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2015 Volkswagen Passat Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 243 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Volkswagen Passat, most often about the air bags (36% of complaints, typically around 53,000 miles). It is 11th of 23 Passat model years by number of complaints and has 7 recalls.
Most common 2015 Volkswagen Passat problems
Air bags
88 complaints · 36%Half of these problems showed up before 53,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
Airbag warning light remains illuminated and warning chime constantly rings. This is at approximately 53,000 miles. When vehicle turned on light came on and has remained on.
My passenger side airbag sensor all of a sudden is 'broken' requiring a $400 repair. I don't really ever passengers in my car. Is this normal?
Engine
54 complaints · 22%Half of these problems showed up before 44,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. When the contact started the vehicle, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and the following codes appeared: (u1123-0017178 data bus error, p0441-0021406 evap ignition control system incorrect…
The epa & carb required modifications to my diesel vehicle that on reading the technical details in the required paperwork, my vehicle actually pollutes slightly more after the fix! Less mileage, less power, pollutes slightly more. Contacted epa & carb many times to ask them to explain the emissions after their 'fix,'…
Electrical
48 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 52,000 miles. Parts named most often: horn, ignition.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. While driving 20 MPH, the contact depressed the horn, but it failed to sound. The vehicle was taken to commonwealth Volkswagen (1 commonwealth dr, lawrence, ma 01841). The dealer diagnosed that the clock spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Update june 2019 - now my car has 53,000 miles. My replaced clock spring has failed again. No horn, or steering wheel controls and the airbag light is on. This is 8 months/10 miles after I had it replaced. This is a safety issue. I am requesting that dot NHTSA investigate a safety issue with clock spring part on my…
Other or unspecified
40 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 37,000 miles.
Air bag sensor has gone on 3 times while under warranty. Each time the dealership fixed it. It has gone off again now that I am @37,000 miles and out of warranty. The steering wheel is making a cranking noise. The horn does not work, the switches on the horn do not work.
I am requesting that dot NHTSA investigate a safety issue with clock switch part on my 2015 vw Passat, which controls both the air bags and the horn. I purchased the car new in sept 2015. I started my car with 42,500 miles and the airbag light came on and stayed on. The vehicle was stationary in a flat parking lot the…
Brakes
28 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 6,000 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, power assist.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. While driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to repond. The contact mentioned that the emergency brake was used to stop the vehicle. The malfunction indicator lamp illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the camshaft lobe…
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. While the vehicle was stationary with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated rapidly without warning. As a result, the contact's vehicle rear-ended another vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred a second time, but there was no crash. The air bags…
Steering
26 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 48,000 miles.
I was parked on flat ground while starting my car this morning and noticed the air bag light on the dash board stayed light. Then I noticed the stereo control on the steering wheel was not light and did not work. At work I did some research and found that it could be the clock spring. When I got home from work I…
Air bag error message and light illuminates. The steering wheel makes a cracking sound while turning in either direction. Also the buttons on the steering wheel do not work to include the horn.
Fuel system
23 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles.
Fuel filler door opens intermittently. Not good when attempting to fill car with gas, and the door won't open. There is no manual release for this, and you would have to break parts to get to the fuel filler cap.
On two occasions, the vehicle's engine stopped working while the car was moving. The first instance, the car stalled while moving at 5mph on an expressway exit ramp. It restarted after 30 minutes (blocking traffic for that period of time). When attempting to restart, the motor would turn over, but the engine would not…
Suspension
16 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 42,000 miles. Parts named most often: rear, front.
Excessive inside front tire wear can lead to tire failure. Font end can not be properly aligned because there is no camber adjustment. Tires showed excessive wear at 10,000 miles. Tires were rotated and front end realigned and these tires have the inside about wore out after 16,000 miles. The wear seems to occur when…
On the way to the airport pulling out into traffics. I heard a pound noice and my whole car vibrated. It was like a sting loud and tension filled. When we came back to have it looked at and my dealership they say it's a coil spring. Ive found recalls on the vw 2015-2019 but not the Passat. Well. The Passat has the…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2015 Volkswagen Passat recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began december 20, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69r6, 69q8, 69q9, and 69y5.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 passat, 2011-2014 golf a6, and 2011-2013 audi a3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Lights: headlights
Risk: Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began july 16, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94l9.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 volkswagen passat and 2018-2019 atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Air bags: inflator module
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 4, 2019. Volkswagen owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298; audi owners may contact audi at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69s8 (audi) and 69y5 (volkswagen).
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 passat, 2015-2016 eos, 2015-2017 cc, 2016-2017 tt roadster, tt coupe, 2017 audi r8 coupe, and r8 spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Engine
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk: If the brake line was not properly tightened, it may leak brake fluid, causing a reduction in braking performance, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will tighten the brake line fitting, free of charge. The recall began on june 11, 2015. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47m3.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 passat vehicles manufactured may 18, 2015, to may 21, 2015. The affected vehicles have a brake line at the left rear wheel area that may not have been properly tightened.
Fuel system: fuel rail
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began february 6, 2015. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24bl. Note: this recall expands and supersedes recall 14v-809 (volkswagen recall number 24bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 jetta vehicles manufactured march 28, 2014, to november 24, 2014, 2014-2015 passat vehicles manufactured april 7, 2014, to november 18, 2014, 2015 golf and gti vehicles manufactured july 1, 2014, to november 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 beetle and beetle convertible vehicles manufactured march 31, 2014, to november 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
Seats
Risk: Unexpected movement of the driver's seatback may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the assembly of the seatback recliner retaining bracket, correcting it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in october 2014. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72f1.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 volkswagen jetta and passat vehicles manufactured september 23, 2014, to october 9, 2014, and equipped with manual front seatback recliners. In the affected vehicles, the seatback recliner retaining bracket may not engage correctly, resulting in unexpected movement of the seatback.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2015 Volkswagen Passat
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (88 complaints, typically around 53,000 miles); engine (54 complaints, typically around 44,500 miles); electrical (48 complaints, typically around 52,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2015 Volkswagen Passat have?
- 7 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from December 4, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2015 a bad year for the Volkswagen Passat?
- It is 11th of 23 Passat model years by number of complaints, with 243 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.