Volkswagen Passat problems and issues


There are 117 reported problems


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Latest problems (see without answers)

Wont start all lights on replaced battery

Volkswagen Passat 2011 1 .9 12000 miles
Replaced battery after motor went dead used plastic opener to open doors
John from United Kingdom 3 months ago  
JO
1 report 

Too many problems for a new car

Volkswagen Passat 2019 4 door 58000 miles
Vehicle just wouldn't start. Had dash lights and radio. Towed to the dealership and it took them one week to figure out what was wrong with it.
Lost the cooling fan for the transmission. The epc light is now on.
Dave from United States 5 months ago  
DA

No start issue SolvedSolved

Volkswagen Passat 2006 4 dr 2.0 172000 miles
My 2006 VW Passat 2.0 has a short somewhere which drains battery if not driven for a while. I started checking fuses and didn't find anything but when I went to crank my car it turns over but won't start up any ideas. I don't have book for fuse diagram and I just took 1 fuse out at a time I just don't understand why it won't run now. Was running before I checked fuses
t1turbo from United States 9 months ago  
T1
Rank 4
2 replies 
t1turbo from United States 9 months ago
I'm still working on it I'm beginning to think it's the ecm. It has a short when you hook battery back up after having it off it arks
Solved
Best answer (according to t1turbo)
t1turbo from United States 8 months ago
I finally figured it out it ended up being fuses in the fuse box on the driver's side interior. I rechecked them and found out #10 and #34 was not in the right spot. What I did first was spray starting fluid in throttle body and it fired up that's when I rechecked my fuses
Comment

EPC, Battery, engine lights all on and won't turn over

Volkswagen Passat 2013 Passat 126923 miles
So I have a 2011 VW Passat, it was working fine yesterday and when I got in the car today it wouldn't start. The battery indicator light is lighting up in red, and the EPC and check engine light we're all popping up in yellow. When I start it, it's getting power but it's turning on and off on and off on and off. It's like trying to get power to all the other parts of the car and failing to do so. What's wrong with my car? I checked the oil and the oil is fine I tried to jump it and that wasn't the problem either. What do I do?
Mrs. Mihlberger from United States 10 months ago  
MR
4 reports 
Kawsarah from other 10 months ago
The installation of the new battery on the computer must be done at the repair shop
T.L. from United States 9 months ago
Wait… “new battery”? he only stated that he’d tried to “jump it & that wasn’t the problem either”. No “new battery”, nor anything else -new- was added/changed if taking his inquiry @ face value. Just fyi & i’m letting u know in hopes some1 SOMEwhere CAN answer this cuz i had similar issue w/my old Passat i USED to own.
Comment

Sr is seized up

Volkswagen Passat 2013 Passat 180000 miles
Out of the blue, the car would not start the dashboard red brake failure service immediately. After that red airbag failure service immediately. Brakes are hard like they’ve been taking over. Can’t even push on them so pushing on concrete car will not turn over flasher start blinking very weird just out of the blue. Home.
Steve from United States a year ago  
ST
1 report 

Ingnition key on but car is not starting

Volkswagen Passat 2000  25000 miles
Ingnition key on but car is not starting
BOLAJI from Nigeria a year ago  
BO

Starting issue

Volkswagen Passat 2015 Tdi 125000 miles
About one year ago my Passat would crank over but not start. Since then I’ve had the fuel filter, battery, crank sensor and additional warranty issues fixed. I’ve had it into specialized Volkswagen mechanics and the dealer ship in about 8 times total. No one can figure out why the car intermittently does not start because there is no fault reading. It has happened during warm and cold days, right after driving and when starting up the first of the day. And ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
John
John Zimmermann from Canada a year ago  
JO
4 reports 

Is there a fan still running after I turn off my car.

Volkswagen Passat 2008 Sedan 94000 miles
I’ve just had the radiator reservoir replaced and a rocket cover kit done. But Everytime I turn off my car I can still hear a motor running for about 3-4 minutes then it just stops.
Rys1 from Australia a year ago  
RY
1 reply 
Brunex from United States a year ago
Yes, it's very likely the radiator fan that is still working for a couple of minutes
Comment

Motor still runs after being turned off.

Volkswagen Passat 2008 Sedan 206000 miles
When I turn car off a motor can still be heard running. I don’t know where it is or what is causing it. Lasts for about 3-4 minutes
Rys1 from Australia a year ago  
RY
1 reply 
Brunex from United States a year ago
Maybe it is the cooling fan of the radiator that is still working. It might happen if the engine it's still quite hot after shutting the car off. It is normal, and it will shut down after a couple of minutes
Comment

The car won't go into reverse after someone did an oil change

Volkswagen Passat 2004 Wagon 180000 miles
Won't barley go in any gear and no reverse
Solo from United States a year ago  
SO
1 reply 
Bruce from United States a year ago
It is possible that there may be an issue with the transmission or the linkage that connects the transmission to the gear shifter. It is also possible that there may be a problem with the transmission fluid, such as incorrect level or contamination. I would recommend having the transmission and its fluid checked by a mechanic to determine the cause of the problem and to determine the necessary repairs. It is also important to make sure that the correct type and amount of transmission fluid was used during the oil change, as using the wrong type or not enough fluid can cause problems with the transmission.
Comment

