2015 Volkswagen Passat Fuel system Problems

Vehicle has an excessive gasoline smell coming from the driver front of the vehicle- mechanics have not been able to determine the exact location of the problem.

NHTSA ID

11752613

Incident

Jul 23, 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

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle sputtered intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that fuel was leaking into the engine compartment, causing engine failure. The contact stated that the dealer had repaired the vehicle and possibly cleaned the engine. The dealer had informed the contact that the engine would last 4-6 months before complete engine failure. The vehicle was returned to the contact; however, while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and then lost power. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts to continue driving. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not repaired. The dealer suggested that a new vehicle be purchased. The contact searched online and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V028000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11715795

Incident

Jul 5, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that fuel was leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, East Dallas Volkswagen (12635 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy., Garland, TX 75041); where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was leaking fuel and that the gasket and fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11617197

Incident

Sep 2, 2024

Mileage

120,000 mi

Gas and Oil comsumption is way too high … Almost every 600-1000 the low oil lights turns on! Check engine on almost all the time due to an error with the oxígen sensor. EPC light gets on very frequently and the car loses speed. Also vehicle has a constant rattlesnake sound when speed is low. Issue was reported some years ago to a local VW dealership in Georgia but they never took care of the issue. Ongoing for a couple of years!. No additional details

NHTSA ID

11610716

Incident

Aug 25, 2024

Looks like the plastic the fuel pump housing is made out of is low quality or prone to degradation by fuel. Hairline cracks have formed on the fuel pump housing causing fuel to leak when the pump is pressurized and running. In my case a pin hole also appeared causing the leak to be quite significant. When reviewing the attached image. Most the major looking hairline cracks seep fuel. The pin hole can’t really be seen in that image but is located in the middle of the raised lettering that starts with a “C” (in between M and E) (I have a video of it)

NHTSA ID

11607043

Incident

Aug 6, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and veering to the left, the vehicle stalled. The battery warning light was illuminated. A towing service performed a diagnostic test on the vehicle and informed the contact that the failure was not related to the battery and the alternator. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed. The dealer replaced the battery and serviced the cooling system; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,300.

NHTSA ID

11578405

Incident

Mar 11, 2024

Mileage

70,300 mi

After having the government approved and MANDATED Phase 1 and 2 Dieselgate fixes performed on my VW Passat TDI it has randomly lost power and or stalled while at highway speeds at least 6 times. The last time my 16 year old son was left stranded in the middle of a busy four lane highway narrowly avoiding being hit and seriously injured and/or killed. Apparently there are thousands of these cases (a class action lawsuit filed in 2018) on the road. Why haven't I been notified? This mandatory fix is much more dangerous then the original issue it seeks to address. From what I understand, the fix is causing the DPF regeneration sequence to occur much more often and much hotter, thereby cooking/melting/boiling the entire cooling system and shutting the engine down without warning. My vehicle has been in the service dept of VW for over 6 months (this last time) because they cannot figure how to fix it permanently. VW Corporate is very aware of the situation and has fed me a bunch of [XXXX] not even a child would believe and has refused my suggestion to self report the problems to NTHSA and CARB. If the cars are not taken off the road this issue will definitely (if not already) result in major injuries and likely death. I have done my duty notifying this government agency and now if a tragedy occurs there will have been actual notice as required by the law. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11545217

Incident

Sep 18, 2023

Mice and rodents just love eating various electrical wires, vacuum lines, diesel fuel lines (both from tank to engine & return lines), etc. Never once had any animals issues with my other vehicles. Discovered that VWoA thought it would be a brilliant idea to use Soy in the manufacturing of electrical insulation, fuel hoses, vacuum lines, etc. ANIMALS LIKE EATING SOY. Very frustrating. My vehicle has been disabled before and one time I sprang a nice leak, leaving a trail of diesel behind me. Since all repairs and parts were ordered and conducted at local VW dealership. All records are both on carfax & stored in VWoA servers.

