2007 Volkswagen Passat Brakes Problems

The brakes totally went out on my vehicle with no warning. It first started when I bought the car, the brake pad (almost brand new) almost set my left front rotor on fire within 10 minutes of driving. If I didn’t pull over there’s no question that my car would’ve set on fire. My fuel like was leaking heavily, and the emergency brake which is hydraulic wouldn’t even deploy. I could’ve gotten killed. There is also an extreme issue with the power train system. Completely unsafe.

NHTSA ID

11463112

Incident

Apr 20, 2022

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON .. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND KEEP GETTING A ROUND ABOUT MY AIR BAGS AND THE SERVICE THEY DID ON MY CAR .. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS AND THE MORNING I PICKED IT UP ABOUT AN HOUR LATER HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK IN AGAIN BECAUSE THE DIDN'T DO THE RECALLS RIGHT .. NOW MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON .. I'VE CALLED AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY .. THEY ARE TELLING ME MORE THINGS COULD BE WRONG AND IT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX IT .. I'VE HAD MY CAR FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE DONE WORK ON IT .IT KEEPS MESSING UP?

NHTSA ID

11111952

Incident

Jun 29, 2018

THIS CAR IS OUT RIGHT DANGEROUS.MY WIFE IS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY 70 MILES AN HOUR THE EMERGENCY BRAKES COME ON TO HER SURPRISE AND LOCK UP.THANK GOODNESS IS WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE OFFSIDE WITHOUT INCIDENT.IT SEEMS THIS A COMMON THING WITH THIS MODEL, THE GAS PEDAL ALSO CUTS IN AND OUT UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK VIOLENTLY IN TRAFFIC. IVE JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH THIS THING.

NHTSA ID

10881722

Incident

Jun 29, 2016

Mileage

150,222 mi

THE PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM BOARD. THIS ISSUE IS SEVERELY UNDER-REPORTED AS A LARGE PORTION OF CARS AFFECTED IGNORE OR RESET THE ERROR BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY EACH TIME IT APPEARS. THIS NEEDS TO BE AN OFFICIAL RECALL BUT VW REFUSES TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM "NOT ENOUGH CARS ARE AFFECTED". *TR

NHTSA ID

10662218

Incident

Oct 16, 2014

Mileage

70,000 mi

AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR VOLKSWAGEN HOME FROM WORK, HE WAS MERGING ONTO AN INTERSTATE AT RUSH HOUR, AND JUST AS HE GOT UP TO SPEED, THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED (IT'S ELECTRIC--IT JUST TURNED ITSELF ON!). HE MANAGED TO STOP SAFELY AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE VW DEALER, WHERE THEY LOOKED AT IT AND CALLED US WITH AN LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE FIXED--THE VALVES BLEW, THE CV JOINTS CRACKED, THE TRANSMISSION BASICALLY EXPLODED, ETC ETC ETC. IT'S ABOUT $6K WORTH OF REPAIRS! WE HAD IT INSPECTED ONLY 2 WEEKS BEFORE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE, SO WE'RE PRETTY SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE SUDDENLY ENGAGES AT THAT 70 MPH. I DON'T KNOW HOW MY HUSBAND MANAGED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ON THE 2005-2010 PASSATS FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS, DISENGAGING OR ENGAGING UNPREDICTABLY. THE VW DEALER SERVICE DESK TOLD US THAT THEY HAD SEEN A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON A CC SPORT JUST TWO WEEKS PRIOR (THEY ACTUALLY NOTED THIS IN THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT THEY GAVE US). I WAS TELLING THIS STORY AT CHURCH, AND A LADY OVERHEARD AND TOLD ME THAT THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED IN HER VW--THOUGH LUCKILY THEY WEREN'T GOING SO FAST AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10609417

