2015 Volkswagen Passat problems and recalls

Owners have filed 243 complaints on the 2015 Volkswagen Passat, and NHTSA has issued 7 recalls. The most cited component is the Air Bags (88 complaints).

243
Complaints
7
Recalls
11
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
14
Injuries
66.8
Severity index

Severity index 66.8 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 66.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 69 of 143 by severity index among 2015 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 52% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2015 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 88 complaints (36.2%)88 36%EngineEngine: 53 complaints (21.8%)53 22%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 48 complaints (19.8%)48 20%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 40 complaints (16.5%)40 16%Service BrakesService Brakes: 29 complaints (11.9%)29 12%SteeringSteering: 26 complaints (10.7%)26 11%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 21 complaints (8.6%)21 9%SuspensionSuspension: 16 complaints (6.6%)16 7%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS8836.2%
ENGINE5321.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4819.8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4016.5%
SERVICE BRAKES2911.9%
STEERING2610.7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM218.6%
SUSPENSION166.6%

Complaints filed per year

022442014: 12015: 182016: 262017: 132018: 332019: 442020: 132021: 202022: 312023: 182024: 102025: 122026: 4 (partial year)1415161718194420212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20141
201518
201626
201713
201833
201944
202013
202120
202231
202318
202410
202512
2026 (year to date)4
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (40 against 64).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V01400011/01/2019AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015 Passat, 2015-2016 Eos, 2015-2017 CC, 2016-2017 TT Roadster, TT Coupe, 2017 Audi R8 Coupe, and R8 Spyder vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the i
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
15V70500026/10/2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss
14V67000024/10/2014SEATSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Jetta and Passat vehicles manufactured September 23, 2014, to October 9, 2014, and equipped with manual front seatback recliners. In the affected vehicles, the seatback recliner retain
15V37300015/06/2015SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Passat vehicles manufactured May 18, 2015, to May 21, 2015. The affected vehicles have a brake line at the left rear wheel area that may not have been properly tightened.
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
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

Other Volkswagen Passat model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 10 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-04. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.