RoadVitals

1992 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Oct 2, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
44%
of 39 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1992 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Oct 2, 2003

HEAT EXCHANGER (CORE) LEAKED WHILE DRIVING, STEAMING UP THE VEHICLE INTERIOR TO IMPAIR VISIBILITY. HOT COOLANT LEAKED INTO PASSENGER'S FOOT AREA. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ALREADY ISSUED RECALL # 96V115000. MY CAR IS 1992 VW PASSAT: [XXX]. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10041089
Incident
Oct 1, 2003
Mileage
140,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 4, 2000

THE ENGINE VALVES AND TIMING BELT FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *MJS

NHTSA ID
557855
Engine
Filed Mar 13, 2000

WHEN IT'S COLD VEHICLE WILL START FAST AND RUN WELL. BUT AFTER CAR HAS BEEN WARMED UP, PARKED AND STARTED AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO START. THEN, WHEN GOING DOWN THE STREET AND SLOWING DOWN, VEHICLE WILL STALL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
858402
Incident
Mar 1, 2000
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+3 more
Filed Jan 27, 2000

TRUNK LATCH BROKE.*ET

NHTSA ID
784451
Incident
Mar 1, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 14, 2000

VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY OVERHEATING (6 TIMES).*ET

NHTSA ID
784431
Incident
Sep 1, 1999
Engine
Filed Jul 26, 1999

ENGINE OVERHEATING THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT IT HAPPEND AGAIN. YH

NHTSA ID
547595
Incident
May 17, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 17, 1999

ACCORDING TO THE VOLKSWAGEN'S OWNERS MANUAL THE TIMING BELT MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 60,000 MILES. THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT BROKE AROUND MY 58,000 MILES, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CYLINDER HOUSING, AND VW PAID A PORTION OF THE COST. MY REPLACEMENT TIMING BELT BROKE AT THE 109000 MILE MARK; WELL BEFORE IT'S RECOMENDED REPLACEMENT, AND CAUSED DAMAGE INSIDE THE CYLINDER HOUSING. VW REFUSES TO PAY ANY OF THE COST THIS DEFECTIVE PART CAUSED TO MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICES, AND THEY WOULD HAVE CHECKED THE TENSION OF THE TIMING BELT. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO MENTION OF IT IN THE SERVICE MANUAL. I MAINTAINED AND HAD REGULAR SERVICES PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT REPAIR SHOPS THAT WAS USUALLY CHEAPER THAN GOING THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
703415
Incident
Feb 14, 1999
Engine
Filed Nov 10, 1998

TIMING BELT FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE VALVES.

NHTSA ID
542517
Incident
Sep 10, 1998
Engine
Filed Aug 28, 1997

TIMING BELT SNAPPED CAUSING THE CYLINDER HEAD TO BLOW AND TOTAL ENGINE SHUT DOWN.

NHTSA ID
521439
Incident
Jul 26, 1997
Engine
Filed Jun 26, 1997

ENGINE STALLS.

NHTSA ID
603371
Engine
Filed Apr 22, 1997

TIMING BELT BROKE.

NHTSA ID
516659
Engine
Filed Feb 24, 1997

IMING BELT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOS EPOWER/CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID
514470
Incident
Jan 17, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 14, 1997

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VW PASSATS.

NHTSA ID
546718
Incident
Feb 11, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 31, 1997

TIMING BELT FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
546583
Incident
Jan 17, 1997
Engine
Filed Apr 3, 1996
Crash reported

AFTERMARKET ENGINE MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN IN TWO DIFFERENT VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES, PART NO 191199279C FOR THREE DIFFERENT VW VEHICLES 85-95 MODELS. *AK

NHTSA ID
982248
Incident
Feb 21, 1996
ElectricalEngineSuspension+1 more
Filed Jan 14, 1995

WINDSHIELD PITTED. *AW

NHTSA ID
480626
Incident
Jan 14, 1995
Engine
Filed Jan 5, 1995
Fire reported

ENGINE FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
478142
Incident
Dec 4, 1994

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .