2015 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2015 Volkswagen Passat, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 45,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine cooling service” (9% of reports).
- 53engine complaints
- 45,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 36%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.
- Engine cooling service: mentioned in 5 of 53 complaints (9%)
- Brakes hydraulic: mentioned in 5 of 53 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 25 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 53 complaints, 1 a fire.
Volkswagen Passat engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 3 | 23% | — |
| 2021 Passat | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2020 Passat | 4 | 22% | 2,000 |
| 2019 Passat | 2 | 17% | 3,005 |
| 2018 Passat | 11 | 24% | 74,000 |
| 2017 Passat | 7 | 6% | 32,000 |
| 2016 Passat | 17 | 16% | 86,334 |
| 2015 Passat | 53 | 22% | 45,000 |
| 2014 Passat | 77 | 13% | 54,400 |
| 2013 Passat | 104 | 14% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Passat | 40 | 8% | 59,400 |
| 2011 Passat | 6 | 38% | 110,000 |
| 2010 Passat | 41 | 25% | 91,449 |
| 2009 Passat | 60 | 41% | 78,000 |
| 2008 Passat | 43 | 26% | 92,000 |
| 2007 Passat | 28 | 11% | 100,500 |
| 2006 Passat | 64 | 11% | 107,114 |
| 2005 Passat | 12 | 8% | 123,750 |
| 2004 Passat | 18 | 6% | 117,000 |
| 2003 Passat | 23 | 4% | 136,400 |
| 2002 Passat | 13 | 2% | 131,400 |
| 2001 Passat | 5 | 1% | 130,500 |
| 2000 Passat | 8 | 2% | 144,850 |
| 1999 Passat | 2 | 0% | 192,015 |
| 1998 Passat | 1 | 0% | 105,090 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum; engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
Risk: If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle sputtered intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that fuel was leaking into the engine compartment, causing engine failure. The…
My vehicle is a MY2015 Passat TDI SEL with the EA288 (CVCA) diesel engine. Water Pump Failure Occurred at 99488 miles. Leaking coolant from underneath the engine and the expansion tank bottle became empty. Vehicle was parked after a quick 8 min drive to work from home in the morning (~8:45AM) and…
Subject: Request for VIN Review and Recall Inclusion â Camshaft/Vacuum Pump Failure (Recall 23R1) Dear Volkswagen Customer Care / NHTSA Representative, I am writing to formally request a manual review of my vehicleâs VIN in relation to Recall 23R1, which addresses camshaft lobe interference…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 Volkswagen Passats have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 53 owner complaints about engine for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat (22% of the 243 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 2015 Volkswagen Passat engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 45,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
The most frequent phrase is “engine cooling service”, in 5 of 53 complaints, followed by “brakes hydraulic” (5).
Other 2015 Volkswagen Passat problems
- Air Bags problems (88)
See all 2015 Volkswagen Passat problems or engine problems across all Passat years.