RoadVitals

1994 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.
9
Latest Apr 28, 2002
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.
36%
of 25 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.
0
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 1994 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 Apr 28, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
761284
Incident
Apr 20, 2002
Engine
Filed Apr 4, 2001

COOLING FAN HAD TO BE REPLACED NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE WITHIN 5 YEARS. I THINK THE PART WAS COVERED IN A RECALL, BUT VOLKSWAGEN COULD NOT TELL ME ABOUT THE VEHICLE HISTORY.

NHTSA ID
743520
Incident
Mar 3, 2001
Engine
Filed Feb 1, 2000

THE FAN MOTOR SHAFT SEIZED, RENDERING THE FAN MOTOR INOPERABLE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER HAS SINCE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
855859
Incident
Jan 13, 2000
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 14, 1999

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FAILED, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, TEMP GAUGE, AND TRANSMISSION INDICATOR. ENGINE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID
708612
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
EngineSteering
Filed Sep 10, 1998

GOING UPHILL, MAKING LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 10 MPH, VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE/STALLED, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT REPRODUCE DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
827819
Incident
Sep 10, 1998
BrakesElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Aug 11, 1998

VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE BATTERIES WITHIN A FOUR YEAR PERIOD.

NHTSA ID
538965
Engine
Filed Jun 25, 1998

THE ENGINE QUITS AT ALL SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION AND WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY, CREATING HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE PROBLEM IS MOST APPARENT AFTER AUTOMATIC ENGAGEMENT OF THE COOLING FAN.

NHTSA ID
537495
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Jul 18, 1997

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CUTS OFF GIVING NO INDICATION .

NHTSA ID
814367
Incident
Jul 18, 1997
Engine
Filed Sep 16, 1996

CONSUMER STATES THAT RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED IN APRIL AND SINCE THAT TIME VEHICLE HAS BEEN CUTTING OFF AND NOT STARTING PROPERLY. FIXED UNDER RECALL 95V178000, COOLING SYSTEM:FAN. *AK

NHTSA ID
802459
Incident
Apr 4, 1996

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

Data on this page last refreshed .