2010 Volkswagen PASSAT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2010 Volkswagen PASSAT has 226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: tl*the contact owns a 2010 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that when reversing and turning the steering wheel, there was a loud abnormal noise and the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the spiral cable. the manufacturer was notifi. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 4 crash reports 2 injuries

226

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

45 complaints

20%

• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN REVERSING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE SPIRAL CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFI
• PODS - WHEN I WENT TO GET THE WHEEL CLOCK SPRING RECALL REPAIR, I STILL HAD A AIRBAG ERROR LIT - MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A FAULTY PASSENGER OCCUPANT DEVICE SYSTEM SWITCH. I ONLY HAVE 32K MILES ON MY CAR AND I VERY RARELY HAVE ANYONE RIDE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, SO NOT SURE WHY IT FAILED - WAS QUOTED A
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V078000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN REVERSING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE SPIRAL CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

41 complaints

18%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN
• CAR'S TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. CAR HAS DSG TRANSMISSION THAT IS SAME AS THE RECALL TRANSMISSION FROM 2009 AND 2010. SINCE THEN CAR'S TRANSMISSION HAS DISENGAGED AND THEN REENGAGED AFTER RESTARTING IT A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES SOME AT LOW SPEEDS AND SOME AT HI. CA
• I HAVE A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH ALMOST 70,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THE BRAND NEW CAR IN AUGUST 2010. IN SEPTEMBER 2014 AND NOVEMBER 2014 (THANKSGIVING DAY), AN IGNITION COIL FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IN SEPTEMBER, I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A BUSINESS ROAD WHEN THE IGNITION COIL FA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

34 complaints

15%

• I PURCHASED A 2010 VW PASSAT WAGON WITH DSG IN DEC. '09. SINCE THE BEGINNING I NOTICED A STRANGE QUIVERING/SHUTTER AS IT GEARS DOWN FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. I TOOK IT IN AT 1500 MILES AND A SERVICE COORDINATOR TOLD ME IT WAS "NORMAL". IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND BECAME A VIBRATING CLUNK WHEN GEARI
• TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERED AS THE VEHICLE SLOWED AND WENT FROM A HIGHER GEAR TO A LOWER GEAR. THE VEHICLE ALSO LURCHED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN TH
• PURCHASED 2010 VW PASSAT WITH 69 MILES ON 6/14/2010 IMMEDIATELY NOTICED VEHICLE SHUDDERED IN REVERSE AFTER STARTING. ON 6/27/2010 AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 4 BLOCKS WHILE ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE RPMS AND THE ENGINE WAS REVVING UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE BUT THE VEHICLE WOU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I PURCHASED A 2010 VW PASSAT WAGON WITH DSG IN DEC. '09. SINCE THE BEGINNING I NOTICED A STRANGE QUIVERING/SHUTTER AS IT GEARS DOWN FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. I TOOK IT IN AT 1500 MILES AND A SERVICE COORDINATOR TOLD ME IT WAS "NORMAL". IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND BECAME A VIBRATING CLUNK WHEN GEARI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

33 complaints

15%

• I WANTED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CAP FOR MY 2010 VW PASSAT. I ORDERED PART NUMBER 3C0201550N WHICH BELONGS TO MY VEHICLE. THE FUEL CAP DOES NOT FIT. I LOOKED AT THE CAP THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AND GOT PART NUMBER 1J0-201-553 OFF THE FUEL CAP THAT IS ON THE CAR. I CONTACTED A VW DEALERSHIP PARTS
• INCORRECT FUEL TANK INSTALLED FROM FACTORY. *TR
• WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT SHUDDERS SLIGHTLY AND THEN STALLS (REGARDLESS OF SPEED). TWICE AT LOW SPEED (15MPH MAX) AND ONCE AT HIGHER SPEED (45MPH). IN TRAFFIC THIS COULD MEAN A REAR END COLLISION. *TR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED THERE WERE A FEW TIMES ON THE ROAD WHERE THE CAR SHUDDERED AS IS IT WAS ABOUT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I WANTED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CAP FOR MY 2010 VW PASSAT. I ORDERED PART NUMBER 3C0201550N WHICH BELONGS TO MY VEHICLE. THE FUEL CAP DOES NOT FIT. I LOOKED AT THE CAP THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AND GOT PART NUMBER 1J0-201-553 OFF THE FUEL CAP THAT IS ON THE CAR. I CONTACTED A VW DEALERSHIP PARTS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

21 complaints

• DRIVING ON 267 EAST VIRGINIA IN MORNING PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME THEN CAR IMMEDIATELY WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING NEAR LIFE ENDING ACCIDENT, NAVIGATED TO SIDE OF TOLL ROAD BASED ON FORWARD MOTION IN CAR AT WHICH TIME CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND WAS UNABLE TO START. VEHI
• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WE SWITCHED LANES AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE THROTTLE. AFTER 15 SECONDS OR MORE THE CAR FINALLY RESPONDED. UPON REACHING OUR DESTINATION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS PUT INTO PARK, WHEREU
• IGNITION COIL GOING BAD. DEALER TOLD ME VW WAS ON ITS 4TH REVISION OF THESE. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DRIVING ON 267 EAST VIRGINIA IN MORNING PARKING BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME THEN CAR IMMEDIATELY WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING NEAR LIFE ENDING ACCIDENT, NAVIGATED TO SIDE OF TOLL ROAD BASED ON FORWARD MOTION IN CAR AT WHICH TIME CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND WAS UNABLE TO START. VEHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 226 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN REVERSING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE SPIRAL CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I PURCHASED A 2010 VW PASSAT WAGON WITH DSG IN DEC. '09. SINCE THE BEGINNING I NOTICED A STRANGE QUIVERING/SHUTTER AS IT GEARS DOWN FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. I TOOK IT IN AT 1500 MILES AND A SERVICE COORDINATOR TOLD ME IT WAS "NORMAL". IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND BECAME A VIBRATING CLUNK WHEN GEARI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: I WANTED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CAP FOR MY 2010 VW PASSAT. I ORDERED PART NUMBER 3C0201550N WHICH BELONGS TO MY VEHICLE. THE FUEL CAP DOES NOT FIT. I LOOKED AT THE CAP THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AND GOT PART NUMBER 1J0-201-553 OFF THE FUEL CAP THAT IS ON THE CAR. I CONTACTED A VW DEALERSHIP PARTS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)