2014 Volkswagen Passat: owner complaints and recalls

59% of everything owners report about the 2014 Volkswagen Passat points at a single system: air bags. That is 352 of 592 complaints on file.

592
Complaints
10
Recalls
18
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
14
Injuries
34.1
Severity index

Severity index 34.1 - Low. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 34.1p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2014 Volkswagen Passat sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 139 2014 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2014 Volkswagen Passat ranks 115 of 139 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 17% of its model-year peers. See the full 2014 ranking.

What actually fails

Air BagsAir Bags: 352 complaints (59.5%)352 59%EngineEngine: 77 complaints (13.0%)77 13%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 72 complaints (12.2%)72 12%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 59 complaints (10.0%)59 10%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 47 complaints (7.9%)47 8%SteeringSteering: 43 complaints (7.3%)43 7%Power TrainPower Train: 37 complaints (6.2%)37 6%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 13 complaints (2.2%)13 2%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS35259.5%
ENGINE7713.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7212.2%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5910.0%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM477.9%
STEERING437.3%
POWER TRAIN376.2%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL132.2%

Complaints filed per year

0851702013: 22014: 272015: 252016: 1692017: 1042018: 552019: 422020: 282021: 252022: 342023: 172024: 192025: 392026: 6 (partial year)1314151616917181920212223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20132
201427
201525
2016169
2017104
201855
201942
202028
202125
202234
202317
202419
202539
2026 (year to date)6
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V38900022/05/2019EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Fede
18V14800006/03/2018AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the
17V30900011/05/2017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESELVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Passat vehicles, equipped with diesel engines and Direct-Shift Transmissions (DSG). The vehicle's underbody heat shield may not be long enough to protect the right half-shaft grease boot from heat, pot
14V18200015/04/2014POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINESVolkswagen of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, and Passat vehicles equipped with a 1.8T engine and torque converter automatic transmission. In the affected vehicles, the O-ring seals between the oil cooler and the
16V17100024/03/2016ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRINGVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Passat vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Due to improperly assembled wire seals in a connector for an underbody sensor, water may enter and corrode the electrical connectors of the sensor,
15V48300004/08/2015AIR BAGS:FRONTALVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock
15V02800023/01/2015FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAILVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2
16V07800010/02/2016AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of
19V86200004/12/2019AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to
24V83400030/10/2024AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring afte
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.