Volkswagen Passat Fuel/propulsion System Problems
Owners have filed 471 complaints with NHTSA about fuel/propulsion system problems on the Volkswagen Passat across 24 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (65). The words owners use most often: “fuel pump” (36% of reports).
- 471fuel/propulsion system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 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.
- Fuel pump: mentioned in 170 of 471 complaints (36%)
- High pressure: mentioned in 40 of 471 complaints (8%)
- Control module: mentioned in 32 of 471 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical fuel/propulsion system repair on the Volkswagen Passat at $1,550, and half of them between $1,350 and $3,850.
Based on 33 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems happen?
Based on 311 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 471 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 1 an injury.
Volkswagen Passat fuel/propulsion system complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel/propulsion System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2020 Passat | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2019 Passat | 1 | 8% | 6,000 |
| 2018 Passat | 6 | 13% | — |
| 2017 Passat | 6 | 5% | 8,500 |
| 2016 Passat | 15 | 14% | 47,124 |
| 2015 Passat | 21 | 9% | 45,500 |
| 2014 Passat | 47 | 8% | 58,013 |
| 2013 Passat | 65 | 9% | 54,000 |
| 2012 Passat | 32 | 7% | 50,050 |
| 2011 Passat | 3 | 19% | 139,000 |
| 2010 Passat | 25 | 15% | 101,000 |
| 2009 Passat | 46 | 32% | 90,000 |
| 2008 Passat | 44 | 26% | 111,146 |
| 2007 Passat | 31 | 12% | 124,500 |
| 2006 Passat | 41 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2005 Passat | 8 | 5% | 121,901 |
| 2004 Passat | 22 | 8% | 130,000 |
| 2003 Passat | 24 | 4% | 124,084 |
| 2002 Passat | 15 | 2% | 118,000 |
| 2001 Passat | 6 | 1% | 90,000 |
| 2000 Passat | 7 | 1% | 114,248 |
| 1999 Passat | 2 | 0% | 162,015 |
| 1998 Passat | 1 | 0% | 12,800 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists fuel/propulsion system for the Volkswagen Passat. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving and after, we noticed gas fumes both inside and outside of vehicle. The gas tank was approximately half full. Became very concerned over the the possibility of a fire. Did research online and realized that this was and is a common problem with older models of the Passad (ours is a…
Fuel smell in cabin lingering, strong fuel odor around passenger rear side, fuel cap area as well
Vehicle has an excessive gasoline smell coming from the driver front of the vehicle- mechanics have not been able to determine the exact location of the problem.
cracks in the fuel pump houisng cauisng vapors and fumes into my car.
The vehicle experienced repeated catastrophic engine failures, including failure of a replacement engine. Approximately six months after purchase and at around 80,000 miles, the engine failed and required a complete engine replacement through Volkswagen and the MaxCare service contract…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Volkswagen Passats have fuel/propulsion system problems?
No. NHTSA has 471 owner complaints about fuel/propulsion system for the Volkswagen Passat. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Volkswagen Passat fuel/propulsion system?
No recall currently lists fuel/propulsion system for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix fuel/propulsion system problems on the Volkswagen Passat?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,350 and $3,850), from 33 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about fuel/propulsion system problems on the Volkswagen Passat?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel pump”, in 170 of 471 complaints, followed by “high pressure” (40).
Other Volkswagen Passat problems
- Air Bags problems (1,652)
- Electrical System problems (1,136)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (847)
- Engine problems (643)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (605)
- Steering problems (570)
- Power Train problems (452)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (413)
See all Volkswagen Passat problems.