2009 Volkswagen Passat Wagon Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Passat Wagon, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system342.9%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Electrical114.3%
- Engine114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 2009 VW PASSAT WAGON ON I-495 SOUTH IN HAVERHILL, MA, AT AROUND 5 PM, SMOKE SUDDENLY BEGAN BILLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER SAFELY (NEAR EXIT 48/ MILE MARKER 105.6) AND EXIT THE CAR, WHICH WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN A MINUTE. NO PASSENGERS, NO INJURIES, NO OTHER CARS WERE DAMAGED. UP TO THIS POINT, THE CAR HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. NO OVERHEATING, NO LEAKING, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO OTHER INDICATION OF IMPENDING FIRE. MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE FROM THE ANDOVER BARRACKS RESPONDED (978-475-3800), AS DID THE HAVERHILL FIRE DEPARTMENT. CHARRED REMAINS OF THE CAR WERE TOWED TO TROMBLY BROTHERS, 141 SUTTON ST NORTH ANDOVER, MA 01845. OF NOTE: UPON ARRIVING HOME, THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FROM VW IN THE POSTAL MAIL, NHTSA NUMBER 17V509, REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE.
FUEL PUMP CAUSED CUTTING OFF , DELAYED STARTING WHICH LED TO THE CAR BEING INOPERABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 2009 VW PASSAT WAGON ON I-495 SOUTH IN HAVERHILL, MA, AT AROUND 5 PM, SMOKE SUDDENLY BEGAN BILLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER SAFELY (NEAR EXIT 48/ MILE MARKER 105.6) AND EXIT THE CAR, WHICH WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN A MINUTE. NO PASSENGERS, NO INJURIES, NO OTHER CARS WERE DAMAGED. UP TO THIS POINT, THE CAR HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. NO OVERHEATING, NO LEAKING, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO OTHER INDICATION OF IMPENDING FIRE. MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE FROM THE ANDOVER BARRACKS RESPONDED (978-475-3800), AS DID THE HAVERHILL FIRE DEPARTMENT. CHARRED REMAINS OF THE CAR WERE TOWED TO TROMBLY BROTHERS, 141 SUTTON ST NORTH ANDOVER, MA 01845. OF NOTE: UPON ARRIVING HOME, THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FROM VW IN THE POSTAL MAIL, NHTSA NUMBER 17V509, REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
2000 RPM AT IDLE WITH A/C ON. NORMAL WITH A/C OFF. SAME AS NHTSA 08V235000. VW SAID THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THAT RECALL. VEHICLE TRIES TO ACCELERATE BEYOND BRAKE CONTROL AT IDLE ONLY WITH A/C ON.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR STOPPED ON A HIGHWAY WHILE IN MOTION. WENT TO THE VW DEALER. THEY FOUND "FAULTS FOR FUEL MODULE, AND FUEL PUMP UNIT." THEY REMOVED AND INSTALLED FUEL PUMP AND TUBE BUT DIDN'T TELL ME IT WAS A RECALLED ITEM/PART. I PAID THE FULL AMOUNT OUT OF MY POCKET: $988.57
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2017 I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PASSAT STALLING, AND OR LOOSING POOWER WHEN I AM DRIVING, LAST SEPTEMBER 2017 I WAS TOLD THAT A RECALL (20AE) WAS COMING OUT THAT WAS RELATED TO MY FAILURES. AROUND OCTOBER 15, 2017 I FOUND OUT THAT THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGON GARAGE THAT PARTS FOR THE RECALL ARE NOT AVAILABLE. MY CASE# FROM VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA IS #519607. AT ONE POINT I WAS TOLD BY VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA THAT I SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH MY LOCAL DEALER (VOLKSWAGEN OF MARIETTA) AND HAVE IT EXPECTED. ON FEBRUARY 27, 2018 (CASE NUMBER 180145272) I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT MY COMPLAINT WOULD AGAIN BE REGISTERED. I WILL NOW BE UP TO THE REGIONAL MANAGER TO LOOK AT HIS CASE LOAD AND RESPOND. I DO NOT RECALL HIM EVER RESPONDING TO ME. THE LOCAL DEALER AT THAT TIME SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING ONLY IF THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND THE FOUND WAS FOUND. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY DETECTABLE IF THE PROBLEM OCCURED WHE THEY WERE TESTING THE CAR. IF THEY DID NOT DETECT THE FAILURE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE INSPECTION. IT IS THEREFORE OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS A NON-STARTER AND I WILL HAVE TOPAY FOR AN INSPECTION AND NEVER GET A REPAIR FOR MY PROBLEM UNLESS I PAY CLOSE TO $2,000. I AM A MARRIED SENIOR CITIZEN (80 YEARS OLD) , ADISABLED VETERAN AND WIFE WHO IS 77 YEARS OLD AND WE RELY ON THIS CAR. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND OTHER LIES BY VW THE VALUE OF MY CAR IS LESS THAN WHAT I OWE ON THE CAR. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SELL THE CAN AND BUY ANOTHER. THE CAR'S ENGINE FAILED AFTER A VIOLENT SHAKE THIS LAST FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2018. IT HAS BEEN OK OVER THE WEEKEND. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. ANY SUGGESTIONS? THIS MORNING I AGAIN CALLED VOLKSWAGON GROUP OF AMERICA, AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD GET A RETURN CALL WHICH HAS YET TO HAPPEN. MY PHONE # IS [XXX] REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *CC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .