER EXPLAINING MY DILEMMA TO THE APPROPRIATE CORPORATE DEPARTMENT I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THEY COULD/WOULD DO TO REMEDY THIS VERY HAZARDOUS DEFECT. MY FEELING IS THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER PROPERLY ADDRESSED, IN SPITE OF THE RECALL, & IS THEREFORE STILL A…

  Sep 13, 2012 · 158,000 miles
• Service brakes, hydraulic

  FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR FAILED (SEPARATED FROM BOLTING HUB) IN HARD BRAKING AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED IN 2009 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES DRIVEN SINCE REPLACEMENT. NO OTHER SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR OR WARPAGE NOTED BY AUTO TECHNICIANS. FAILED PART NUMBER 4B0-615-301-B. *TR

  May 4, 2012 · 108,923 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.