2014 Volkswagen Passat Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2014 Volkswagen Passat, 12% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 48,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “clock spring” (24% of reports).
- 74electrical system complaints
- 48,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 15%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Clock spring: mentioned in 18 of 74 complaints (24%)
- Buttons steering: mentioned in 5 of 74 complaints (7%)
- Air bag horn: mentioned in 5 of 74 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 45 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 74 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Volkswagen Passat electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 3 | 23% | 90 |
| 2021 Passat | 3 | 17% | — |
| 2020 Passat | 3 | 17% | — |
| 2019 Passat | 4 | 33% | 2,763 |
| 2018 Passat | 10 | 22% | 49,900 |
| 2017 Passat | 18 | 16% | 54,078 |
| 2016 Passat | 22 | 21% | 6,100 |
| 2015 Passat | 48 | 20% | 52,100 |
| 2014 Passat | 74 | 12% | 48,000 |
| 2013 Passat | 93 | 12% | 63,000 |
| 2012 Passat | 95 | 20% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Passat | 4 | 25% | 96,500 |
| 2010 Passat | 21 | 13% | 71,000 |
| 2009 Passat | 18 | 12% | 62,800 |
| 2008 Passat | 21 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2007 Passat | 34 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Passat | 79 | 14% | 59,244 |
| 2005 Passat | 9 | 6% | 63,507 |
| 2004 Passat | 23 | 8% | 55,999 |
| 2003 Passat | 90 | 14% | 62,359 |
| 2002 Passat | 220 | 35% | 14,590 |
| 2001 Passat | 73 | 17% | 39,500 |
| 2000 Passat | 43 | 8% | 74,000 |
| 1999 Passat | 58 | 9% | 84,799 |
| 1998 Passat | 28 | 8% | 82,365 |
| 1997 Passat | 13 | 35% | 86,000 |
| 1996 Passat | 14 | 35% | 94,600 |
| 1995 Passat | 15 | 16% | 143,435 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor, causing an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the electrical connectors of the sensor to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connector, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in September. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23T3.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
A prior recall that was supposedly fixed, broke again. Submitted several complaints with Nhtsa and Volkswagen. Volkswagen said i had to pay a fee to verify what was wrong with my vehicle because the recall had already been fixed before. Months of waiting and waiting for an appointment and then vw…
Clockspring Recall. Horn not working, buttons on steering column not working, when turning steering wheel it makes a clicking noise, sounds like spring being pulled, driver side air bag light is illuminated on dash.
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2014 Volkswagen Passats have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 74 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2014 Volkswagen Passat (12% of the 594 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Volkswagen Passat electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 48,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2014 Volkswagen Passat?
The most frequent phrase is “clock spring”, in 18 of 74 complaints, followed by “buttons steering” (5).
Other 2014 Volkswagen Passat problems
- Air Bags problems (354)
- Engine problems (77)
See all 2014 Volkswagen Passat problems or electrical system problems across all Passat years.