Incident

Apr 17, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566226

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

PUT KEYFOB IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH ILLUMINATED BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN. ALSO STEERING LOCK WARNING LOCK KEEPS BLINKING. CAR IS STUCK IN PARK, MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE IT TOWED, BEFORE FINALLY HAVING AN EXPERIENCED TOW TRUCK DRIVER DRAG IT ON TO A FLAT BED BECAUSE OF CAR BEING STUCK IN PARK, KEY FOB LOCKED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, HAS BEEN TOWED TO 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS WHO HAVE YET TO PINPOINT THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. ONE SHOP CLAIMED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THAT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH HOWEVER WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. HAS SPENT XXX AMOUNT OF MONEY HAVING IT TOWED TO SEVERAL SHOPS AND STILL NOT FIXED. FRUSTRATED!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10565407

Incident

Jan 24, 2014

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXHIBITED AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 06V472000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10536528

Incident

Mar 28, 2013

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKING ASSIST SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507059

Incident

Mar 4, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

DRIVING HOME WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT MY CAR FELT LIKE IT JERKED FORWARD THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. I STOPPED MY CAR BRIEFLY TO GET DINNER, TOOK A PHONE CALL AND DECIDED TO LEAVE. I PUT MY CAR IN DRIVE AND IT WOULD NOT TRAVEL FORWARD. I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. I LOOKED AT THE DISPLAY WHICH INDICATED I SHOULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, I DID. THE MESSAGE DISAPPEARED BUT THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT TRAVEL. I CHECKED THE PARKING BRAKE BUTTON, IT WAS ON. I DEPRESSED THAT BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. EVERYTIME I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE THE SAME DEPRESS THE BRAKE MESSAGE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS SUGGESTED I KEEP TRYING TO DISENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE. "THE CAR THINKS THE PARKING BRAKE IS ON" I HAVE NEVER USED THE PARKING BRAKE ON THIS CAR. IT CAME OUT OF THE SHOWROOM. FINALLY THE BRAKE DISENGAGED. MY SECOND STOP RESULTED INTO THE SAME SCENARIO. MY FEAR IS THAT THIS HAPPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING. I AM TAKING MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN A FEW HOURS IF IT WILL MOVE IN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IDEAL UP TO THIS EVENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471974

Incident

Aug 22, 2012

Mileage

57,235 mi

WENT TO GO GRAB LUNCH YESTERDAY. AS I PARKED I PLACED THE PARKING BRAKE ON. HOWEVER ONCE I CAME BACK TO THE CAR. THE BRAKE WOULD NOT REMOVE ITSELF. THE SYSTEM KEPT READING PARKING BRAKE FAULT. I HAD TO WAIT THERE UNTIL A TOW TRUNK CAME TO TOW ME TO THE DEALER. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE ALSO CAME TO PARK A FEW TIMES IN THE BRAKE PLACED ITSELF ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10425176

Incident

Sep 12, 2011

Mileage

91,500 mi

LEAVING MY HOME ON MY WAY TO WORK IN THE AM MY BRAKES FAILED THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN PANIC AND PUMPING THEY RETURNED BEFORE I REACHED THE STOP SIGN, THE 2007 PASSAT WAGON HAS NO EBRAKE JUST A BUTTON FOR THE PARKING BRAKE, WHICH I DID NOT USE. I DROVE THE CAR FOR THE NEXT 2 WEEKS WITHOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN, THEN AT THE SAME STOP SIGN (THE FIRST ONE I REACH WHEN I LEAVE MY HOUSE IN THE AM) IT HAPPENED AGAIN, PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, PUMP,PANIC & JUST BEFORE THE INTERSECTION THEY WORK. THE WEATHER ON BOTH OCCASIONS WAS RAINY, AND ABOUT 38 DEGREES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES, THE MECHANIC SAID IF I WAS DESPERATE I COULD PUSH AND HOLD THE PARKING BRAKE BUTTON THIS WOULD LOCK THE CARS BRAKES AND PUT IT INTO A SKID. I AM STILL DRIVING IT WITHOUT ANY MORE FAILURES BUT I FEAR ANOTHER ONE WILL. THE ONLY REASON I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE A CRASH FROM THE FAILURES IS BECAUSE THIS IS RURAL DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308129

