2007 Volkswagen PASSAT: complaints, problems and recalls

THERE IS AN UNSAFE PROLONGED HESITATION WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON THE 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 3.6 LITER 4 MOTION. WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL YOU'VE DEPRESSED THE PEDAL APPROXIMATELY 3/4 TO AN INCH OF PEDAL TRAVEL, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR LURCHES AND ACCELERATES AT WHAT FEELS LIKE HALF TO FULL THROTTLE. IT IS A RANDOM HESITATION, YET OCCURS AT PROBABLY 30% OF THE TIME. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, YET WILL HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IF ACCELERATING TO PASS. THIS IS A VERY DANG…

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163399 at NHTSA ↗

UPON RECEIPT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, A SHUTTERING OR VIBRATION HAS BEEN NOTICED BETWEEN 65 AND 80 MPH. ORIGINAL DIAGNOSTIC EFFORTS YIELDED A CONFIRMATION OF THE BEHAVIOR FROM THE DEALERSHIP, BUT NO SOLUTION. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME AND NOTICED THAT THE LUG BOLTS WERE NOT TORQUED APPROPRIATELY. TIGHTENING DOWN THE WHEELS IMPROVED THE SHAKING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THE BEHAVIOR RETURNED WITHIN 24 HOURS. SUBSEQUENT DIAGNOSTIC EFFORTS BY THE DEALERSHIP HAVE YIELDED ONLY A "MINOR VIBRATION AT SPEED" DESCRIPTION WITH NO PR…

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163417 at NHTSA ↗

PIRELLI 235/40R18 TIRES ON A BRAND NEW 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT (OEM TIRES) DEVELOPED A SIDEWALL BULGE (NO EXCESSIVE SPEEDING, NO POTHOLES, AND NO CURBS ENCOUNTERED). IN LESS THAN 4,000 MILES, THE TIRE DEVELOPED SIDEWALL BUBBLES. MANY OTHERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THESE MODEL TIRES (FOUR SEASONS P6) HAVING SOFT SIDEWALLS THAT CAN RUPTURE, HOWEVER PIRELLI HAS NOT BEEN AT ALL WILLING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE TIRES. THEY CLAIM ROAD DAMAGE, HOWEVER THERE IS NO ROAD DAMAGE TO FOUND ON THE TIRE, OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON MY VEHICLE. HAD I…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10189458 at NHTSA ↗

MY CAR STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY FIVE YEAR OLD SON. WE WERE LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 MONTHS OLD AND HAS ONLY ABOUT 2500 MILES, AND APPARENTLY THEY INSTALLED IT INCORRECTLY OR ITWAS FAULTY. THEY CLAIMED THAT I RAN OUT OF GAS, ALTHOUGH THE GAUGE READ THAT I HAD HALF A TANK. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191449 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A BRITAX REGENT CLASSIC CHILD RESTRAINT (MODEL # E9L39C5). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BASE OF THE SAFETY SEAT DOES NOT PROPERLY SECURE IN HIS 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT STATION WAGON OR IN HIS 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURED DATE WAS NOVEMBER 10, 2005.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10191532 at NHTSA ↗

WITH JUST 12,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER THE 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 3.6L 4-MOTION WAGON, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A BLOCK FROM THE HOUSE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN THE NEXT MORNING. TURNS OUT THAT MY CAR'S ENGINE HAD A FAIRLY RECENTLY DISCOVERED KNOWN ISSUE WITH SOME SORT OF BOLT IN THE OIL PUMP THAT IS SOMEHOW RELATED TO THE TIMING CHAINS. APPARENTLY, IT'S A NEWLY DISCOVERED DESIGN DEFECT THAT ALLOWS THIS BOLT TO BACK ITSELF OUT AND CREATE BIG PROBLEMS - EVEN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. AT FIRST, THE DEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191792 at NHTSA ↗

NO THROTTLE RESPONSE, LONG ACCELERATOR PEDAL REPSONSE FROM A STANDING START OR ROLLING START. TRYING TO MOVE INTO TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS, PRESS ON THE PEDAL EVEN FLOOR IT AND NOTHING HAPPENS, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION COMING INTO TRAFFIC, THEN EVENTUALLY, ALL 280 HP COME ON AND THE CAR ALMOST GETS OUT OF CONTROL IF TURNING. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THIS IS A NEW CAR, I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 4/14/07 AND FINALLY TAKING IT TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191812 at NHTSA ↗

COMPLETE/CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT APPROX 1,800 MILES. DEALER STATED BOLT RELATING TO TIMING CHAIN FAILED, CAUSING SERIOUS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. VEHICHLE WAS REPLACED, BUT NEW VEHICLE HAS SAME ENGINE, AND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME ENGINE ARE HAVING SIMILAR FAILURES.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193036 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-12-12 (December 12, 2006)

ON CERTAIN '6' GENERATION PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DURING HEAVY RAIN DUE TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE ENTERING THE WIPER MOTOR. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE WIPERS CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPECIAL COVER AND SEALING KIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-893-5298.

Reported: 2006-12-12 (December 12, 2006)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L ENGINE WITH 147 KW MAY HAVE A VACUUM LINE THAT MAY FRACTURE AND BECOME DISCONNECTED AT LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE POWER ASSIST CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND THE DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE INCREASED EFFORT TO APPLY THE BRAKES POSSIBLY INCREASING VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED VACUUM LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-893-5298.

Reported: 2016-02-10 (February 10, 2016)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2017-08-16 (August 16, 2017)

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.

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2018-03-06 (March 6, 2018)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2018-04-18 (April 18, 2018)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan and wagon vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q8. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-079.

Reported: 2024-10-30 (October 30, 2024)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.