AI Damage2009 Volkswagen Passat: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Volkswagen Passat filed 146 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 146
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 41% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 32% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 60 complaints (41% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 46 complaints (32% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 20 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 18 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 12 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 146 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 60 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 46 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving 30 mph, the power steering failed and the vehicle stalled without warning. As a result, the vehicle was involved in a crash. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure.
1/16/12, hesitation more frequent; vw service took a short drive,could not replicate "it's not an issue unless mil" (recommended new wiper blades). 3/6/12, @ 41,117 miles, continued to intermittently hesitate/wanted to stall/ neutral" no engine light (mil); 3/14/12 @ 41,595 miles, left headlight bulb replaced.
The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle also accelerated two additional times. The contact called the manufacturer who advised her to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer who stated that there was nothing wrong. The vin was unavailable.
Engine cold. Trans. In either reverse or drive. Upon releasing brake car moves too fast. When applying brake nothing happens. After repeatedly applying brake they finally catch has happened at least 5 times. This time they didn't catch and I rearended a pickup waiting at a stop sign.
The check engine light and oil pressure light appeared on my dash screen as I was driving home from work. I pulled over to the nearest repair shop to have the vehicle diagnosed. Upon arriving, the mechanic noticed my oil was low and filled the car with oil. Once that was completed, the car would not start.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine and oil warning lights started flashing on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic, who attempted to start the vehicle; however, the engine skipped, and the vehicle failed to start.
The manager also stated that it could be a plastic seal from the fuel pump on the top part of the tank. The tank is located next to the exhaust system. My 2009 VW CC 4-Motion only has 122,xxx miles on it. I could see a wet spot and presumed I smelled gas but was not sure.
The power steering system failed. At first I thought the steering wheel was locked. I started the car and could not turn the wheel. The power steering light illuminated in red and there was a loud beeping sound when the car is turned on. It was not until the car was towed that I realized that the wheel was not locked.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,692 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Passat has 212 complaints (37 years in the data). This year has 146, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- Passat 199034 sources
- Passat 199124 sources
- Passat 199239 sources
- Passat 199368 sources
- Passat 199425 sources
- Passat 199593 sources
- Passat 1996142 sources
- Passat 199770 sources
- Passat 1998331 sources
- Passat 1999664 sources
- Passat 2000507 sources
- Passat 2001430 sources
- Passat 2002636 sources
- Passat 2003634 sources
- Passat 2004279 sources
- Passat 2005148 sources
- Passat 2006576 sources
- Passat 2007262 sources
- Passat 2008168 sources
- Passat 2010163 sources
- Passat 201116 sources
- Passat 2012484 sources
- Passat 2013749 sources
- Passat 2014594 sources
- Passat 2015243 sources
- Passat 2016620 sources
- Passat 2017498 sources
- Passat 2018398 sources
- Passat 2019400 sources
- Passat 2020422 sources
- Passat 2021355 sources
- Passat 2022270 sources
- Passat 202374 sources
- Passat 202423 sources
- Passat 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Passat?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, fuel/propulsion system, steering. Total complaints: 146. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (26%), stalls while driving (18%), warning lights, check engine (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Volkswagen Passat from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.