2018 Volkswagen PASSAT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Volkswagen PASSAT has 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: i bought this vehicle on june 8, 2018, from heritage vw. the car already had a safety recall for brakes which was issued on may 25, 2018. the dealer failed to inform me about it before purchase. later after my purchase on june 22 a do not drive was issued on this vehicle, they asked me to drive .

7 crash reports 4 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

12 complaints

18%

• I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON JUNE 8, 2018, FROM HERITAGE VW. THE CAR ALREADY HAD A SAFETY RECALL FOR BRAKES WHICH WAS ISSUED ON MAY 25, 2018. THE DEALER FAILED TO INFORM ME ABOUT IT BEFORE PURCHASE. LATER AFTER MY PURCHASE ON JUNE 22 A DO NOT DRIVE WAS ISSUED ON THIS VEHICLE, THEY ASKED ME TO DRIVE
• MY VEHICLE ATTEMPTS TO STRAIGHTEN ITSELF OUT AS I'M GOING THROUGH A CURVE AND I ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT MORE EFFORT THAN NECESSARY TO KEEP STEERING WHEEL APPROPRIATELY TURNED TO GO THROUGH THE CURVE ENTIRELY. ALSO WHILE GOING THROUGH A CURVE, IF ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKES SEEM TO MAKE SOME TYPE O
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON JUNE 8, 2018, FROM HERITAGE VW. THE CAR ALREADY HAD A SAFETY RECALL FOR BRAKES WHICH WAS ISSUED ON MAY 25, 2018. THE DEALER FAILED TO INFORM ME ABOUT IT BEFORE PURCHASE. LATER AFTER MY PURCHASE ON JUNE 22 A DO NOT DRIVE WAS ISSUED ON THIS VEHICLE, THEY ASKED ME TO DRIVE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

11 complaints

17%

• MY CAR IS UNDER 7000 MILES, DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FIRST SCHEDULE OIL CHANGE AND EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE CAR DEALER AND JUST TOP OFF THE OIL. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.
• MY FATHER WAS HEADING HOME WHEN HE STOPPED THE HILL DOWN FROM HIS HOUSE. UPON TRYING TO ACCELERATE HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO GO. THE ENGINE HAD STALLED/HESITATED. HE PRESSED THE GAS A FEW TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED, THE RPM HA D WAS THE ONLY THING MOVING. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 8 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER DOUGLAS VOLKSWAGEN (491 MORRIS AVE, SUMMIT, NJ 07901) TO BE DIAGNOSED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY CAR IS UNDER 7000 MILES, DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FIRST SCHEDULE OIL CHANGE AND EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE CAR DEALER AND JUST TOP OFF THE OIL. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

10 complaints

15%

• I HAD REPORTED THE ISSUE TO VW VERBALLY AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO PLACE IT ON THE MACHINE TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT IS NOT COVERED. I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS BUT THEY SAID IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN LET THEM KNOW. IT DID SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER THAT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 3
• TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK AND GETTING EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE, THE HORN PAD WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO NOTIFY THE
• THE RADIO/VIDEO MONITOR ON THE DASH GOES BLACK AND NO SOUND AND NO BACKUP CAMERA WILL ENGAGE AFTER DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME THE MONITOR COMES BACK ON THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED WITH DAYS OF SERVICE AT THE VW DEALERSHIP OVER TWO WEEKS AT THIS TIME

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I HAD REPORTED THE ISSUE TO VW VERBALLY AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO PLACE IT ON THE MACHINE TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT IS NOT COVERED. I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS BUT THEY SAID IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN LET THEM KNOW. IT DID SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER THAT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 3 ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

6 complaints

• First/only owner of a 2018 VW Passat GP r-line, scheduled maintenance intervals followed religiously and performed by VW; only filled with top tier fuel (mid/premium), no prev. indicator lights ever illuminated until ECM light (no accompanying warning lights) came on while driving at highway speed w
• EPC light came on & check engine light Car shakes
• Fuel pump Leak. Strong order of gasoline has been coming from the car. I had a check and the fuel pump is leaking. Other vehicles have been recalled due to this, but the Passat has not been included. This problem has been reported out in several cars including a fire….

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

“First/only owner of a 2018 VW Passat GP r-line, scheduled maintenance intervals followed religiously and performed by VW; only filled with top tier fuel (mid/premium), no prev. indicator lights ever illuminated until ECM light (no accompanying warning lights) came on while driving at highway speed w”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

5 complaints

• MY FATHER WAS HEADING HOME WHEN HE STOPPED THE HILL DOWN FROM HIS HOUSE. UPON TRYING TO ACCELERATE HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO GO. THE ENGINE HAD STALLED/HESITATED. HE PRESSED THE GAS A FEW TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED, THE RPM HA D WAS THE ONLY THING MOVING. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHI
• 2018 VW PASSAT SE TSI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING AS SAFETY HAZARDS. *AS *TR *JS THE CONSUMER STATED SAFETY FEATURES SUCH AS ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SHOULD BE STANDARD ON AL
• I HAD REPORTED THE ISSUE TO VW VERBALLY AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO PLACE IT ON THE MACHINE TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT IS NOT COVERED. I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS BUT THEY SAID IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN LET THEM KNOW. IT DID SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER THAT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 3

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“MY FATHER WAS HEADING HOME WHEN HE STOPPED THE HILL DOWN FROM HIS HOUSE. UPON TRYING TO ACCELERATE HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO GO. THE ENGINE HAD STALLED/HESITATED. HE PRESSED THE GAS A FEW TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED, THE RPM HA D WAS THE ONLY THING MOVING. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 65 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON JUNE 8, 2018, FROM HERITAGE VW. THE CAR ALREADY HAD A SAFETY RECALL FOR BRAKES WHICH WAS ISSUED ON MAY 25, 2018. THE DEALER FAILED TO INFORM ME ABOUT IT BEFORE PURCHASE. LATER AFTER MY PURCHASE ON JUNE 22 A DO NOT DRIVE WAS ISSUED ON THIS VEHICLE, THEY ASKED ME TO DRIVE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: MY CAR IS UNDER 7000 MILES, DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FIRST SCHEDULE OIL CHANGE AND EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE CAR DEALER AND JUST TOP OFF THE OIL. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I HAD REPORTED THE ISSUE TO VW VERBALLY AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT BASICALLY ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO PLACE IT ON THE MACHINE TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT IS NOT COVERED. I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS BUT THEY SAID IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN LET THEM KNOW. IT DID SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTER THAT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 3
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: First/only owner of a 2018 VW Passat GP r-line, scheduled maintenance intervals followed religiously and performed by VW; only filled with top tier fuel (mid/premium), no prev. indicator lights ever illuminated until ECM light (no accompanying warning lights) came on while driving at highway speed w
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)