RoadVitals

1995 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.
19
Latest Nov 20, 2008
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.
20%
of 93 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.
1

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 1995 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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 Nov 20, 2008
1 injury reported

THE HEATER CORE FAILED ON OUR 1995 VW PASSAT WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT. WITHOUT WARNING IT FAILED AND POURED 190 DEGREE ANTIFREEZE OVER HIS ANKLES. FORTUNATELY HE WASN'T SEVERELY BURNED OR CRASHED THE CAR, BUT IT WAS SERIOUS ISSUE. WE SPOKE TO VW BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE CORE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. I HAVE READ ON THE FORUMS OF THIS HAPPENING OFTEN AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS RECALL THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10249400
Incident
Oct 29, 2008
Mileage
115,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 17, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND IS WORSE WHEN IN HIGH GEAR. PART OF THE FAN FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 95V178000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN. THE VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID
10165716
Incident
Aug 17, 2006
Mileage
163,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 14, 2004

HEATER CORE EXPLODING, NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS I WAS SIMPLY GOING FROM A STOPLIGHT WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING IN THROUGH THE VENTS AND ENGINE COOLANT GOING EVERYWHERE. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING YET, BUT THE HEATER CORE IS DESTROYED.

NHTSA ID
10090994
Incident
Sep 13, 2004
Mileage
153,015 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 27, 2004

FRONT END WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. ALSO, RADIATOR OVERHEATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID
10060957
ElectricalEngineOther / unspecified+2 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND VALVES WENT AGAINST PISTONS. ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. IGNITION SWITCH FAIL AND LIGHTS GO OFF. RIGHT WINDOW DOESN'T WORK. IGNITION COIL IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID
10071395
Incident
Oct 15, 2003
Mileage
175,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 11, 2003

IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 ON ONE OF THE COLD DAYS, THE FAN SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK AND AS A RESULT CAR OVERHEATED AND BLEW OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOTAL COST TO FIX $2000. SMALL RECALL OF COOLING FAN COST ME $2000 AND IN SPITE OF CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, NO COST WAS BORN BY THE COMPANY. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10032554
Incident
Feb 1, 2003
Engine
Filed Jul 12, 2003

COOLANT LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS THE HEATER CORE. NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS SOON, CAR IS ONLY YEARS 8 OLD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10025939
Incident
Jul 2, 2003
Mileage
120 mi
EngineExterior lightingOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Aug 31, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
729691
Incident
Aug 1, 1996
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+6 more
Filed Jun 13, 2000

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE INCLUDING, 5 BATTERIES IN FIVE YEARS, RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN, TRUNK LIGHT ILLUMINATES FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERATIVE. NLM

NHTSA ID
552644
Engine
Filed Jan 16, 1999

THE COOLING SYSTEM ENDED UP WITH A SLOW LEAK OCCURING DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED HOSE RESTRAINT BEHIND THE FAN ASSEMBLY. THE HOSE GOT OUT FROM BEHIND THE RESTRAINT AND GOT WORN AWAY BY THE FAN/FAN HOUSING. THE RESTRAINT SHOULD SURROUND THE HOSE COMPLETELY INSTEAD OF ONLY COVERING APPROXIMATELY 160 DEGREES OF THE HOSE. NOW I WILL GET CHARGED TO REPLACE A HOSE AND FOR LABOR BECAUSE OF A POOR DESIGN. NOT FAIR TO CONSUMERS.

NHTSA ID
702284
Incident
Jan 10, 1999
Engine
Filed Apr 28, 1998

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID
534864
Incident
Jul 1, 1997
Engine
Filed Mar 20, 1998

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AFTER IT IS WARMED UP AND IS SLOWED DOWN TO FIRST GEAR, REVERSE GEAR, OR STOPPED AND AT ILDE.

NHTSA ID
536598
Incident
Jul 1, 1997
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 5, 1997

VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE WITH CRANK AND SLOW START.

NHTSA ID
525836
Engine
Filed May 30, 1997

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, IT WOULD LOOSE POWER; WOULD BUCK, SPUTTERS & JUMPS; AT VARIOUS SPEEDS IT WOULD SLOW DOWN; TOOK TO DEALER TWICE; 1ST TIME NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND; 2ND TIME CHIEF MECHANIC NOTICED PROBLEM. BEING REPAIRED NOW.

NHTSA ID
812613
Incident
May 17, 1997
EngineOther / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Aug 1, 1996

RIMS ON THE VEHICLE CRACKING ALMOST RESULTING IN VEHICLE WHEEL FALLING OFF.

NHTSA ID
507013
Incident
May 10, 1996
Engine
Filed Jun 24, 1996

DIFFICULTY SCHEDULING COOLING FAN REPAIRS DUE TO UNAVAILABLE OF PARTS. *SD

NHTSA ID
505778
Incident
Jun 24, 1996
Engine
Filed Mar 22, 1996

RECALL REPAIRS ON RADIATOR FAN MOTOR/FAN BLADE REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. *DH

NHTSA ID
502769
Incident
Nov 16, 1995
Engine
Filed Feb 13, 1996

VOLKSWAGEN HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE DEALER WITH ANY RECALL PARTS ON THE RECALL FOR THE RADIATOR FAN. TT

NHTSA ID
979133
Incident
Feb 13, 1996
Engine
Filed Jan 17, 1996

THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SEND HIM A RECALL NOTICE EVEN THOUGH HE IS INCLUDED BY HIS VIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT *JB

NHTSA ID
977708
Incident
Jan 17, 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.

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 .