Volkswagen Passat Reviews

This Passat TDI was purchased post-diesel-gate, it produces a genuine 44mg NOx/km (a minimal amount) and the highway fuel economy (55mpgUS / 4.3 litre/100km) is the best of any car I've driven, better than even small sub-compacts. City driving consumption is approximately double that figure, the 66 litre fuel tank is good for over 500 miles. Some nice touches include heated front seats, headrests which adjust forward & back, door mirror dips when reverse is selected, remote opening/closing of windows from remote, trunk lid springs-up when remotely opened, but best of all must be the adoptive cruise control which works very well and rarely needs to be over-ridden.

There are of course a few areas for improvement. The back seat does not fold down low enough meaning the pass-through from the trunk is restricted. There are auto wipers & headlights, but no auto dim function. The only really annoying issues I have discovered are; it appears VW has designed-in an obstruction in the sump which prevents the insertion of an oil suction pipe through the dipstick tube, this and the subterranean location of the oil filter mean it's necessary to put the car on a lift, and remove the lower panel to perform a simple oil and filter change. Will this discourage frequent oil changes, a must have for long trouble-free engine life?

Another longer term concern is the large number of engine components and fasteners manufactured from low grade black recycled plastic which becomes brittle with age leading to lots of problems starting around year eight or nine, sooner when the car is owned in hot locations such as Texas. Best not to keep this car too long!

Went to the dealership (Again!) and it turns out a couple components failed related to the fuel tank that need to be changed and is not covered under the warranty. Customer relations and the dealership said the fuel tank is covered but not the components and that it would have been if the car was 4 years/ 80,000 km. Now the first owner only had the vehicle for 3 years when it was resold to VW and sat in a lot for about 2 years. The emissions modification was done in Aug 2019 and I got it with 38,000 km+. The components ARE related to the fuel tank!! because without it you can't fill up and the car one huge expensive paper weight!!! I ended up paying $455.00 +tax just 4 months into ownership for something that should fail like this in the first place!!. I wanted to own a VW for a long time especially a TDI but man I'm really regretting this purchase and mow just looking forward to getting rid of it!!! I'm done and recommend you stay clear of VW TDI!!

Volkswagen immediately changed their tune and became very rude and defensive. The do not care one bit about the consumer and their cars after they are purchased. I am concerned this manufacturer is producing cars that are harmful to people. We are stuck with a car we can’t drive and now have to try to resolve on our own.

The excellent backup camera, perimeter alarms, and flashing blind spot alerts add safety and a sense of security. Beyond these safety features, the passenger compartment is equipped with steel reinforced top & side bars as well as wrap around air bags/curtains to assure passenger safety. Our turbo diesel model was getting a smashing 42 mpg, however California recalled those; our replacement gasoline engine delivers only around 29 mpg, and this is my only point of dissatisfaction.

Despite that amount of issues I have with my car (I provided proof of all repairs/services) and the fact that I feel unsafe driving it, they did not care. They just care about lying to their customers for their own financial gain. After two weeks of waiting each time, they told me they're unable to assist me without a proper explanation! I have visited multiple VW forums with reviews from other Diesel model customers and they all seem to experience the same issues as me. So, clearly, there are other underlying issues with VW because there is no way so many people have exactly the same issues and it just is that the vehicle is getting old from wear and tear. I would love to know how to go about filing a lawsuit against these scumbags. They've just stolen so much money from their customers. They need to be going out of business!

VOLKSWAGEN of America has been a joke and no help. Colin who is worthless at Volkswagen of America told me check the website my car does not have warranty at. I go to website, screenshot it and he is like, "Oh yes you do have warranty." WTF? My car has been at the shop now for 3 weeks for this repair and have no idea a return date. STAY FAR AWAY FROM VW CPO OR NEW OR USED.

Just came back today because my starter died so that adds another $750. There are few other incidents that I am unable to recall (this includes alternator, new battery I think) that costed me around 2k. Well, guess what, when calling me back on my starter repair, service manager told me about timing belt tensioner being loose which would take another 1000 to fix. I have had enough of VW dealership. I have started looking for a reliable local mechanic. And since I have put so much money into this, I will probably run it for another 1-2 years before turning it in. Have dropped almost 7k since it crossed 100k miles.