NHTSA ID

11502406

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

The car went 8 blocks 35mph the engine started shaking, I was stopping at the red light the car surging forward with my foot on brake engine still shaking. This all happened in 3 minutes. No lights on dashboard, the rpm dropped from 2,000 to 1,000 and then everything was ok.

NHTSA ID

11435975

Incident

Sep 29, 2021

Engine time chain skipped. Fuel rail leak from regulator(dangerous to drive as it can catch on fire). Suspension problem car shakes over 40mph(alignment and balance did not help), problem due to coils or other components. Mechanic shop checked car and they denied to work on it due to fuel recall.

NHTSA ID

11435204

Incident

Oct 2, 2021

SLUGGISH, HESITATES, WILL NOT ACCELERATE UPHILL. CODES: P039B, P93AF, P03B9

NHTSA ID

11342999

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY AUTO WORLD VOLKSWAGEN (3810 SYCAMORE DAIRY RD, FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28303) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,344.

NHTSA ID

11320425

Incident

Apr 7, 2020

Mileage

91,344 mi

ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STOPPED WORKING WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING. THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE CAR STALLED WHILE MOVING AT 5MPH ON AN EXPRESSWAY EXIT RAMP. IT RESTARTED AFTER 30 MINUTES (BLOCKING TRAFFIC FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME). WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART, THE MOTOR WOULD TURN OVER, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START - AS IF THERE WAS NO GASOLINE. THE SECOND STALL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON AN EXPRESSWAY AT 55MPH. IN THAT CASE THERE WAS AGAIN A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL POWER. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTER ON THE FIRST VISIT. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE FAULT CODES RELATED TO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL RAIL THAT NEEDED TO BE RESET.

NHTSA ID

11269147

Incident

Oct 14, 2019

Mileage

41,000 mi

CAR LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST CAUSED CRASH, AS I WAS ACCELERATING AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WITH CARS COMING. CAR WOULD NOT REV OVER 2K RPM, AND TOOK ABOUT 2 MINUTES TO GET TO 45MPH. DEALER DIAGNOSED CAR AND SAID HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. THEY CHANGED THAT, FUEL FILTER, AND CLEANED DIESEL TANK.

NHTSA ID

11255513

Incident

Mar 9, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

FUEL FILLER DOOR OPENS INTERMITTENTLY. NOT GOOD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL CAR WITH GAS, AND THE DOOR WON'T OPEN. THERE IS NO MANUAL RELEASE FOR THIS, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO BREAK PARTS TO GET TO THE FUEL FILLER CAP.

NHTSA ID

11196210

Incident

Apr 12, 2019

Mileage

50,000 mi

TOOK CAR IN FOR RECALL ON AIR BAGS DROVE HOME 3 MINUTES FROM DEALER.NEXT MORNING CAR DIES OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION AND WILL NOT RESTART NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT 3 BLOCKS FROM HOME. DEALER SAYS THEY DID NOTHING TO ENGINE. AND WOULD CHARGE ME 175.00 TO DIAGNOSE . VW HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH EARLIER YEAR PASSAT VEHICLES WHEN POWER WAS INTERRUPTED AND WOULD CAUSE FUEL PUMP FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11192664

Incident

Mar 30, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. DURING DRIVING COMPLETE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. WILL NOT RESTART, VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WITHIN 2000 MILES. DEALER STATES CONTAMINATED FUEL BOTH INSTANCES. FUEL WAS PURCHASED AT TWO SEPARATE GAS STATIONS EACH TIME. COSTING 7000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS FOR EACH INSTANCE.

