Model year record
2011 Volkswagen Passat recalls & problems
The 2011 Volkswagen Passat has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 16 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is engine (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat.
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.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6 | 110,000 mi |
| Air bags | 5 | 93,000 mi |
| Electrical system | 4 | 96,500 mi |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | — |
| Steering | 2 | — |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 1 | — |
| Wheels | 1 | — |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | — |
| Suspension | 1 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system
After recall 20AE (Fuel Pump Control Module) was completed at Performance Volkswagen in Lyndhurst, NJ, my vehicle began shutting off while idling and displayed code P0087 â Fuel Rail/System Pressure Too Low. This issue began immediately after the recall was done. On one of the first nights after the repair, my car suddenly shut off around 4 a.m. while I was in New York City, leaving me completely stranded in the middle of the street with no assistance and no warning lights beforehand. I was panicking, stuck alone in the dark, unable to restart the car until it was jumped. The next night, it happened again under the same conditions. The vehicle stalls randomly when stopped, creating a…
- Engine
VEHICLE HAS NO COMPRESSION. VILKSWAGOM DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED WILL COST $10000 TO FIX
- Air bagsCrash
DAUGHTER WAS KILLED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION IN HER 2011 VOLKSWAGEN CC WHEN HER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A DEALER ON OCTOBER 30TH, 2018, 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CRASH. SHE WAS TRAVELING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT ON A COUNTY 2 LANE ROAD WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HER HEAD ON. THE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPH IS HER CAR AFTER THE CRASH. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE AIRBAG 100% SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN THAT CRASH.
- Air bags
WATER PUMP DEFECT CAUSES TIMING CHAIN MALFUNCTIONING AS VEHICLE MAY STALL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE MAY OVERHEAT AS WATER FAILURE CAUSES ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK AND CAUSE OVERHEATING TO FIRE HAZARD.
- Electrical systemCrashFire1 injury
VEHICLE MISSING ENGINE CRADLE AFTER BEING REPAIRED AT A CERTIFIED DEALER. VEHICLE MISSING SUBFRAME SCREW AFTER BEING REPAIRED AT CERTIFIED VOLKSWAGEN DESLERSHIP(STONE MOUNTAIN VW AND MARIETTA VW) BOTH LOCATIONS IN GEORGIA. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH DEFECT WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. VEHICLE HAS MULTIPLE SETTLEMENTS. DEALERSHIP IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: O'STEEN VW, WAS CAUGHT SHREDDING RECORDS. COMPANY REFUSED TO PROVIDE VEHICLE VIN HISTORY. VEHICLE IS LOCATED AT O'STEEN VW, WITHOUT REPAIR. CAR HAS BEEN SITTING OVER 30 DAYS AND I HAVE BEEN STRANDED. PLEASE I
- Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START UP, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. VYLETEL VOLKSWAGEN BUICK GMC: 40555 VAN DYKE AVE, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48313 (586) 977-2800, WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
- Electrical system
I AM NOT ABLE TO OPEN MY TRUNK VIA FOB, SWITCH ON THE DOOR NOR REMOTE. I HAVE READ THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE AFTER REAR LIGHT FAILURES. MY REAR LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND TURNING LIGHTS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I WENT INTO THE GROCERY STORE AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE TRUNK IT WOULDN'T OPEN. I HAVE REPEATEDLY TRIED AGAIN TO NO AVAIL.
- Steering
WHILE PARKED, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE SHOWS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE!.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Air Bag Clockspring FailureOpen
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of…
- Air Bag Clockspring FailureClosed
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of…