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Volkswagen Passat: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Volkswagen Passat problems by model year, from 2,561 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2010 (77%, 95 drivetrain complaints), 2014 (58%, 137 drivetrain complaints) and 2013 (50%, 162 drivetrain complaints). 7 of the 8 Volkswagen Passat years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 1 of them is at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2017 (20%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2017 (20%) to 2018 (44%), up 24 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2013 drew the most drivetrain complaints (162 of 611 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2022 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Volkswagen Passat year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Passat | very high | 77% | 95 | 172 | 1/8 | 4 |
| 2011 Passat | too few to score | – | 7 | 15 | – | 0 |
| 2012 Passat | high | 44% | 77 | 484 | 5/8 | 11 |
| 2013 Passat | high | 50% | 162 | 748 | 3/8 | 9 |
| 2014 Passat | high | 58% | 137 | 594 | 2/8 | 10 |
| 2015 Passat | high | 48% | 74 | 244 | 4/8 | 7 |
| 2016 Passat | high | 43% | 33 | 106 | 7/8 | 5 |
| 2017 Passat | no elevated signal | 20% | 16 | 110 | 8/8 | 7 |
| 2018 Passat | high | 44% | 17 | 45 | 6/8 | 4 |
| 2019 Passat | too few to score | – | 4 | 12 | – | 1 |
| 2020 Passat | too few to score | – | 7 | 18 | – | 3 |
| 2022 Passat | too few to score | – | 6 | 13 | – | 0 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Volkswagen Passat years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Volkswagen Passat engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the Volkswagen Passat involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 25 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2012 | 12V146000 | fuel system, diesel | 2012 |
| Apr 2014 | 14V182000 | power train: automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines | 2014 |
| Jan 2015 | 15V028000 | fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail | 2014–2015 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V705000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2015–2016 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V403000 | fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail | 2016 |
| May 2017 | 17V309000 | engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel | 2012–2014 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V509000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2010 |
18 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2014 | 14V125000 | exterior lighting: headlights | 2012–2013 |
| Oct 2014 | 14V670000 | seats | 2015 |
| Jun 2015 | 15V373000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2015 |
| Aug 2015 | 15V483000 | air bags: frontal | 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Feb 2016 | 16V078000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Mar 2016 | 16V171000 | electrical system: wiring | 2012–2014 |
| Feb 2017 | 17V075000 | service brakes, hydraulic: fluid | 2017 |
| Mar 2018 | 18V148000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| May 2018 | 18V329000 | unknown or other | 2012 |
| Jun 2018 | 18V369000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2018 |
| Aug 2018 | 18V536000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2017–2018 |
| Jan 2019 | 19V014000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2015 |
| May 2019 | 19V389000 | exterior lighting: headlights | 2012–2018 |
| Sep 2019 | 19V679000 | unknown or other | 2017 |
| Dec 2019 | 19V862000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2012–2015 |
| Sep 2020 | 20V561000 | unknown or other | 2016–2018 |
| May 2021 | 21V321000 | unknown or other | 2016–2017 |
| Oct 2024 | 24V834000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 |
What the free pages leave out on the Volkswagen Passat
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Volkswagen Passat
What are the worst years for the Volkswagen Passat?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Volkswagen Passat years are the 2010 (77% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2014 (58% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2013 (50% of relevant complaints, high). 7 of 8 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Volkswagen Passat?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Volkswagen Passat years are the 2017 (20%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Volkswagen Passat have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 8 scored years, 611 of 1,213 relevant NHTSA complaints (50%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
Is the Volkswagen Passat reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 7 of 8 Volkswagen Passat years we score have an elevated complaint share and 1 do not. Pooled across those years, 50% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Volkswagen Passat?
Yes. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Volkswagen Passat years we track, out of 25 in total: 16V403000 (Jun 2016, 2016), 17V309000 (May 2017, 2012–2014), 17V509000 (Aug 2017, 2010), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.