2007 Volkswagen Passat problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (87) · Fuel/Propulsion System (28) · Steering (15)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Volkswagen Passat model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
166 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (5)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2024-10-30 · campaign 24V834000 · 248,330 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen 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 after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2018-04-18 · campaign 18V247000 · 71,335 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2006-2007 Volkswagen Passat sedan and wagon vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q8. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-079.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2018-03-06 · campaign 18V148000 · 363,713 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen 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 inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 2017-08-16 · campaign 17V509000 · 280,915 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2016 Volkswagen CC, 2006-2010 Passat and Passat Wagon vehicles. Interruption of electrical power to the fuel pump control module may cause the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump control module, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20AE.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-02-10 · campaign 16V078000 · 659,493 vehicles
Defect: Volkswagen 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 the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Service bulletins (541)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-09 · SM 39-2026 · Other
this special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2023-08-21 · V171901201285565 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
update to volkswagen engine oil standards
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/Lubrication 2023-05-30 · V171901201285562 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
volkswagen engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/Lubrication 2023-04-24 · V171901201285560 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
Air Bags 2023-03-13 · TRMDMV_NM_VW · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
in conjunction with the new mexico dmv, volkswagen will be sending takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 363 volkswagen owners in the state of new mexico on march 13, 2023.
Air Bags 2023-03-13 · TRMDMV_MA_VW · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
in conjunction with the massachusetts dmv, volkswagen will be sending takata airbag recall reminder notices to approximately 1,498 volkswagen owners in the state of massachusetts on march 13, 2023.
Showing the 6 most recent of 541 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-12-29 · Fuel System, Gasoline“the contact owned a 2007 volkswagen passat. the contact received notifications of nhtsa campaign numbers: 18v148000(air bags) and 17v509000 ( fuel system, gasoline), and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. the local dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted.…”
2023-08-29 · Air Bags“i am filing a complaint in regards to volkswagen failing to offer a solution to repair the takata airbag which was recalled. i have tried contacting vw numerous times over the past two years as i live in juneau, alaska, which is landlocked and the only option is to send the vehicle on a ferry to either anchorage or seattle, wa to have this repair c…”
2022-07-20 · Fuel/Propulsion System“the timing belt is terrible on this vehicle. this is the same model and engine as the last recall but mine didn’t qualify because it is a 2007 not a 2008. the belt is and chain are completely unstable and prone to catastrophic failure that can happen anytime while driving especially on the highway. this could cause a huge accident. there is also a …”
2022-06-11 · Fuel/Propulsion System“to start off, this car has common failures of the high pressure fuel pump cam follower. this poses serious risk of damage to the engine when the follower is blown throw and the car goes into limp mode and if this happens on road it could be catastrophic. there were no warnings that this was the issue besides researching videos on youtube while gett…”
2022-05-02 · Service Brakes“the brakes totally went out on my vehicle with no warning. it first started when i bought the car, the brake pad (almost brand new) almost set my left front rotor on fire within 10 minutes of driving. if i didn’t pull over there’s no question that my car would’ve set on fire. my fuel like was leaking heavily, and the emergency brake which is hydrau…”
2022-04-19 · Fuel/Propulsion System“while i was operating the vehicle the vehicle stopped in the middle of the street. it was told to me it's the fuel system. the car has been diagnosed back in november of 2021. the fuel pump is not getting fire to the other.…”
2022-01-02 · Air Bags“the air bag fault message came on the dash. my vw passat car was not involved in any accident. i took the car to vw dealer for the diagnosis for which i was charged. the air bag fault message is no longer there but i am sure my air bags have not been replaced. i have been advised that i may have to change the airbags in future.…”
2021-02-14 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 160,000 mi“i was driving and 2 light came on , the battery light and the check engine light. i ran it though a scanner and the codes that popped up were code p0087 and p2293…”
2020-11-09 · Unknown Or Other · 90,000 mi“just bought this car and at 94206 miles on it i can't see how the air compressor would go out and i shouldn't have to pay for it i want to see if there is recall on this at all it's a 2007 plus there 2 recalls number are 1st one is 20ae- nhtsa recall number is 17v509 august 16 2017 and now 2nd one is march 15 2018 manufacturer recall # 69q9 nhtsa r…”
2020-06-08 · Visibility/Wiper · 130,341 mi“my 16 bought a car from bommarito vw hazelwood, they told us it had prior engine work and the customer couldn't pay for the charges so they sold us the car. when test driving we heard a clunk every time you would excel. the salesman said it was stuff in the trunk. come to find out there are no motor mounts holding the motor and the motor goes up …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.