For my car to be this good, I can only surmise that it was not built on a Friday or a Monday. The maintenance interval suggested by the manufacturer are to be taken as guidance. Don't wait for something to break to fix it. Also use all original VW parts including brake pads, rotors, oil filters and VW approved oil. Your car is like your dog - loyal - but if you can't afford to take care of it then you shouldn't have it.

We finished our drive and the next day all the lights were on again and they wouldn’t go off. We took it to the VW dealership here in Utah and turns out it’s the ABS module. It is broken and has to be replaced. The car is less than 3 years old but has more than 36,000 miles in it so it’s not under warranty. Like I said we have only had this car for 2 months, so I called Mark Mitsubishi to find out if they would cover it since we haven’t had the car that long and they said there is nothing they will do about it. It’s out of the 30 day warranty they give on their cars and even though this is a huge safety issue and the car literally cannot be driven, they won’t do anything to back up their vehicle that they sold to my family. Since the dealership we bought it from wouldn't backup its vehicle we turned to VW.

There has been recalls for the ABS having the same issues on different years of the Passat but our specific one doesn’t have the recall. And VW won’t do anything to backup their car because it’s out of warranty with them. It doesn’t matter to them that our car that is less than three years old is not able to be driven. I feel that the ABS module should be expected to last longer in a vehicle. I feel that the quality of VW vehicles has gone downhill. Even though we have loved VW and purchased three VW vehicles, we will not be purchasing one again, the experience we have had with customer service and this vehicle has put a bad taste in our mouth. We are disappointed in the quality of this vehicle and that Volkswagen doesn’t stand behind their vehicles and own up to the fact that the ABS module should not be malfunctioning in this vehicle when it’s less than three years old!

After talking with a friend in the car business I was told to check my Carfax to see if it was noted up there. I did that and there is no notification of any recalls on this car. I was told that the Carfax could have been done before the recall. This issue when I went back online to check has been going on for awhile. I really feel like this company sold me a car that is unsafe. I'm scared to death when I'm out driving to and from work of getting hit and not surviving. I'm a single parent on a fixed income with disability so I can't afford to just go and get another vehicle and I can't afford to let it be repoed and have a blemish on my credit. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and I don't know what to do. What are my options with this vehicle?

I am pleased to say that I have been thrilled with my purchase. Beside oil changes and a front end alignment at 70,000 miles, I have had to replace two external light bulbs and a cabin air filter. This car has been far less expensive to maintain than any of my Honda products, and I have owned quite a few, seven to be exact. Each time that I visit the dealership (Quirk VW in Manchester, NH), they send me a text with a video that details the condition of my car and the repairs that they are making and suggesting. I could not be more pleased and am thankful that the previous owner of my vehicle leases his cars and sees the need to update his vehicle every three years.

I tend to be a very conscience owner and tend to take very good care of my cars, but this vehicle has honestly required very little from me from a maintenance standpoint. I would readily purchase another Volkswagen Passat in a heartbeat and encourage others to do the same after completing their research regarding the right vehicle for them and their family.

So I paid the 250 deductible for repair. The dealership suggested I replace the airbag as it has been recalled. I agree of course, only to receive my car back with an error light on. Airbag error service now. I returned it to the service department the next day. They tell me I have to pay another 250 for repair of this. Again I contact corporate office for assistance and they refuse to waive the 250 fee. I believe this to be poor customer service, this malfunction did not exist until they put their hands in it. I am currently driving around with no horn or airbag. This is a safety issue that Volkswagen doesn't care about. Their customer's safety is not their priority and this concerns me. Never again!

On the last visit in March 2017 VW sent me to the Ourisman VW service department located in Bethesda, MD. They had the car for a week, stated they were unable to find the cause of the EPC light, engine and battery light coming on which accompanied the noise I heard under the hood and while turning. They also noted the EPC, engine and battery light were not on. However, I had already taken a picture of all three on. They were still on when I dropped it off.