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

45,000 mi

I OWN A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON WITH A 2.0 LITER TURBO ENGINE. IT WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2008 AS A CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE WITH ROUGHLY 8,000 MILES ON IT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I NOTICED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED HARD, THE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. VW INSPECTED THIS AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION THIS WAY. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS (AS I DISCOVERED LATER ON) IS THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL ARE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED HARD, IT GOES PAST THE GAS PEDAL. ON TWO OCCASSIONS WHEN BRAKING HARD IN AN EMERGENCY, MY FOOT CAUGHT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND I WAS APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE. THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY DANGEROUS. VOLKSWAGEN CONTINUES TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS HOW THE CAR IS AND THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE FOR ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10290401

Incident

Aug 20, 2008

Mileage

9,000 mi

ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT SET OR WILL NOT RELEASE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT PROGRESSIVE, BEGINNING WITH FAILURE TO SET AND CULMINATING WITH FAILURE TO RELEASE, IN ONE INSTANCE TRIGGERING MASTER BRAKE FAILURE WARNING. FAILURE TO SET MAKES CAR ILLEGAL TO DRIVE AND DANGEROUS WHEN PARKED AS THERE IS NO BACK UP SYSTEM TO SET PARKING BRAKE. FAILURE TO RELEASE STRANDS DRIVER IN POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. VW SAYS IN THIS INSTANCE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO CALL FOR TOW. FAILURES MAY AT TIMES BE CLEARED BY RESTARTING ENGINE, BUT PROGRESSIVELY LESS SUCCESSFUL. CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES SINCE PROBLEM AROSE. 3 DAYS IN JUNE, 2 DAYS IN EARLY JULY, AND MOST RECENTLY 35 DAYS AND COUNTING (SINCE JULY 22). DEALER HAS REPLACED MULTIPLE MODULES MULTIPLE TIMES, OVERLAID WIRING, ETC. WITHOUT SOLUTION. DESPITE A SENIOR MECHANIC BEING PLACED ON THE JOB, NO SOURCE OF FAULT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND BY ALL APPEARANCE LOGICAL DIAGNOSTIC WORK HAS CEASED AND HAPHAZARD PARTS REPLACEMENT HAS BEGUN, I.E., "HOPE" IS THE ONLY REMAINING CORRECTIVE STRATEGY. DEALER IS SYMPATHETIC BUT OF NO BENEFIT. VW CUSTOMER CARE CONTACTED BUT PROMISED FOLLOW UP BY THEM HAS NOT BEEN MADE. AS CAR CAN STILL BE OPERATED WHEN ELECTRONIC BRAKE FAILS TO SET, THIS CREATES A POSSIBLY WIDESPREAD PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE SINCE CAR CANNOT BE PROPERLY PARKED AND MUST RELY SOLELY ON TRANSMISSION HOLDING CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10281880

Incident

May 29, 2009

Mileage

43,000 mi

MY 2007 VW PASSAT HAS BROKEN DOWN 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS WITH REAR BRAKE FAILURE. THE MFG. HAS NEVER FIXED THIS PROBLEM, AND IS UNRESPONSIVE TO MY NUMEROUS REQUESTS, TO REPURCHASE OR FIX MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT AS IT CAUSES MY REAR BRAKES TO BE INOPERABLE. THIS IS THE FIRST PRODUCTION YEAR FOR VW ELECTRIC REAR BRAKES, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240330

Incident

May 30, 2007

Mileage

22,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES SLIP AND GRIP RAPIDLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND BELOW. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE THIRD TIME AND IS TAKING LONGER TO REPAIR THAN USUAL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

NHTSA ID

10212271

Incident

Dec 12, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi