RoadVitals

2015 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.
15
Latest Feb 9, 2026
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 243 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 2015 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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 assistanceFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 9, 2026

While driving on the highway my car suddenly began to stall. It lost power later after that & when I got an oil change then tried to drive it later I was stopped by another driver told something is leaking. While driving to a Autozone I noticed the gears jump while shifting from 1 to 2 and I now can’t past 20 mph. I’ve already gotten the camshaft replaced and while researching I learned my cars make and model is being recalled for everything my car is going through. The vin says it’s not eligible for any recalls. Its maintenance is unkept.

NHTSA ID
11716751
Incident
Feb 6, 2026
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 5, 2023

The three issues above seems to be related or affect the other and does not allow cruise control to operate. The air bag light remains on and associated component light up the dash. Surprisingly, my VIN does not show up for air bag repair. I wish I did not have to wait for possible recall announcement for my vehicle before I can get it repaired and instead to fix it now. Frustrating.

NHTSA ID
11558662
Incident
Sep 2, 2023
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 24, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was unable to immediately restart the vehicle. After several attempts, the vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. After parking the vehicle, the vehicle would no longer start. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the EPC warning light remained illuminated. The local dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 3,500.

NHTSA ID
11513662
Incident
Mar 1, 2016
Mileage
3,500 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 14, 2022

During a left hand turn a loud "pop" occurred in the steering wheel while illuminated the Air Bag error light and disabled the horn and all steering wheel controls. I called Volkswagen about the errors and was transferred around on phone system, hung up on while transferring, message left with no contact back. While searching online have found numerous air bag recalls with clock spring issues but this model is not showing it although it is obvious it has failed. The car is not currently safe to drive and is parked, I currently own 4 of these VW TDI Passat's and need this addressed. Thank You

NHTSA ID
11456657
Incident
Mar 5, 2022
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 7, 2022

CATASTROPHIC SAFETY ISSUE MANY of the warning lights on the instrument cluster are illuminated. These include: * ABS is steadily illuminated. * Airbag is steadily illuminated. * The speedometer is not functioning showing "0" so I can't tell how fast I'm going. * The steering system indicator light is steadily illuminated. * Check Engine/Engine Malfunction is intermittent. * The Electric Power Control indicator is intermittent. * ESP/ASR is steadily illuminated. * The Alternator indicator light is intermittent * Tire Pressure Monitoring is steadily illuminated. * The fuel gauge is moving ranging from empty to full therefore the low fuel indictor flashed frequently. * Several times when depressing the accelerator instead of gaining power, acceleration dropped off. In traffic, at highway speeds, this is an additional serious safety issue. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATION TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND NEW TIRES. I took the car to the local dealership where the on-site technical advisor speculated that the wheel speed sensor was at fault. This did not build confidence.

NHTSA ID
11446627
Incident
Dec 6, 2021
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Dec 13, 2019

I WAS DRIVING ON FLAT PAVED ROAD AT SPEED OF 25-30 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE RPM SURGED FROM 1 TO 4, ENGINE REVVED, MADE LOUD HIGH PITCH WHINE FOR SEVERAL MINS. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING, ONLY FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE AHEAD. I WAS GOING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION, WHEN THIS STOPPED & CONTINUED DRIVING NORMALLY AND NOTED THE RPM WAS BACK TO NEAR 1. NO PANEL OR ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON.

NHTSA ID
11288973
Incident
Dec 13, 2019
Mileage
40,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Oct 25, 2019

HORN, STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS, POWER STEERING AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ARE NOT WORKING AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY CLOCK SPRING.

NHTSA ID
11270971
Incident
Oct 1, 2019
Mileage
90,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 27, 2019

LOSS OF AIRBAGS, POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION SHIFTING FUNCTIONS, ENGINE HESITATION. INDICATOR LIGHTS ON DASH FLASH OR STAY ON STEADY INCLUDE: COIL, STEERING WHEEL, AIR BAG, ABS, IMAGE OF CAR SKIDDING, BRAKES, AND TIRE INFLATION. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK AND THE FUEL GAUGE JUST KEEPS SWEEPING. THE REV LIMITER DOES NOT WORK EITHER. THE AUTO START FEATURE IS NON FUNCTIONAL AND THE PUSH BUTTON TO STOP THE MOTOR FROM RUNNING MUST BE PRESSED TWICE INSTEAD OF ONCE. CAR HAD THIS DISCREPANCY ON 30 JAN 2019, 06 FEB 2019, AND NOW 27 FEB 2019. THE DEALERS KEEP WORKING ON A GROUNDING NUT BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS PERSISTING. PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS ACCURSED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE CAR, NOT WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID
11182696
Incident
Jan 30, 2019
Mileage
36,500 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Sep 6, 2018

ALL LIGHTS CAME ON AT SAME TIME, NO NOTABLE REASON GIVEN FOR ISSUE. JUST TOLD COSTS ASSOCIATED AREN'T UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALLS.

NHTSA ID
11127873
Incident
Sep 5, 2018
Mileage
44,500 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 5, 2018

CLOCK SPRING FAILURE, AIRBAGS OFF-LINE, HORN INOPERATIVE, STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS INOPERATIVE

NHTSA ID
11124497
Incident
Sep 1, 2018
Mileage
55,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 24, 2017
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED A SECOND TIME, BUT THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE FIRST CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE PAUL CLARK VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION AND WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED A SECOND TIME AFTER THE FAILURE RECURRED, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,175. *JS

NHTSA ID
10991423
Incident
Oct 14, 2016
Mileage
6,175 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Aug 4, 2016

RECENTLY MY 2015 VW PASSAT STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. DEALER ADVISED THAT IT WAS GIVING CODES FOR A MALFUNCTIONING AIR INTAKE ABSOLUTE PRESSURE SENSOR. AFTER IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND SEEMED TO BE SLUGGISH. ON TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE CODE FOR THE ABSOLUTE PRESSURE SENSOR HAS REAPPEARED AND VW SUSPECTS THAT IT IS AN ENGINE ELECTRICAL HARNESS PROBLEM WHICH IS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ESC LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD ONE EVENING AND STAYED ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND WENT AWAY AFTER THE ENGINE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS I READ, THERE APPEARS TO BE A PATTERN IN SUCH MALFUNCTIONS - EITHER ELECTRICAL OR COMPUTER-RELATED. IF THE CAR WERE TO STALL OR GO OUT OF CONTROL IN FULL TRAFFIC, IT COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.

NHTSA ID
10893166
Incident
Jul 7, 2016
Mileage
7,260 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 8, 2016
Crash reported

ON 1/19/16 I EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 VW PASSAT. AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AFTER MY 12-MILE COMMUTE TO WORK I APPLIED THE BRAKES. NO STOPPING OCCURRED, IN FACT I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. WHILE MY FOOT REMAINED ON AND CONTINUED TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. MY CARE CAME TO REST ONLY AFTER HITTING THE CURB AND A MASONRY WALL/HAND RAIL. ONCE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. I ASSESSED THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND TRIED TOR REPOSITION THE CAR IN THE PARKING SPACE ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME EVENT OCCUR AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING DAY I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN FOR INSPECTION. A LOANER WAS PROVIDED. TWENTY-ONE DAYS LATER, ON 2/8/16 I RECEIVED A CALL STATING THAT NO MANUFACTURING FAULTS WERE FOUND AND THAT VW WILL NOT AGREE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE OR DISCUSS ANY CONCERNS RELATED TO LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, WHEN ASKED ABOUT ARBITRATION, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS CALLING VW CORPORATE. WHEN MY HUSBAND CALLED AS INSTRUCTED, WE WERE INFORMED THAT VW'S POSITION WAS DECIDED BASED ON THEIR LACK OF MANUFACTURER DEFECTS FOUND. VEHICLE REMAINS AT DEALERSHIP. NO INSPECTION REPORTS WERE OFFERED, NO DAMAGE REPORTS OR ESTIMATES PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID
10824949
Incident
Jan 19, 2016
Mileage
5,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 6, 2016

I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO TAKE MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND SPUTTER AND IT STALLED OUT JUST BEFORE I WAS GOING TO DRIVE THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT ON AND IT STARTED TO SPUTTER AS I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR TWICE UNTIL IT STARTED UP AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE JUST DOWN THE STREET TO A SAFE PLACE. THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE IT STARTED TO SMELL FUNNY. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE DIAGNOSTICS WERE RUN AND TEST DROVE HOWEVER THE VW DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I DO HAVE TO ADD THAT THE BATTER LIGHT CAME ON BUT EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD WAS FUNCTIONING. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I'VE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR A YEAR.

NHTSA ID
10818407
Incident
Jan 6, 2016
Mileage
19,797 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Aug 3, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING AT 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE ALIGNMENT WAS NOT PROPER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 380.

NHTSA ID
10745924
Incident
Jun 30, 2015
Mileage
380 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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .