2015 Volkswagen PASSAT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
243 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
47,387 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 132 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 86 of 243 complaints (35.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 51 | 21.0% |
| Braking behavior | 37 | 15.2% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 6.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 13 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 4.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 3.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 86 |
| Engine | 53 |
| Electrical System | 44 |
| Unknown Or Other | 40 |
| Service Brakes | 26 |
| Steering | 26 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 21 |
| Suspension | 15 |
Air Bags: 86; Engine: 53; Electrical System: 44; Unknown Or Other: 40; Service Brakes: 26; Steering: 26; Fuel/Propulsion System: 21; Suspension: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 41 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 29 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 38 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 29; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 111 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 18 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 44 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 31 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2014: 1; 2015: 18; 2016: 26; 2017: 13; 2018: 33; 2019: 44; 2020: 13; 2021: 20; 2022: 31; 2023: 18; 2024: 10; 2025: 12; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10928692 · 2016-11-30 (November 30, 2016)
I BOUGHT A 2015 PASSAT WOLFSBURG EDITION IN FEBRUARY OF 2015. WITHIN THE FIRST 200 MILES VEHICLE WAS SHIMMYING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BRAKES UNDER THE WARRANTY SAYING ITS WEAR AND TEAR. I CALLED VWA THEY ADVISED DEALER AND THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. NOT EVEN TWO WEEKS AFTER BRAKES START SQUEALING. I RETURN TO DEALERSHIP AND GET TOLD ITS NOTHING. BRAKES CONTINUED TO SQUEAL UNTIL I HAD THEM REPLACED SOMEWHERE ELSE AT 26350 MILES. HOWEVER WHILE BRAKES WERE SQUEALING AND EVEN AFTER BEING REPLACED..VEHICLE BAS DEVELOP…
Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10928692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11015858 · 2017-08-16 (August 16, 2017)
I WAS IN MY DRIVE WAY AND STARTED MY CAR WHEN THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR. AT THAT POINT THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, PHONE, AND RADIO FUNCTIONS ALL STOPPED WORKING ON MY STEERING WHEEL. I LOOKED IN MY OWNER MANUAL AND IT SAID TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I CALLED - THE VW DEALERSHIP I NORMALLY GO TO SAID IT WOULD BE 2-3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD GET ME IN. I ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY, OF COURSE, WOULD NOT TELL ME "YES OR NO." ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS DRIVING WITH THIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11015858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10702420 · 2015-03-29 (March 29, 2015)
WHILE DRIVING THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON AND 5 MINUTES LATER WHILE USING THE BRAKES THEY BECAME STIFFER AND THEN WITHIN 30 SECONDS LOCKED UP COMPLETELY SO THAT YOU COULD NOT PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKES AT ALL AND THEY WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. I HAD TO RUN THE STOP SIGN AND VEER OFF INTO THE GRASS TO SLOW CAR DOWN AND PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10702420 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10731483 · 2015-07-01 (July 1, 2015)
WHILE EXITING HIGHWAY AND TRAVELING AT NEAR HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. SECONDS LATER THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. I WAS FORCED TO VEER FROM CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PULL ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE UNTIL I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,370 miles reported. Look up ODI 10731483 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10808430 · 2015-12-04 (December 4, 2015)
WHEN YOU ACCELERATE THE AUTOMOBILE THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 10 SECONDS AND LOOSES POWER, POWER RETURNS AFTER THE 1 THROUGH 10 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS POINTS; ON ROLLING HIGHWAY WHILE MAKING A PASS OF ANOTHER CAR; CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING, AT DEAD STOP FROM EITHER A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. I HAPPENS IN CITY DRIVING, LOCAL STREETS AND JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ONE DRIVES AND OCCURS AS HESITATION FOR 1 TO 10 SECONDS, THE RPM'S DROP FROM WHERE EVER THEY ARE ORIGINALLY TO ALMOST ZERO, BUT THE CAR DOES NOT STALL, ONCE THE AC…
Owner-reported narrative. 35 miles reported. Look up ODI 10808430 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10816693 · 2015-12-29 (December 29, 2015)
IN DECEMBER OF 2015,2 MONTHS AFTER BUYING CAR,WHILE DRIVING MY EPC LIGHT CAME ON MY CAR HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER,SHUDDERED,AND STALLED. I ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN I PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND COULD NOT INCREASE SPEED.FAST ENOUGH. I CALLED THE VW DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY SAID THE CAR HAS TO COME IN TO BE CHECKED. AFTER 2 HOURS OF DIAGNOSTICS,AND THEY ACTUALLY CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA RE THE PROBLEM. THEY DECIDED THAT IT WAS A CONNECTIVITY ISSUE AND THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE WIRING HARNESS,THE CAR HA…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816693 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10818066 · 2016-01-05 (January 5, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10818066 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11123243 · 2018-08-29 (August 29, 2018)
I PURCHASED A VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DIESEL AND DECIDED TO KEEP IT EVEN AFTER THE WHOLE DIESEL SCANDAL. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE SECOND PART OF THE "FIX" MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THE WHOLE DIESEL LAWSUIT. I WAS TOLD THAT MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED BECAUSE OF BAD DIESEL. I ASKED THE SERVICE CENTER HOW THEY DETERMINED MY BAD DIESEL WAS TESTED AND THEY DEMONSTRATED A VW APPROVED SPECIAL TOOL WITH A BOX THAT HAD A SMILEY FACE AND FROWN FACE EMOJI. THE REPAIR FACI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11123243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11192664 · 2019-03-30 (March 30, 2019)
TOOK CAR IN FOR RECALL ON AIR BAGS DROVE HOME 3 MINUTES FROM DEALER.NEXT MORNING CAR DIES OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION AND WILL NOT RESTART NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT 3 BLOCKS FROM HOME. DEALER SAYS THEY DID NOTHING TO ENGINE. AND WOULD CHARGE ME 175.00 TO DIAGNOSE . VW HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH EARLIER YEAR PASSAT VEHICLES WHEN POWER WAS INTERRUPTED AND WOULD CAUSE FUEL PUMP FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11192664 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10824180 · 2016-02-04 (February 4, 2016)
2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT ERRATIC SHIFTING AND BRAKES EITHER TOO SOFT AND WON'T STOP QUICKLY OR THEY LOCK UP AND I CAN'T MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS ARE MOSTLY IN TOWN DRIVING, BUT ONCE OCCURRED IN HIGHWAY DRIVING GOING UP A HILL WHILE PASSING. IN THAT INCIDENT THE TACHOMETER WENT FROM 2 TO 5 AS THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ENGINE REVVED UP AS IF I WERE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT. AFTER THE CAMSHAFT WAS REPLACED, PER THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE PERFORMED EVEN MORE POORLY THAN BEFORE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAK…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10824180 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10851739 · 2016-03-26 (March 26, 2016)
BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT COME ON UNTIL YOU HAVE ALREADY BACKED INTO THE STREET. YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, BACK UP, AND ABOUT THE TIME YOU GO TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THE BACKUP CAMERA COMES ON. VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN TELLING ME FOR OVER A YEAR THAT THERE IS NO UPDATE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THE SEL MODEL SPECIFICLY FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA AND THE GPS UNIT.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10851739 at NHTSA ↗