RoadVitals

1993 Volkswagen Passat Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
13
Latest Feb 15, 2000
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.
19%
of 68 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.
3
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 electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 electrical

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

Electrical
Filed Feb 15, 2000

CAR FAILS TO START WHEN TURNING IGNITION ON. TAKES REPEATED ATTEMPTS. REQUIRES UNLOCKING ADJUSTABLE STEEERING WHEEL AND 'THUMPING' THE WHEEL UP AND DOWN. OCCASIONALLY STARTS ON FIRST ATTEMPT, MOSTLY AFTER SEVERAL THUMPS. THREE TIMES TOOK OVER 45 MINUTES TO GET CAR STARTED. DEALER REPLACES STARTER THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. THREE MORE DEALER VISITS HAVE BEEN LABELED 'WORKS OK', EVEN THOUGH I HAD TO START CAR FOR SERVICE MANAGER. CAME BACK 'CHECKS OK'. I SUSPECT CORROSION OF SOME KIND IN THE IGNITION WIRING. VERY FRUSTRATING.*AK

NHTSA ID
718791
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
BrakesHeating & air conditioningElectrical+3 more
Filed May 21, 1999
Crash reported

IGNITION : FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS, INTERMITTENTLY, CAR WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND KEY IS REMOVED... BEEN TO 3 VW DEALERSHIPS 5 TIMES TOTAL. ABS BRAKES NEVER WORKED SINCE NEW, WOULDN'T STOP ON SNOW OR ICE LIKE OTHER ABS BRAKE SYSTEMS .. AFTER MANY COMPLAINTS FOR 4 YEARS VW FIXED SOME OF THE ABS PROBLEMS BUT ABS WARNING LIGHT STILL COMES ON SOMETIMES. ALSO, PEDAL INTERMITTENTLY WILL GO TO FLOOR, AND SNOW AND ICE PERFORMANCE IS MUCH WORSE THAN OUR OTHER ABS PASSATS . SEAT BELTS: LAP BELT BUCKLE SEEMS LIKELY TO CAUSE INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT . AIR CONDITIONER : $150 SWITCH IN DASH HAS FAILED 3 TIMES (COMMON ON 1993-94 PASSATS). SUNROOF: SMALL PART BREAKS ON TRACK REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE EXPENSIVE SUNROOF MECHANISM ... (SEEMS TO HAPPEN MANY 1993-94 PASSATS). FOG LIGHTS: CORRADO AND PASSAT LENSES FOG UP OR FILL UP WITH WATER AND THEN CRACK FROM HEAT. VW AND HELLA REDESIGNED LENS ON CORRADO MODEL BUT NOT ON PASSAT $26 TO $50 PER LENS, 11 LENSES SO FAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
706736
Incident
Mar 15, 1996
ElectricalEngineTransmission+1 more
Filed Apr 7, 1999

MILES:1,519- DOESN'T TURN OVER - REPLACED BATTERY: 8602- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON- REPL BAD HOUSING CONNECTION:11,672-CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON-RPL CAM POSITION SENSOR&ECM&AC CONTROLS:22,013-RATTLING WHINING NOISE-REPL FROZEN RADIATOR FAN MOTOR, BURNT FAN CONN/REPRODUCED WRING, O/RING, DEFECTIVE CAM POSITION, SENSOR;25,763 REPLACE BATTERY;34,677-SERPENTINE BELT REPL;36,800-REPL HALL/TCI CONTROL UNIT;50,610- REPL BATTERY, ALTERNATOR HARNESS;51,070 REPL AUXILIARY WATER PUMP;CONNECTOR,HOSES;53,190-AC CONTROL WITH OPEN CONNECTION & WIRING OVERHEATED,REPL CONTROLS & REPAIRED WIRING, HEATERCONTROL, CONNECTOR:60,523-REPL HEATER CORE, SEALS, THERMOSTATE, HOUSING, SEAL RING, 3 O-RINGS, SERPINTINE BELT; 63,782-REPL BATTERY, CRUISE CONTROL & SUNROOF NO LONGER WORK TOO COSTLY TO REPAIR, 66,035- REPL POWER SUPPLY RELAY, FUEL PUMP;71,000 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DEALER INDICATES FULL REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. PURCHASED '88 JETTA. IN '97 DECIDED TO UPGRADE TO PASSAT GLX. WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE BUY A VOLKSWAGEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
705378
Incident
Jul 24, 1998
Electrical
Filed Aug 19, 1998
Fire reported

DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND OTHER CARS NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FOG LIGHTS OF THE CAR. PULLED VEHICLE OVER , TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND PUT THE FLAMES OUT. FIREMAN DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE CAME FROM THE FRONT LEFT FOG LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
826971
Incident
Jul 29, 1998
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 1998

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL DURING MOTION.

NHTSA ID
531823
Incident
Dec 10, 1997
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 1998

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL DURING MOTION.

NHTSA ID
529541
Incident
Dec 10, 1997
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 1998

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL DURING MOTION.

NHTSA ID
529524
Incident
Dec 10, 1997
Electrical
Filed Mar 7, 1997
Fire reported

AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE WIRES FROM THE BATTERY TO THE DASH TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
809797
Incident
Mar 5, 1997
BrakesElectrical
Filed Sep 3, 1996

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID
508180
Incident
May 31, 1995
Electrical
Filed Dec 26, 1995

VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES. TT

NHTSA ID
976961
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jun 23, 1995

THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TT

NHTSA ID
967601
Incident
Jun 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jun 13, 1995

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, BRAKE LIGHT DON'T TURN ON, HORN WOULD BLOW BY ITSELF. TT

NHTSA ID
966777
Incident
Mar 12, 1995
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 9, 1995

ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING RESISTORS/FUSES/ELECTRICAL WINDOWS/HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING TO FAIL. *AK

NHTSA ID
959840
Incident
Apr 8, 1993

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 .