2015 Volkswagen Passat: common problems

Owners of the 2015 Volkswagen Passat filed 243 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 243
involving a crash: 11

What fails most often

1 Air bags 36% of all complaints
2 Engine 22% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 12% of all complaints
5 Steering 11% of all complaints
6 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
7 Suspension 7% of all complaints
8 Powertrain 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 88 complaints (36% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 53 complaints (22% of all).
Electrical system: 48 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 28 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 26 complaints (11% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

1.8 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
2 L · diesel · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 17 complaints
automatic, 6-speed
dual-clutch (DCT), 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
manual, 5-speed
manual, 6-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 243 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine51 · 21%
airbag warning light36 · 15%
A/C or heater16 · 7%
stalls while driving14 · 6%
loss of power / limp mode13 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell12 · 5%
vibration11 · 5%
jerking, harsh shifts6 · 2%
infotainment or screen glitches6 · 2%
windows, sunroof6 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	88	8
Engine	53	0
Electrical system	48	1
Service brakes	28	2
Steering	26	0
Fuel/propulsion system	21	0
Suspension	16	0
Powertrain	12	1
Visibility	12	0
Vehicle speed control	10	2
Exterior lighting	6	1
Structure	5	1
Electronic stability control	4	0
Seat belts	4	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Side and curtain airbags deployed; however, the front airbags did not deploy. The vehicle was declared a total loss. The driver exited the vehicle without assistance. The vehicle is currently preserved at a tow lot.
Air bags · crash · 2026-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #11713332
I I was in a car wreck in my 2015 wolf burg edition passat on july 16, 2020 and my vehicle received major damages while the car was in motion on west thomas street in hammond louisiana, but the air bags didn't deploy at any time! My car was totaled by my insurance company.
Air bags · crash · 2020-08-01 · NHTSA complaint #11342744
Everyone seatbelts locked except my fiance's. She hit the dash, insurance company totaled the vehicle and the vehicle manufacturers customer service stated it did not get hit hard enough to deploy airbags.
Service brakes · crash · 2018-09-21 · NHTSA complaint #11130658
The air bags did not deploy in the first crash. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was driven away from the scene. The paul clark volkswagen dealer was made aware of the failure, but could not diagnose the cause of the failure.
Air bags · crash · 2017-05-24 · NHTSA complaint #10991423
No stopping occurred, in fact I experienced a sudden unintended acceleration. While my foot remained on and continued to press the brake pedal, the engine revved and the car lurched forward. I attempted to put the car in neutral and tried to apply the emergency brake but was unsuccessful in stopping the vehicle.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2016-02-08 · NHTSA complaint #10824949
While driving on the highway my car suddenly began to stall. It lost power later after that & when I got an oil change then tried to drive it later I was stopped by another driver told something is leaking. While driving to a Autozone I noticed the gears jump while shifting from 1 to 2 and I now canât past 20 mph.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2026-02-09 · NHTSA complaint #11716751
The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that fuel was leaking into the engine compartment, causing engine failure. The contact stated that the dealer had repaired the vehicle and possibly cleaned the engine.
Engine · 2026-02-05 · NHTSA complaint #11715795
The heater core becomes clogged and limits heat available for defrosting the windshield. The heat available is insufficient to defrost and maintain visibility while driving under adverse conditions. The cabin also becomes uncomfortable because of limited heat during cold weather operation.
Visibility · 2025-12-09 · NHTSA complaint #11703917

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20141
201518
201626
201713
201833
201944
202013
202120
202231
202318
202410
202512
20264

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,670 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Passat has 212 complaints (37 years in the data). This year has 243, about average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Volkswagen Passat?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 243. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (21%), airbag warning light (15%), A/C or heater (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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.