Constant Bong noise SolvedSolved

Volkswagen Passat 2007 Estate/2.0TDI/DSG Auto 98000 miles
Just after I start up the car, a constant 'bong' noise appears. It stays on all the time in the background and remains on for a few minutes even when I switch car off.
There are no warning lights on dashboard and car seems to be running normally.
I have checked what I can and everything seems normal.
Any ideas?
Martyn from United Kingdom a year ago  
MA
Rank 3
4 replies 
Bruce from United States a year ago
This noise could be caused by a variety of issues, and it will be helpful to diagnose and repair the problem to ensure that your vehicle is running properly. Here are a few things you can try:

Check for any loose objects inside the vehicle. This noise could be caused by a loose object inside the car, such as a coin or a piece of paper, vibrating against a speaker or other hard surface.
Check for any visible damage to the car. The noise could be caused by something coming into contact with a moving part of the car, such as a stone hitting the underside of the car or a loose piece of trim rubbing against a tire.
Check the exhaust system. The noise could be caused by an issue with the exhaust system, such as a loose or damaged exhaust pipe or muffler.
Check the brakes. The noise could be caused by a problem with the brakes, such as a worn brake pad or rotor.
Check the suspension. The noise could be caused by a problem with the suspension, such as a worn or damaged strut or shock absorber.
If you are unable to identify the source of the noise or if the problem persists, I recommend having a mechanic diagnose and repair the issue to ensure that the problem is properly addressed and the vehicle is safe to drive.
Martyn from United Kingdom a year ago
Thank you for your comment but unfortunately it is none of the above.
This is a built in warning for something not major enough to have a warning lamp but is a regular, repeated, bong. Just loud enough to be heard inside the car. About once a second; bong,bong,bong,bong,bong... etc
It happens whilst stationary or moving and continues for a while after everything is switched off and I get out of the car!
Normally I'd have popped to my local garage but being the time of year...
In order not to damage anything, I'm trying not to use the car too much until everything opens up again on Tuesday. But if I knew the reason beforehand...
Thank you.
Bruce from United States a year ago
@MartynI see. In that case, please let us know what it was once you're able to diagnose it. And happy new year!
Solved
Best answer (according to Martyn)
Martyn from United Kingdom a year ago
I spent some time with it today and found out that the alarm sound was coming from the dashcam!
I've only had it a couple of months and it seems that the microSD card causes an alarm to sound when it's full/locked/requires reformatting...
(a Nextbase 422GW if anyone interested...)
Comment

Warning lights

Volkswagen Passat 2017 Sedan 20000 miles
All my warning lights are on at the same time.
Linda from United States a year ago  
LI
1 report 
Linda from United States a year ago
After I picked up the car and headed home, I noticed that the blind side warning lights did not come on. I’ve called and I have to take the car back in so they can see why I’m not real happy that I have to drive across town again.
Comment

Radio and back camera

Volkswagen Passat 2014 PASSAT TDI SEL 100000 miles
Hi my radio gett frozen and time to time turn on and off
DASHI from United States 2 years ago  
DA
1 report 

Tappy engine sound after engine overhaul

Volkswagen Passat 2006 2.0 FSI Automatic 274000 miles
Tappy sound after engine start up
Fritz from other 2 years ago  
FR

Am radio static

Volkswagen Passat 2017  0 miles
My 2017 Passat with 20k miles suddenly developed a. M. Radio static
Cuman from United States 2 years ago  
CU

Lites come on sometimes when they come on all of them come's on

Volkswagen Passat 2012 Volkswagen passat  119000 miles
My abs, traction control, break and airbag come's on some days and some days they don't
gene from Canada 2 years ago  
GE
1 reply 
Dave from United Kingdom 9 months ago
Did you find out what it was
Comment

Car won’t start

Volkswagen Passat 2013 Saloon 102000 miles
Suspect ECU problem and cart does not start
Ahmed from United Kingdom 2 years ago  
AH

Passat 2005 start problem

Volkswagen Passat 2005 Sedan, 2.0 automatic transmission 2500000000 miles
Car won't start, if it start it doesn't fire
Samuel from Nigeria 2 years ago  
SA
1 report 

Engine performance poor

Volkswagen Passat 2000 Passat manual 25065900 miles
VW Passat station gasoline V5 engine decelerates, dropping speed from 100km to 90 or 80km and stuttering while driving on the highway. Engine is behaving normal at speed 80 to 90km. Sign on dashboard shows a circle with a stripe through it with 40km/hr. Next to it. What could be the problem here?
Roel from other 2 years ago  
RO
2 reports 