NHTSA ID

11139501

Incident

Oct 5, 2018

Mileage

35,000 mi

I PURCHASED A VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DIESEL AND DECIDED TO KEEP IT EVEN AFTER THE WHOLE DIESEL SCANDAL. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE SECOND PART OF THE "FIX" MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SO I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THE WHOLE DIESEL LAWSUIT. I WAS TOLD THAT MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED BECAUSE OF BAD DIESEL. I ASKED THE SERVICE CENTER HOW THEY DETERMINED MY BAD DIESEL WAS TESTED AND THEY DEMONSTRATED A VW APPROVED SPECIAL TOOL WITH A BOX THAT HAD A SMILEY FACE AND FROWN FACE EMOJI. THE REPAIR FACILITY ADVISED ME THAT THEY COULD'T PERFORM THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE POOR QUALITY OF THE DIESEL. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND GOT THE RUN AROUND. I HAD TO USE MY VEHICLE'S CAR INSURANCE TO COVER THE $7400 REPAIR BILL. AS A TEN YEAR VETERAN VOLKSWAGEN/AUDI TECHNICIAN I/WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW OF THIS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE PUMP FAILS AND SENDS METAL FRAGMENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FUEL TANK. I WOULD BE OK REPLACING A $800 HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP BUT THIS DESIGN ALLOWS THE METAL FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WHICH IS DRIVEN BY THE TIMING BELT TO RECIRCULATE BACK INTO THE TANK AND FURTHER CONTAMINATE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND NOT TO MENTION THE FOUR FUEL INJECTORS AT $500 A PIECE (TIMES FOUR). I CALLED THE VOLKSWAGEN DIESEL SETTLEMENT LINE AND EXPLAINED MY FRUSTRATION AND EVEN MADE THE PERSON WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE LAUGH WITH THE WHOLE SMILEY FACE AND FROWN FACE TESTER. I AM A FACTORY TRAINED TECHNICIAN AND EVEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC BEHIND THIS, GIVE ME PERCENTAGES AND TOLERANCES WHICH I CAN UNDERSTAND. UNFORTUNATELY THIS WILL BE MY LAST VOLKSWAGEN I WILL EVER PURCHASE I KNOW THIS DOESN'T MATTER MUCH TO VW BUT I WILL BE DEFINITELY SPREADING THE WORD.

NHTSA ID

11123243

Incident

Aug 3, 2018

I GOT A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE CAM ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THEY ARE TELL ME THE FIX IS TO CHANGE THE SOFTWARE IN THE ECM. HOWEVER DOING SO WILL CHANGE THE TIMING ON MY CAR WHICH WILL AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE, GAS MILEAGE AND EMISSION THAT MY PZEV CAR PUTS OUT. VW REFUSES TO GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER ON WHAT THEY ARE CHANGING. I BELIEVE THAT SAID CHANGES WILL CAUSE MY VECHILE TO POLLUTE MORE AND GET WORSE MILEAGE AS THEY MUST BE ADJUSTING THE TIMING TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM THE CAM SHAFT MAKES.

NHTSA ID

10882700

Incident

Jul 5, 2016

Mileage

15,000 mi

WITH NO WARNING CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE . BRAKE WAS STIFF AND WOULD NOT GO DOWN , EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED WHICH COULD OF CAUSED THE CAR TO SPIN OUT. THIS CAR WAS SERVICED FOR THE MATTER AT HAND . THIS SITUATION SHOULD NEVER HAD HAPPENED IT WAS HAZARDOUS ,LIFE THREATING , AND A TOTAL SAFETY FAIL. MY FAMILY AND I WERE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THIS!

NHTSA ID

10850672

Incident

Mar 20, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE PROVIDED INACCURATE READING LEVELS. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

NHTSA ID

10790559

Incident

Jun 29, 2015

Mileage

6,000 mi

VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STOPPED. WOULD NOT RESTART. MILLER OIL CO. TESTED FUEL IN TANK WITH NO ISSUE. VW OF AMERICA TESTED FUEL IN CAR AND FOUND LUBRICITY WEAR DIAMETER SCARING OF 557 MICRO METERS 37 MICRO METERS OUT OF SPEC. $10K TO REPLACE FUEL SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

10775469

Incident

Sep 15, 2015

Mileage

4,300 mi