2000 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Passat years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 507 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Volkswagen Passat. That ranks 7th out of 28 Passat model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (160 complaints, 32%), typically at around 72,500 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 25 fires, 12 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 7 defect investigations involving it.
- 507owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 7NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2000 Volkswagen Passat problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 160 | 32% | 72,500 | “abs module” (28%) | $2,300 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 94 | 19% | 60,000 | “secondary air” (10%) | $4,400 |
| Electrical System | 43 | 8% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 36 | 7% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 30 | 6% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 29 | 6% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 26 | 5% | 80,520 | — | — |
| Steering | 25 | 5% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 19 | 4% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 3% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 3% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 14 | 3% | 93,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 2% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 2% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 9 | 2% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 8 | 2% | 144,850 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 2% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 1% | 114,248 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 1% | 115,814 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 1% | 127,763 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 0% | 78 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 110,470 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2000 Volkswagen Passat recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
Risk: A heat shield that may contact the exhaust system can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap
Problem: On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
Risk: Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.
Risk: Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.
Fix: Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units nhtsa 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1-866-892-2834.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Passenger engine compartment fires (EA07014) — opened Sep 28, 2007, closed Jul 7, 2008, led to recall 08V156000.
- Passenger/engine compartment fires (PE07024) — opened May 10, 2007, closed Sep 28, 2007.
- Engine stalling (DP05004) — opened Aug 11, 2005, closed Dec 8, 2005.
- Passenger air bag lid failure (EA03020) — opened Oct 7, 2003, closed Apr 23, 2004.
- Passenger sir door mounting stud failure (PE03021) — opened May 23, 2003, closed Oct 7, 2003.
- Fuel tank puncture (EA00028) — opened Dec 28, 2000, closed Jan 29, 2002, led to recall 02V026000.
- Fuel tank puncture (PE00033) — opened Aug 10, 2000, closed Dec 28, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Side airbag deployed for no reason while driving straight at the speed limit of 75 mph. The local VW dealer determined the side impact sensor is defective. This is a very interesting situation because a fail safe exists in these systems in that the supplemental restraint control module in the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle after being parked overnight, he noticed a fuel odor. The contact stated that the fuel tank was half empty after being refilled. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was…
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 20 mph, smoke billowed from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to safely leave the roadway, the hood was raised and flames appeared in the engine compartment. The fire department arrived and extinguished the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. While driving at any speed, the vehicle would overheat and cause the engine to fail. The contact stated that the failure was recurring and the "emissions work" indicator illuminated sometimes during the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent…
Problemas elctricos
Other Volkswagen Passat years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 13 | 0 |
| 2021 Passat | 18 | 1 |
| 2020 Passat | 18 | 3 |
| 2019 Passat | 12 | 1 |
| 2018 Passat | 46 | 4 |
| 2017 Passat | 110 | 7 |
| 2016 Passat | 106 | 5 |
| 2015 Passat | 243 | 7 |
| 2014 Passat | 594 | 10 |
| 2013 Passat | 748 | 9 |
| 2012 Passat | 484 | 11 |
| 2011 Passat | 16 | 0 |
| 2010 Passat | 163 | 4 |
| 2009 Passat | 146 | 4 |
| 2008 Passat | 168 | 4 |
| 2007 Passat | 262 | 7 |
| 2006 Passat | 576 | 7 |
| 2005 Passat | 148 | 3 |
| 2004 Passat | 279 | 3 |
| 2003 Passat | 628 | 6 |
| 2002 Passat | 636 | 3 |
| 2001 Passat | 430 | 3 |
| 2000 | 507 | 3 |
| 1999 Passat | 664 | 5 |
| 1998 Passat | 331 | 4 |
| 1997 Passat | 37 | 0 |
| 1996 Passat | 40 | 1 |
| 1995 Passat | 93 | 1 |
See all Volkswagen Passat problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Volkswagen Passat?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 160 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Volkswagen Passat?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2000 Volkswagen Passat a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Passat model years, the 2000 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.