In addition, the Ourisman male rep I paid $15 to for the loaner who tried to get me to sign the car releasing it to me stood in front of me as I got up to leave. I told him he was in my way and needed to get out of my way. Afterwards, his co-worker called out to him and he moved.

Frustrated after having another VW dealer tell me they could not find anything wrong, I had my daughter remove the license plates, and I left the vehicle with the Ourisman dealer. My daughter and I gathered our items from the car and walked up the street to wait for a cab to the train station to travel 2 hours back home. At this time I was in a lot of pain, had ankle braces on both ankles and had to walk with two canes. A few days after returning, I returned the license plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Minutes after leaving the car at Ourisman, I ran into a non-VW mechanic, explained the issues I had experienced with this car, and he said they all sounded like transmission issues. He also stated if the computer was not picking it up, the computer was defective. None of the VW service departments I visited ever had a clue why my car was experiencing these issues. They kept telling me the car was fine, and left it at that so I left the car with them.

VW initially offered 10% down on another car. Later, they offered to replace the car as if I would ever trust a VW car or VW car dealer again. I want my money back in addition to the cab fares, train fares, bus fares, and lost wages as a result of their negligence. They showed no regard for my life. They showed no regard for my children's lives. I suggest they drive their families around in that car as is and see if they would like another VW. I spoke to a rep at a Virginia law office in Manassas and she suggested I go back and pick it up because according to her. I don't know if it still has the same problem or not when I specifically stated the Ourisman service department stated there was nothing to fix because they could not find anything wrong. No problem. One thing about those tables THEY ALWAYS TURN.

About a year later at around 25,000 miles I had my first turbo failure. I tried going to local dealers in Canada and they all said that the VW is a US car and I do not have a warranty in Canada. I then contacted a US dealer and they then told me that since my car has been imported into a foreign country that my warranty is VOID!!! Furious to hear this I then called Helton ** and told him what was going on and he proceeded to tell me that it's not his problem and he will not be able to do anything about it. I told him that I am going to ship my car back to him and he can fix it to which he replied that his dealership will be giving me the bill for repairs.

It's pretty sad that a VW DEALER would do this to a customer who buys a car for $28K cash. Since the turbo failed I have also had my adblue heater fail, adblue pump fail, all sway bar end links fail several times on each corner, the exhaust flap fail, and the reason I am writing this review is because my turbo now failed for a second time and because of Helton ** and his con job and will also have to pay for this out of pocket, as I do not qualify for the extended turbo warranty on this vehicle.

We called a month later and were told that they have the paper claim but won't process it until I completed the online form (what?). So they agreed to delete the online form to allow the paper form to be processed. And waited. I called again recently and was told they have the paper form, they have yet to delete the online form, and I should "trust VW." (What?) I again told the script reader that I am about to pay another insurance bill on the car and tag renewal. She said "If you choose to continue to pay insurance on a car that just sits there, that's up to you." (What?)

We told her that the car must be insured, in order to have legal tags, in order to drive the car back to the dealer whenever I finally get a notice from VW. She just could not understand that. So that tells you what we are dealing with. They won't process my paper claim, because of the existing start of the online claim, which is wrong and won't let me correct it, and they won't delete the online claim to allow the paper claim to move forward. Again, the girl could not grasp that circle of frustration.

I asked them "if I consider keeping the car, I would like to drive a similar car that has had the modification. How do I arrange that?" She said "It can't happen. You must trust our engineers." (What?) So here we sit, and wait. If you ever appear to get upset with them, they hang up on you, and they always give you false names. I asked one gentleman who said his name is Jacque to spell it. What a funny response I got from that script reading clown. But they win. I sit here losing money by the day, and they laugh at me. So I have to get this off of my chest. Thanks for this outlet.