Won't crank

Volkswagen Passat 2006 2ltr passat wagon  200000 miles
Car won't crank push the fob to crank nothing the car is in park but when I go to crank it tells me to put shift to park or nuteral any idea like I pulled up at shops stopped went shopping came back half hour later no crank hasn't done it to me before cheers
Davcol from Australia 2 years ago  
DA
4 reports 

Car don't start SolvedSolved

Volkswagen Passat 2003 Passat 1.8T 200000 miles
Car don't start. If I turn the key all the lights on the dashboard burn but the engine don't start.
Louise from South Africa 2 years ago  
LO
Rank 7
1 reply 
Solved
Best answer (according to Louise)
Louise from South Africa 2 years ago
I did put a new starter in. My problem is solved now. My car start now with out any problem.
Comment

Mobilizer Active

Volkswagen Passat 2006 2.0T Automatic Fuel 169650 miles
So i recently got this well used Passat 2006 2. Ot Fuel but the Immobilizer Active message display which wouldn't let the vehicle come on could drive a sane person insane. I notice this becomes very intermittent during the day time when the weather is high as it rarely happens in the mornings and evenings. A technician advises me to change ECU which i did , vehicle runs for 3 days displaying different incompatibility signs and finally parks up after 3 days. Now i am back to old ECU with very intermittent Mobilizer Active messages. Anyone has an idea how to manage this ?
Thanks to hearing back.
Timothy from Nigeria 3 years ago  
TI
13 reports 
Valcor from United States 8 months ago
I have this same experience. Any resolution?
Heba from other 8 months ago
Me too my car gives the message immoblizer active in the hot weather and it doesn't run until i open all doors and wait for the car to become cooler. I don't know how to fix it.
Comment

Everything electrical

Volkswagen Passat 2012 Passat 2L TDI 100000 miles
Really cold out -35. Heard a bit of possibly belt noise. Drove about 20 miles. Fan didn't work until i hit the Max heat. Seemed to run ok. Stopped and shut engine off. Tried to start within 5 minutes, battery dead, all lights on dash flashing. Jumped with booster. Started. Would not go into any gear. Steering wouldn't work. Engine slowed and died with a thunk. Would not start again. After recharging battery disconnected from vehicle 13.25 volts. Hook to vehicle and it drops to 7.5 volts.
chilko from Canada 3 years ago  
CH
2 reports 

Doesn’t start

Volkswagen Passat 2005  109000 miles
When starting immobiliser locks car, car turns, doesn’t start
Shash from United Kingdom 3 years ago  
SH
1 report 

Stuck in a loop

Volkswagen Passat 2013  50989 miles
I reset the ECM and now it seems to be stuck in a loop of restarting or like a rebooting, Can't start the car. What can I do?
gfed from United States 3 years ago  
GF

Starting issues

Volkswagen Passat 2006 Saloon 170000 miles
When cold my diesel be Passat starts I drive for 5mins turn off it won’t start without shaking or for at least 30seconds this becomes worse the hotter the engine , sometimes it will go to the get me home mode , when in a diagnosis machine there is no faults... could this be an electrical problem ?
Changed fuel and air filters and Injectors
Jimmy from United Kingdom 4 years ago  
JI
1 reply 
Jimmy from United Kingdom 4 years ago
Turns out the output of the battery was insufficient to turn the starter motor after first initial start... changed battery... starts first time altho I do get the occasional get me home mode , due to short distance driving filter getting carboned up ,,, high revs driving for 20mins should sort that problem
Comment

Starter sounds normal when cranking but motor wont fire

Volkswagen Passat 2002 Passat 2.8 wagon 100000 miles
Turn the key and it sounds like the way a car sounds but it deosnt fire up. My question is in that model is the feul pump extremely quiet is there one (electric) present at all? was it an experamental model being tested for a new kinda idk ,gravity maybe, fed ignition system? the answers to these questions would help me in deciding where to start trouble shooting.
i dont have a nick name from United States 4 years ago  
ID

Cant start

Volkswagen Passat 2008 Engine is 2.00 diesel  360500 miles
I starter the car and it went off so taught was shortage of fuel, i refuel it but cant start and have use about 4 powerful charged batteries but still cant start
Stephen from other 4 years ago  
ST

Car wont start after taking fuel (petrol/gas)

Volkswagen Passat 2012 sedan, 5 cylender, 2.5l petrol engine 27100 miles
This just started about a month ago. Car starts normally until i buy fuel (petrol) into the tank then it wont start till after like 5-10 minutes. After which, everything becomes normal till next fueling. I suspected that the fuel tank could be dirty, but found it clean when it was opened recently. Please someone should help with possible solution(s)
My Jay from Nigeria 4 years ago  
MY
4 reports 
Bubba123re from Canada 4 years ago
Perhaps your fuel tank vent is pluged or clogged causing a vapor lock at fueling. Try starting after fueling with fuel tank cap loosely pleased on tank
Comment

Fuel consumption

Volkswagen Passat 2010  9100 miles
I get only 330miles of 75liters of fuel
Is my car consuming more
Senior from other 4 years ago  
SE
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