RoadVitals

2009 Volkswagen Passat Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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 Jan 28, 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.
6%
of 146 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.
2
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 forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Jan 28, 2020

THE CAR HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS POP ON AND THE FUEL PUMP IS THE ERROR CODE, ALONG WITH MISFIRES. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST A DOZEN OR MORE CLOSE CALLS WITH THE STALL OUT AND FAILURE TO START UP, AND AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE STALL OUT. IT STALLS WHEN ITS IN MOTION OR EVEN WHEN IT IS PARKED AND IS STARTING UP.

NHTSA ID
11302680
Incident
Jan 28, 2020
Mileage
118,500 mi
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Jan 5, 2020

THE VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH THE FUEL PUMP , INTAKE & CYLINDERS . I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE FUEL PUMP BUT NOTICED ONLINE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THESE SAME ISSUES . WHEN TURNING THE CAR ON AND DRIVING IT TURNS OFF AND HARDENING THE STEERING WHEEL

NHTSA ID
11297252
Incident
Oct 11, 2019
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 5, 2019

BOUGHT THIS AT A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. WITHIN TWO DAYS, THE EPC LIGHT WAS COMING ON. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR OR WHEN STARTING TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL, THE GAS PEDAL HAS NO RESPONSE. IT'S AS IF THE PEDAL IS NOT WORKING. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEIR MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR. SAID THEY FIXED IT. WITHIN A WEEK, THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME, SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT BUT WITHIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS, THE PEDAL ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY, WE HAVE STAYED ON LOCAL ROADS 40 MPH MAX BUT WHEN THE CAR DOESN'T GO WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO, I'M EXPECTING TO GET REARENDED. WE BROUGHT THIS TO OUR MECHANIC AND $1700 LATER, THE CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THE EPC LIGHT IS ON AND THE CAR IS NOT GOING WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THE CPU HAS BEEN SWITCHED OUT AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS BEEN REPLACED. HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE DUMP IN THIS? THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FROM WHAT I AM READING ON THE INTERNET.

NHTSA ID
11266545
Incident
Oct 5, 2019
Mileage
112,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Jan 9, 2019

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE ON MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 35000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK ALSO CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, IT COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE WHILE IT IS BEING DRIVEN. VOLKSWAGEN USA ADMITTED THAT THIS PART IS AN ISSUE. THEY ISSUED SEVERAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK. SEVERAL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF VOLKSWAGENS WERE RECALLED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. I AM SEEKING JUDGEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN IN THE AMOUNT OF $588.91, WHICH IS THE COST OF REPAIR. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR ONLY HAD A 3 YR WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN EVER. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER ON 12/28/2018.

NHTSA ID
11165995
Incident
Nov 20, 2018
Mileage
34,851 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Jul 5, 2018

DRAINED MY BATTERY ALL TIME, TURNED OFF IN MIDDLE THE I DRIVING IT. FOR COUPLE MONTHS I BEEN EXPERIENCE THIS SITUATION. FIRST I WAS CAME BACK FOR WORK, I WAS IN MAYS LANDING AREA, I WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT CHANGE, WHEN MY CART TURNED OFF. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES TURNED ON AGAIN, I DROVE FOR 10 MINUTES AND AGAIN TURNING OFF. I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY, MY CAR WORKED PERFECTLY FOR 3 DAY, I WAS IN MY JOB READY TO CAME HOME WHEN MY CAR NEVER START AGAIN.

NHTSA ID
11109587
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 2, 2018

THERE IS AN INTERRUPTION IN ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. THIS RESULTING IN THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, RESULTING IN A DRAINED BATTERY AND CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THIS HAPPENED TODAY ON HIGHWAY AND ALMOST I WAS GOING TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT. US. VW AND THE DELAR ARE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION AT THAT REGARD, THEY STATED TODAY THAT I PAY TO THE REPAIR AND THEY WILL EMBERSE ME LATER. PLEAS NOTE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE TO SOLVE THAT ISSUE. SAFETY RISK

NHTSA ID
11082563
Incident
Apr 15, 2017
Mileage
50,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Jan 18, 2018
Crash reported

ON 11/15/11 @33,125 MILES WHEN ACCELERATING INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL CORRECT BACK TO DRIVE "COULD NOT BE REPLICATED" BY VW SERVICE. THEN, CAR STARTED TO BECOME "HESITANT" ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR WHEN ON DRIVING. 1/16/12, HESITATION MORE FREQUENT; VW SERVICE TOOK A SHORT DRIVE,COULD NOT REPLICATE "IT'S NOT AN ISSUE UNLESS MIL" (RECOMMENDED NEW WIPER BLADES). 3/6/12, @ 41,117 MILES, CONTINUED TO INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE/WANTED TO STALL/ NEUTRAL" NO ENGINE LIGHT (MIL); 3/14/12 @ 41,595 MILES, LEFT HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACED. 6/7/12, WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON EXPRESSWAY APPROXIMATE SPEED WAS 20MPH, CAR HESITATED TO MOVE WITH FLOW OF TRAFFIC THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER HESITATION, 2 THINGS OCCURRED @SAME TIME, I WAS REAR-ENDED & ENGINE LIGHT (MIL) CAME ON. THEN CAR HESITATED AS I WENT TO PULL OVER. MIL WENT OFF THEN FLICKERED ON. I CALLED VW SERVICE THE MIL WAS OFF & WAS TOLD THAT REAR-ENDED CAUSED THE FLICKER. MIL CONT TO INTERMITTENTLY GO ON & OFF. ON 6/30/12 @47,098 MILES, MIL ON STEERING LOCKED UP CAR HESITATING; VW SERVICE WAS INFORMED THAT AUTO BODY SHOP STATED OBD CAR MISFIRING; REPLACED L HEADLIGHT AGAIN-CAR PASSED INSPECTION. ON 7/12/12 @ 48347 MILES, MIL VW SWAPPED WIRES AGAIN; MIL, HESITATION WHILE DRIVING, & SHIFTING ISSUE STILL INTERMITTENT; 3/2/13@ 64070 MILES MIL ON L HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACED; 3/30/13 MIL REPLACE SPARK PLUGS; 4/15/13 @ 65,689 MIL IGNITION COIL MANIFOLD FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED; RETURNED 4/16/13 HESITATION REBREATHER CORRECTED; SAFETY INSPECTION MIL ON FORCED CAR TO PASSED. MIL STAYS ON STILL HESITATES @78,942 WATER PUMP; @79000 CAR HESITATING STALLING MIL INTAKE VALVE FUEL INJECTOR NEED CLEANING - L HEADLIGHT AGAIN; @91,195, LEFT HEADLIGHT REPLACED VEHICLE RET TO ME BY VW WITH MIL & STEERING LOCK LIGHTS ON REFUSED TO REPAIR 100,191 MILES MIL STILL ON 107,290 VW FORCED FAIL SAFETY INSPECTION MIL CAME ON &HAS NEVER GONE OFF

NHTSA ID
11063583
Incident
Jun 7, 2012
Mileage
46,400 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 19, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED ENGINE OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR MAIN ENGINE SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA ID
10860325
Incident
Mar 5, 2016
Mileage
88,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Nov 24, 2010
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE TURNING LEFT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK PILLAR HOLDING UP A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,500.

NHTSA ID
10367752
Incident
Nov 6, 2010
Mileage
15,500 mi

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 .