RoadVitals

2007 Volkswagen Passat Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
8
Latest Jun 8, 2020
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.
3%
of 262 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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 visibility

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

EngineVisibility
Filed Jun 8, 2020

MY 16 BOUGHT A CAR FROM BOMMARITO VW HAZELWOOD, THEY TOLD US IT HAD PRIOR ENGINE WORK AND THE CUSTOMER COULDN'T PAY FOR THE CHARGES SO THEY SOLD US THE CAR. WHEN TEST DRIVING WE HEARD A CLUNK EVERY TIME YOU WOULD EXCEL. THE SALESMAN SAID IT WAS STUFF IN THE TRUNK. COME TO FIND OUT THERE ARE NO MOTOR MOUNTS HOLDING THE MOTOR AND THE MOTOR GOES UP IN THE AIR WHEN YOU GIVE THE CAR GAS, THE MOTOR HIT THE EXHAUST AND BROKE IT. THERE IS NO WAY THIS CAR PASSED INSPECTION WITH A MOTOR HANGING THERE, YOU CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW BECAUSE THE TINT IS SO BAD. A DEALERSHIP SHOULD NOT OF SOLD A VEHICLE WITH A MOTOR LIKE THIS, IT'S A BIT DANGEROUS TO PUT A YOUNG GIRL IN. IT HAS TAKEN ME TWO WEEKS FOR SOMEONE TO CALL ME BACK. *TR

NHTSA ID
11327752
Incident
May 22, 2020
Mileage
130,341 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 23, 2018

MY PASSENGER WIPER IS NO LONGER WORKING. AND THE SCREW HAD STRIPPED OFF. I LIVE IN FLORIDA WHERE IT RAINS ALL THE TIME AND IS A SAFETY CONCERN ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
11103574
Incident
Jan 12, 2018
Mileage
152,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 27, 2018

THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR IS SECURED ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PLASTIC PART. THIS PART HAS BROKEN FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE ALSO ELECTRICAL CORDS RUNNING INTO THE VISOR FOR REMOTE CONTROLS. WHEN THE PLASTIC PART SECURING THE VISOR BREAKS, THE VISOR DROPS DOWN OBSCURING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND IS LEFT DANGLING BY THE WIRES. THE VISOR REMAINS A PROBLEM FOR THE DRIVER UNTIL A REPAIR IS MADE AND THE NEW VISOR COSTS ABOUT $600 INSTALLED BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. I HAVE HAD 2 NEW VISORS PREVIOUSLY PUT IN THIS CAR. CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE IT HAS LOW MILEAGE AND IS NOT DRIVEN VERY OFTEN. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. I AM NOT COMPUTER SAVVY AND CANNOT SCAN THE REPAIR DOCUMENTS.

NHTSA ID
11065394
Incident
Jan 26, 2018
Mileage
70,000 mi
AirbagsVisibility
Filed Jan 30, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID DISPENSER MOTOR DID NOT WORK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED A PICTURE OF AN INFLATED AIR BAG WITH A "VEHICLE STATUE, AIR BAG DEFAULT" WARNING MESSAGE. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND THE AIR BAG FAILURE WAS NOT RECALL RELATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE....UPDATED 11/15/17 *BF UPDATED 12/1/2017*JS

NHTSA ID
10948434
Incident
Apr 16, 2016
Mileage
120,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 27, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND WINDSHIELD LINKAGES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 143,000. UPDATED 03/12/14*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID
10561610
Incident
Dec 7, 2011
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsEngineInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Aug 24, 2010

A/C WAS NOT COOLING AS NORMAL THEN THE A/C WAS NOT COOLING AT ALL. THE DAY THE A/C SYSTEM FAILED I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED OF 70 MILES PER HOUR AND IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY. ALL WINDOWS TO THE VEHICLE FOGGED TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD NO VISIBILITY. I PULLED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE STORM TO PASS TO OPEN MY WINDOWS AND BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH ALL WINDOWS. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A VW SERVICE SHOP THE NEXT DAY. THE SHOP CHECKED THE A/C SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERANT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS CONTAMINATED. THEY VACUUM/DRAINED THE SYSTEM, REFILLED IT WITH NEW REFRIGERANT, AND REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR FOR THE A/C SYSTEM. THE A/C WAS WORKING AS NORMAL FOR TWO MONTHS THEN WITHOUT WARNING MY A/C SYSTEM WAS NOT COOLING AT ALL. I TOOK IT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO VW SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT THE A/C COMPRESSOR SHAFT WAS SEIZED TO THE COMPRESSOR HOUSING. TO REPAIR IT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR, EXPANSION VALVE, AND CONDENSER. THEY ALSO CLEANED TO A/C LINES, VACUUMED THE SYSTEM AND REFILLED IT WITH REFRIGERANT AFTER PUTTING ALL THE PARTS TOGETHER.I WAS WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. TILL THIS DAY MY A/C SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. FOR EXAMPLE, I DRIVE THE CAR ONE DAY, THE A/C WORKS AND NORMAL, AND THE NEXT DAY IT DOES NOT COOL AT ALL. IT WORKS AT RANDOM TIMES. TO ADD, THE SAME TIME MY A/C WAS BROKEN MY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. VW CHECKED IT AND FOUND THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IGNITER HAD TOO MUCH RESISTANCE. TO FIX IT THEY REMOVED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND BYPASSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG PLUG. THEN THEY CHECKED THE SEAT HARNESS AND REINSTALLED THE SEAT. MY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. MOREOVER, THE SUNVISORS LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK, SHIFT KNOB WAS CORRODED, THE RUBBER SEAL TO THE SATELLITE ANTENNA ROTTED AWAY, AND BOTH TAIL LIGHTS ON THE INTERIOR STARTED TO BURN AND LOOK MELTED. ALL WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. GOOD FOR THAT BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIR COSTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10351565
Incident
Mar 21, 2008
Mileage
20,578 mi
AirbagsHeating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Aug 24, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR LIGHT ALSO WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE AND THE LIGHT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. IN ADDITION, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND MOST RECENTLY FAILED AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRAIN HAD TO BE CLEANED OF CONTAMINATED SOLVENT AND REPAIRS WERE ALSO MADE TO THE TEMPERATURE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO ANY OF THE ABOVE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,578 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ID
10351530
Incident
Mar 21, 2008
Mileage
20,578 mi
Heating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Dec 13, 2007

AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT WORK. ON FOGGY AND RAINY DAYS AIR CONDITIONING IS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN A GOOD VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING. SEVERAL 2006 AND 2007 VW PASSAT MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10211870
Incident
Dec 10, 2007

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 .