The adblue heater WILL FAIL (it has actually be modified and is so prevalent that there is a "hack" to trick the sensor into thinking it is working) at a cost of $1200. VW extended the warranty on this part (finally) to 120,000 miles. The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is also a maintenance part (they start looking at it at 120,000 miles) that is also a very expensive repair and cannot be cleared out like a semi's can, but needs actual replacement once the soot load gets above a certain percentage (not to mention causing back-pressure on the exhaust).

Other weak points: the water pump ($1200+ repair easily, since they usually have to replace the timing belt at the same time since it gets radiator fluid all over it). The turbo. VW turbos have been prone for years and years to going out (on both gas and diesel) and they still do. VW did extend the warranty on some, so check if yours is covered. All the money you save on mileage is offset by the super high cost of maintenance and repairs (not to mention the $4000 to $5000 premium spent buying the car in the first place). ALL THIS IS (OF COURSE) OFFSET by VWs cheating on the emissions. My car is scheduled for buyback, so maybe I'll stick with something that is not as high in maintenance or in cost of repairs for my next vehicle.

Before I even made the first payment I had taken this car to be serviced twice and still no difference. Before the second payment, my car has now began making a squealing noise, obviously the brakes, when pulling off. I have to schedule yet another appointment to again have this looked at. Over the past 20 years I have owned a Honda Prelude, Chevrolet Cavalier, Trailblazer, Tahoe, and Avalanche, Acura RL, Dodge Charger and even a 96 Passat. NOT ONE of those cars made any kind of noises while driving them. Not one!

This 2015 Volkswagen Passat on the other hand is the newest car in the parking lot at work. It is the only Volkswagen in the parking lot at work and it is the ONLY car in the parking lot at work that sounds like squeaky the train when it leaves the parking lot every day. This is embarrassing and unacceptable. A coworker asked to ride with me to a company lunch last week and was impressed with my car until we actually began moving! The car squeaked all the way out of the parking lot and down the street. The front of it bounced when going over dips in the highway. Then when I came to a stop it sounded and felt as if the brakes were coming through the floor! Also, there is a tapping or rattling coming from the inside back driver side that I have yet to identify what it is. Extremely annoying!!!

I asked if the car had ever been wrecked and it hasn't. So either this is a poorly made Passat or someone is not doing what should be done when I take this car into service. Being that the car is under warranty I do not see what the problem would be with putting on new struts, brakes and rotors. I still have my 2006 Dodge Charger and it has over 235,000 miles and has NEVER made a sound like this 2015 Volkswagen! Right now when I get in my Dodge and pull off the only sound you hear is the engine! No rattling on the inside, no noises pulling off, grinding, and no squeaking. A few of the VW service reps told me it's normal for the brakes to make the grinding noise in the mornings or after the car has sat for a while because the brakes on VW are metal on metal. That is bull!!!

None of my other cars have ever done that! That means they have apparently put cheap brakes, rotors, and struts on this car! And now the steering wheel shakes when I'm on the highway!!! Also, the CD player now makes a funny noise when you start the car. I contacted VW corporate to no avail. This is supposed to be a German made car. I'm trading this car in ASAP!! I have owned a Passat before and this one is NOTHING like the quality of cars that I have previously owned. Even that Cavalier I owned in the early 90's rode much better than this 2015 Passat.

Unfortunately I'm under lease with this car so I'm pretty much stuck with it. And now my check engine light is on. I'm praying to god it's just a sensor or something simple. I can't afford to keep getting this car fix and I can't afford to not have a car because I have to get to work, school and everywhere else. I'm dreading the thought of taking it to the shop because every time I do I have to come out of my pocket $600 plus. And I'm still paying on this car. If I could do it all over I would've ran the other way and not given this car a second glance. VW needs to buy back all their cars not just the diesel models because these cars are poorly designed.

The next day I started it up and I forgot to turn off the air before turning off the car when I parked. And so the air came on as I turned the ignition. As I left the drive way it stalled. (I had 1/2 a tank of fuel). I coasted down hill to a parking lot. Waited about 2 minutes and it started right up with no other issues so far. Does anyone have a clue as to what might be the problem. THANK YOU.