2009 Volkswagen Passat Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Passat years
- About as many complaints as other years 17th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Passat. That ranks 17th out of 28 Passat model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (60 complaints, 41%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 12 fires, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 146owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 60 | 41% | 78,000 | “fuel pump” (18%) | $3,550 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 46 | 32% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 14% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 18 | 12% | 62,800 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 8% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 7% | 62,190 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 6% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 5% | 107,154 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3% | 60,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 51,750 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 10,430 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 3,785 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 40,286 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 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.
Steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Problem: Vw is recalling 130 my 2009 passat, passat wagon, and passat cc vehicles. Some vehicles may have an electromechanical steering gear control unit that can malfunction due to a damaged capacitor. If this malfunction occurs, the driver's steering input is not properly processed by the system and the vehicle may not respond as the driver intends. This defect can only occur immediately after vehicle start-up when the steering wheel is moved for the first time and at speeds less than 5 mph.
Risk: Driver attempts to overcome the system during malfunction will cause (1) vibrations in the steering wheel; (2) the steering system motor to turn off; (3) the red steering system malfunction indicator light to illuminate; and (4) audible warnings to chime. A malfunctioning steering system could lead to a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear in the affected vehicles. The recall began on december 5, 2008. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
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
- Transmission fluid hose chafe (PE09022) — opened May 4, 2009, closed Jul 9, 2009.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights started flashing on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who attempted to start the vehicle; however, the engine…
The check engine light and oil pressure light appeared on my dash screen as I was driving home from work. I pulled over to the nearest repair shop to have the vehicle diagnosed. Upon arriving, the mechanic noticed my oil was low and filled the car with oil. Once that was completed, the car would…
On [XXX], a MIDAS shop found an alleged crack in the front part of the gas tank on the upper part of the tank by the floor board. The manager also stated that it could be a plastic seal from the fuel pump on the top part of the tank. The tank is located next to the exhaust system. My 2009 VW CC…
The power steering system failed. At first I thought the steering wheel was locked. I started the car and could not turn the wheel. The power steering light illuminated in red and there was a loud beeping sound when the car is turned on. It was not until the car was towed that I realized that the…
The abs sensors are not functioning although they have been replaced. The dashboard has multiple failure lights. The vehicle is a VW CC not covered by the ABS recall although it exhibits identical issues.
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 | 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 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Passat?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, steering problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 60 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Volkswagen Passat?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 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 2009 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.