2008 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Passat years
- About as many complaints as other years 14th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Volkswagen Passat. That ranks 14th out of 28 Passat model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (44 complaints, 26%), typically at around 111,146 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 6 fires, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 168owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 44 | 26% | 111,146 | — | — |
| Engine | 43 | 26% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 32 | 19% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 21 | 13% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 19 | 11% | 80,025 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 13 | 8% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 7% | 86,900 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 7% | 82,556 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 5% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% | 11,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 2% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 2% | 80,025 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 85,491 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 2% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 133,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 110,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | 90,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 32,459 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Volkswagen Passat recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling 4,079 my 2008 passat and 2,500 my 2009 tiguan passenger vehicles equipped with 2.0t fsi ulev ii engines. These vehicles have an engine control module (ecm) containing software that may not properly control engine idle with the air conditioning turned on. In rare cases, the ecm may unexpectedly increase engine rpm.
Risk: An engine surge caused by an unexpected increase in engine rpm may surprise the vehicle operator and can result in a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and update the ecm software free of charge. The recall began on may 30, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My car stalled on me while I was driving and would not start. I was told I need a new feul pump module. I took it to the dealership to get it replace and the feul pump but the car will not start.
The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while her husband was reversing out of the garage, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the…
My son bought this used car. The STOP ENGINE light came on, got an oil change but the light did not go away. Were told that the oil pressure might be the issue so took it to the mechanic. We were told it was most likely the oil pressure switch. There were multiple codes(cones) and were cleared. The…
Steering Lock Warning Light flashes yellow and car takes two to three attempts to start. Periodically light changes to red with audible. Car occasionally shuts down while driving but recovers before stopping completely. This has been happening for over a year and is now getting significantly worse…
There is a recall with the fuel pump and the manufacturer is claiming that I need to replace certain parts to be able to do the recall.
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 | 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 Passat | 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.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Volkswagen Passat?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, engine, air bags problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 44 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Volkswagen Passat?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 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 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.